Life in the Tropics

After 10 months of living in this tropical paradise we have learned a few things.  This is definitely the kind of place you would think of when you want to travel to a rather remote and beautiful island. The ocean water is crystal clear and changes from dark blue, to a green color, to a somewhat greyish color all depending on the color of the sky and the amount of clouds.  It is picture perfect. We have a home on the most gorgeous beach front property.  We spend time outside in the tiki hut that was built a few steps from the house and on the beginning of the white corral sandy beach.  What's not to love about it? The trade winds blow bringing cooler air and relief from the hot humid days.  When the tide is in we can hear the waves as they break upon the shore.

We have learned that life moves at a slower pace here and for those who want to unwind and relax this would be the place to be.  There are times when we can actually do that, but for most of the time we are busy with our assignments and responsibilities of being a missionary, although, we have been blessed to be here.  We have passed our midway point and it is hard to think that we only have 8 months left to be here and to make a difference.



Here are some of the benefits and other conditions of island living.  Realize that we are just 5 degrees north of the equator and it stays the same temp and humidity for most of the year.

*No more cracked and dry heels.
*Everything grows faster here --  hair, finger and toenails, vegetation, moss, and mold
*Eye make-up runs, so no need to wear it, but skin gets a glow due to the humidity
*No hurry or worry among the islanders
*Coconut oil is great for any skin condition and helps to heal all manner of problems with the skin, etc.  The islanders even put it on their hair.
*Brown sugar never gets hard, but powdered sugar and other powdered substances will get lumpy and hard.
*Crackers and other crisp items become soft
* Hard candy and gum will become sticky after just a few days
*Ziploc bags are extremely useful to bag things in for their protection and longer life span.
* Boats come bringing needed supplies, but not all things are included and when something is gone from the shelves in a store it may be months before you get it again.  You can count on something being gone off island every month.  Right now it is fresh eggs.  So when you see something you like to eat or use, it is best to buy in quantity so that you will have it.  No telling when you will see it again.  The boats usually come once a month.
*Rust gets on everything eventually.
*Rust on white shirts can be removed with lemon juice and salt and put out in the sun to dry.
*It is respectful to remove your shoes before entering someone's house no matter how humble the home may be. Many remove their shoes before entering the Church buildings.
*You can have blue skies and very little clouds and it will rain suddenly and then clear up and rain again later.  Torrential downpours can last for just a short time or more than an hour.  We love the rain and depend on it to keep our barrels full as it is the source of the water we use in our house.

 *Crabs are everywhere.  We love to watch the sand crabs as they make their holes in the sand and carry the sand out to be deposited in a pile they build as they make many trips in and out of their holes.  Land crabs are a little larger and they make it hard to grow gardens as they eat just about anything you try to plant.  On nights with a full moon they are out in abundance and it is a good night for the islanders to go out hunting and catching them.



* fresh fruits such as papayas, coconuts, bananas, and tangerines grow plentifully and we love eating them every day.  There are many types of bananas for both cooking and eating.  Sooo good! I don't think we will find bananas this good when we get home. The tangerines are green but absolutely delicious and only grow on this island in Micronesia. 

















There is just one big negative thing about living on this island and I really hate to tell you about it but they have RATS!!  We were here for 5 months before I saw one while we were driving in our car and then only saw one other a few months later still while we were driving.  BUT the other day I saw three in the same day and I was not in the car when I saw two of them.  My anxiety level went sky high.    This would be like pure heaven and I would never want to leave if it weren't for this problem.  Aside from all of this it truly is a wonderful PARADISE.

                  The sunrises are beautiful and we enjoy them each and every day.

Sipyen Falls

One of the beautiful sites on this island is Sipyen Falls.  It is a waterfall located up on the mountain on the southern end of the island.  The road to get there is mostly dirt with many pot holes and covered over with jungle overgrowth.  Once there the trip is well worth it.  It is a picturesque place with a small trail leading up along a creek and then crossing over a wooden bridge and then following along a rocky path.  As you look up you see the beautiful waterfall rolling over the edge of the mountain and dropping into a pool of clear water at the bottom. 

The ferns and all of the lush jungle covered this path that we walked along.

All of the Elders and us went there to spend the morning holding a testimony meeting and eating lunch.

The sunlight cast a lovely glow which distorted some of the Elders in this picture.

We are grateful to our District Leader, Elder Matthews for arranging this.  He has been an excellent Elder who has really taken his responsibilities seriously.  He will be returning home in a couple of weeks as his two years of service is coming to an end. 

 

 

 This has to be one of God's most beautiful creations that was just made for such a spiritual occasion.  There could not have been a better setting to bear testimony of the handiwork of the Lord, the truthfulness of the Gospel, love for the Savior, and thankfulness for the opportunity to be serving on a mission.  We sang some hymns, said prayers, and everyone had an opportunity to bear strong testimony.  We sat along the creek on large rocks as it was harder to hear up closer with the roar of the waterfall.  A day that we will never forget