Day 2 in Nadi, Fiji

This is Director, Rhonda Fleming.
Wow--it feels like we have been here a week already.
Today we began the day with a good breakfast at the hotel--scrambled eggs, o.j., ham and toast.
We loaded the vans at 10:45 and headed to our first school==Rofu Elementary School. They have 841 students. The kids came out and sat in front of their classrooms on porches. We did have a speaker so we could play our trax, but the kids were so spread out it was hard to hear them. We did our best. The kids screamed for us like we were rock stars. Lauren Fowler did a great job leading some kids songs over the mic. We spread out to help the kids learn them. then we met with their staff to demonstrate the water filters. We left enough for the school.
the filters will last 80 years and provide up to 4 million liters of clean water, taking out all but .1 micron of debris and germs.
Alec and some of the guys played Rugby with some of the guys. Andy raced with some of the kids--he said they were very fast.
The heat and humidity are stifling. We are really stressing for all the kids to keep drinking the bottled water to stay hydrated.
Then we went to the high school. It wasn't a good time to interrupt them. So we sang outside under a tree for the Senior class--approximately 400 200 students. They sat and listened intently. Emilee and Alec shared "what the Lord did in my life this year."
THEN they ALL sang for us. WOW. Even the guys sang--in 4 part harmony. It was beautiful. The choir director came over and introduced himself. We talked for a while. There are 1000 students at the high school. they sing together every morning during their daily devotion time. The military cadets come in to teach discipline. The school is run by the government and a committee. Oh gosh. It costs $180 Fiji dollars to send a child to school for a year. A year--imagine! Ready to move?
Barb Latt stopped in to visit a trig class. She says they were all working diligently on chalkboards and listening QUIETLY.
Back to the choir director; he's been their 4 years. He asked how much a pitch pipe is, so I gave him one of ours. He asked if we could get him some music of ours and of course, I said I would.He was very grateful.

Again, we left water filters for them. Kevin did the demonstration with David, the Give Clean Water guy standing by. he did a fantastic job and the kids loved it. We left enough filters for this school as well.

Exhausted, we headed to town for lunch.
We stopped back by the the Nadi School fWe went to the chicken Express and ordered buckets of healthy fried chicken and fries. We drenched ourselves with water.

or Special Needs kids to install water filters, and again at the Treasure House, the orphanage. There is a beautiful baby named Grace that I would love to bring home. Kevin said he was not good with kids so Barb and I handed him a baby and he did fine. Today the kids were jumping in a small swimming pool to get clean. All of the chorale kids loved the orphanage and playing with the babies and toddlers.

Back at the hotel we swam and cooled off. We met for dinner at the hotel and it was so delicious. Most of us had seafood or pasta.

Tomorrow is the water filter workday in Lautoka, one of the remote villages hard-hit by Cyclone Thomas. Then we are going to have pizza.

The chorale has been asked to sing daily for the staff of the hotel. People come out of the woodwork to hear them sing.
We also sang at the chicken restaurant.

Yesterday, Alec, Kevin, Missy Karl and Lauren F shared testimonies during the programs. Karl gave a great devotion over breakfast. Robby and Travis have been doing a great job with worship. Christina and Emilee are doing a great job with the p.b. sandwiches.
Overall, their attitudes are good, cooperative and willing.

Please pray for:
I have a wicked sore throat. I think it's from the hot-cold-hot-cold changes in temperature. Several others, like me, have a lot of bites--spider or mosquito, so I invested in some anti-itch spray today. Some are having more trouble than others with adjusting to the new time.

Sunday we will sing for two churches. Monday is beach play day.
Tuesday we will sing for more schools. They are keeping us very, very busy.

Tomorrow I will try to post some pictures. Technology here is a bit behind.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We are all having a great time and so blessed by the responses here. The pastor says 45% of the people here fall below the poverty level. But hey, since we were here in 2003, they have a McDonald's!

Blessings to you all!