Marulaon Woman's Daybook

For Today...Monday, July 5

 

Outside my window...lots of little seeds (green bean, pumpkin, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomato, bell pepper, corn) that I planted last week getting ready to pop up any day now and a few survivors (green bean, bell pepper, umalau, obikola, tomato) from our last trip out here trying to thrive

 

I am thinking...how much I would like to be in St. Paul right now where my siblings and parents have gathered for Christmas in July

 

I am wearing...pajamas

 

I am praying for...language learning, wisdom in parenting, understanding of my neighbors, good choices in cross-cultural living and time management

 

From the learning rooms...back in China now that I have my Instructor's Guide back

I am thankful for...the amazing weather we've been having, a good balance of rain and sun for the rain tanks, solar panels, and gardens.  We must have lots of people praying!

 

I am remembering...about past Independence Days in Olive Branch, enjoying fireworks with friends

 

From the kitchen...a fish fresh off the motu, bought from a neighbor who pulled it out of the ocean this morning

 

I am reading...my language learning notes, always trying to go back and look at old data in the light of any new knowledge I gain

 

I am hoping...that e-mail works soon

I am creating...a smaller pile of clothes that still need to be mended

 

Pondering these words..."A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." –Irish Proverb

 

I am hearing...Katherine singing

 

Around the house...lots of yummy green coconuts

 

One of my favorite things...understanding what my neighbors are saying (it doesn't happen very often!)

 

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting ready for our company this weekend, the American teacher who came to enrich SITAG kids during the summer break and a brother/sister pair from Australia who grew up in the Solomons.  We can hardly wait!

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...wildflowers that remind me of Matthew 6

Sweet Marulaon Sabbath

Sunday, July 04

Sweet Sabbath

-an almost seven-year-old grin mixed with grown-up teeth and baby teeth (J)

-chocolate (S)

-swimming (B)

-this house (A)

-breezy, cool days and three full rain tanks (J)

-language helpers (A)

-pretty flowers (S)

-books (B)

-clean sheets (J)

-Bikoi (B)

-Sarah, Benjamin, Olivia, Katherine (A)

-laughter (J)

even more deidei

 

more deidei

 

Saturday, July 3

Havu season is almost over.  We knew that it would be closed to finished when we arrived back in Marulaon, but we are still disappointed.  Last year, we were able to buy enough at Market to last us until January.  We shared with our neighbors just before Christmas, and they found the havu to be such a treat!  When we are in Honiara, we can buy them year-round, but here in the Russell Islands, June is the only time of year they are ripe, making them a special delicacy.

 

I was delighted this morning at market when two young girls brought some havu that had been shelled but not motued.  I asked Eileen if she would be willing to teach me how to motu the nuts and how to make some maki with them.  She said I could make deidei with the un-motued havu, so after market several of us sat around and removed the inner skin from the havu.  We decided to make deidei instead of lelenga today since they both use obikola (cassava) and stay all night on the motu.

 

When Katherine went down for her nap, the rest of us peeled, washed, and grated the obikola.  Later in the afternoon, we went down and borrowed a nago from a friend to smash the havu and mix it with the grated obikola.  After it was all smashed and mixed, we put it into a tray lined with banana leaves, and it was ready to go on the hot stones.  I had a really hard time getting the fire to start, and eventually Aaron came and bailed me out.  Good thing he's an Eagle Scout!

 

 

Thursday, July 1

July

by Susan Hartley Swett

When the scarlet cardinal tells

Her dream to the dragon fly,

And the lazy breeze makes a nest in the trees,

And murmurs a lullaby,

It is July.

 

When the tangled cobweb pulls

The cornflower's cap awry,

And the lilies tall lean over the wall

To bow to the butterfly,

It is July.

 

When the heat like a mist veil floats,

And poppies flame in the rye,

And the silver note in the streamlet's throat

Has softened almost to a sigh,

It is July.

 

When the hours are so still that time

Forgets them, and lets them lie

'Neath petals pink till the night starts wink

At the sunset in the sky,

It is July.

Wednesday, June 30

It poured rain today during our first day back at school.  We were so thankful for the sound of the rain in our rain tanks (especially since all three had been empty only a few days before we came).  What an appropriate way to begin our new read-aloud, "The House of Sixty Fathers" by Meindert Dejong, while we sat on our rain speckled porch and drank hot chocolate.  From the opening paragraph of the book:  "Rain raised the river.  Rain beat down on the sampan where it lay in a long row of sampans tied to the riverbank.  Rain drummed down on the mats that were shaped in the form of an arched roof over the middle of the sampan...."

 

Tuesday, June 29

God has given us some cloudy, cool days to spend unpacking and cleaning inside the house.    We're amazed at the soot and dust that collects on the window louvers, the bookshelves (and books), and the floor while we're gone.  At this point, we're all a little cranky and thankful that the big cleaning is almost finished.

 

My friend, Naris, greeted me with stories about why she is so thin now.  She is expecting again after a miscarriage last time we were in Marulaon, but she has been very sick with this pregnancy.  She told me that she cut her hair to help her get healthy again, and now she is feeling much better.  I still have so much to learn about how my friends think here in Marulaon.

 

 

Monday, June 28

Aaron and I watched the most amazing full moon rise over the Pacific Ocean tonight.  God's creation astounds me.

Ridin' the Bikoi in Style

On the Bikoi again...

Sunday, June 27

Even though we had rough seas today, God gave us a perfect cloudy and cool day for traveling on the Bikoi.  Lots of SITAG and Wycliffe Associates folks came to see us off, some of them were even brave enough to get on the ship and look around.  It was packed!  The Bikoi is known for being reliable and being on time, but today we left an hour and a half late.  So, we didn't get into our house until almost five o'clock.  But aside from a little nausea (and most of that was caused from all the people smoking cigarettes around us), we enjoyed a great trip as the boat rocked back and forth through the waves!  Thanks for all of your prayers.  We did find a welcome home present - a long-dead rat in the bathroom, so dead it didn't even smell anymore.  We're just thankful it was dead.

 

My garden disappointed me again.  The root crops and Chinese cabbage were dug up by dogs, and Marulaon hasn't received much rain while we were gone so the green beans were all shriveled up.  But the lady we hired to look after our ground had replanted some Chinese cabbage, nursed the bell pepper through the drought, and kept the weeds down.  We'll just be buying our root crops at the market this time out, and we'll continue to plant and learn as we go.  The manioko (papaya) trees that we planted last year are thriving, and we're hoping to get to taste some of their fruit while we are here.  The pineapples are all doing well, too, but they are slow growers so it will be a while before we get to eat them.  God blessed Marulaon with a big rain just a few days before we came back, and all three of our rain tanks (two for the community and one for us) are full.

 

Each time we transition back and forth, it gets a little easier and we get a little more efficient.  Saying goodbye is always hard, though.  We're really hoping to get some intensive language learning done during this stay, so here we go!

testing, one, two, three

We've had some small success with e-mail in the last couple of days, so I'm trying again to send a post to the blog.  Our plan is to return to Honiara on August 24 or 25 depending on shipping schedule.  Thanks for all of your prayers!

Choate Report

Dear Friends,

As of yesterday’s radio sked, the Choate family is doing well.  Both Aaron and Katherine seem to have recovered from their bouts with malaria.  They have both finished their courses of treatment for that.  Thank you for your prayers.

 

Aaron was able to spend 5 hours talking with Ezekiel about the translation project.  They were able to cover a wide range of topics.  Aaron was happy with how the conversation went. 

 

It was cloudy and cool all day yesterday for them, but Aaron said they only received about ½ cup of rain.  Last night we in Honiara got a very nice rain, so hopefully I’ll hear the same at the radio sked today.  That would go a long way to help with their water situation. 

 

I’m going down to the shipping office later today to buy them tickets to return to Honiara.  So in less than two weeks you will be hearing from them.

Sincerely,

Andy Pierce

Deputy Director

Choate Report

Dear Friends,

Here is the latest news from the Russell Islands.  Aaron has responded well to his malaria treatment and is feeling good.  Unfortunately, they now suspect that Katherine may have malaria and so they are starting her on a treatment. 

 

The Lord has answered our/your prayers and has sent some rain to the Choate’s village.  Their tanks are still on the low side, but it is a good reminder to trust in the Lord to provide our daily needs. 

 

More good news is that their picture dictionary workshop went well.  I believe that half of the villages on their island had representation at the workshop.  Aaron said that he believed that things went well.  Thank you for your prayers on this issue. 

 

As always, if you have any questions or comments that you would like for me to pass along to the Choates, I speak with them daily at our 4:30pm radio sked. Feel free to email me at deputy.solomon.islands@sil.org

Sincerely,

Andy Pierce

Deputy Director

 

Weekend Events

Dear Friends,

At the last radio sked, Aaron asked me to send out another update for him.  They are doing well.  Health wise most of the family is doing well.  Aaron started treating himself for Malaria.

 

This weekend the Choates will be hosting their first translation workshop in the village.  It will be a picture dictionary workshop.  Please pray that all of their preparations will pay off and that the teaching side will go well.  Pray that it will be well attended and that it will help to build excitement for the translation project.

 

sincerely,

Andy Pierce

 

 

Election time in the SI

Dear Friends,

We had a brief period today when the Choate’s radio email worked.  They were able to retrieve some emails off of my computer.  Hopefully that trend will continue, but you never know here…

 

Aaron & Joanna would like for you to add the Solomon Island’s elections to your prayer list.  The elections are on Wednesday August 4^th.  Please pray that Godly men and women will be elected and that the entire process will go smoothly and peacefully.  During the last elections the actual day for voting was ok, it was only after a Prime Minister was decided that some rioting happened.  The RAMSI peacekeeping force has beefed up their presence around the capital so they aren’t expecting the same problems this time around.

Sincerely,

Andy Pierce

Deputy Director

 

PS.  As usual, if you want me to pass along any message to the Choate family via the radio please direct your emails to: deputy.solomon.islands@sil.org