Powerful Week.

We had the choice opportunity to attend the COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS DIABETES TRAINING WORKSHOP from Aug. 21-23 this week.  We had mixed feelings going into the first day of conference. In our past experiences attending conferences in the MI, we have heard an enormous amount of talk that led to no or little action. It is not uncommon to have statistics shared that are over five-seven years outdated.

We were pleasantly surprised by all three days.  Karen Fukfuka and Elesiva Na'ati representing SPC from Fiji were the main facilitators and speakers.  Both were incredibly bright women with an enormous amount of medical background and knowledge in diabetes.  Add to this description - they were excellent speakers and could read a crowd. 

 

I had to add this picture.
Elder Preston is actually smiling.
This is a keeper.
These are some of the people we work with every Friday.

One of the country's senators attended the conference.  Daisy is an advocate of growing gardens and eating nutritionally. She changed her lifestyle completely after attending a Wellness Center's presentation a few years ago. Daisy was overweight and experiencing health problems at the time. She and her husband, who live in an area that has more land, now grow a vast garden and share their seedlings with neighbors and people of interest. With great enthusiasm and power, she shared her insights and desires to promote a healthier lifestyle for the people in Majuro as well as in the outer islands.

Daisy, Senator.
Advocate for a healthier life.

The sessions passed quickly and before we realized it - the three days had come and gone.  (Didn't spend any time checking the time, because of lack of interest or boredom.)

Our hope is that those who attended will internalize the importance of  important facts/knowledge, share them, and implement them in a country, which is listed among the top five countries that are battling type 2 diabetes. This health issue is preventable and/or controllable. It is such an enormous challenge in the Pacific Islands.  Why?  Fruits and vegetables are not plentiful; soil on a coral island does not promote growth; large portions of white rice and fried chicken are the staples; all important celebrations and funerals are surrounded by enormous mounds of food - most not fitting into the nutritional realm; and physical activity seems to stop in the late 20's.  Customs are so hard to break.  We feel for the good people here and thoroughly enjoy working with them.

   

All those in attendance received a Certificate of Completion during the last 30 minutes of the conference.  Certificates are extremely valued in Majuro.  

 

Karen, E/S Preston, & Elisiva (Siva)
Great knowledgeable presenters.

We both received Certificates, too.

We had a valued spiritual boost when we attended the baptisms in the Rita/Jenrok Wards of two boys, one teenage girl, and a husband/father.  We enjoyed hearing the new members' testimonies at the end of the service.  The young girl was so nervous that she would start to laugh to mask her shyness and her true emotion, which was to cry.  This was probably the first time in her life that she stood in front of a group of people and spoke into a microphone. Once she was able to control her emotions, her testimony was sincere, strong, and meaningful. (I just wanted to hug her as she struggled.)

Sister missionaries on the ends.
Sweet children ready for baptisms.

Ready for baptism is the man second from the left.
Three missionaries and the ward missionary, who
baptized him.

This week has been laced with hours spent doing repairs in the apartments of the young missionaries.

Some repairs were due to poor management of the missionaries and many were due to the lack of quality of the buildings and/or items inside of the houses/apartments.

One of Elder Preston delights this week was preparing an excellent lesson and of course the dessert for  FHE.  I found a this yummy dessert on Facebook, which he does not view, but acutally wanted to use the idea.  E Preston found a waffle iron for sale at the local market and produced a popular well-like dessert for all of us.  

Since he made three of large servings, the extra one was served to Elder Doig and Elder Preston after hours of apartment repair work.  Two happy missionaries.

Happy Elders!

One ready to go.

Elder Preston turned his into a Mudpie.
One of his favorites.

As Relief Society members, we were invited to participate and/or attend the Majuro Stake Reliesf Society Musical Devotion.  The theme:  FOR MY SOUL DELIGHTED IN THE SONG OF THE HEART.  

What an amazing treat! Each ward sang two songs that invited the spirit for all.  I wish that I had a recording of their lovely voices, as they sang the hymns in harmony with and without music. Great tribute to our Savior. This moment rejuvenated my heart and my desire to be better.

Our dear Marshalese Sisters.

Thank you for your love and support.  You are the reasons that we keep moving forward. 

We love you,

Elder & Sister Preston

Kojeramon

Another week laced with tender mercies and blessings:

Mindy moved into her new townhouse on August 16th. Blessings have poured forth from the goodness of family and friends across many states and across the sea. Prayers have been answered. 

Sister Doig (a young - almost 70 years) had her cast removed from her broken wrist on Wednesday.  I was praying and hoping this would happen.  She has been the perfect example of how a person handles nonstop pain, still keeps working and serving; learns that there are limitless things she cannot do, but does not whine about it; and stays positive. We could all learn from her.  She knows how to do the hard things and make it look easy.

We had a very successful Zone Conference led by President Larkin.  Our young missionaries, who spoke and led discussions, were outstanding.

So true! 

Doesn't need to be explained.

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• I survived making six large pans of chicken enchiladas for the conference.  You know how much I "love" cooking - not.  Our American missionaries were so jazzed.  That is the reason that I wanted to do it.    

A lot of food. Will it be enough?

Love serving the young
sisters and elders.

We had our CMI Kitchen Kojeramon/Celebration on Wednesday.  What a joyous moment!  Elder Preston did a remarkable job.  We have truly made some forever friends by having the opportunity to support this college to have a kitchen/nutrition classroom.  First ever for this campus that has existed for 41 years.  

Stocked the new kitchen.

More items.

Bego and Sister Preston.
So happy for this occasion.

Coconut milk & water.

Congratuations!

Decorations add to a celebration.

Kelly, the tall one, and her
student helpers in
making the ribbon cutting
moment official.

Our Program.
Elder Preston is the STAR!

Doctor/President Theresa Koroivulaono.
CMI President and true educator.
She is a devote Catholic who has great respect for the LDS
Church.  She mentioned the full name of our church many
times in her speech.

Stake President Zedhkeia Zedhkeia

Isaac Marty, CMI Student
The writer of the Journal Article that
brought us to CMI.
A member of the LDS Church.
(We didn't know it until the celebration.)

Rachel dreamed of this
kitchen for 8 yrs.
She was the MC.

A Fantastic Talk by such a humble man.
So grateful for Elder Preston.

A tribute song to
Elder & Sister Preston

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony by
Dr. Koroivulanono & Sister Preston

A very happy group.
Elder Preston, President Koroivulaono, Sister Preston,
Moses (Nutrition Teacher & RN), Rubidah LDS member and
assistant to CMI President, Stake President Zedhkeia,
Isaac Marty - CMI Student & Journal writer.
(5 of the 7 are members of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.)

Students love food.

Food supplied by LDS Charities.
We represent this wonderful
organization here.

Life is good!

Two coconuts gave us over three glasses of drink.

A great character picture of a long-time CMI teacher
who often attends the Farmer's Market, where
we prepare nutritional dishes.

This mission is very different than our previous one.  Humanitarian service opens many doors.  We hope that we know when to enter, support, and hopefully make a difference.

Thank you for always making a difference in our lives.

We love you,

Elder & Sister Preston

Rainy Season or not?

We keep asking people: "When is the rainy season?"  We have been told:  July & August; November & December; January - March; definitely March.  We have come to realize that every season is the same.  It rains year around - sometimes really hard and our apartment floods again; sometimes just enough to make a car look even dirtier; sometimes at night and sometimes during the day.  It fluctuates from sunny to cloudy in minutes with the reverse happening as often.

So bottom-line:  The nights when the sun is down:  the temp is 82 with about the same number for humidity.  The days fluctuates between 88-94 with the humidity about these same numbers except when it goes to 100 percent.  If it has been raining really hard for at least and hour or more, the temperature has actually dropped as low as 78 degree for a few minutes, but as soon as the sun appears, it shoots into the high 80's or 90's.

We realize that talk about the weather is so boring and is usually done by those who nothing else to say or are really getting old.  Now, where does that place us.  Yes, you are correct!

Hurray - we so excited - The CMI Kitchen is finally completed.  We spent Monday from 8:30A-5:30P buying dishes, pots, pans, and all the necessities to run a kitchen that feeds 80 students daily; will be a classroom/lab for the Nutrition Class; plus open for outsiders who stop by for a nutritious meal. 

 

Arthur - keeper of the key.

New Storage room.

Kitchen with pass through window.

Another shot of new kitchen.

 As we were unloading the purchases for the kitchen, some of the CMI college students helped carry the items from our car to the kitchen.  We captured a quick picture of the students, plus Arthur, who has worked to make this kitchen happen and is the keeper of the key, so that items will not walk away.  Bego is the employee from CMI, who is over the kitchen.

Sister Preston, Bego, and students.

Bego, Students, Arthur, and one of the
new freezers.

 We had so many purchases that it took three car loads to take them to the college.

First car load.

Shopping all day.

Elder Preston - Payer of the bill.

Happiness is having a kitchen for the
first time at CMI.

Tanner, from the Wellness Center, wants us to join him in a project that would provide playground equipment (swings, slides, jungle gyms,) and basketball/volleyball courts in the most populated areas of Majuro.  I would love to see this materialize, for these little children have nothing to do except walk around, chase dogs, have play fights with sticks, and/or hope that someone gives them a treat.  Problem that I expressed to Tanner:  It is too hot for the children to play on the equipment when the sun is shining. He just brushed me off.  Elder Preston and I drove to Laura to see the newly installed playground equipment by Melgov, local government.  How many children were playing on it? None.  There were three young girls, who spoke English, who were sitting under the small canopy that covered a small part of the equipment.  Why were there no takers?  It was 93 degrees with full sun.  Elder Preston and I could not place our hands on the slide for more than a second - TOO HOT.  I talked to the three girls.  No one plays on the equipment unless it is raining, or the sun has gone done.

 

Three beautiful girls.

Fun playground equipment.  Too hot to touch.

Look fun.

Found the shade.

So much for daytime playing and so much for the use of the playground equipment that Tanner and Melgov are placing at the public schools.

I showed Tanner and Russell my pictures of the children and the playground equipment and shared what I had learned. Russell immediately listened.    Once again I mentioned the Sail Shades that are used in other hot areas of the world.  These shades are over playgrounds, pools, etc. They make a huge difference.  It would definitely add to the cost, but what a great contribution it would be for the children.

We had our weekly Outreach Clinic on Friday, but this week instead of posting pictures of the health care, education, and foot care, Elder Preston captured the beautiful children.

Children everywhere love to pose.
The health screening was their entertainment.

Note this little boys' homemade
cardboard baseball mitt.

Note how much he loves his baseball equipment.

Enjoy your plentiful life even more as you realize that thousands of people in 3rd world countries find joy in simple things.

Today, please count your blessings for you are listed among ours.

Love, Elder & Sister Preston