Dear Famili, malo ho'omou lelei. We're happy hearing from you guys all over the globe. Please continue on keeping us posted. From us here in the little city, we're well, healthy and fine. We're getting to our winter season, which maybe is like summer to most of you guys, but it's chilling for us, especially Maliana and little Saimone who got a bit sick, ki'i ma'u pe he momoko. But all in all 'oku mau sai pe. We're happy to have our mum at home. 'Oku mau fiefia pe he'ene ha'u, getting straight away into her role as tauhi 'o e kaingalotu, and relating easily (I really hope) to her new daughter in law (Silia) and with Poini's family 'i homau 'api 'i loto kolo. Toe fiefia ai pe mo e palofita (Rodney) he ha'u 'a Lotiola, kae totongi ange 'ene ngaahi mo'ua ta-tutu and other stuff.

Katoanga'ofa St. Sosefo ko e Tangata Ngaue 'o Matahau

When our tauhi (Lotiola) returned from Bundy, she came back just in time ki he'emau katoanga'ofa na'e fakahoko he 'aho 1 'o Me 2010. It was a warm feast day, with happy memories for our old timers, such as Mele'ufi, 'Anamaka, Maliana and such. We had Matakai there too, and too bad his wife 'Eniketi was still at the hospital (for some days now) for breast cancer illness (but she's still fighting). We had the warm donation of our aunty Latu Fatu from Australia who was here and donated ki hono ngaahi 'o e fo'i 'aleso ki he fakamalumalu 'o e statue 'o St. Sosefo Tangata Ngaue, at the front of the church. I have uploaded lots of photos here in our gallery. Even mum too, ngali ne ola 'ene ta-misini 'i Bundaberg, ne ne donate ai ki hono fakakapeti 'o e holo, and what a right time to make such a donation. Ifo ai pe e fakapaheke 'a kinautolu 'oku mafana, mo kinautolu 'oku toe mamafana ange.

We started off the celebration 'aki 'a e misa, na'e tataki 'e he tauhi palokia, Fr.Mateo Lui. At the same mass celebration, na'e fakahoko ai mo e tali ui Kofilimasio (Sacrament of Confirmation) 'a Suvia Piutau mo Seini Tatafu. Then after mass, we continue on ki he 'ilo kava 'a Patele, na'e tataki 'e he matapule, Tu'ila Vakano and well supervised by my uncle Matakai. Na'e maau ai pe foki mo e tou'a ki he ma'u kava ni, ko e fefine tonunga ko Siniva Manu (my sister in law). Of course, ne toki me'a mai ai pe mo e ta'ahine tou'a makehe pe ia 'o e faikava, na'e toli, pea amusi mo unuhi mai mei he Kolo Kakala mei Mu'a, ke fai hono fakalelulelu 'o e 'ilo kava 'a e kau tangata.

Ka he'ikai foki te ke ta'ofi 'e koe 'a e ngaahi mafana 'a e kau fefine. It's a sweet sweet feeling to see our women, despite the condition they would be in, they would jump up and dance ki he ngaahi fasi. I was worried na'a si'i mafesi 'eku kui 'ofeina ko Mele'ufi, he'ene fute holo he fiefia. But I was amazed and lucky to get a picture of my aunty Maliana, and you can't deny 'ene fiefia, and even better you'll understand why such a day as our feast day is and will always be special to the hearts of our poor church community.

Other magic moments include the entertainment by some of our members who rarely show it in public, like Sione Peauafi, and of course 'a e 'ofisa 'a patele, Fonua Uinisi. I had to say, that he was drunk no doubt, but he did his job ki hono fakanofonofo 'o e kaingalotu 'i falelotu, lolotonga e misa fakafeta'i 'o e 'aho. Even during the katoanga'ofa, he was so keen, mo fakapapau'i, kuo pau ke fakahoko 'ene fo'i tau'olunga, but as we tried to put him out, he amazingly step out and took out the mike 'o ui 'ene fo'i tau'olunga, ko 'ene tau'olunga mo Patele 'Ekuasi, pea ui mo e kau faifekau, kau faikava mo Maliana, and so, ko e toe step hake ia 'a e fefine ko Maliana Sisifa 'o tau'olunga. In the end, we raised $17,000 Pa'anga. Although it still runs short ki homau 'inasi, ka ko e ola pe ia. But it's memorable to experience the joy we all had on this special day.

FakaMe 2010

On the next day, the 2nd of May 2010, was our children's Fakame Sunday. I attended the celebration and was surprised to find that our FakaMe was more like a community fakaMe, instead of something specially made for the Wesleyan Church. So the spirit of our little city turns more and more into a real community. I was happy, sio ki he fekau'aki pehe 'a e tamaiki, pea lava mai ai pe mo e ki'i kolo kotoa ki hono mamata'i. Pea mafana foki ai e famili 'o Aleki Moala 'o teuteu'i e me'atokoni ki hono talitali 'a kinautolu kotoa na'e 'i he FakaMe, pea lau ai pe ia ko e koloa ki he ni'ihi.

Anyway, that's all from us here in the little city. And until then, hope to hear from you guys again. 'Oku mau 'ofa lahi atu ai pe kiate kimoutolu.

Ko au Hiko'itaulanga

Lalo Kalosipani News Service