Hot Cross Buns and Easter Eggs

from w
Though these are fun and great for children at this time in the year, I do think we have often gone overboard into the commercial side of it all. I was near the Aldi's Supermarket (after I went to the library) and saw this big bunny waiting for children to come and hug him/her for photographs which I presume are not free to the parents. Bunnies and Easter - I suppose there is a kind of connection to do with fertility and the rite of spring which the earlier word for Easter was about. And the notion that rabbits lay eggs, well, that's a bit far-fetched.And hot cross buns are tasty but they were on sale three months ago. A few weeks ago some children came to our front door selling hot cross buns for their primary school (the buns to be delivered alter on). We parted with $10 at the time, and so far the kids haven't come back. Tomorrow is Good Friday and school has broken up for the holidays. Have we been had? Children actually should not be sent door-knocking these days anyway. So I'm a bit cross and cranky already about how this Holy Season is celebrated - in Australia.
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Later - Friday afternoon:
Well, we didn't buy any Hot Cross Buns, but after our Good Friday worship this morning which was quietly stimulating - and shocking with a drama involving hammering nails to a wooden cross - good leadership from Rev Richard - and not too many blunders from the organist - one of the guys announced that there was morning tea after all and lots of Hot Cross Buns. Then talking with friends, sometimes deep and meaningful. (Our family call this 'kana' ministry.) And a bag full of buns for me to take home for the guys at home, though Peceli has gone up to Melbourne to his church congregation there and then I guess he'll visit families in the newer suburbs nearby.
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And, later again, this time on Saturday afternoon: Well, a little girl knocked on the door and delivered the promised hot cross buns, only a day late, but that was good as we are having a barbecue with visitors from Wyndam Vale.

What is the value of 'Earth Day'?

from w
Some say that Earth Day hour without electricity is a waste of time. They say it doesn't really save electricity at all, but others say it's symbolic and makes us pause and think of the value of electricity and our dependence upon technology and how we need to say, Slow down. Here in our house I lit a candle inside an old chipped mug and turned off four lights but our house guest needed to shower before going on night shift as Security (where there would be tons of flashing lights in a bar and poker machines) so he turned on one light. Peceli was out on an errand and when he came home he said, 'Hey, what's with the darkness?' I said, 'Even the pyramids in Egypt and the Eiffel Tower in Paris are dark for Earth Hour.' 'I didn't notice any difference in the streets,' he replied. I started to sing, 'Hello darkness my old friend...' the old Simon and Garfunkel song. Then Peceli sang a bit of a song about 'Vula'!

Okay, people are lazy and indifferent and it's really the huge factories and office towers that need to be more vigilant about waste of power. We certainly take it for granted though. I remember that for six years, - in Rakiraki and in Labasa- we didn't have access to electricity, except for one time we had a generator to show evangelistic films amidst the cane farm settlements. It certainly was a different life then.

Even Fiji, where many people outside the electricity grid, and even within it at times, do not have lights and power twenty-four hours a day, had some special events, which to me, was a very good idea. One Fiji media outlet says:
Fiji led Earth Hour by ‘switching off’Sunday, March 30, 2008Fiji Takia Club paddlers out on Suva foreshore releasing candles to mark earth hour Taken from / By: Courtesy of WWF.Fiji led the world in the fight against climate change by ‘switching off’ for Earth Hour with more than 370 cities, councils and towns around the world participating. At approximately 8pm last night hundreds of businesses and individuals ‘switched off’ showing the world that Fiji is ready and willing to take action on climate change.

WWF spokesperson Kesaia Tabunakawai said commitments for ‘lights off’ came from Taveuni, Savusavu, Labasa, Levuka, Nausori, Suva, Sigatoka, Denarau, Lautoka, Lami, Kadavu and Nadi. She said a highlight for the hour was the President’s village - Viseisei in Vuda where the whole village switched off for Earth Hour.

Tabuanajawai said the support from over 200 businesses and many individual households, coupled with the support from Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama was overwhelming. She added what is left now is to await the Fiji Electricity Authority to make an announcement on the amount of energy saved during Earth Hour.

The event was celebrated last night at the Suva waterfront where about 100 floating candles were released into the bay representing Fiji’s many islands participating for Earth Hour. Tabuanakawai says they hope to get the same amount of support for Earth Hour next year.

Children's Sunday and Palm Sunday

from w
It's tradition in Fiji for the children in Methodist churches to lead worship on Palm Sunday, to wear nice white clothes, sing, pray, recite little Bible readings, take up the collection, and preach in a style mimicking their elders. Isa, this year some children this weekend don't have their nice clean white costumes because they were lost during the recent cyclone, and the children from the beach house at Nukutatava destroyed by the fire last Monday. Life seems to be full of dangers and sudden shifts.I found a few photos to post here, some from the Fiji papers and some are mine. I also posted one pic of three children at the Altona Meadows/Laverton Uniting Church Fijian congregation.

Some migrant communities also celebrate Children's Sunday on Palm Sunday, such as the Wesleyan congregation that meets in Coburg where Peceli visited today. It is interesting that many Fijians abroad take with them many of the associated customs of the church from back home in Fiji rather than join in with the church culture of the country they move to. They may find the music quite different, the style more informal, and even the theology more liberal! Some Fijians join in with Australian churches, others want to belong to a congregation that uses the familiar Fijian language, music and styles of worship.In my vavalagi church in East Geelong we decorated the building with (fake) palm leaves, clothes, rocks and gave each family either a woven palm cross or a Mexican cross made with sticks and coloured wool. I played the music and included 'Jesus Christ Superstar' music which really dates me! I had to help with music at a second church this morning, St Andrews, as their 91 year old organist has been ill. It was lovely to play on a huge Fincham pipe organ, though I really think the church today needs young people with keyboards and guitars and modern Christian songs to alternate with traditional hymns. I wish... Aussie people could sing a capella like Islanders!

youth training institute damaged in cyclone

from w
I was sorry to read of the destruction at the youth training place next to our land at Nukutatava out of Labasa.Two photos above show the buildings before the cyclone. This group is related to Christian Mission Fellowship and Oral Roberts University in USA so they get plenty of funding. Nature and accidents just happen to anybody, good and bad alike. Facing the sea and overlooking Vorovoro and Mali Island they must have got the strong wind forces as they face the Mali Passage. There is another story about Nukutatava in the Fiji papers this week but the tragedy of a fire concerns our family so I don't want to tell it here.
from Fiji Sun today:
Church rebuilds institute

3/25/2010
Staff members of the World Harvest Institute at Nukutatava, Vanua Levu watched in horror as their buildings were pulversised by Cyclone Tomas. The institute is located near the sea and is now closed.

Beside the institute there is a picnic spot with bures for locals and tourists.

Labasa World Harvest Institute farm manager, Asaeli Tila said the root crops and vegetable farm had been destroyed. “All the cassava, vegetables, coconut, breadfruit and bananas have been damaged,” he said. He said the institute was to open by the end of this month and now there was not enough food to cater for students.

Everyone is family during a hurricane

pictures from Lau, Cakaudrove, Macuata.from w
A story from Vunivutu in Macuata shows that during a disaster such as a cyclone, neighbours have to become as family members to help each other to survive. All kinds of stories are now coming out about the events of early last week - some people hid under floorboards as the houses collapsed, others huddled in a generator shed, others were holed up at the North Pole Hotel in Labasa. Many went to the strongest building in the area - a hall, school or church. Ethnic difference does not matter as everyone needed to be protected from the wild wind.
from Fiji Sun
Cyclone binds new ties
3/23/2010
Out of adversity comes unity as Cyclone Tomas has shown, bringing a cane farming community together like never before. At the height of the cyclone last Monday, several cane farming families close to Vunivutu Village, in Macuata, took refuge in the village hall for days. Close to 100 people huddled in the cold in the village hall sheltering from the fierce winds and heavy rain.

A farmer, Arvin Kumar said they were thankful to the villagers for accommodating them at the village from the natural disaster which destroyed most of their farms. Mr Kumar said they were equipped with warm clothes and food rations for a few days as they camped at the village. “Most farmers from surrounding farming settlements in Vunivutu moved to the village hall for shelter two days before the Cyclone struck,” he said. “As the winds intensified, more families joined us as we tried to keep warm,” said Mr Kumar.

His new-found friend at the village, Rasakaia Baleibua said 14 families sheltered at the village.

Along with the destruction of Cyclone Tomas, a new relationship developed between the natives of Vunivutu and their farming neighbours. Mr Baleibua said during the time of disasters, people should look after each other despite their differences.

The shooting of the most watched worldwide television series Survivor was taken at the very same village of Vunivutu few years ago.

No more Ratu Sukuna Day holiday

from Fiji Village
Reduction of two public holidays
Publish date/time: 22/03/2010 [13:12]

The government has gazetted the reduction of public holidays in Fiji which now effectively sees the end of the National Youth Day and the Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day from this year. Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the Prime Minister has noted that the two days are important but Fiji already has a high number of public holidays. Sayed-Khaiyum said activities normally held during the National Youth Day and Ratu Sukuna Day will still be held but they will not be public holidays. He also said with the removal of the two holidays, there will be increased productivity and output.

The public holidays that now remain are New Year's Day, Christmas, Boxing Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Queen's Birthday, Diwali, Prophet Mohammed's Birthday and Fiji Day.

Ywam in Geelong

from w
Last night Peceli and I enjoyed seeing a presentation by Youth with a Mission down at the waterfront in Geelong which included some young Fijian men and their families. The boat is here for three days and then they will move on to Portland and Adelaide. It is wonderful to see young people willing to take part in a Christian organisation that travels around, inspiring youth and families to live a better life. The presentation included some meke, Samoan slap dance, Maori dance and hip hop as well as dance to upbeat motivational songs. We talked with the Fijian young people and hope to see them again later today. The program last night was at the youth entertainment area not far from Cunningham Pier, a place for skateboarders etc. with natural stage areas. Way to go!

Update on Dismac survey

from w
It seems that the surveys have been swift and the help is getting out to the needy people in the cyclone affected areas. Thank you to Dismac, the Red Cross, immediate assistance from Australia and New Zealand, helpers, and the army and navy for their efficiency.
from RadioFiji
Tomas aftermath survey update
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The damage assessment surveys continue today - following the devastation caused by Hurricane Tomas. Disaster Management Officials are monitoring the situation on the ground through Divisional Commissioners as teams have been dispatched to various affected areas.

As of now three Fiji Navy patrol boats are in the Northern and Eastern Division to conduct ground assessments and distribution of relief supplies.

So far the latest survey report are as follows.
Evacuation centres continue to be vacated as people move back to what has been left of their homes. There are now only 9 evacuation centres open – 3 in the Northern Division and 6 in the Eastern Division. There are currently 449 evacuees in the centres.

A total of 318 houses have been reported to be damaged in the Northern and Eastern divisions. There are total of 97 homes totally destroyed in the Northern Division while in the Eastern Division 174 houses were damaged, 47 houses were totally destroyed.

There will be further updates on these figures as the field assessment progresses.

All roads in the North are open except the Nayaroyaro to Saqani road - as repairs are underway on the washed out sections.

The National Emergency Operation Centre continues to monitor the relief part of the Operation Additional New Zealand and Australian relief supplies are expected to arrive from tomorrow. This includes blankets, tents and extra tarps.

The RNZAF C130 has no tasks assigned for today –as it is expected to return to New Zealand this morning.

The MV Iloilovatu will depart for Lau at mid-day today.

MV Rayawa to depart will depart for Lomaiviti at 6 – this evening.

DISMAC says the priority areas right now are Shelter, Education and Rations (including water).

DISMAC is working to compile and submit a list of needs for funding from donors and expects to start rehabilitation within the next few weeks.

Cyclone Tomas and Vorovoro

from w
The tribewanted team survived the cyclone by sheltering in the home of Tui Mali. Here's a report on the website from Vorovoro Island near Labasa.
Vorovoro Cyclone Appeal
Community → Ben Keene's blog
By bengazi, Vorovoro, Fiji Posted 1 day ago

On Monday 15th March category 4 Cyclone Tomas – with winds of 230 kmph (the equivalent of Katrina) – smashed into north eastern Fiji. It was the biggest storm to hit the islands since ‘Bebe’ in 1972. A state of emergency has been declared by the government in its aftermath as mass flooding and housing damage has left Fijian villages stranded. On Vorovoro our cyclone preparation worked well. Everyone on the island rested safely in Tui Mali’s house. No one was hurt.

Now begins the re-pair and re-build. The Grand Bure roof is a serious job and along with a lot of other minor repairs, it is a good couple of months work for a team. Our aim is to employ a team of boys from Mali (who will be short of income themselves after the storm) for up to eight weeks to help our smaller island team and visiting tribe members complete the following jobs:

- Grand Bure roof (re-thatch) and replace core posts/ strappings
- Replace and fix smaller building roofs
- Move water tank back up the hill
- Replace broken tools / smashed kitchen equipment
- Remove and clean-up all the fallen trees
- Help clean the farm areas so any surviving crops can continue to grow
Fundraising Target: $10,000fj (£3,400 / $5,250)
£10 / $15 donation will employ, feed and transport one local worker for one day.
£50 / $75 donation will employ, feed and transport one local worker for one week.
£200 / $305 donation will employ, feed and transport one local worker for one month.
Please give to the Vorovoro Cyclone Appeal. After money transfer fees (usually 3%) all donations go direct to the above projects. We will keep you up to date with progress as communications improve from the island.

Vina’a va’alevu for your support!
How to donate (pls reference your donation ‘Cyclone Tomas’): (go to tribewanted website for details)

What about Mali? Initial reports are that the villages were relatively unharmed due to their locations. Vorovoro is the most exposed of the villages in the area. But as and when we learn about projects that need extra support we will offer our help.

What about the rest of Fiji?
You can support the national aid effort by donating directly to the Fiji Red Cross

What about coming to Vorovoro and helping?
Absolutely – the best thing you can do is come and stay. Your support then has a direct impact. So if you fancy getting your hands dirty in the sunshine over the next few months get a flight to Fiji. Thank-you for helping re-build our island village! (We’ll post pictures as soon as the island is back online… Fiji time + Hurricane time)
Tui Mali, Jimmy, Jenny, Ben, Bebe, Poasa, Francis, Nemani, Woti, Kini, Jone, Pupu & Api.
island@tribewanted.com

Please fix our roads

from w
When I put two photos side by side I was astonished that we complain in Melbourne about something that cost nearly $2,000,000,000 dollars (two billion)and someone else is trying to move fallen trees on a road in Fiji after a cyclone. How the other half live! Then I got to thinking of the per cent of aid that rich countries like Australia give overseas and it isn't much. The gift of $1 million in the Fiji emergency isn't much of the GDP, and what a waste of money is that nine road or more flyover, go under - get lost kerfuffle of roads in Southbank area. Common on, Oz, pull up your socks and be more generous!
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added on Sunday (article and picture from Fiji Times)
Coast road reopens
Sunday, March 21, 2010Wainigadru villagers near the damaged part of the road that was repaired to allow supplies through.

TRAFFIC opened along the Saqani Coastal road near Waingadru Village after urgent repair works were carried out along the one kilometre portion washed away by sea surges.

On Friday afternoon reclamation works carried out along the road enabled Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and his entourage surveying disaster-struck areas along the northeastern coastline to pass through. The Saqani highway is an important link for villagers from Udu, Tawake and Saqani to get to Savusavu and Labasa.

Works Ministry spokeswoman Sainiana Waqainabete said machinery and workers on the ground in Vanua Levu would be boosted by teams from Suva to allow the quick repairs to infrastructure and enhance mobility. "That coastal link is one of many roads that have been affected by Hurricane Tomas," she said. "Our surveys are being carried out to determine the full extent of damage."

The route to Lagi Village in Dogotuki is blocked by big trees and logs, which is to be cleared up by next week. The Lakeba-Namuka road was cleared up by Wednesday by a team of workers from Qelemumu.

Acting Commissioner Northern Inia Seruiratu said that a challenge in distributing rations was infrastructure and this would need to be addressed to allow DISMAC teams through.

With a little bit of help from your friends

from w
Many countries, individuals, organisations, companies are chipping in to assist those who suffered in Cyclone Tomas. Australia, New Zealand, USA, China and others. It's a start especially the logistics of moving urgent tents, food, shelter boxes, to places that are hard to reach. Even small gestures like collecting cans of food is necessary. But beetroot - now that's a good one. I don't recall ever eating the stuff in Fiji though one of my kids, when small, really loved the stuff when he visited a relative in Australia! Keep the good will going. Meanwhile the big cleanup has already started with people searching for their clothes under piles of sand swept up from the sea, washing clothes, fixing broken roofs, finding food in the destroyed gardens. If only Fiji wasn't so far away. The excesses of countries like Australia have just so much food, that is thrown out, or cheap as remaindered, but it cost too much to move it to Fiji.

Courier starts food collection
Friday, March 19, 2010

DHL Express Fiji has started a canned food collection for those affected by Hurricane Tomas. DHL Express general manager Nick Taylor said the company was collecting cans of fish, baked beans and beetroot. "As long as it will make people happy and help them through this tough time then we will take it. We don't however take any perishable items," he said.

Mr Taylor said the idea started as a staff initiative but then management decided to spread the idea to all customers and the public to allow them to help in whatever way they could.

He said DHL Express was liaising with DISMAC to ensure the cans were given to those who most needed it.

"We will also send it to our agent on the ground in Savusavu who will ensure that cans are given out to those in need," he said. "We are happy to provide this service for as long as the customers, public and staff are willing to contribute." He said as of yesterday, around 50 cans were collected plus 12 large buckets of biscuits donated by City Security. Mr Taylor said it was important that corporate citizens gave back to the community.
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(later Friday) There are many stories with little videos on the FijiTV website today about some families in Labasa whose homes and farms have been destroyed, moving aid to help people and other stories.

Stories from the Small Islands

Some aid has reached Labasa today to be given out, but I don't think the small islands are getting much so far as they are remote and airstrips are damaged.
from w
One by one, the stories come out from the small islands in the eastern part of Fiji, and they are the ones who don't have the roads and shopping malls to be able to jump in the car and drive downtown to fill up the cupboards. Two examples are Cikobia north of the eastern tip of Vanua Levu, and the island of Cicia in Lau. One thing though, since a previous hurricane, houses were built on Cikobia Island which were designed to withstand cyclones, and they did stand the test.

Cikobia
Village nurse describes ordeal (from Fiji Village)
Publish date/time: 18/03/2010 [15:01]
An emotional 41 year old village nurse, Melaia Cagituievei reveals of how her 4 year old son, Jona openly cried to her expressing his fear about the strong winds which blew off the roof of their kitchen at the village of Nalele in Cikobia. Cagituievei said her son, husband and 2 other children with their mother were all in the living room because the 2 bedrooms were wet. She added that she had to take Jona to one of the rooms, spread a tarpaulin on the wet floor under the bed and used a dry mattress for Jona to lie on so he could sleep.

Meanwhile Cagituievei said as a village nurse she had advised the families in the 4 villages of Cikobia namely Nalele, Vuninuku, Nautauvatu and Vatulele to boil the drinking water that were kept in the water tank.

Cicia (from Fiji Times)
Cicia hit twice in 12 hours
Thursday, March 18, 2010
HURRICANE Tomas roared one way across Cicia and changed direction before wreaking havoc from the opposite direction. Tui Mabula, Lemeki Rasalato, said hey were hit twice within 12 hours. "We were hit from Monday night until 5.30am on Tuesday morning, the wind was coming from inland," he said. Mr Rasalato said that on Tuesday morning, the wind changed direction and hit them again."It uprooted houses and threw the materials about a kilometre away from the village," he said. The 83-year-old chief said that he had never seen a hurricane with that intensity. "We have about 20 houses damaged in this village," he said. That did not include the other four villages on the island.

Mr Rasalato said they were trying to get details of destruction in other nearby villages.He said that their village school and their district secondary school were not spared from the wrath of Tomas.The former school teacher requested the villages not to wait for assistance, but to start replanting."They can start planting kumala," he said. He said they had begun cleaning up the debris left by the hurricane.
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From Koro Island (courtesy stuff website in New Zealand)

Villagers on the cyclone-battered Fijian island of Koro had their chainsaws, shovels and assorted tools out today clearing roads, rebuilding homes and dealing with damage from winds which gusted to 240kmh.

Koro, to the northeast of the main island of Viti Levu, was badly damaged by Cyclone Tomas in the last two days, with many homes among the island's 14 villages badly damaged or destroyed.

However, the islanders were resourceful and independent and had already started rebuilding, a spokesman for the Dere Bay Resort on the western side of the island, Julian Hennings told NZPA. He said during the cyclone, when winds gusted to 240kmh, islanders helped each other. "They depend on each other. That is the way they have been living for hundreds of years. They are quite self-sufficient."

Fiji Times says 'Thank you'

from w
Fiji people say a thank you to those who gave warnings early and to those who in the height of the storm went out to save others. The Fiji Times writes it up this way.
Debt of gratitude
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

WE pay tribute today to the hard-working emergency services staff who kept the country operational and safe throughout Hurricane Tomas.

Police were among the first to take action, evacuating villagers and residents from low-lying areas of Udu Point and Tunuloa, Cakaudrove. A specific police unit assisted by Red Cross volunteers was moved to Udu, near the expected point of landfall in order to assist as soon as possible.

In Labasa, police officers were mobilised at the height of Tomas to protect the main town as destructive winds caused minor damage to shops. These men and women left the safety of their homes and indoor warmth to ensure that the people of the nation were safe and, more importantly, did not place themselves in danger.

On Koro, police were forced into a dangerous situation by villagers who failed to heed warnings to move to higher ground. When sea surges flooded Nasau Village, residents appealed for help to the very officers who only hours earlier had visited them and asked that they evacuate what was an obviously dangerous site.

The officers — despite the high seas and certain danger — immediately responded to the plea for help and moved men, women and children to safety. They did not complain about being put at risk or the fact that they were endangered by the people whose lives they have been sworn to protect. These officers addressed the matter at hand in a calm, professional and efficient manner. They are a tribute to the traditions of the Fiji Police Force.

In Labasa, firefighters braved wind and rising waters to move 50 people to safety. Earlier in the day fire rescue crews moved to low-lying areas on the banks of the Labasa River to help move families from their homes. There were people who refused to move until the water was inches from their doors and firefighters were forced to evacuate them as strong winds began to lash the town. This is the second major disaster in which the Labasa firefighters have acquitted themselves well and helped avert certain death for townspeople.

And there were Telecom engineers who braved the weather overnight in remote locations on Vanua Levu in order to restore communications networks as soon as the winds abated. They knew how important these links would be in order for officials to determine the extent of damage and decide where relief efforts must focus. These men could have remained in safe areas and deployed to transmitter sites only after the danger passed. Yet they chose to put the people and the needs of the country ahead of themselves.

Without the unselfish actions of these engineers, firefighters and police officers, the relief effort after Hurricane Tomas would have been extremely difficult.

We all owe the emergency crews a debt of gratitude.

------
And a PS
A miracle - Labasa shops were NOT flooded with Cyclone Tomas! Now that is a miracle as year after year the low-lying town area built on a swamp area - ALWAYS gets very wet!

Tomas Tuesday morning

from w
I could not get through by phone to Labasa this morning but a family member in Suva did and he was told that the wind is easing in Labasa now. Of course the rivers will still be rising up in Macuata and there will be flooding.

The main hurricane storm seems to be focussed now on Lomaiviti islands and the Lau group where villages by the sea are vulnerable. Suva is apparently experiencing some strong wind but not hurricane force. Some evacuation centres set up in the Western side of Viti Levu etc. seem to be an over-reaction as they are far away from the hurricane. I read that the eye of the hurricane passed over Laucala Island near Taveuni but I suppose those beautiful resort bungalows would have been strong enough to withstand the wind which sounds just like a jet plane warming up and is very scary.

There is still a curfew in some places, I suppose to provide a sense of order by the powers-that-be, to stop looting, and to stop people doing foolish things like deciding to go swimming or fishing. I don't think much of the Fiji Meteorological website as the messages are in jargon that the lay-person just cannot understand.

from Fiji Village this morning:
Tomas heads towards the Lau group
Publish date/time: 16/03/2010 [10:01]
A hurricane warning remains in force for the Eastern quarter of Vanua Levu, Rabi, Kioa, Taveuni, Qamea, Laucala, Naitauba, Yacata, Kanacea, Mago, Cicia, Batiki, Matuku, Totoya and nearby smaller islands.

A storm warning is in force for Cikobia, the Eastern half of Vanua Levu, Koro, Gau, Vanuabalavu, Nayau, Lakeba, Kabara and nearby smaller islands.

A gale warning remains in force for the Eastern half of Viti Levu, Beqa, kadavu and the rest of the Lau and Lomaiviti group.

A strong wind warning is in force for the rest of the Fiji group.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Tomas centre Category 4 was located near 17 decimal 1 South, 179 decimal 6 West or about 130km East Southeast of Labasa or 240 kilometers East North East of Suva at 5:30 this morning.

Close to its centre, Tomas is estimated to have average winds of 175 kilometers per hour increasing to 200 kilometers per hour within the next 12 hours with momentary gusts up to 270 kilometers per hour.

The hurricane is intensifying and moving South at 10 kilometers per hour.

On this track, the cyclone centre is expected to be located about 195 kilometers East Southeast of Suva or 110 kilometers west Southwest of Lakeba at 6pm today and about 270 kilometers South Southwest of Lakeba or 360 kilomerters Southeast of Suva at 6am tomorrow.

The Nadi weather office explained that the system is quite large and the area that the hurricane is covering is quite large. The radius of the system from the eye is about 120 kilometers and people need to take this into account.

Cyclone Tomas Monday morning

from w
Fijivillage has a report from 8 a.m. today (Monday) written apparently for mariners, and a graphic of the possible route of the cyclone, now Category 4. Most news items talk about a cyclone as if it lasts a few minutes or hours but really it is usually two days of continuous wind and rain which can cause enormous damage. Near the centre is of course a murderous wind. The Australian newspapers showed their disregard when they give only about ten lines to Fiji and only talk about tourists. One article noted that electricity is now off in Labasa and many people have moved to evacuation centres, mainly schools.

from Fiji village:
Hurricane Warning Update: 8am
Monday, March 15, 2010
Severe Tropical Cyclone TOMAS Category 4
Update: 8:AM THE following is hurricane warning 028 Issued from RSMC NADI at 7.48am Monday (Mar 14/1848 UTC 2010 Fiji Daylight Saving Time is UTC plus 13 hours).


TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS CENTRE 940HPA CATEGORY 4 WAS LOCATED NEAR 15.2 SOUTH 179.5 WEST AT 141800 UTC. POSITION FAIR. CYCLONE MOVING SOUTH 06 KNOTS. EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 90 KNOTS CLOSE TO THE CENTRE INCREASING TO 105 KNOTS IN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 HOURS. EXPECT WINDS OVER 63 KNOTS WITHIN 40 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. EXPECT WINDS OVER 47 KNOTS WITHIN 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. EXPECT WINDS OVER 33 KNOTS WITHIN 150 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. FORECAST POSITION NEAR 16.3S 179.6W AT 150600 UTC. AND NEAR 17.6S 179.7W AT 151800 UTC. ALL VESSELS WITHIN 300 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE ARE REQUESTED TO SEND REPORTS EVERY THREE HOURS TO RSMC NADI. VOS REPORTING SHIPS USE NORMAL CHANNELS.

OTHER VESSELS FAX PLUS 679 6720190 OR EMAIL naditcc@met.gov.fj.
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(later about 8 p.m. Fiji time)
I phoned Labasa again and the mobile phone worked, but my family there don't have electricity and there is a curfew on movement. The young woman who answered the phone said the wind is very strong and it's raining and the cane crops are damaged and there surely will be flooding in the Labasa area. This is a household on the outskirts of Labasa town with about seven people inside a small wooden house in Tuatua housing area. I haven't contacted the family in the village of Vatuadova so I hope their wooden houses are strong. Isa Viti with so much trouble after a lot of hard work on the farms.

Cyclone Tomas warning

from w
I phoned the family in Labasa and got through immediately to hear the lovely Fijian hymn the girl uses on her mobile. She told me the wind is already getting strong in Labasa but there isn't heavy rain. They have been told to expect the cyclone/hurricane tomorrow (Monday) so school and work will be out as the families batten down the houses to be secure. It sounds like Cyclone Tomas will be a big one, similar to Hurricane Bebe of 1972 as it moves slowly but surely towards Vanua Levu. I remember Hurricane Bebe because new babies in the family got the nicknames Bibe and Bebe that year.

Fiji Times reports as follows:
Strong winds and rain in North
Sunday, March 14, 2010

Cyclone Tomas' predicted path

Update: 10:14AM ISLANDERS on Cikobia have reported heavy rain and occasional strong gusts of wind as Cyclone Tomas moves towards the Fiji Group. At 2am Tomas was located 425km north-northeast of Udu Point where residents have also reported strong gusts of wind and heavy rain.

Similar reports have been received from Taveuni.

There have been no reports of damage.

Tomas remains on a southwesterly track at about 10km per hour and is expected to make landfall over Labasa tomorrow night.

If it does not change track, the cyclone should cut through the middle of Vanua Levu and head straight into the Koro Sea. But weather experts say that once landfall is made, Tomas could change direction. If it does not change direction, Tomas will head south through the Koro Sea towards southern Lau.

Wind and rain generated by the cyclone is expected to affect all parts of Fiji. Southeast winds are expected to intensify during the day today reaching speeds of 75km per hour over the Koro Sea by 6pm.

All residents have been advised to make final preparations while there is light available and listen for updates from DISMAC on their radios.
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(Later Sunday afternoon) from Fijivillage website:
Evacuation centers opens in North
Publish date/time: 14/03/2010 [19:18]
People in Labasa have started moving to the evacuation centers. Labasa Police confirms that people have adhered to the warning and have started moving to higher grounds or evacuation centers with 39 evacuation centers being activated in the area.

Acting Director DISMAC, Pajiliai Dobui has this afternoon confirmed that all evacuation centers in the North, in the Eastern and Central Division have been activated.

In the North, some of the evacuation centers in the North include, In Macuata, they have Boubale Indian School, Coqeloa Indian School, Qelemumu Indian School, Kava Primary, Labasa College, Labasa Civic Centre, Holy Family, Naqele Secondary, Naduna Primary, Naduna Secondary, Waiqele Secondary, Korotolutolu Secondary, Solove Indian School, Seaqaqa Central College, Dreketi High School, Valelawa Primary, Kia Village Church, Mali District Church, Daku Indian School, Nubu District School.

Cakaudrove - Dawara District School in Wailevu, St Paul Catholic, Laucala AOG Church, Wailevu West District School, Bagata Church.

St Bedes College, Savusavu Secondary School, Drano village church, Nasinu District School, Naweni District School, Nagiagia Indian School, Savudrodro Community Hall, Yaroi Community Hall, Kubulau District School, Nadi District School, Nasolo village Church, Ratu Emori Village School, Vuya village School, Baravi School.

Dobui added that no help will be given to those that ask for help when the eye of the storm is over Fiji.

Please take the necessary steps now.
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Official weather warning Sunday afternoon:
This is Special Weather Bulletin Number ELEVEN for Fiji ON TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS ISSUED FROM RSMC NADI at 4:17pm on Sunday the 14th of March 2010
A TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING IS IN FORCE FOR THE WHOLE FIJI GROUP.

SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE TOMAS CENTRE 970HPA CATEGORY 3 WAS LOCATED NEAR 13 DECIMAL 9 SOUTH 179 DECIMAL 3 WEST OR ABOUT 260KM NORTH-NORTHEAST OF UDU POINT AT 4PM TODAY. CLOSE TO ITS CENTRE THE CYCLONE IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE AVERAGE WINDS OF 120 KM/HR INCREASING TO 160 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 220 KM/HR IN THE NEXT 18 TO 24 HOURS. THE CYCLONE IS INTENSIFYING AND MOVING SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AT 15 KM/HR.

DAMAGING GALE FORCE WINDS EXTEND TO ABOUT 280 KM FROM THE CYCLONE CENTRE.

FOR VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY ISLANDS AND NORTHERN LAU GROUP:

EXPECT WINDS TO STRENGHTEN AND REACH DAMAGING GALE FORCE TONIGHT WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS OF 85 KM/HR AND MOMENTARY GUSTS OF 120 KM/HR. WINDS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO DESTRUCTIVE STORM FORCE TO VERY DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS UP TO 160 KM/HR WITH MOMENTARY GUSTS UP TO 220 KM/HR TOMORROW. PERIODS OF RAIN, BECOMING FREQUENT AND HEAVY WITH SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS EXPECTED.

FOR THE REST OF FIJI :

EASTERLY WINDS STRENGHTENING THIS EVENING. WINDS REACHING DAMAGING GALE FORCE WITH AVERAGE SPEEDS UP TO 85 KM/HR AND GUSTS TO 120KM/HR TOMORROW. PERIODS OF RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. DAMAGING HEAVY SWELLS. FLOODING INCLUDING SEA FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS EXPECTED.

The following information is provided especially for the mariners: EXPECT WINDS OF HURRICANE FORCE AND PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 30 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. STORM FORCE WINDS AND VERY HIGH SEAS OUT TO ABOUT 60 NAUTICAL MILES OF THE CENTRE. GALE FORCE WINDS AND HIGH SEAS OUT TO ABOUT 150 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CENTRE. STRONG WINDS AND VERY ROUGH SEAS GREATER THAN 150 NAUTICAL MILES AWAY FROM THE CENTRE. THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED AT 9.30 PM TODAY OR EARLIER.

Lovely frangipani

from w
Noticed that a Fiji resort is inviting tourists to part with their money with a one and a half hour treatment with frangipani based oils and waters. For $FJ 195. Wow! The labourer or household helper in Fiji gets much less than that in a week! At least we Fiji families can get a nice coconut oil massage for our sore backs for nothing! Read the ECREA reference in the Fiji papers this week - from Father Barr about poverty in Fiji. The bua is of course the frangipani and I did the sketch yesterday with oil pastels and white acrylic paint.

'Bua' Frangipani Cleansing Ritual
1 Hr. 30 Mins FJ$195.00 FJ$360.00 - Double
Immerse yourself in a fragranced aromatic' plunge pool and cleanse & refresh your soul with the lingering & exotic fragrance of the Pacific. Your face & body are cleansed with frangipani floral water in preparation of a relaxing and therapeutic massage. Your face is pampered with frangipani oil & your body indulged with frangipani body lotion. Your treatment is enhanced with the sweet smelling aroma of frangipani essence. Indulge with your complimentary frangipani cleansing ritual homecare pack (retail $80.00).

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FIJI MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE DUE IN JULY
Rate to be set at $90 per week

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Feb. 26, 2010) - The chairman of Fiji’s Wages Council Father Kevin Barr is expecting a wage increase in mid 2010.

Speaking to FijiLive, Fr. Barr said all the wages councils met and resolved that there be an increase from July 1.

"We are trying to be fair to the employers but at the same time, we want to be just to the workers," he said.

He highlighted that according to the current poverty line, the minimum wage rate has to be FJ$175 [US$90] per week.

"It’s a disgrace that 60 percent of workers covered by the wages council are earning below that," Father Barr said. "With the 20 percent devaluation that took place last year, the purchasing power went down as well."

He added the People’s Charter for Change stated the need for a National Minimum wage in accordance to the poverty line.

"Our job is to see workers get a gradual increase until the National Minimum income comes into effect," he said.

The ten Wages Councils are: Wages Council for Road and Transport; Wholesale and Retail Trades; Building, Civil and Electrical Engineering; Hotel and Catering Trades; Manufacturing Industry; Printing Trades; Sawmilling and Logging Industry; Mining and Quarrying Industry; Garment Industry; and Security Services.

Fijilive: http://www.fijilive.com

Report on Fiji Hindi consultation from last October

from w
For those interested, there's a lengthy report written up on the Dandenong Uniting Church website, of the Consultation from last October. Peceli and I attended and it was a joyful occasion to meet so many old friends. We've just paid our parking fine that we got that weekend when we parked the car in a council carpark next to the church on the Saturday. The sign $1 was not visible! The fine was a lot more than that!

Lotu and Vanua - first fruits ceremony

Nacula villagers and Reverend Savirio Vuata, left, with their yams the offered up in prayer
from w
In western countries they usually call it Harvest Festival but in Fiji it is very special as offering the first fruits to the chief and to the church. There's a story in today's Fiji Times about this Fijian custom in Labasa. The reason given in the story is to do this to gain blessing, but it is also to show respect for those with status in the community. I'm not sure about the talatala's words about this though, that the vanua turns on you if you neglect traditional procedures. Though the First Fruits ceremony does date back to Biblical/Hebrew times, it also has been traditional in Fijian culture in pre-contact times, so it is not an introduced custom but acculturated now to fit in with the lotu as well as the vanua. One question though - where do the vegetables and fruits go to, after the blessing? Are they shared out to give to the poor and needy in the Labasa community? I think that such prayers need to be followed up with practical action, don't you?

Offering the first crop
Theresa Ralogaivau
Monday, March 08, 2010
YAMS of all shapes and sizes filled churches around the country yesterday offered by farmers in return for a fruitful farming season - a practice that dates back to biblical times.

At Nacula Village outside Labasa and in hundreds of villages around the country, Saturday was taken up by farmers harvesting their prized crop. From midday Saturday, the menfolk began carrying their yams to church in anticipation of the prayers for divine blessings - or lotu ni sevu.

Reverend Savirio Vuata reminded the Nacula church congregation the life of a farmer was the most blessed of all because of the fruits of his harvest. "It may be a humble life but the farmer always has food for his family, a bank of money in his fields and always working with nature," he said. "That's a life that God always blesses."

Reverend Vuata said the three stages of a farmer's joy begin with the first seed planted in the ground, plants bursting from the ground and the harvest. "For eight months to a year yams are grown with special care - for a farmer it's just like raising a child because the yam farm is always kept clean and cared for," he said.

Reverend Vuata said the fruits of the harvest were offered to secure blessings. However, he warned that the traditional sevu - the first harvest of all kinds of crops that should be given to traditional leaders - was not commonly practised these days. "The Christian sevu church is happening but the other traditional sevu seems to have been forgotten," he said. "That is a cultural practice in Fiji and indigenous farmers must remember that if they do not perform that too, then they are attracting the curse of the land."

The Eve of International Women's Day

from w
Monday is designated as International Women's Day and no doubt there will be talk in Fijian towns on the topic of respect for women and the often burdensome life for many women throughout the world. An apt story to see for yourself in a video entitled 'Water' made in Canada but about the life of Indian women who are forced to live in an ashram because they are widows (aged from eight to about seventy), set in the time of Gandhi's tours in 1938. It is a powerful film, quite different from the usual Bollywood excesses of colour and joyfulness. Truly, Eve got the blame for troubles in the Genesis myth, and there are many Eves in the world today. Fortunately there are many fearless women who speak up, stand up, and take opportunities to build up their oppressed sisters. That's what this special day reminds us to do.

World Day of Prayer

from w
Every year on the first Friday of March the World Day of Prayer is celebrated - starting from Tonga and Fiji and going right around the world as people gather in churches in about 127 countries. This year the service was created by the people of Cameroon. I went to Wesley Church in Geelong this morning and Rev Sani who is from Samoa was the speaker. It was lovely to join in prayer thinking of others all over the world who are following the same Order of Worship. I remember the times in places like Rakiraki, Labasa, Lautoka, Suva, Labasa, where I have joined in such a service. I read in Fiji Radio's internet link today that Dudley Church in Suva had their service this morning. We had the usual hymns in English and I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have any taped music from Cameroons as African music is so stirring. Every year there is one special song which includes the following words:
Across each continent and island
as dawn leads on another day,
the voice of prayer is never silent
nor dies the strain of praise away.

World day of prayer at Dudley Church
Friday, March 05, 2010

The World Day of Prayer, with the theme Let Everything That Breathes Praise the LORD, was launched at dawn this morning at the Dudley Church, with the President Ratu Epeli Nalatikau in attendance. Methodist Church Reverend James Bhagwan says the President acknowledged the important role played by the women of Fiji.

“Speaking to the women and men gathered at the church this morning the President said that this mornings program World Day of Prayer provides a good opportunity for us as a nation to reflect on the importance of women, our mothers, auntys and sisters to recognize and acknowledge their contribution to the nation building and national development in our quest to build a better Fiji. He spoke for a few moments about the situation in Fiji in terms of crime and some of the work that government is doing and enjoying the service.”

Bhagwan says our prayers were the first to be offered in the world.

“The service which began with the women of Dudley church processing into the church in dance to the calypso beat with the Chorus Let Everything that Breathes praise the LORD was actually possibly the first world prayer service to be held this year due to our current daylight saving program. And of course in terms of the International dateline.”

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation

And also, - from Fiji Times Saturday Prayers for Cameroon
Monika Singh
Saturday, March 06, 2010
METHODIST Church women from all around Fiji bowed their heads in prayer yesterday for the women in the African nation of Cameroon. Women from the Nabua Methodist Church circuit celebrated World Day of Prayer at the church and the women dressed up in traditional attire of the women from Cameroon and marched to the church with the Cameroon flag.

Church member and spokeswoman for the group Funaki Kamakorewa said they believed that women of all races and religious beliefs should come together to celebrate the prayer day. Ms Kamakorewa said they wanted to pay tribute to the women from Cameroon, who also went through the struggles which women in Fiji went through.

"Before we became aware of this World Day of Prayer we used to think that no other women in the world faced problems that we do," she said.

"Problems like domestic violence, rape and trying to keep a family intact."

She said this year was dedicated to the women in Cameroon and the theme for this year was also prepared by the women from there. Theme for this year is let everything that has breath praise God.

Ms Kamakorewa said the women at the church chose to dress up as Cameroonian women because they wanted to show that they supported the women's fight for freedom. "This is our way of saying that we hope and pray that those women overcome their problems," she said.

Ms Kamakorewa said after the prayer vigil the women had a collection which would be sent to the women in Cameroon.

World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service.African fever ... women of the Nabua Methodist Church circuit pay tribute to their counterparts from Cameroon.

A quote from Mother Teresa

from w
Somewhere today I read an interview with Ratu Mara by FijiTV and at the end of the interview he quoted words from Mother Teresa.

Fiji TV interview with Ratu Mara closing words 2001

Q: Now it hurts, it hurts inside you..you?
A: I heard something that was very comforting. It was said by Mother Teresa:
People are often in unreasonable, irrational and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spent years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.