HELLO THERE FAMILY,

IT HAS BEEN SOMETIME SINCE I AM BACK INTO THE FAMILY WEBSITE. LET ME SAY THAT MY SHORT HOLIDAY WAS A MEMORABLE ONE. LOOKING BACK AT IT, IT STARTED WITH THE FAMILY REUNION WHICH WAS A BLESSING AND A JOYFUL ONE FOR ME. CAPTURING THE THEME, "TOWARDS TOMORROW", WAS THE HIGHLIGHT, SEEING EVERYONE ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT OF IT. I CAN SAY IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST REUNION AND THANKS TO THE NZ ORGANISING GROUP. IT WAS A GREAT TIME CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER, FROM THE ELDEST TO THE YOUNGEST. SO I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO DID MAKE IT TO OUR REUNION AND ALSO TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO BE THERE. I FELT THE STRENGTH OF BEING FAMILY AND IS STILL VERY MUCH PRESENT. HELPS ME TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT FAMILY REUNION.

THE NEXT PART OF MY HOLIDAY WAS IN TONGA. I WAS BLESSED TO BE THERE IN TIME FOR ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER COMMUNITY'S FAMILY WEEK IN MATAHAU. WE PUT TOGETHER A THEME, "FOKI KI 'API" - GOING BACK HOME. IT WAS A CHANCE TO VISIT THE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO SEE HOW THEY WERE. PART OF THIS GOING BACK HOME IS THE MANATU MELIE - RECAPTURING THE GOOD MEMORIES OF THE PAST. IT WAS A MOVING EXPERIENCE AND A LIFEGIVING ONE FOR ALL FAMILIES. IT ENDED WITH THE NEW ELECTION IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS. I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THE GOOD SPIRIT IN THE COMUNITY AND THE ELECTION OF SOME NEW AND OLD FACES TO GUIDE THE PEOPLE. THE TAUHI IS LOTELIKA TA'AI, PULENGAUE IS TU'IFUA TATAFU, SEA KOSILIO IS TU'ILA VAKANO-PAEA, FAIHIVA IS STANLEY MANU, SEKELITALI IS SINIVA MANU, TAUHI PA'ANGA IS 'ANALENA TA'AI AND THE TAUHI FALELOTU AND SAKILISITI IS LOTIOLA AND TIANA. IT BROUGHT A SENSE OF HOPE AND NEW LIFE TO THE MATAHAU CATHOLIC COMMUNITY. I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED THE ROLES AND THE CHALLENGES.

THE LAST OF MY HOLIDAY WAS THE WORK, FIXING UP THE HOUSE AT OUR FAMILY HOME IN MATAHAU. IT HAS BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THE BUILDING OF THE HOUSE AND THIS IS THE FIRST RENOVATION WORK. THANKS TO NENITI AND LOTELIKA FOR THE TIME AND HELP TO FINISH WELL A NICE AND GOOD WORK. IT LOOKS LIKE THE PREPARATIONS FOR OUR NEXT REUNION IS ALREADY STARTED AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL ABOUT IT. AS I LEFT OUR FAMILY HOME THERE IS A SENSE OF JOY IN THOSE WHO ARE ALWAYS THERE, MALIANA, CLARE, LOTIOLA, TIANA, NENITI AND KIDS. I ONLY HOPE THAT POINI, HIKO AND TIANA WILL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD SOME PHOTOS OF THE HOUSE FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE HERE. SO I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THOSE WHO DONATED SOME OF THEIR SAVINGS FOR THIS WORK, TO TAVO AND KARA, TONI AND SEINI, TITA AND KUTI AND FAMILY, 'ETUATE AND 'AKATA, LOTIOLA AND ALL THOSE WHO WERE THERE COOKING AND SUPPORTING, TIANA, NENITI AND LIKA AND FR. 'UNALOTO. YOUR DONATIONS AND SUPPORT HAVE BEEN A BLESSING AND A BIG MALO 'AUPITO TO YOU ALL. LOOKING FORWARD TO GO BACK TO TONGA IN 2015 AND FINISH THE WORK BEFORE THE NEXT FAMILY REUNION. SO JUST BE READY FOR THE CALL THAT WILL COME SEEKING YOUR HELP. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND 'OFA LAHI ATU. napa