July 31

The Service Center had an employee training session today.  We and the Jacksons were invited to attend.  Salote gave us a copy of a book late Monday afternoon and ask us to skim it before the training session today.  We didn't and I was really sorry.  It sounds like a fabulous book and I have decided that I will put down the novel I am slowly creeping through and read this book instead.  I was really uplifted just listening.  The point was that the way we see people--as people or objects--affects how we feel about them and ourselves.  I kept thinking of the Primary song, "I am a child of God" with the substitution of she, he, they instead of I.  

Today I ate my first truly Fijian food.  After the training we all ate a catered lunch which was really a banquet.  I have said before the Fijians know how to eat.  Well it is because they know how to cook.  The menu consisted of:

rourou balls in coconut sauce = cooked dalo leaves (looks like spinach) stuffed in a soft shell

                                                  Scott's favorite

Apricot chicken = bone-in small pieces (wings) of chicken in the best sauce I have ever eaten

                              It was a little tricky getting the bones out of my mouth, but none of the Fijians   

                              seemed to be bothered by it.

Kokoda = raw, diced fish (wahoo) in coconut milk   

                 my favorite

Garlic prawns 

Seafood salad = cold crab and veggies

Vudi = little banana slices which were really good  

Dalo = this is what the Hawaiians call taro.  It was sliced on the diagonal and cooked twice 

            I actually liked this although it is kind of bland

Lote = a dessert made from pumpkin (which I think is really squash).  They cook it, mash it, and wring                                          

            all the moisture out.  Then take the moisture/juice and add sugar and starch.  One eats it with

            milk

Lote is wonderful.  I took just a small portion, poured milk on it and went to heaven with the first bite.  So I went back for seconds.  I am eating the seconds when I asked one of the sisters, "Is this fattening?"  She and every other woman in the room laughed.  OK, so I didn't take thirds.  Then as I was helping clean up, I picked up the milk carton and noticed that it said full cream milk.  Uh huh!

I am so grateful for the experiences we are having in the Service Center.  We have made friends, learned much, and experienced parts of Fiji we would never have if we had been sitting in the institute by ourselves.