April 15, 2016

In answer to everyone’s question, the two girls are going to the Philippines and learning a new language. They report to the Philippines MTC June 3. Josh is going to Australia and will be speaking English. He reports July 14.

A few things are starting to wind down. Taito came Wed. and we handed over our PEF and Self Reliance materials and our church laptop to Lucy Bulewa, our new Branch Self Reliance Specialist. We still need to take an hour or two and train her a little. Taito is an impressive man, tall, strong and in charge. Before he came to work as the Manager of the Suva Self Reliance Center, he was the General  of the Fijian Army. He is very personable. He doesn't demand respect, it's automatic. After his training, he took us and Lucy out to dinner. Yesterday he met again with Lucy and took her to the universities.

We also had our exit interview yesterday with New Zealand, our Self Reliance Bosses. They previously asked for our input, and they have received quite a few letters from me expressing concern over the present PEF program and it’s implementation. It needs some reprogramming in the financial record keeping department and needs more positive strokes in writing reminder notes to those paying back the Perpetual Education Fund loan and more specific instructions to help students get the incentives. Yesterday, they assured us that they have acknowledged our concerns, and some of our suggestions are being implemented and others are being looked into. They were very gracious. They said they were glad we were the first of the “Education Specialists.”

They had sent me the exit interview questions beforehand. Since we have red eye, and I didn’t feel good enough to leave the apartment for a couple of days, I wrote answers to all the questions and sent them early to the team. That way they wouldn’t have to ask all the questions again or type up everything we said while we were talking. Yes, it was a very long tirade, especially on the question of things we feel need to be changed. The interview that usually lasts at least 1 ½ hour lasted 50 minutes, much of which was their large team taking turns expressing thanks. We actually haven’t helped that many people get a PEF Loan, but hopefully something we have said or done has made a difference.

Marica and Sylvia came yesterday and spent over 3 hours wiping out cupboards for us, many of which we hadn’t even used. We are separating and distributing the many things the mission had stored here. We are excited for the girls to come in two days! The people here are so excited to see them!

Everyone take care! We love you!