This past week I hurried to make sure I had acknowledged the holiday season for my family. I miss them. I was visited by a sweet friend and so grateful for years of friendship and kindness and commitment to be there through all the moments of life. At least 55 years of friendship and memories show in this smile.
New Zealand is it's own melting pot of Pacific Islanders. We are surrounded by song and dance and traditions of Samoans, Tongans, Maori, Tahitians, Fijians, and less familiar Niue, Kiribati, Vanauatu, Cook Islands, etc.
The islands are classified into 3 areas:
Micronesia
Melanesia
Polynesia
Many of these people want to congregate to New Zealand. There are full neighborhoods and communities of these groups. In the church there are separate Samoan and Tongan Wards.
Today we were in a congregation with a music program entitiled
"Our Saviour's love spans all nations"
and every song was sung by a different group in a different language:
"Our Saviour's love spans all nations"
and every song was sung by a different group in a different language:
"Mi Burrito Sabanero" (My little donkey) Spanish
"Tou Mai Gole Vata" (Oh Come all ye Fathful) Fijian
"Dinggin Awit Ng Anghel" (Hark the Herald Angels Sing) Filipino
"You Da Di Fang Yao Yuan Yuan Ye Shen" (Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains) Chinese
"Folofolo Mai 'a Sisu" (Thus Saith the Lord) Tongan
"Ave Maria" Latin
"Oh Holy Night" English
"Aroa Mai Te Atua Laku" (My God Loves Me) Rarotongan (Part of Cook Islands)
"Aua E Te Maliu Ese" (Do Not Pass Me By) Samoan
"Marie Te Po" (Silent Night) Maori
They were all inspiring and beautiful.
The song "Folofolo Mai 'a Sisu" is a favorite missionary song and they will unitedly sing this reverent song in Tongan together with arms wrapped around shoulders. It's always a spiritual experience.
Here are words
and a recording to view:
OR
And during the Samoan song "Aua E Te Maliu Ese" one of the young sisters was touched so much she sobbed uncontrollably and couldn't finish singing. The rest of the group finished, but it was her tears that expressed the significance of that beautiful hymn http://media.ldscdn.org/pdf/music/hymns-samoan/1994-01-0540-do-not-pass-me-by-smo.pdf
Between these meetings, I was visiting with a Tongan Sister and learning about her family. I asked if she wanted anything specific for Christmas and she calmly shook her head and said, "Oh, I won't get anything, just to be together as a family, that's all we want." I asked if she was giving anything to her younger siblings, and again, "No, we just want to be together". Many of the islanders want desperately to come to New Zealand where there is more opportunity for jobs and education. They give up literally everything to get here.
I'm not completely sure I understand if it's culture, tradition or finances or personal decision. But I do know these people give you the shirt literally off their back, or jewelry off their body, or money from their wallets that is usually their dinner money. The island People LOVE and give beyond what I've ever known or seen. So yes, I'd love to be with my family this Christmas. We miss them and pray for them daily. But we are surrounded by not only beauty, but peace and examples of Love and Christ that are truly inspiring and calm our soul. We love the Lord, and we love the people here.
May your Christmas be full of love and kindness. ❤
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