July 30, 2010

Our mission trip to Tonga was amazing! The Lord was certainly answering everyone’s prayers and using us to minister to the people of Tonga, although perhaps not exactly in the ways we had originally planned.

On Sunday August 2nd we flew out of Las Vegas and LA International airports for the South Pacific. Somewhere over the ocean we lost a day on the 12 hour flight, and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand early in the morning on Tuesday August 4th. Graham and Trish Carter, our Pacific Partners leaders met us and gave us a quick tour of the area that day, including parks and Piha beach. In only one day we learned that Auckland, New Zealand is beautiful, with lots of water and green, they have a great variety of food, they drive on the “wrong” side of the road, they have a beautiful black sand beach, our summer is their winter, it rains there (which is why even their winter is so green-- unlike Arizona anytime), and they have the best ice cream in the world!

On Wed. August 5th we had a meeting at the New Zealand Rhema Christian Radio Station and Pacific Partners HQ. Julie was interviewed on the air about our mission trip to Tonga. Then we headed off for the airport again-- to fly to Tonga! (The flight was less than 3 hours, but we got a movie and a real meal!)

Loni and Willy, our Tonga radio station leaders and guides from Pacific Partners, met us at the airport in Nuku'alofa with 2 vans. We were ready for almost anything, so we were encouraged to find we were staying at great accommodations-- a huge home that was part of a clinic. Our amazing home hostess, Theresa Llorente, had a big dinner waiting to welcome us.

The next morning, August 6th, we learned that there had been a major accident overnight, which ended up changing our trip, many people’s lives and affected the whole country of Tonga. A ferryboat going between Nuku'alofa and the northern islands flipped and sank in the deep sea. 93 people died, mostly women and children, who were asleep on the lower decks and became trapped inside when the ferry sank. 53 men were rescued.

Suddenly all the carefully made plans and schedules were changed. Many people we were supposed to visit and meet with were in mourning, and later at funerals. In a tiny country like Tonga, everyone was affected in some way. The Pacific Partners radio station, Letio Faka-Kalisitiane 93 FM, in Tonga was flooded. People from all over Tonga were calling in or dropping by, looking for comfort and God in this tragedy.

We wondered why God had brought us to this country at such a time, and then the Lord started opening new doors for our ministry. We were given the opportunity on several occasions to share words of comfort from the Lord and Bible verses on the radio. We were also invited to give our testimonies on the local christian television station on two different programs.

Some of us were even at the radio station when Maka, the captain of the ferryboat came in with his wife Stella for counseling and we were able to pray with him. Later Willy visited his home and prayed with his whole family, turning them to Christ in this tragedy.

We had the chance to go with Theresa of Childhood Evangelism Fellowship to several elementary schools and ministered to the children (although the children were so wonderful that it felt more like they were ministering to us!)

At one of the public high schools we had the opportunity to discuss where God was in tragedies and why bad things happen-- and were privileged to even lead some students to the Lord.

Our team did home visitations to pray and minister to some of the radio station listeners and single mothers. We also visited and ministered at some of the radio station discipleship bible studies run by Loni and Sia of the radio station, including a large pastor's wives study. We were able to share Bible verses and be blessed by hearing how what we shared blessed someone else. It was so cool to see God at work and how he uses something we think really isn’t important or powerful, when we give it all to Him.

Our two CNA’s went to the hospital and the clinic to help where they could and to find out what the many medical needs are for perhaps some future trips. Our team connected with the handicapped community and visited Pastor Kim and his wife Ofa of The Mango Tree Center, a Nazarene mission for people who have disabilities in Tonga. Some of us were taken by Pastor Kim to visit severely handicapped people in their homes and visit with them and their providers. It was a very moving experience! Some of these people have nothing more than a shed to live in and a mat to lay on.

We also visited with James and Mary, and helped connect them with Mango Tree, to help get equipment to people who needed wheel chairs. James is a Calvary Chapel missionary from Costa Mesa who builds wheel chairs and delivers them with a Gospel message. A group of our team spent time helping James and put 22 wheel chairs together!

We did get to spend a day touring the island and taking some photos of amazing Tongan sites, but where ever we went, we were still reminded of the Ferry tragedy by seeing funerals everywhere.

One of the biggest things that struck me was how the people of Tonga can do so much with so little. For instance our Tongan Christian radio station, Letio Faka-Kalisitiane 93 FM building is falling apart and needs to be replaced soon! (Especially with all the earthquakes and typhoons going on in that area.) And they have very few and very old equipment to work with, but they are ministering daily to thousands across the Tongan islands. I am going to be working to help raise funds for a new building for them. If you would like to help, please see the website for Pacific Partners at http://www.pacificpartners.org for more information.