Tears and Hugs in Yolabi

This morning was a magical morning. We went back to the village with White Swan to go to the tiny, tiny little store to get some butter and peanuts, and to revisit the school and say goodbye. WS and we had given the school some supplies, more Sudoku games and a few other odds and ends like new reading glasses we brought just to pass out to older people if they needed them. Dianna on WS had given away a ukelele that she never used to one of the little girls (pics will be put up when we get to internet). Maggie, the school teacher, wanted us to come by and say goodbye before we left.

We got there at breaktime (10:30) and were immediately surrounded, five deep, on all sides by laughing, giggling and hugging kids. We got hug after hug after hug. Hand shake after hand shake. I told my name to dozens and dozens of kids who came up one at a time, looked me right in the eyes and asked me and then told me "how do you do?". They were wonderful, and we were touched and almost overwhelmed. It is very difficult to describe. The warmth was simply amazing and we floated around in literally a sea of loving little people. The boys are big huggers - no shame in that at all for them. It is not like in the US where touching is such a no-no now. The girls were a little more timid hugging us men but later it was all the same.

Maggie had thought that we would be coming back in the afternoon to say goodbye. We told her we had to leave in the morning to make our next destination and she was clearly saddened by this. She had intended to have a "yachtie tea" for us - the old British colony still has tea and cookies every afternoon. We said we couldn't so she asked if we would mind to come in to her classroom and give a little pep talk to her class about the importance of school and doing well on exams. They have big exams coming up in three weeks and she wanted them to all do as well as they could. We agreed although felt a little self-conscious. Well, far more kids came in to her classroom than belonged there. There were kids from all classes there sitting on the floor or in chairs. We were lined up in the front on chairs of honor.

The kids sat with their big dark eyes completely alert and smiling at us. I started first and encouraged them to study and pay attention and then they would have the opportunity someday to do anything they wanted to do, even have a yacht and sail the seas. Each one of us had a turn and they clapped each time. Then....the teacher told them something in Fijian we did not understand and they started singing to us! Loudly, with enthusiasm! Great voices, singing this tune in Fijian, with several choruses. Some boys in the back sitting in chairs were thumping their heels on the wooden floor providing a beat of sorts but it was because they were moved to do it not because it was necessary. It was so lovely and so moving, words can't describe! They looked at us intensely while they sang. Not every kid did sing but all paid attention. We felt like we were the most honored people on Earth and not even sure what we did to deserve it.

The teacher told us later that yachties never come to visit the school. They come in to the village, do sevusevu because they have to, then walk around a bit and then leave. We took an interest in the kids and they in us and it was very special. So special. We will never forget it. After, they walked us the long way down to the beach and to White Swan's dink and helped us push off, some of them getting very wet in the surf. Maggie went with us and I talked to her along the way. Turns out they have new computers but no help in learning how to use them and I could have if I had known. That would have been fun but will have to be another time. In the mean time our hearts are warm and full and overwhelmed. What beautiful people!

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:

http://www.sailmail.com