Helena is HOME but this is not to bad for now.

Our new neighborhood, finally out of town and motel room. This is the view of the lagoon about 10 steps from our front door of the rental home we will be at. We have heard you have seen snow allready...sorry. It is 3 bedroom so make your reservations anytime. Wow only 3 weeks and we do miss the family, the Elkhorn family the Helena family, what a brotherhood we have The Majuro brothers and sisters do fill a void as you can imagine. The 2 congregations here do need the help and they think the one more needgreater couple, who should arrive in Dec. will work out for now. They could soon be building a new hall and split for a 3rd congregation, Jehovah willing. Allthough they work their territories regularly the field is active almost all the pioneers and publishers have studies. Lynn was on two studies and both of us started a study this morning. 2. This is a picture of our rental from the road (Hwy 12 Inter atoll 90) 8 miles from town but a 30 minute drive because of speed bumps, chickens, kids, people, etc. On Sundays, people go "Jumbo". That means they usually cruise in their cars to the Laura area. "The Sunday drive" On that day the ones who live out here set up fruit stands to sell coconuts and Pandanus. The last picture is taken from the same spot on the road looking out at the ocean side instead of looking at the house. We are trying to write to everyone. Would love to hear from anyone either e-mail or letter!

Sunday talk in Laura

1.Here is a picture of our Hyundai Accent parked at the Laura KH. We went thier Sunday Ince had the public talk 3Rd time in one week plus a service meeting part done on both Tuesday at the Ryric "group" and Thurs. at Rita. Prehaps this would be a better picture of the car if we had closed the rear hood. 2. The Laura KH outside bathroom, not working Sun., apartment once for misssionarys now for co. 3. Lunch, friends bought roadside stand chicken rice and breadfruit ,sat under a tree next to baseball field which is about three fields, much nicer than town and also apprently well used. The couple pictured are from a spanish congregation in Arkansas brother and sister Hulio and Lopita also needgreaters.

Barrett, Kelly, Barrett Yacht Club

1. The "Carmen" a reported steal! Now at $10,000.00! Still apparently $100,000 in the US. In case you have forgotten, this was the potential houseboat-sailing vessel. She still sits a lonely maiden on the lagoon in Majuro.
2. Reality sets in. A realistic Barrett/Kelly/Barrett yacht club addition. Although not pictured, the rearend has no motor. Vince thought this a wise idea without the Decker to run the motors!
3. Without Captain Porter, Dave, and Decker, Vince acquires a new crew. Marshallese qualified brothers! We will save the Helena captains a seat and oar on the vessel should you arrive in the South Pacific. We expect the same at Canyon Ferry.

pictures for town

More "town"

All these pictures are from about a one block area all in the same neighborhood. They were taken in service, we slowly walked as the Marshalleese brother said "When the missionary brothers came they would rush from door to door. We have taught them the Marshalleese way we walk slow take our time visit, the people will be there." And we visit take our time and the people are their. 1.Notice the "watercatch", large blue tank to catch rain water. Most are larger from 500-2000 gallons plus, every place uses them even if hooked up to city water system. It rains almost everyday or evening, not too long but it comes down!2. The baseball field, we believe the only one. 3. graveyard right next to and in between homes all above ground some only one or two tombs others as this one holds a few more family members. Funeral customs pose difficulties for the brothers , we explain at another time. 4.Decent bball court always busy after school hours and into the night.

Field service in "town"--Rita and Delop area.

1. This is a picture of main street (interatol route 66/highway 12 for helenans.) It seems as if ther is always a fair amount of traffic as pictured in town. Town I refer to is actually what they divide into 3 areas Rita, Delop and Rirak divided we do not know how. In this picture there are at least 3 taxis, signs on top as in states and one bus, a mini-mini van. They drive main street all day and night, rides are $1 per person,taxi 50.cents on bus. You can wave them down or if you just wait they slow down and give you a long stair, dont make eye contact . They will only go as far as the airport this covers about a 15 mile stretch of "town"--the airport costs more because it takes them to the limit of their route, past the air port is the more rural areas about 10-20 miles divided into Agiletalky (area of potential home rental) and Lauro (area of Kingdom Hall 2 not yet blogged). There is always people on the streets, many kids especially after school hours, even toddlers wander the edges of road. Fri-Sat night the streets are even more crowded many just sit and visit and watch taxis. Bball courts are mostly dirt style except at the college or "churches", also dirt yard volleyball courts always someone playing at night. Incidentally the youth are typically fit and lean looking--hmmm few computer gamers or tube watchers if any! Perhaps we have mentioned in past the mean age on Majuro(correctly pronounced maj'- oro, not as we thought ma'- jur-o) is only 20 years of age. Apparently with age many move away especially to "the big island" Hawaii. 2.Brother "Gayle", they use first names mostly even at the meetings we like Sister Lynn and Brother ince (no v in marshalleese even though they try I feel like "yes payback time for all my mispronounced marshalleese!")
3. Lynn is typing now! Field service in town. As you can see it is difficult to distinguished between homes. Many people live in the same home up to 10 to 15, aunts, uncles, etc. Finding RV's is interesting. (You thought Radarsburg was hard!) This is a Bible Study sitting on the floor with Mom and son. Husband not pictured. Notice little boy with donut and coffee in hand. Vince fit right in!

Kingdom Hall-- Rita

The Kingdom Hall on cleanup day outside and in lawnchairs stacked after each meeting to sweep floor on cleanup sat. they get washed.

The missionary home is attached to the hall here behind the tree back by parking area.

RAIROK KINGDOM HALL AND POTENTIAL HOME

If this picture shows up it is the Kingdom at Rairok. It is actually a home of a brother. They plan to build a new Kingdom Hall in the future. Already they have the land. When they plan to build it you all can come and help! At the meeting there is one Podium in a 20x15 room with a refrigerator. No furniture and everyone sits on the floor.

This is a picture of some of the friends sitting and waiting for the meeting to start. Total attendance was about 35.
This is a picture of our future living room. Vin wants me to say maybe. It is about 20 minutes Marshallese time out of town. It is in between the Laura congregation and the Rairok meeting place. It is owned by a older brother and sister. To inquire about a rental we were told to go to the local bank and see Patrick. When we got there we were escorted past the crowd of customers to the president's office who is Patrick. (Patrick is the stepson of owners Silas and Item) He took us from his office and we followed his car to the brothers house in order to view the home as well as others that they own. They are such hospitable and accomadating people. Silas and Item drove with us all the way out to the home to show us. On the way they pointed out an island they also own! [It is uninhabitted--"CASTAWAYS VINCE AND LYNN"-- if you dont here from us in a year or so ask for the atol with the naked AMERICANS--how do you like that word picture children!]The home is in a beautiful location as you will see in future pictures but needed work because of the previous tenants. Patrick and the owners told us, "Just tell what you want done and what furniture you want." The next day we decided to drive out (even though our car was falling apart!) to check it out again. (Vin told me to say HE FIXED IT WITH ELECTRIC WIRE!) It is like one of his plumbing jobs! When we got to the home Silas and Item were there as well as a small pickup truck with workers. They had already begun yard work, painting, etc. Even then they asked us what else was needed. Did I mention already that the Marshallese are hospitable?


Last picture is looking at the house from the lagoon. The second floor is another apartment that someone else is in. If you walk to and past the house in this direction main street is only one block away ten more steps and you are standing in the ocean!

"OUT IN THE COUNTRY'

v 1. This is basicly the only road in Majuro. We have found out as the locals have told us there is plenty of misinformation about Majuro. For example we have found out that their is no place where the atol is 3 miles wide-- the widest point is perhaps a half mile in width! The entire road which goes from end to end of the atol is only about 35 miles. Ten of these miles is "town" all at one end of the atol before it starts looking like this. It is always an easy walk from this road to the lagoon or ocean side. We will include pictures of this road "in town" in a later posting where there are a few roads--maybe 3-- off this road but they all tie back in to this main road.
2. This is at a brothers house a" need greater couple." It is a two story. Most homes are one story. It overlooks the lagoon. If you look closely, you can see the other end of the atoll. All homes are rented as the locals own all the land. You can lease it from them and then build a house as well. Some of the leases are long term. Most rent and all at the mercy of the landowner who could move there family into rented property asking you to leave or live with the family! Great rental, however they discovered termites. Ironically the owner is a termite exterminator and has done nothing yet. We hope there home doesn't fall into the lagoon!
3. Same road, small gas station/store. While in town there are gas pumps, we have seen three! In the rurals (Laura) stores have plastic one-gallon containers of gas sitting out for sale. In town the gas is $5.00/gal. In Laura, $6.00 per plastic bottle!

Sailboat-- a classic--however also a good way
to be useless to the congregations as it needs
work and there is no way Captain Vince
would not set sail for the pacific as the owner and
other locals said they could teach me to sail in a day!

More Majuro

1. Lynn, Theron, and Allie Smith at their home on the lagoon side in the town of Laura. They are both pioneers. He is a ministerial servant. They wrote the Guam Branch and were invited to come to Majuro. They are from California. Nice two-bedroom home.

2. House painting, Majuro style. The newness is uncommon but the colors are not. Looking at the ocean side out in service.

3. "Majuro Barbecue" Old tire rim complete with coconut wood. They say it works quite well.

House Hunting in Majuro has taken a new turn. Long story short, the local newpaper almost the size of the adit carried an ad for a 45FT skiff (that would be sail boat to you non ocean goers or high landers.) Mom's idea of a house boat is suddenly alive. Calling the boat owner has revealed what would be in the states a $100, 000. boat on sale for $25, 000 that is negotiable. A guy on a sailboat we met at the grocery store said to offer $10,000. It is complete with living quarters and facilities. Ahoy Captain Decker, Captain Dave, and Captain Porter. . . Captain Vince may be back in the water! It is a long shot, but we may actually look at it Wednesday.
Local brother told us, who knows everybody, the boat actually at one time sat at the bottom of the Lagoon! It was a brother who in diving located the boat and found it in mint condition for a sunk boat hoping to use it by raising it and preaching to the many atolls in the 70's. Although the boat was raised and rebuilt it was never used for the preaching work. It is somewhere in these pictures sitting in the lagoon. We will let you know!

Can't write much right now. We just got back from the Laura area looking for houses. Very exhausting. It is already past 7:00pm and I haven't had a shower. Believe it or not by 8:30pm we are ready for bed. We do though get up a little past the rooster! Around 6:00am. Then I am ready to study and just sit.

The food has been good in the restaurant here. While out in Laura, Theron and Allie bought a yellow tail tuna. It was delicious. So we are not starving. We have a grocery store just down the street. Everything is expensive and not much variety. What I miss most is no butter! Back to margarine again.

Not much else. Just will send a note today. Tomorrow we plan to get our Majuro driver's license. I guess we have to go to one place and then another. Since we don't have a true address we may wait.

Miss you all. Vin will be sending more pictures. We are doing Majuro's version of HGTV House Hunters!!

Until then love you all,

Vin and Lynn

auto shop-MAJUROS BEST-FIELD SERVICE

This is 7th ave gym! Lynn sits behind this gym waiting for field service meeting at the home not pictured. But guess what the brothers actually on Sunday evenings get the keys for this gym for bball ect. so let the Helena crowd know I can still get them some gym time. They will have to figure their own transportation.


MR. WONGS auto shop. Having watched Decker at work we were not sure if the bananas were for break time or a "special tool/lubricant ". We are owners of a kia accent we call our tuna can, not much bigger but ok for car group of 4. Used car--looks it-- '6000 dollar ' ouch! Mr wong hard salesman but supposedly can and will fix anything (dont need you yet DECK).


This is Majuro at its best!

However if from the same spot I took the picture of the shoreline you would see scattered litter. Mankind has again robbed a people, the Marshalleese, of their culture and trained them not to care for their small atol. You can see some exposed reef rocks by the breaking waves. This entire water line is not sand but corral reef. It would thus be very difficult to wade out to the waves, all quite small, on the uneven and slippery corral. Perhaps at high tide when the corral is more covered by water we will try, we havent yet.

A typical house out in sevice, surrounded by other shacks only slightly in view. Of the two ducks pictured the one by the house is on a leash . Maybe it is dinner tonight or maybe its like Jake and Kimmies dogs and will not stay home? The km here reported that we are one couple of 20 who have come to the Guam branch of the 250 who requested. We continue to adjust but as you can guess the wonderfull brothers and sisters including the humble, friendly, patiennt and smiley Marshalleese, also the hard working missionaries (5 here for about 10 years), and last the other "need greaters" [so far 4 other couples one more to come], reminds us of what keeps us all close to JEHOVAH and close to our family in the beautifull rockies and working for the kingdom, yes the love we have among our brothers and sisters! May Jehovah continue to bless you all.