Peceli's birthday today

from w

For the birthday boy today, Peceli, the Lomaiviti people produced a cake at Altona Meadows/Laverton Uniting Church this afternoon where we had a service then dinner. A good time chatting with people too. A farewell for four men returning to Fiji soon, after a stay here of about three months. They had come over to Melbourne for the funeral of beloved Bale, Sailosi's wife three months ago. Two Australians Rev Bill Lidgett and Claire, came to be part of our service, but then Bill got asked, unexpectedly, to preach. Lucky he had a USB stick in his pocket and found a data projector and laptop! Vinaka Bill. Earlier in the day we had some kava with George, Jordan and Andrew at home and Peceli told the boys stories of his birth at the newly built Labasa hospital (1936) - his mother had to cross the Labasa river by canoe to get there - and then we talked about family, and named all his brothers and sisters - eleven of them so the boys can know the different family connections.

The photos are of one Lomaiviti man making a farewell speech, then Peceli with the cake, the dinner ready, and some of the children at church having their dinner.