From Sister G. Vonarx
Sorry this newsletter is so late but we were on an adventure! The Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission is made up of two different countries including several outer islands. Sister Owen, our financial secretary and I had planned on visiting Ebeye atoll at some point in our missions but last Wednesday we realized it was now or never. We booked our flights on Wednesday and flew to Ebeye on Thursday. It was so amazing! We flew into Kwajalein the US Airforce base and because I am Canadian and there is high security at the base we were separated and I was escorted to the ferry. Then we were graciously invited to go to Ebeye on Senator Tony Aiseai’s boat along with 3 other senators. Our Bishop had introduced us to the Senators at the airport in Majuro and they took such good care of us. Usually, people take a 10-minute ferry ride over to Ebeye. Ebeye is a land area of only 80 acres with 11,000-15,000 people calling it home. It is one of the most densely populated places in the world. People live in very humble circumstances. We have 8 amazing missionaries serving there and it was so fun to visit with them, serve them dinner and spoil them with homemade cookies.
These are the highlights from our trip:
Hearing so much laughter from children playing! Seeing children being so creative to find ways to play baseball when they do not have equipment. They made baseball gloves out of cardboard and used a pipe as a bat. Seeing a group of children playing marbles, skipping rope and having fun.
Attending a Sacrament meeting where no one led the music but someone started us off singing and part way through the first verse of Come, Come Ye Saints we heard the beautiful melodious sound of the piano. Brother Billy Pound added the most beautiful notes to the songs as he heard the music. He plays by ear and is so talented! I will never forget how beautiful those songs sounded.
Attending three Sacrament meetings on Sunday so we could meet members in all three wards on Ebeye. Feeling the spirit so strong as these humble people prayed and worshipped a God that they know.
Experiencing the community as the main street came alive in the evening as air cooled things down and everyone came out of their houses to be together. Visiting my good friend Eute’s Mom in her humble home and enjoying her hospitality.
Watching the excitement as a father and his children pulled in a shark on their fishing rope right in front of the house where we were staying. I hope that shark fed all the mouths that needed to be fed that day. Sometimes experiences help us to see more clearly, that happened in Ebeye to me. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Love Sister Vonarx
Nanaimo Stake 