Random Ramblings from Kiribati

Freedom Chairs go to the White House

Last Wednesday Richfield City was recognized as one of the five organizations honored at the White House for support of military families.  Two representatives from the Richfield City Council and Captain Cody Workman of A Battery and his wife DonaMae were special guest for the ceremony with Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as hosts.  During the ceremony Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Biden were each presented a freedom chair that Jack Hansen and I made earlier for the families of soldiers including the 222nd who recently returned from Iraq.  

During the past six years we have made over 500 chairs for military families, with close ties to Sevier County.  Through the generosity of local businesses, individuals, civic organizations, government entities over $50,000 has been raised by the Freedom Chair project.  All of funds raised have been donated to the family support groups not only in Sevier County but several other units through out Utah.  All the labor, wood, and materials to make the chairs are donated. Freedom chairs project has been a vehicle for many generous citizens in Sevier County  to make monetary and types of donations;  to let the soldiers serving in combat areas and their families how much their service and sacrifices mean to maintaining our freedoms.  

Two of our Freedom Chairs were presented to the first lady Michele Obama and Jill Biden wife of the Vice President - at a White House ceremony this past week

I-Kiribati Health Care

Last Sunday evening Bishop Onerio one of the Church employees unexpectedly passed away.  He was the school and service center plumber and also served as the Bishop of the Eita 2nd Ward.  The bishop was only in his 40’s, apparently he had a heart attack and died in his sleep.  If he had been in a more developed country with good medical care, a stint would have been put in his heart and he probably would have lived another 20 to 30 years.  


When a person dies there is no mortuary for the body to be embalmed.  So they are buried usually within 24 hours.  The bishop's funeral was Tuesday morning and the entire student body attended the services.  A coffin in which he was buried was constructed in the school shop.   Most people are buried in their own yards, not in a cemetery.  Since there is no hearse, the coffin is placed on a flat bed truck and the pall bearers ride in the back of the truck sitting on the sides of the truck bed, surrounding the coffin.  The family also follows in the back of another truck to the grave site.  Bishop Onerio was buried next to his home.

Medical care is very inadequate in Kiribati,  there are very few doctors and the hospital lacks much of the medical equipment and other amenities we take for granted in the states.   The age and condition of the hospital building makes it difficult to maintain high levels of cleanliness and sanitation.  Many very ill I-Kirabati people from the outer islands have to wait in a maneaba near the hospital until there is room for them to be admitted.  Few people get physical exams, so there are many who may have diabetes, hepatitis, heart problems and other illnesses that go undiagnosed.  As a result many people die prematurely and leave spouses as widows and widower and many children as orphans.  Early death is so common, that most take it in stride as part of their day to day existence.

Many of the students have lost one or both parents by the time they finish high school.  Several of the teachers are widows or widowers.  Extended family takes in the orphan children to care for them.  Lita (the principal) and her husband have adopted several children, she has three children of her own.   There are usually about 18 to 21 people living in her home, some adopted others live there temporarily.  She is a great lady, a spiritual giant among her people.  Many other homes (huts) have many extended family members living with them.  I'm not sure how many people live in Pres. and Sister Tunes home but there is a whole lot that come in and go.

Student Body Track Event

A week ago Friday, the school's student body went to the sports complex for a intramural track meet.  The student body was divided up into 6 teams.  Each team was named after one of the prophets.  Each team marched into to the stadium in cadence.  Each team had matching shirts in their team colors.  It was very impressive opening ceremony, as the teams were led by older students shouting and singing the cadence as they marched.  Many of them stopped in front of the bleachers to do some dance steps in all in unison.  They had a lot of fun and enjoyed putting on a show for the teachers and other students.

When the track meet finally started each team would select a participant for each event.   Form 1-3, Form 4, Form 5, and Form 6 each ran a heat for each event first for the girls and then for the boys.  So each running event had 8 separate races.  The girls first ran the 3000 meters followed by the 5000 meters boys race.  It took for ever to complete the distance races.  The first 3 or 4 contestants would run but 2 to 3 in each heat would walk, often finishing 15 to 30 minutes after the first finisher.  Those two distance events took several hours to run.  Finally they finished and ran the 800 meter followed by 200 meter race.  

We finally gave up and left, it was dark before the students returned to campus.  We both got dehydrated and Janis came down with the flu and is having a difficult time regaining her strength.

Transporting students is interested, they load as many as they can on flat bed one ton and two ton trucks.  Usually 40 plus students pile on the trucks, I shutter watching them transport students that way.  That is how every one does it in Kiribati.  About every third vehicle is an 8-10 passenger van used for taxi’s.  Few people have vehicles other than motor cycles and scooters - so trucks and taxi’s are how most people are transported.