August 30,2008

August 30, 2008

We started to hear rumors last Friday evening that Air Pacific was cancelling service to Christmas Island immediately. We have heard this from time to time since we arrived here and didn’t pay much attention. By this morning it was confirmed that they were not renewing their contract with the Republic of Kiribati and that no more Air Pacific airplanes would stop here.
We had spent time with some people from Rotary International on Saturday who were here to charter the first Rotary club in the Republic of Kiribati. (They used our cultural hall for the meeting.)
We heard today that Air Pacific agreed to make one more stop here with an empty airplane to evacuate the twenty one imatongs (Rotarians or any others who want to leave Kiritimati Island.)
There has been political posturing between Air Pacific and the government since we arrived here. The government signed a contract last September with the airline that basically said if you will stop here we will reimburse you for every time you stop. Of course like many of these small countries in the pacific their intentions are probably good but when it comes to really paying their bill they don’t quite get around to it.
The government owes the airline over a million dollars that they probably will never see. The airline is also concerned with the condition of the runway. It was built in the early 1950’s and although it was only used extensively for about ten years it’s still an old runway. For all of you pilots out there the airline flies a Boeing 737 in here. The engines are under wing and fairly close to the runway. The runway is not maintained adequately and they are concerned about debris being pulled into their engines. I talked to the pilot of the air freighter recently and he said that he didn’t really like to fly here much. Part of that I’m sure is that they have to unload everything by hand and the pilots don’t like to wait. He flies an old Boeing 727 with engines mounted in the tail area of the airplane so is not concerned about pulling debris into the engines.
The government thinks the airline is being very mean to them as they wait for Australia or New Zealand to solve their problem for them.
I actually went out to the runway yesterday and went to the end. I found my way onto an apron and was able to get the church van on the actual runway. I took a run from one end to the other and felt much better. The runway is nearly 60 years old but I thought it looked remarkably good all things considered. I would have no problem landing on it in any airplane I knew how to fly. I suggested that we gather several hundred of the locals with their local brooms and sweep the entire length of the runway. We’ll see how that works out.
I was amazed when we first got here and I saw the workers patching holes in the highway. They dig out a hole and then put some coral in and stick a chunk of old asphalt into the hole. It stands about five or six inches above the surface of the road. When the sun comes out and warms the asphalt it softens and the vehicles running over it gets it somewhat level with the road again. Surprisingly, it seems to work fairly well.
All of this pertinent information led us to the next question. HOW THE FLIP DO WE GET OUT OF HERE IN AN EMERGENCY? We had lots of questions. The Mission President sent us an email on Friday evening, stating that the runway could handle a smaller airplane that the Church would send a planefrom Hawaii in an emergency. We have been assured that the church is aware of the conditions out here and would not leave us stranded. We have adequate food and have practiced food storage principles since we have been here. We have encouraged the missionaries to do the same.

We got an email from one of the missionaries in Majuro. He reported that two of the men we met with in Sister Patten’s 12 step program were doing well. Both had joined the church and he said one by the name of Boat had stood up in Sacrament Meeting and thanked us (especially Sister P.) for helping him. The other man was named Elber, I am sure we talked about him in one of our Majuro blogs. He is an attorney in Majuro. His wife was going to school at BYU Hawaii and taking the missionary lessons. She wanted him to take the lessons also. He was having problems drinking socially, etc. He came to the 12 step class and we went with the missionaries to teach him each week for some time. He has joined the church and is the second counselor in the elders quorum of the delup branch. Elder Nielsen told us that Elber he is “on fire” and is doing great. Wow, does that make it all seem worthwhile or what?
On the elder’s service day our Kiribati elder made a new door for widow lady with three children. She can now lock her front door and lock the other door so no one can disturb them as they sleep. She was happy and Elder Reireita was very pleased himself. When we were at the ladies (Ten’s) home putting on the door, I commented on her children. She has twin girls 12 years old. She would like them to go to Moroni High School. Her littlest is 8 and just baptized a couple of months ago. We brought the girls and their Mother back to the church and had them pick some flip/flops (thank you Dana) and gave them some tooth paste and a brush. Elder Patten said in a kidding way “Ten, Sister Patten and I will just have to take your beautiful daughter (8 year old) home with us when we leave and let her be our little girl,” Later that evening one of the missionaries told us he overheard Ten telling her daughter that the nice couple from America was going to take her home with them and put her in school in America. She really is a beautiful little girl but I have to be careful what I say because the people are willing here to give up their children if someone can give them an opportunity. There are so many beautiful children here and many of them come up and hug us when they see us, sometimes we think “wouldn’t it be nice to give that beautiful child a chance at life.” The missionaries seem to think that Ten really took us seriously so we will have to explain that at some point.
Yesterday Sister Patten showed the Relief Society how to make cookies and tortillas. The RS President’s daughter was here. We’ve become quite smitten with her she is so cute but I guarantee that I will keep my “big mouth” shut from here on out.
We have fun with our missionaries, a lot of the evenings, when they are through with their missionary work, will knock at our door, sit on the floor and just talk. It’s like having four sons all over again. I think that having four missionaries here is really going to make things happen. We also have our branch missionaries, who are being trained so well by our missionaries and they are willing to go out and bring in the sheep. Two of them just left our home a few minutes ago and told us of all the people they are contacting and several of those people came to church today. Elder Patten is processing 3 applicants at the present time and as soon as the mail service happens again (a plane that can carry the mail), they will be sent onto Pres. Bleak and on to Salt Lake. We know they will be good missionaries due to the excellent training they are receiving now.
I think we mentioned before about visiting a young woman in the hospital who was very ill – some kind of “doctor” got hold of her I think she was having her baby ( we have heard many stories but are not sure what is true), anyway when we asked her if there was anything we could bring her, she said “snacks” so we went to the store and bought her some, I am so glad that we visited her that day. She died on Thursday afternoon and so we had another funeral. She was at the hospital the same time Kikitiea’s baby was there. Her parents are KPC but the missionaries are teaching them – the young woman was LDS and wanted her family to go to church with her when she got well. She left a two year old beautiful little girl.

We really love our little house and would be happy to stay on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island until we come home. We are comfortable, we know and love the people and think that all of us as missionaries can do some good here with the Lord’s help. We love you all and miss you, keep the cards and letters coming.