Molocau # 3 for sure, # 4 ??????

Okay, I am going to tell this story first. We were walking to the clinic one day and right there on the sidewalk was a molocau and so this was the perfect time to take a REAL picture of the critter, all 38 pair of legs. Yuk-k-k-k-k. Okay, that is #3. Now for # 4 ??? So last Fri. morning I got out of bed, Dick was in the bathroom, so I turned on the light and I was surprised to see a "molocau" on the edge of the door with his legs over the edge and I could definately see the 2 pinchers on one end. The spray was in the kitchen so if I opened the door to get it, the molochau would take off. So....... I went into the bathroom to tell Dick - he can solve any problem - I picked up my glasses from the counter and went to make sure the molocau was still there - HE WAS - because he was the hinge on the door!!!?! Boy, did I feel goofy. I guess you could say that I have "molocau fever".. I am sure that Dick will get some mileage out of this one. (the rusty part of the hinge was the legs going over the edge and the pinchers were 2 rusty streeks coming off the hinge - I hadn't taken time to count and see that he did not have 38 legs, silly me)

Now on to something of more worth. I have decided to tell you what your father (Dick) is doing to make a difference here on the Island of Tonga and probably all the South Pacific Islands before he is done. We were here only a few days before he said, "I feel like we are trying to put our finger in the hole in the dike and not stopping the problem from coming". Practically every mouth that is opened here has 8-9 cavities in it and he is extracting permanent teeth on children who have had these teeth for only a few years. It is so sad to him and myself.

So, we feel that he is being inspired in what is now happening, because there are many doors that are being opened to him in his persuit of a solution to this situation.

Dental caries are at an epeidemic level here and throughout the islands. There is a definate link between dental disease and other systemic diseases like: diabetes, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. Over 52% of all people over 50 years of age here in Tonga have diagnosed diabetes - that is epidemic levels.

Dick feels that a multi-strategic program must be the approach and it must be presented all together to really get to the base of the problem. He has contacted the Area Presidency about his program and they will get back as to how they can support this initiative. He suggested a Sr. Couple be called to serve in this area and carry out this program, getting it to all of the South Pacific Islands. He has contacted his cousin, Tim Taggart, head of Audio/Visual for the church in SLC, and he is ready to help. Dick is putting together the following ideas for this program:

• Get the local Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Health on board and claiming this as their program, as a way that they can do something to help their own people
• Declaring a National Dental Health Month with a 'fun walk' ending in the statium where they will be given a short talk, hand out dental packets with toothbrushs and floss, etc
• A committee to meet with the above leaders and representatives on it to keep this program going after we leave
• There will be a contest in the local High Schools where they will be challenged to find a "dental floss" in nature (it is too expensive to buy for most of the people), with a cash prize to the winner
• A well done movie on dental care and diet that can be translated into any of the South Pacific Island languages and used there as it progresses
• We have created a "Tommy Tooth" (animated tooth that talks) who will become the "Symbol" or "Icon" of this program, so that anytime he is seen, people will think about their dental cleaning - he will teach and demonstrate where ever he is
• Training of educated people to go into each village and show the movie, give demonstrations and products to each family through the churches, community and schools - this would be done 2 times a year
• Massive advertisement campaign on TV, radio, newspapers and public (billboard) at the kick-off of Dental Health Month (at the beginning of the program)

This is the basis of what he is doing. He has had many "doors opened" as this has progressed and so it is as if the Lord is saying 'go ahead this is good'. One such 'coinsidence'is Tonga's culture is founded on the concept of RANK, and this cornerstone affects every aspect of a Tongan's life. Rank is so important that one Tongan will avoid speaking to another until she or he knows which of them ranks higher. It is a three-tierd class system made up of 1. Royalty, 2. Nobles, 3. Commoners. Now......... picture this: A Noble is coming to our English speaking Branch and is interested in the church. We have had him, his wife and children in the dental clinic, and have made a friendship with them. He told Dick, "when you are ready to have your meeting on my island, let me know and I will have all the people there that you want." Today at church he told Dick that he could get a meeting for him with the Prime Minister this week if he would like. Oh......my.......gosh...... Is this a "coinsidence? No, we do not think so. Doors are opened and we are excited about it.

Dr. Pulsifer will be here this coming week (one of the Dr. who helped put the clinic together) and will be here for a couple of weeks. While he is here to do dentistry, Dick will take advantage of the time and meet with all the "top people" in the Tongan Government.

Getting the funding and expertee for the movie and putting this program into affect will show a difference within a few years in the dental condition of the people. When this is in affect it will make a great deal of difference in the lives and health of the island people and that is what is driving your father in this project. He has a love for the Polyneisian people and desires for their lives to be better. Even the natives call "pull teeth" but we need a program to "save" them.

We love you and miss you tons, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma

This shows the foliage on the "land bridge", this area is constantly sprayed with mist from the water and it grows and grows and grows and hangs over the edge of the cliff, so it is impossible from this angle to see where the edge is. It is very dangerous if you do not know the area.

Accident pictures

This is Dad standing closer to the edge of the "land bridge" than I wanted him to. From here you are looking out to the ocean which looks peaceful and serene, but underneath in this area it is forceful and in control.

Accident

For this picture we are standing on the "landbridge" where the girls were standing when the waves picked up her body and took it out. She fell from the right of this site, this is looking down on the ocean side (land bridge is about 50 feet wide)where she would have come under the land bridge and gone out. They did recover her caprice 3 days later without any tears or rips in them. Bro. Lee was comforted to have them.

Accident pictures

This is where Sis. Lee fell to. This is taken at a lower tide than when the accident happened which was closer to high tide, meaning the ocean water was much higher and much more forceful coming in and going out causing a strong current. Man is at the mercy of nature at this time.

Pictures from accident site

This is a view from where Sis. Lee fell. On the top to the right of the green lous folige area. This is about 100 foot drop to the rocks below. This hole has been made over the years with the ocean water hitting into the cliff, undercutting to this area, and then a portiong fell in leaving this hole. On top there is a 50ft bridge of land that you can actually drive a car over when it is not wet. This picture is taken standing where they climbed down into the hole to try to reach her body, but were unable to get to her before the ocean waves took her body out.

Day to day life in Tonga

Hello family and love ones

We have been here long enough now that it is beginning to feel like home and the routine is more familiar each day. Basically, I am doing better as Dad's assistant and that is a slow process, but I am feeling a little more comfortable with it. We are busy each day with a steady line of patients, and they are still sitting at the door waiting for us each morning. They really are an amazing people when it comes to being patient and waiting for what ever length of time is necessary. They never complain. We have decided that their idea of an "appt" is different than ours. This week we had a young man scheduled for a rootcanal and he came a day late and thought it would be okay - Dad told him to make a new appt. And we had one come 2 1/2 hours late, we were able to do him though. We just laugh. Today Dad said to someone, "be sure you are here for your next appt. or we will have the police come to your house". Of course he was kidding and they laughed, just like they do for everything.

Life is really very easy and layed-back, so to speak. Compared to home it is very easy going. It seems that about mid day they begin to slow down, like the energy level as run out. And with the humidity and heat, I can definately see why that would be. However, it is now in the low 70's and the humidity is way down, and the trade winds are beginning to blow more and so it is very pleasant now. The Tongans's say that "winter is here" and they are wearing jackets with hoods and long sleeve sweeters, etc. and we are just beginning to be comfortable, and still do not even think of wearing a jacket.

Tongans are very easy-going people. They accept life for what it is and what it brings to us each day, and do not question or try to change. The accept everything in life for what it is and do not try to change or fix it. They say, "you palangis always want to fix everything". They have a great desire to please us and give us what ever we want. So sometimes when they are asked a question the answer we get is not right and we know it, they have a great desire to say what they think we want to hear and that is what they do. It is hard to get information that you need. At the clinic, to find out what is bothering them is a real challenge at times. So Dick has started asking them to "point to the tooth that hurts" and that seems to work best. They will say "yes" to everything that you ask them whether it is the right answer or not. They want to please us.

Friday Dad went to a rugby game that the Liahona High School was playing against their rivals, Atele High School. At the end of the game one of Liahona's boys took a high tackle and ended up with a broken jaw in one place for sure and possibly 2 other places. We saw him at the clinic and it took Dad about 10 seconds to diagnos it. He had surgery on his jaw yesterday (Mon) and has been sent home. This will not be fun for him to be wired shut for 6-8 weeks, if he is lucky he will be able to drink his food through a straw during this time. After watching the game Dad said he is surprised that there are not more injuries as rough as the game is. PLEASE NO RUGBY PLAYERS IN OUR FAMILY.

We are trying to make Tongan food occasionally. We shop at the open market on Sat. to get the only fresh vegetables on the island. We are craving fresh fruits and vegetables, but they are few and far between. Our Tongan neighbors showed us how to make "breadfruit chips" and they are very good.

We love to hear from you and reading your emails. Know that we think of all of you each day and miss you tons.

I will now try to post the pictures that we took from the accident site.

Love Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Dick and Reta