In Samoa from 05 - 18 October on aid relief.
In Samoa from 03 - 19 September 2009.
In Samoa from 17 November 2008 through to 21 January 2009.
tina.desuza@gmail.com
This just arrived from Sili, and he asked me to post it on the blog. So here you go ...
Dear Friends,
It is 11 November 2009, 43 days after the tragedy that claimed 14 lives of our loved ones. It has been a big test in faith for Tai and I who minded the big family in Samoa. Our minds and souls have been so busy in reassuring ourselves and pondering over the possible opportunities to rebuild the family and to be able to provide jobs that were interrupted by the devastation caused by the Tsunami, that we did not realise more than a month had wafted over us.
I had to telephone Tina this afternoon, as we hardly find time to do emails. Tina was updated on what is going on with Tai and I in Samoa.
Somehow, I re-visited Tina's blog and discovered that she and Greg had written much more than the last I visited the blog. I broke down and wept as my soul longed to reach out and embrace all the warm hearted people that were listed in the blog by Tina & Greg.
It is with great joy, and I am sure Tai joins me, in the realisation that we have a bigger family out there in the world. The very family that has assisted and driven Tai and I to persist or persevere in the development of Taufua Beach Fales that has brought much joy to Tai and to all of you out there.
Please allow me to convey on behalf of Tai and the survivors of our household our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for the comiseration messages, kind words and all form of donations.
I had a phone call from Sili today ... wonderful to talk to him!
He had a heap of updates to give me, and was getting very annoyed with the internet connection so he figured it was easier to call and to tell me about it! Fair enough. It saved him from throwing the computer out the window with frustration, anyway :o)
An old friend of Tai and Sili, Brian, is currently at the Lalomanu house doing the tiling on all the house floors. Tai is on her way down there today with extra grout and food supplies. She had only just left Apia by about 30 minutes when Deb and Johnny the builder arrived at the house at Avele, Apia. Bad timing! However, Johnny and Sili immediately became best friends and were engrossed in the plans that Sili was just going over when they arrived. Sili's son in law Alan (an architect and landscape designer) has been drawing and revising the plans over the past few weeks, and they are getting pretty close to complete.
Johnny just flew in last night, having spent a couple of weeks in Hawaii, then back to NZ for a day, then over to Samoa. He lost and gained a day here and there so I'm not sure he knows actually what's hit him yet!
Deb is taking Johnny back with her and Ian to Moata'a for the night, and Sili will collect him in the morning and take him down to the house at Lalomanu, where he'll be able to meet the rest of the family who are already down there, and settle in before he starts pouring concrete slabs.
Over the past week, Tai and Sili have purchased all the building materials they need to build six brand new units up by the house on the hill. Over the next few days, there will be five truck loads of bricks, and five truckloads of timber and cement boards delivered, plus all the other building stuff that sticks it all together. The only things they haven't bought yet is the roofing iron, tiles and air conditioning units. Sili thinks the air con units might be cheaper in NZ. If anyone has a contact for air con units ... please shout out! Thanks.
Now that the house on the hill is almost complete, Tai and Sili and all the family currently in Apia will be moving to the Lalomanu house this weekend. They are really looking forward to getting back to their village, and all their friends and neighbours. Johnny won't even need to use his tent - he'll be able to stay in the house with everyone else :o) The plumbers are there today working on getting a toilet up and going (yay - goodbye porta loo!!) and I'm sure everyone will be glad about that.
Sili says that the build will start with the concrete pouring for the slabs, and that should happen in the next few days once Johnny is all settled in. They'll construct two units first, and get as much of them done as possible before Johnny leaves. Then they'll use the finished ones as a model on which to build the others, using whatever local talent / labour they can find. Both Sili and Johnny agree that that will be the easiest way to do it.
Sili is hoping the six units will be built and ready for guests by February next year. Not long away, really! Then they'll have a look at what they will do on the beach. That part seems to be coming along a lot slower. But still, if there are other builders etc out there who want to help, just please get in touch and let us know.
Tai and Sili spent two hours in the immigration office yesterday, completing all the paperwork for the reissue of everyone's passports. Today Sili is off to the NZ Embassy to get visitor visas for all the family who are coming to visit at Christmas! So it's now official; they arrive on 22 December and will stay for a few weeks. Not only will it be a good break away for them all, but it will allow some of the family to have follow up medical treatment here for ongoing injuries caused in the tsunami. A few people have issues that need to be cleared up, and that's best to be done here in Auckland.
Sina and Mani are very shortly off to Australia to visit some relatives over there, and then they'll head over this way to meet up with the rest of the family in Auckland. After that they'll be heading across to the USA to stay with some of Sina's family who have offered them that opportunity. All up they'll be travelling for about three months, and that will give them some quality time together. I'm sure they'll need it, after all they've been through.
Sili has been continuing his discussions with the government, and is still awaiting an outcome as to what government assistance may be offered to the business. All the other affected property owners are in the same situation.. It's been a long and tiring month for him. Tai is taking care of all the other stuff, with Macy in tow! Sili says that Macy is like a very efficient private secretary to a rock star (Tai) and makes sure Tai remembers everything and gets to places on time! Together they must make a formidable team :o)
OK - that's about all the updates for now ... it was so nice to hear Sili's voice.
Remember - if anyone knows anything about air con units, speak up. Email me at tina.desuza@gmail.com, or add me on Facebook (Tina De Suza) and we'll talk.
On behalf of Sili, thanks to everyone who's helped in every single way since this tragedy ... no kindness or good deed goes unnoticed. Alofa tele.
I'm still receiving emails asking how to donate ... so I've posted this again. The bank details etc keep slipping down the page :o)
Please see details of how to donate below. The accounts will remain open (both bank account and PayPal account) and all funds are being forwarded to Tai and Sili in Samoa. Many thanks to all xxx
Via bank transfer:
If the bank asks you for an IBAN / BIC number, it's the first six numbers of the number below; 12-3016. You may also need a swiftcode, and that is ASBBNZ2A.
Mrs T F De Suza
ASB Bank (New Zealand bank account) Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland
12-3016-0468058-56
Via PayPal - my email address for that is tina.desuza@gmail.com.
Malo lava to all ... it was a beautiful service today. The singing of the Tongan and Samoan choirs was out of this world! When the Tongans started up, it was just mind blowing. Wonderful all round.
It was great to see everyone, and to put some faces to the names on my Facebook :o) It was also fantastic to see some members of the Taufua family and to have a chat to them. It made me feel a bit home sick for the motu and for Tai and Sili, Vai, Sio, Lusi, Viali, Otele, Siene, Sine, Sina, Magi, Sopaima ... you get my drift.
Aunty Faasega is looking much better, and her foot is healing well. Uncle Ben looked resplendent - first time I have seen him dressed as a Reverend! Lovely to see everyone :o)
For those of you who are not on my Facebook and would like to be ... please find me and add me. Tai tele lava!
Well, Johnny Simmons is on his way to Samoa to help with the house at Lalomanu. Thanks to Jonaye for putting us in touch with him!
Johnny's currently in Hawaii - I think he's gone hunting for surf. No doubt he'll find a fair bit of that over there. On his way home he's popping into Samoa for ten days (arriving next Tuesday Samoa time), and will be collected from the airport by Deb and Ian. They'll take him to Moata'a for the night and then hand him off to Sili the following day.
Thanks Johnny for your time, and I hope you make some time to travel around a bit and to fall in love with this beautiful country. No doubt you will make friends for life and will be back to visit real soon :o)
I had an email from Sili this morning, he said there was a huge amount of work done on the house yesterday, and that he can probably cope with just having Johnny on board for a week or so. That's great news!
In other news, I've seen some recent pics of the beach and it's looking great. There's been a huge cleanup at the Litia Sini site, and they have their plans drawn up and are ready to go with their rebuild. It's fantastic news. Things seem to be moving along quite well.
I'll keep everyone posted as I know more, and I'll see if I can get permission to post the pics of the beach that I have received via email..
"We have an urgent need for one volunteer in each of these areas:
Plastering
Flooring (we have available ceramic tiles)
Carpenter to seed up double walling (cement boards) & ceiling
Painter - to show the many boys we have, how to do the painting.
We wonder if you can find some volunteers? 7 to 14 days duration should be fine.
The above volunteers are required to help finish the big house soonest. You may know that there are 9 cyclones forecasted for our part of the region. The cyclone season starts 01 Nov 2009 to April 2010. We are today at Lalomanu and plan to stay the night here. We are finalising the architectural plans for the double units and will let you know soon as we get the permit to build.
I shall soon have the sketch of the site where the double units will be and hope we will soon be able to begin construction. Please let me know if there is anyone out there who might be able to come to Samoa and give us a hand!"
If anyone is able to go over, or if you have any questions, please email me at tina.desuza@gmail.com.
I assume you will be able to stay in the house at Lalomanu - there is a portaloo there, and some other basic facilities but it's pretty rough. Email me with your questions!!
Please see details of how to donate below. The accounts will remain open (both bank account and PayPal account) and all funds are being forwarded to Tai and Sili in Samoa. Many thanks to all xxx
Via bank transfer:
If the bank asks you for an IBAN / BIC number, it's the first six numbers of the number below; 12-3016. You may also need a swiftcode, and that is ASBBNZ2A.
Mrs T F De Suza
ASB Bank (New Zealand bank account) Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland
12-3016-0468058-56
Via PayPal - my email address for that is tina.desuza@gmail.com.
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