The Adventures of Lindsay & Liza: Catching Up!

hello all!

I am so sorry I haven't updated this in soooooo long. So much has happened that I just got overwhelmed thinking about writing about it all. So here is my sparknotes version of some of the things that have been going on.

As most of you know, one of our students, Tabo, drowned on October 10 while our school was on a trip to the beach. It was a crazy freak accident and I still can't believe it really happened. Please continue to pray for his friends and family here in Fiji and Rabi (where he is from).

Also, our hostel has adopted a puppy! His name is Noris and he is super cute. The kids love him but they can be a little rough with him at times. Please pray that he grows up big and strong and healthy. When we found him, he was covered in ticks and fleas and was definitely too small to be away from his mother and he surely would have died if we hadn't taken him in. He is tick free and mostly flea free now and he is growing everyday!

Our kids also attended Sports Day competing against several other special schools in the area. That day was a lot of fun for the kids, they played sitting volleyball, soccer, netball, bowling and other little games. Our school did very well. I'm not sure if there was a true "winner" of the games, but if they had been keeping score, I'm pretty sure we would have won. Some of our students are amazing athletes! I was so proud of them all.

A few weeks ago, we had a visitor from America, Jamie Tucker. He is the president of the Maryland School for the Deaf. He came to be an advocate for the school here to the government/ Ministry of Education to support us and to give advice as a fellow Deaf who has become very successful! I think he really encouraged our kids and teachers. He told them how important it is to read, read, read! He was a huge help here and we were so happy he came! I think (hope) our kids will realize now that they really can do anything and that being deaf can't be an excuse to not try.

Also, we recently had our school variety show! That was so much fun!! All the kids and staff put together about 20 something items for the show and they all worked so hard! Eliza and I were in a dance with the hostel staff, it was a Fijian dance! If we can get a copy of the song, we will perform it when we get home. We even had outfits called Bula's made for us. We looked very Fijian hahahaha. The whole show was a ton of fun!

Lastly, my birthday was Wednesday! It was a little sad being away from my friends and family back home, I think it was the only time I felt a little homesick :( But that day at school, our friend Isi bought me a cake and wrote me a poem! It was awesome. That night, Liza and I made dinner for the hostel staff to say a little thank you for all that they have done for us and to give them a night off from cooking and cleaning. We made eggplant cutlets, pasta and salad. I had no idea how hard it is to cook for 13 people! But it was fun to make :)

Here are some pictures from the past month or so!

Lindsay, Mela and Eliza after the Variety Show at school!

Group photo after the show

A 4 inch spider that we saw...... it was AWFUL.

me cutting my birthday cake

Teachers photo

The main hostel staff and sudents (and liza) saying goodbye to Nester!

Preparing the van for Tabo's funeral

Some of the kids after the funeral

Some of the kids playing around

Our students waiting for the start of Sports Day! (in blue)

A girl who reminded me so much of Shayna! There was music playing while we waited to start and she got up and danced her heart out up at the front. She was so cute!