BEFORE AND AFTER --- the VOLCANO

Remember the volcano in January?

We just had to get a closer look.

The world's newest island (we think) is the one in the center.

The scientists got to go ashore.  We observed from a distance.  Notice how the crater rim has already been washed out on the windward side.  The lee side is about 300 meters high.

This is the lee side.

The island is just gradually eroding away.  Those gullies are about 10-15 meters deep at the water line.  The waves on the shore line are more black than white due to the erosion.

We scored a souvenier anyway.  Yes, we are older than this dirt.

The Tonga stakes are sending one 20 ft. container of Manioke (potato, sort of) every month to Vanuatu.  The cyclone at Vanuatu  devastated almost all their islands.  It even tore up their root crops.  Each ward was assigned so much to peel and bag, and they began filling the container on Monday.

Nearly 1000 bags at 20 kilos each.  Those Tongan boys didn't even work up a sweat.

By Friday it was filled and ready to put on the boat.  These people know how it is and are ready and willing to sacrifice for their South Pacific brothers and sisters.

Remeber the Ha'apai Reconstruction Project and the 41 boys who signed up to learn carpenty and help build the houses for the members who lost their homes?

After the storm and before the project.  This and the following pictures were taken 15 months after the storm.

Many are still living just like this.

They have managed to clean up most of the debris.

One road on the island and it just happens to cross the only air strip in the island group.

This old house weathered the storm pretty well.  The new one is typical of the houses the church is building for 105 families whose homes were beyond repair or completely destroyed.

Many families are having to do with a tent and whatever they can provide for themselves.  The federal government is building a lot of homes with the aid of the World Bank.  But many are just plain left to fend for themselves except for the emergency aid they received right after the cylone (cyclone Ian).

Welcome home, outhouse on the left, shower on the right.  Accessable only from the outside of the house.
The main house is 12x16 feet.

We are very proud of the boys who stayed on the job and are getting the project completed.  Lots more to the story but that's for another venue.

Got to the air strip to find out the plane wasn't coming for another 4 hours so we headed to the beach to celebrate our 42nd anniversary.

A 42 selfie.