May 30, 2007, Kaitaia, New Zealand

Our entire partner family.

Last picture of the house.

 

Malcolm giving speech.

 

May 30, 2007

Another beautiful day of weather here in Kaitaia.

Last night's radio program went very well.  We had time to explain the Habitat programs, and about Global Village, and the Care-A-Vanners.  We understand that the program went nationwide.  Joan and I were very happy to have been invited to join Malcolm for the program.

This was our last day and we only worked until noon as a picnic has been planned at Kori's uncle's house.

We had been invited to attend a hangi ceremony at the families Mauri marae.  Uncle Peter an elder in the marae had come to the job site to explain what was going to happen at the hangi.  It was really touching as normally you cannot enter a marae unless your tribe (team in our case) has been accepted as friends of the Mauri tribe.  Once accepted you are considered part of the Mauri tribe and are basically part of their living family and part of their ancestors who have gone before.  Once accepted you can then go to the marae anytime that you wish from now on.  We all found this very moving and a symbol of the love that has grown between all of us.  Unfortunately one of the Mauri elders of this families tribe died and tradition is that they lay in state for a day at their home and then a number of days at the marae.  We were told that the elders had met and discussed delaying the lying in state of the elder for a day just so the hangi could be held.  In the end they decided that their tradition needed to be upheld so the hangi was cancelled.  It was explained that we should consider it an honor that they even considered delaying their ceremony for us.  We of course accepted this and would have had it no other way during their time of grieving.  We grieved along with them at their loss.

Kori and Michelle along with their aunt and uncle put on a great picnic at their uncle's home which was up on a hill overlooking beautiful farm land and a great sunset.  After many speeches and songs we called it an evening.

Another great day.