chuukese in action

My first Chuukese words was, "pwapwa" (Happy). The first time I heard it a sis heard we were joinging them and said it as she gave me a jolly big hug.

I have always loved the pacific islanders (thats why I teach at Waipahu el.) but my love for the Chuukese grows each time I'm with them. They have so much zeal and devotion. They have no fear of rejection and no hesitation to go. Many of them catch the bus to work, field service and to the meetings. Many of them live in and out of shelters or housings. They are used to long walks and the heat. They usually don't need breaks like us Americans. They often pack food or if they buy, they buy enough for everyone. Its normal to have ten children. They are regular at the meetings, and are out regularly during the week and weekends!

We were invited to "help" because they are a new cong. but they are so not new. They have a lot of history. People still call them "Trukese" (as it was called prior to 1990).

I love meeting at the branch too. There is so much bethelite and missionary traffic. When missionaries come to Hawaii they often visit us. And it seems that all the Chuukese knows them except us new ones. The missionaries often tell us how they watched these ones grow up!

Chuukese sisters do so many things here.

They read for the congregation Bible studies and translate Public talks...


and give talks...



and demonstrations...



and help teach our class...




and to sing out loud! Here we are practicing new song book for the DC (We are using the brown song book).

Now its our turn. Do you understand?

What! That was in English!

"Ran allim." "Ran allim." Itei Hazel. Ifa itom?" "Hermalyn." "Ua mochen ngonuk ei taropwe. Kese mochen kopwe alleani." "Kilisou chappur."

Miki and Steve give it a try.

Jodi and Sarai dress the part.

There are 26 students (8 are new incl. us). 3 are instructors (former missionaries in Chuuk). 11 are missing in the pix.


We are half way through the class and still as clear as mud!

A sister encouraged me yesterday, she said that my Mom is being blessed because she has also made a sacrifice, by allowing us to serve where the need is greater.

Biscus n Betta

Dunno whats going on but since we moved in Feb/Mar, our fishes have been slowly dying off. All of our originally fish is now gone. First we lost Kirby. Now our iridescent Betta died, a month ago.



Sometimes Betta is iridescent blue, sometimes white. (both pictures are the same fish.)

Here is Biscus watching Gary watch TV.


Spring tank cleaning. Didn't help.

Biscus, our gold fish, is like a dog. He is a one-tract minded beggar.
Biscus died too a week ago. We don't really know how old all of our fishes were but we had them for a long time...
Gary's thinks that when Kirby died , our gold fish got bossy and bullied Betta. So we punished him in a 3-gallon tank.

So we got new fishes. Guppies and 2 plecos. Big mistake. We noticed the plecos started killing off the guppies.

They may have been Biscus' killer.

Gary named the other fishes so I decided to name the plecos, Slash and Pepper.

Slash has a tiny white tip on the top of his tail. Pepper is the spicy one, he thinks he rules the tank.

I hate both of them.

if theres Chuukese on Chinaman's hat

Month number 2 in our new language.

A brother told us a sign of a good congregation is when nobody wants to go home afterwards. lol. Or is it because many Chuukese don't drive. haha.

So here we are after a few months and now we have some pictures of how we are doing in the island territory of O'ahu.


If there's Chuukese on Chinaman's Hat then we should call it, Chuukese Hat.


We bump into witnesses everywhere. This is Alden's store on the North Shore. They are witnesses.

Here we are in central O'ahu where we find the bulk of the Chuukese. When we meet them, they are so happy to hear us sharing with them the bible truths in their own language from their own bibles.

The bible we are using is a Protestant Bible. It is very hard to get unless you know someone in Chuuk. There is also a Catholic Bible in Chuuk.

Some areas have so many Chuukese that we are practically going door-to-door as we're doing here. (click to enlarge)

We find them in Micronesian stores too.

Here's Gary at the door in Palolo. Gary and Sel had a demo at the DC Sat morn about what not to do. Notice the dog, the cute kid, and only the cell phone is missing.

Sasha and Yumi at Kuhio Park Terrace (KPT).

...and Nolan and Marcus.

Here we are in Wahiawa... rain or shine, still smiling.

We do a lot of driving but we don't mind. The company is that good!
Chelsea showing some teeth!

Debbie and I got baptized together in 1992, I was 16 and she was still single. whoa... that was 19 years ago! That makes me...

...really old.

But she's older. lol.

Here Selwin is helping Merlisa to prepare for the DC.

Mama Jody gives candy to the Chuukese girls.

my cati garden

My succulent mini cacti garden. Lets hope they last but never-the-less pictures last longer.

pink/red anthuriums

cherry tomatoes

Not pictured: basil, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, mint, green onions and aloe.

Ardel's new place

We have so many friends moving. The Lee Kwai's are moving down stairs from us. That makes four witnesses families in our stairwell. 4 out of the 6.

Here is a picture of another friend in Makakilo that moved. I lived in Makakilo before I got married.

They threw us foreign-language helpers a good bye party.

Kelly & Bonnie (Spanish in Nicaragua), Elyse & Alison (Chinese), Ashley, Tania & Gary (Chuukese), Nolani and family (Iloko).
The food was soooo good! Ardel and I are sharing recipes.

This was my favorite! Stuffed crab mushrooms.


Happy grad from college Ashley!!!

Romy's shrimp

July 7, 2010

Driving to Romy's is like driving the whole Chuuk... TWICE!. But I wouldn't know. Actually it is not even an island, its an atoll. Anyhue..

Romy's!!! I love love love it!!!

People are willing to wait 45 minutes to an hour for it, plus pay $13.00 for a single plate with rice. It is so broke-da-mout. So ono-licious just thinking about it makes me drool.

When you take a wiff at the air... You'll wish you could bite the air.

My favorite is the butter-garlic plate.

Yumi is so hungry she got a headache. To relief she asked people to pull her hair. ...pull her hair... Is that how they do it in Chuuk?

Giddy loves ice. Ice is addicting.

Should we tell him that it opens on the other end.

Jong is showing us what happens when you eat too much shrimp.

say, "shrimp"

li hing pineapple


YEEEESSS! And only 45 minutes later. Chad gets the Lemon-Butter garlic and Diane gets the spicy shrimp plate.

OK lets get down to business. Wow... silence... Damien, Sam and Jeff are all eye-balling Marcus' food. Marcus just smiling. Oblivious.

Tania and Gary and...
...our garlic-butter shrimp plate!