After sleeping in, yet again, we made our way, in a hurry, back to the beach we went spear diving off of. We were just in time to see the sun rising out of the Eastern sea. As we sat, I read out of my new Nai Vola Tabu (Bible) and took pictures as the once dark coconut palms around us soon transformed into glowing emerald fans. The entire beach was soon lit up with the warmth of the sun. After a short walk back, we arrived back at home where Mosese's mother, Siliva, was preparing the fried Fijian pancakes called Babakau. We also enjoyed our wheat-bix (a delicious mix between shredded-wheat and corn-flake cereal bar), tea, and bread an butter before getting ready for church. I was so anxious for my sermon when, 30 minutes before church was supposed to start, Mosese informed me that I would be speaking at the night-time AofG service... Not this morning's Methodist service. Whew! From then, we waited until we heard the Lali (lolly - Fijian traditional drum) calling the members to worship (the Fijian equivalent to church bells). In my pocket sulu and button up, we rounded the corner to the church and I stood dumbfounded... Before my eyes, the last thing I had ever expected to see...
White people!!
I suppose it was a bit like the moment on the TV show "Lost" when the group first finds out about the "others" on the island. Gathering my composure, I approached and greeted the, now obvious, resort visitors. Shaking hands and answering all the "What are you doing in this tiny village?!" questions, my attention turned to a couple who's appearance seemed somewhat familiar... It wasn't until they spoke that I knew what I found intriguing about them... ITALIANS! In Fiji of all places! They laughed as I tried to transition my mind from English to Fijian, to Korean, to Bulgarian, before I finally found my Italian vocabulary again! It had been so long since I'd been able to practice it! Wow! After a nice Italian conversation with them, it was time to go inside. The children were singing as we entered, with the adults joining them as they arrived. After a brief record-reading for the church, the resort visitors were welcomed and a special welcome was extended to me as one of the Bukamans. After the service, I said "Ciao!" To my new friends and Mosese and I headed back home.
We changed out of our church clothes and enjoyed lunch with a large group of family members... The fiji we had caught yesterday wasn't a surprise, but what was surprising was pouring coconut milk over the fish! It was so good! Though, it was a little difficult to eat as I hadn't used a fork since my arrival on Friday, but it was great all the same. After lunch, we were off on another adventure. This time, since the tide was low, we took the right out past the peninsula on the far side of the village. Ever since hearing of the Yasawas, my country director Aralai has told me about a special place where there are "blue rocks". As we continued over the jagged barnacle-covered rocks, I didn't know what we would find when we came to the cove only accessible in low tide... Blue rocks! But not just any blue rocks. I'm quite sure this is turquoise!! Everywhere! It was beautiful! Underfoot, in the cliffs, under the water... Everywhere! (Naturally, I collected some to remember the experience!) We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the tide pools and just making our way around the peninsula.
One thing I've always wanted to see, particularly here on Yasawairara, is the "dadakulaci". Though the black-and-white-banded Sea Krate, or sea snake, may not be to high on most peoples' must-see-in-Fiji list... It's been pretty close to the top of mine since my arrival. As I was sharing my desire to see one with Sakarai who had joined us, I heard Atu (Mosese's cousin) call out the words I'd been waiting for!! "La mai! La mai! Dadakulaci!!!" I began scuffling over the rocks as fast as my worn Chacos could take me until I reached the rock where Atu was standing. There it was, tucked into the rock pretending we didn't exist. It's broad, shiny scales slowly working further and further into the rock as the muscles under the black and white bands I've been looking for undulated with th serpentine power that intrigues me so much. As Atu prodded with a stick attempting to get it out for a better photo, I saw the tail. Flattened like a rudder, the sea snake's tail has always fascinated me, and now, I was seeing it in person! Once we realized that the snake wouldn't be coming out any time soon, we moved on and continued to hike back to the village by way of the beautiful white beach we watched the sunrise from that morning.
Once we arrived back at home, we had tea and enjoyed some rest before leaving again...
Mosese had a plan for where we could go to watch the sunset. The "lookout" as they call it, was actually about a 2 mile hike and most of it was (very steeply) uphill! However, once the four if us arrived, it couldn't have been more worth it. From the lookout, we could see both sides of the island, and the next three islands past Yasawairara. As the sun sank slowly behind the sea, I couldn't help but be blown away by the goodness of everything around me. The people, the island, and the Lord who had given them both to me or the past 3 days. After many photos and singing praise songs, the four of us began to trek down to Bukama once again. Sakarai and I hung back as he wanted a bit of an English lesson... His broken English was good, but we used the time to talk about tenses. For instance, "God creates the world in 7 days? Or maybe He 'create?' Or 'created?'"The past- tense was particularly hard for him to understand, but I think our short time really helped. After the lesson, he noticed I was quite quiet. He asked, in Fijian, if I was OK, so I told him I was just thinking about tonight's sermon and the singing we'd been asked to do. He grabbed my shoulder and looked into my eyes, stopping our journey on the dirt road, to pray with me and tell me that I was his brother now, and that the rest of the village he'd talked to felt the same way. "You're family now, Stini. You eat with us, you stay here, you are family. No need for nervous." With a smile he continued ahead to leave my head swimming. For a culture where family is everything, and everyone in the village is literally family, his words meant so much to me. I thanked the Lord for Sakarai and for the encouragement He'd given me through him as we entered the village.
After a quick, refreshing bucket-shower, I donned my pocket sulu and button up once again and we made our way to the Assemblies of God church by the beach on the edge of the village; hiking through a flooded area of town... Wet Chacos, blisters, and thorns sticking into my ankles--I was distracted. We arrived as they were practicing singing and stood at the back until it was time of our special music. As Mosese and I too the "stage" The Lord calmed my nerves entirely. Since I arrived, my voice has gone in and out with all the salt, singing we've already done, and my pervasive sinus infection. No sooner had I finished praying for the Lord to give me my voice back for the next few minutes than Mosese had already finished the intro an it was time... To a people who had just experienced, first hand, the power of a hurricane just over a year ago, the verse to "How He Loves" hung in the air with many "Emeni's" and "Hallelujahs". Even with the guitar missing it's high 'E' string, Mosese played and it sounded beautiful! I had not been able to sing the key-change portion of the song since our arrival and, yet, when it was time, my voice was clear and my sinuses cooperated for the duration of the song! Praise the Lord!
As the service continued I felt a peace as I was finally sure of what I needed to speak on... James 1:22 "Be not only hearers of the Word, but also doers." But. As the pastor was called forward, Mosese said it seemed that he would be preaching the sermon. At first, I was selfish. I thought,
"Why did you have me spend all the time preparing to tell the people
the message you had for me, God?"
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