Ósi was able to speak on Tongan national radio last night for several hours!   Praise God he was able to share his testimony, and  encourage  his people to follow hard after everything God has called them to do for Him. What an opportunity!

Sweeping through, Tongan style!

My neighbor Sneha and I made Tonga brooms ( Tau fale's) out of the coconut leaves yesterday.  We peel off the green part and collect the strong inner stems together, then we tie it tightly with a bike inner tubing. Oula!  Awesome broom for reaching those hard to reach places in the house.  Oh these Tongans are so clever.

Fai'to'o

God has been healing our boys through the use of Tongan traditional herbal medicine. My poor little guys have been sick constantly, since we arrived here, either one or the other has infected mosquito bites and gastroenteritis (diarrhea and upset stomach from new bacteria in the food and water). We love our kids so much, its torture to see them sick like this. However, it was some relief to know the other foreign families here took awhile to adjust too. They shared with me some secrets they learned from the locals who use natural medicine.

I have been so blessed learning from the Tongans how they use leaves and roots and bark to treat various symptoms. Then I smash it up inside a clean cloth, and squeeze the juice for the kids to drink. Most of the time it helps them feel better quickly.

One time I cut my palm open with a machete, and it was gushing blood, but 'Osi hurried and washed it out then squeezed the juice of the la'e fiki leaves inside the cut. I could literally watch the blood stopping and the cut slowly healing! After a minute he covered it with fiki leaves and a bandage, and after a day the wound was closed, and after 2 weeks I had no scar.

It is just amazing how God has blessed Tongans with so many fantastic plants for healing us all!

Beautiful Feet

It is important to Tongans to have clean feet, especially for going to church or town.
I'll never forget the day my roommate Suliana and I were leaving for church, all dressed up and pretty – then she shrieked in mortification “Jenny! Your heels are so dirty! And didn't you scrub your toenails in the shower?!”

“No.” I replied. “I'm in Lafalafa, this is Holy Ground. I always take off my shoes and run barefoot.”

“Yes, but you must clean your feet well before you go anywhere” Suli explained. “Because Tongans always look at your feet. It doesn't mater if you are rich or poor, wear nice clothes or not, but always wash your feet.” =)

'Osi confirmed this rule after we married, so I always carefully scrub mine and the boys' before special occasions. After all.....

Isaiah 52:7 says “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion 'Your God reigns!'”

Leading us into His presence

'Osi is doing a great job leading worship for our Monday morning and Friday evening campus worship. This has been a desire of his heart for such a long time, and I am so thankful the Leadership here in Lafalafa recognize his talent and his heart for worship. He and the team really bring us all into the presence of God.