Thanksgiving

Dear family and friends,

This week there is a chance that our friends and family in the states enjoyed eating too much holiday food, enjoy the celebrated day with family/friends or might have pretended that the holiday wasn't happening and continued with daily happenings.  Either way please remember that we count you as our most priceless blessings. Never enough days in the year to recount tender mercies.  Sometimes distance in miles and/or time makes these quiet events even more meaningful.

The saga of the school furniture project took on a life of its own:  A quick timeline:

1.    We have a project to obtain second hand school furniture from a Charity in New Zealand.  We pay for the shipping and the country of MI waivers all the fees to enter the country.  DONE.

2.    Furniture was to arrive November 1.  We heard nothing.

3.    We were told that the furniture had arrived when we received the shipping invoice, which was November 1.

4.    Ministry of Education (MoE) was redoing their parking lot, so we had to wait for a place to park the large cargo container.

5.    Finally on Friday, November 24 we were told that it would be placed Monday at Marshall Islands HS.

6.    We set the time for 3:00P and all parties agreed.

7.    We waited until 4:00P when Elder Preston called Donny at Stevedores,  to find our when the cargo container was going to arrive.  He checked and told us that the previous job took longer and they should arrive in 30-60 minutes.  After another hour and 1/2, E Preston called again.  Donny - "It isn't there yet?  I'll check. "

8.    Called back and we were told that they could not find the cargo container.

9.    On the next day, Wednesday, we went to Stevedores to check and they said that they checked again and it could not be found.

1.  We went to Damian, who is over the shipping/customs, etc.  He said that it looked as though it would be on the next ship because the cranes were down.  Expect arrival on Monday, November 27.

1.  As we were sitting in another meeting, Elder Preston received a call that Damian's employee had found the cargo container and it had been opened and was empty.

1.  Really - you have to be kidding.  How can 250 piece of furniture disappear before it is checked by customs. After our meetings we returned to Stevedores and reported to Donny the story.  Elder Preston asked if we could go look for the container.  Of course - how could he say - "NO?"

1.  We walked around and between MANY huge cargo containers.  I walked in muddy area that came into my sandals, but we were determined - No find!

We're on a furniture finding trek.

So many shipping cargo container!

Checking numbers.

Tijio came to rescue!

Container found. It is still bound.

Trying to take a picture of the container
number.  I needed spiderman's help.

1.    E Preston called Damien and asked, "Where was the container?  We cannot find it."  Damien said that he would send Tijio to show us where it was.  He would be there at 1:00P. 

1.    We returned at 1:00.  No Tijio.  Finally - another phone call.  Damien gave us the number and after calling the wrong number, Craig talked to Tijio.  He said he would arrive in 10 minutes.  (Heard that one before.) 

 ..  He did arrive and immediately took us to it.  It was down a very narrow area and was stacked high above the large propane cargo containers is the area where only empty containers are stored to be returned to owner in another country.  Good News! The seal was still on.  The container had not been opened.

2.    Tender mercy.  They actually took an hour and the container was delivered.  (Our container was very close to having been returned to New Zealand with all the furniture inside.)

      We realize that you have looked at so many pictures of our every Friday 4 1/2 hour health screening which includes gathering info on patient's blood sugar, blood pressure, weight and height; health education; exercise; and cooking demonstrations where all the participants learn/prepare a new healthy recipe and then eat the food. 

Nicki, Elder Preston, & Anne

We always need a picture of the participants.
Some left after their own health
screening which is free.  

Couldn't let this hypertension education lesson pass by without sharing pictures of three of my favorite people.  (Elder Preston, Nicki from Taiwan Health Clinic, and Anne who works at the Wellness Center)  We have spent many hours weeks, and months with these people.

We would like to end our blog this week by sharing a quote from Shakespere, King Lear in act 1 brought again to our attention by Elder Holland.

There are times in our lives when feelings are so deep and personal, even so sacred, that they either cannot be or should not be expressed-like Cordelia's love for her father, of which she said: "my love's ... richer than my tongue. ... I cannot heave my heart into my mouth."

We love, appreciate, and miss you.
Elder & Sister Preston