Caregivers in the Kingdom of Tonga

Ever felt like you were born in the wrong decade or maybe was the wrong dimension altogether. If you can relate.

Welcome home where Emily Safran and Jimmy Hernandez your resident weirdos artists of all trades and multicultural couple and this is your official invitation to join us on our new planet. I mean podcast called in our own world will navigate conversations about anything under the stars and maybe even pick up a few passengers along the way. Listen to in our own world on iHeartRadio at Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast brought to you by Coca-Cola. There's magic when we eat together without their €6 million. Because this program was mostly heard the dog states, but there is one place that listens to this that I wanted to introduce you all to today and that is in the Kingdom of Tonga all the way across the entire globe and my friend Lynn Vanderpool hope she is a missionary over there with her husband Ali and they been up there for many years. Lynn is originally from the Nashville Tennessee area where we knew each other about a very close with her folks are whole family. She's joining the all the way from the kingdom of Tonga were so she listens to our program.

But she's also incorporate a lot of things we talked about this program in the community that she serves as a missionary is a little bit weird at times, so you will be family, Julissa, but I'm actually doing this only literally across the globe. So I think it's amazing that we do it all, but live welcome to the program all across the airwaves.

My arms from clapping to the library today you have you got a beautiful backdrop of palm trees that I live in Montana now you're in Tonga and we don't have palm trees in Montana. That's just the way it is. I don't think we had many in Nashville but it's beautiful where you are. Tell us little bit about Tonga. The things that Americans may not know, and people around the world may not know you just had a visit from the Deputy Secretary of State United States, but you've also had some very big challenges this year with the subdominant with the volcano. It all comes a thing so big us up to speed on a lot of things going on Tonga and things that maybe we don't know your thanks go up 72 islands 36 to 40 or so are our occupied meeting maybe a few more have a few goats on but we have more water than landing our nation doesn't people are so that live here in Tonga and about that many in the tongue and Diaspora New Zealanders Terry America, you said in January we started the new year with a big bang, literally, our volcano erupted watching this for greater than 6 to 8 weeks. These amazing smoking. One morning I woke up and I saw lightning and I thought maybe it was the day Jesus was coming back. I didn't know what I was looking at side so we covered with ash and you can imagine the people were coming with my in-laws did not close that window they wanted to come to live alone caregiver standpoint. Wow that was tough.

Weeks later, which has been coming free cases that entered through our part truth about some sort of ship so we have a lot of challenges since then. They managed it with a lot dammit we had a chance to get cleaned up and tied it going just survival mode to get everything organized. We noticed that ourselves as well as others. I just starting to debrief what went on one of our youth of the missing volunteers went with the boat that rescued people from the island. These people spent the night talking not me watch literally everything off their land you plastic tarps that were given to them after cyclone Gita two years ago when children under the tarps while the tarps to hold down community of 14 to God reigniting Psalm 23 because everybody knew realizing what Shepherd so we we had a guy go up and rescue people with the government about four days after came to our larger group had a chance to go meet them and listen to their stories. One ladies is 75 years old and children and teens in 30 to 40-year-old men and women and they said no. We have read the Bible of God. But now we have X.

His protection attitude of most people in Tonga who have survived three people died in this tsunami volcano. Two of them are very elderly people that couldn't get rescued out of their homes and one was a British woman who went back to save her dog and both of them walked out. So we enjoyed interacting with the people who were hit the most. Now we had great damage here was washed away in land but we had incredible damage from the volcanic ash. Our solar system was that from all the ash but we would put that aside. Clean up my in-laws house and the people who were hit the worst stories we've heard about heartwarming and heart wrenching, but the resilience of the people is great. However, in the last two months or so we've noticed people. As I said, beginning to let down all the initial excitement of looking at how God did not probably think to some of their feelings and so he has been the last 11 days in one of the other outer islands and solenoid. It was also hit has washed away people living in tents and houses made out of what you see behind me helping him just to process where are they what's going on. How can they move forward emotionally and physically somewhat, we've been giving me a little bit from our usual ministry here but wow it's just what Bob and I were delighted to do it with with volcanoes.

Everything else in your community. There is very culturally based were correct and depend upon the sea for fish.

So for the vision a lot of beef cattle and things such as the Tonga so how was the food situation and how is it now with with plan some crops and so forth, and the mission here hasn't great root crop plantation and some of the more delicate root crops initially looked good but the acid in the ass destroying them and that was common throughout, so there was only one root crop that really survived. We were so prized that animals like chickens and pigs survived as well as they did. But if you don't keep those animals you meet. So initially what happened with any stores on our large island had had good which is open on a Sunday, which never happened. The volcano on Saturday and we have everything. Everything was open on Sunday and there were some limits in whatever stock was still in the South, people could buy and take home so I actually went out and stuck, but we use with the mission Tonga world. We do have some cows but that's rare in, we are because we didn't know how they would be affected so we managed on our one root crop, and none of our leafy greens or vegetables survive.

So it was pretty going. We had some canned fish and fish in the ocean were just obliterated and that's what the people from the outer islands are just now beginning to be able to get this equipment because most of them they lost so now we are getting to see fishing going on. We put some more root crop and now vegetables in the garden and that is happening throughout, down the last two months. People are planting vegetables and were so grateful, but there had been any marks, canned good from overseas in March that came from Australia, New Zealand, and some people's families drawn canned goods can only eat so much corn and canned fish and it was only a crisis that really so when we thought it was safe to butcher a cow we butchered one of our cows and we shared it with our neighbors and that was a great way to get into their homes. Are you doing initial responses all their fine but it gave us a chance to really just sit and listen and let people let their stories out because that's what they need. They needed to talk. Elderly people are like that too in caregiving. They just need an audience and we were so delighted to do that. We been watching all this, of course, from a distance. It's hard to imagine to take a break before the break in just one minute is a point where you can till the volcanic ash back into the soil will be this or how that works was that happened the following equipment you can do that and we tried to do that on our farm is just so much and it was so deep that it was difficult to do many communities collected bags and about two months ago began using in their fields before they plowed and are now planning his next crop is expected to be a good crop because of the new people are geology department may think I am just always on by these guys.

They were out here after to help me check our water supply.

But the geology department has analyzed actually the composition of the volcanic ash is very rich in things that we really want in our soil nitrogens, particularly in very low which is amazing one for us to talk more about things that you talked with lives and will also work. We have so many things all the time and we Always mail these things them ourselves. Who helps you look like a computer to you about a program to Porterville for almost 10 years. That's legal shield was $30 a month. I have access to a full loaf they could handle all kinds of things. If I get a contract put in front of me if I got of dispute was something doesn't matter, I've got full law firm that can help me navigate through all the sticky wicked is that we as caregivers have to deal with power of attorney medical power of attorney will every bit of it as a caregiver. We need someone who advocates for us and that's why I use legal shield to go to caregiver legal.com look of the Lipton services legal shield to selective turns purple plan to give you some options if you don't need to do those selected checkout be protected. Starting today, that's caregiver legal.com.

This is the program for use in continuing on with the conversation with my longtime friend lived Redwood who she and her family been very close to mine for many years she and her husband Ali or missionaries Tonga and they also live really blessed me with something. She reached out to me some years ago and told me that she was using some of my books and materials from a program and so forth as a way of connecting to the people in her community that she serving girl of three generational hopes of where you take care of your elderly there and it's a much different, culture. The love things that are happening here in America and caregiving is a big issue. I was with Lynn and her family all the way through the death of her father and her brother Gracia up played that both her parents. Funerals are dead and I were very very close friends and it isn't just this, families of her special family to be that I think it's important that we recognize that the kingdom of God is is working all around us, and sometimes I think we get a little bit, focus over the world and realize there's a big role with a lot of stuff happening out there and so it's important to have that connection, and it's important for Lynn to be connected to you all, because she's way of the hinterlands doing work that is extraordinary and I know she gets close to public this is like I did with both.

This is particularly bug you have wanted Tonga know you got a waffle house over all, but it's it's a real treat to be able to talk with you. Tell us little bit about the caregiving structure.

The things that you're doing there in Tonga told me some of the things that you're finding the baby surprised you in your journey.

Thank you Peter, thank you so much tonight. Your sentiments as well. You such a great friend for us as well as we walk through the caregiving situations of both of my parents from afar and we had the wonderful opportunity to get to come and be with them. Toward the end of their lives.

As you know I'm a physician, associate Emma do graduate go blue Devils from 1984 and I came here to Tonga to begin healthcare training under the guise under that umbrella youth with the mission and now I've got to doing healthcare training. Also as part of the government ministry of health and then doing healthcare services in our little community. I went community and then in the near nearby villages and that and began to read more of your work on caregiving.

I realized without these people I was making house calls to really needed the keys that you were getting. So as you said this 93 generational household so there is a group of caregivers being informed by the Ministry of internal affairs that are caring for people outside their own home and they needed skills training, but what was to say something that was surprising. I began to visit these homes and see caregiving situations. I was astounded at how compassionate are. I don't really have to teach them much about having a heart for the person they are caring for they really need permission to take care of themselves because their natural burnouts to be perfectly so we going to situations where there is one set of clean sheets in the house and nobody's quite sure what sort of food. Older people need when they don't have any teeth and with the men of purchasable goods in the stores. People think, or maybe those things are better is a lot of confusion about what to feed elderly people as especially if chewing is an issue for people and a blessing for me to be able to take my healthcare training and then just practical training in your elderly person and then down with the caregiver and give them a chance to unload people have so surprised that I'm there to check branched into me doing regular visits to caregivers in my response to the fact that your Christian you're there to share the gospel at all that you bring ministerial was do you find it accepted Steve Fonda that your house how are you finding that that engages with folks open to listening to actually are.

The first key now on our six became the first King of Tonga unified the warring factions between tried and dedicated his country to God and declared we will all be Christians. So because the group culture people really do anything individually, so they made a group declaration that the Christian nation. However, as you know you do that individuals are still individuals, people are more committed to God more than others, but I have found that when I come as a healthcare provider willing to receive me and then as I listen I listen to the Holy Spirit where I need to bring in a biblical perspective how open people really are some of the foreigners to water families that are being taken care of there not quite as open-air bit about who God is. Because of the situation there in an understandable, but by enlarging tongue, a surprisingly people are very open to a biblical worldview. As you you don't come as the pastor you, as a friend and didn't Jesus do that this exactly right to talk to people like just the quiet people.

What are some of the characteristics of the Tonga people bank according to world records had the heaviest call in the world how to figure that out.

I don't know big square head very large people and they lived large they are not quiet people. So here I am in sugar. God is so funny to me and introverted charges up by being alone in this group. Group setting where people are stronger with groups of people so you can imagine the home caregiver who is at home with with grandma is miserable because they love being in groups.

Usually it's not just one lady.

There's more five in the house feel happy. So I tell but actually two-story when you see a group of men out in the field them there there hollowing the crops you probably see five of them with housing their hand actually hauling five taking turns telling you, you know, comedian, which is love eating in groups and also extremely generous whenever I go visit somebody I never come home empty-handed so I have learned I go I never go empty-handed.

Right now we happen to have some laying hands crops that are starting to grow so I always go with something strange. I'm always giving something usually graded gender. A lot of churches are good to lay hands on you, but your leg his too easily will I know about this in person but you work.

What has surprised you about yourself as someone on the mission field. Bill Tonga is a long way from where you grew up your in a much different culture you you are immersed in this culture, what a surprise you about yourself. Well first of all, having said. Having discussed the differences between introversion and extroversion I'm surprised that lasted 21 years, but God gave me a quiet tongue and as a husband, although she still loves group sees quiet and I think that was his way to make sure I stayed on anything else I might tell myself.

Now we need to missions. I never had any ideas that I was perfect.

It wasn't that somehow I imagine that God with me meant easy God with me means in the hard he is the rock to cling to any so faithful, so I'm surprised that for example in eight months and I had personal caregiving six hours a day rotating with my husband for his parents. We had eight months of caregiving from the middle of left here to March. Parents really needed 24 hour care. I was a bit surprised that I would not very patient. Sometimes God was patient with me and if I went outside and looked at his creation took a few deep breaths and just called out to him like some say he was there so I was surprised that God would keep using it is not perfect thing that surprised me was that I could really be happy sitting on the ground eating with my hand that I could learn the language that's just been God's grace that I have conversationally present in teaching.

I presented teaching tongue and prepare that but I can conversationally speak in tongues with people that whatever we have and that the pricing because the I was born in a Dutch family and were very tight and very clean, very proper dog deprived about that was supposed to do what I want to save this for the lesson because of what people hear your heart of this and I think the just love listening to you live, listen to stories and talks more about this one, but live. She is in the kingdom of she is been there for many years she and her husband Ali and her son forgot me which of this will be with me because how could I use this is products and they were upset and its products from my pillow usually spells for years long politics and everything else was a result of this because it really helps Gracie back and I can travel with these things she could go to the hospital with him. She's done it before up a little tougher to go to hospital bed and I was able to wash her and use it over and over and knowing that I would bring hospital cooties of the sheets are wonderful and upfront.

All these products in the work not made in China. The rate here. I like and they do exactly what they said to go to do it then so I got this one upset with me but you know what I like to really good products that would help people so that's what I also like the fact that the made in America elected to because I don't like the trade imbalance with China also sure that we will be doing things to support the Chinese economy exportable come here the state some workers here and recently Gracie love coffee and she looked strong coffee. She likes coffee reaches out and slept coffee this cookoff. She looked in the coffee. She liked the company said they would start paying for some of their employees to have abortions after this Roe versus Wade thing and so I started looking around for a better coffee cup because I help support that also marked with Bill talk about coffee you will recall things slippers.

One thing pillows sheep second stop coffee, that's old, but I tried administrate coffee was Gracie left all of the scope. Why don't you give it a try. Use the promo code caregiver get a special discount go to my pillow.com got so many different things at the look use the promo code caregiver special discount my pillow.com promo code. This is Roseburg. This is the program for you was a family caregiver were so glad you or with those who joined from the kingdom of Tonga go to the map, do a Google search of the kingdom of Tonga sensation just how far away it is his amazing country that is mostly water and a lot of islands. This is been recently in the news or the sector state was just visiting there for important visit and they've also been in the news because of volcanic tsunami activity and some wonderful nation community of people and my friend Lynn is been there for many years as a missionary and she is joining us to talk about things that we sit of the last block know some things that surprised her about the Tongan people about herself and Nellie and I would like to give it a bit and ask you what surprised you about God through this process, you are woman strong faith long before he should've Tonga but things have changed. Things have changed because we plan teaching thinking our training, our school delayed because of the volcanoes do not recall we began a new crop school and we have all and topic this week is the nature and character of God as we were looking over our notes, we both chuckle because although what we've written was good with true now so many years later there's so much more really surprising that God is not limited to, the way I choose to worship him that he receives worship so many new singing in the Tongan language God was so sweet fellowship there also we've attended. I have attended celebrations where they do tongue and traditional dancing and that's just in a team and I probably would have said that as well. But as I watch these men do the Chi Lao which is a war debt.

I could sense the Lord saying, see, these are my warriors. Teach them to know me more spirit like this because he was a unique niche in the international dateline first important to God. Missionaries went out from tongue throughout that group down next generation is going to need to know is, I think.

I think that during the Chi Lao entertainment performance. I'm also been surprised by how patient God is with me back to 20 years ago when I first started in, and I had a good idea about how things health and safety way and Mary tolerant of me and very gracious in showing me that sometimes, although mine wasn't that way. My presentation magnified that some of my tongue brothers and sisters received from white skin teachers. Oh came from another country and shook her finger at them or spoke sharply at them. Anger apparent in it and when I did just magnified that God so patiently and lovingly convicted me and gave me grace to apologize to my brothers and sisters and help them walk in freedom from those educational hearts of God's patience with me has really surprised me and also how that is tied to timetables as I am, and I came with some great expectations for healthcare training and we had three incredible healthcare schools that went up was the reluctance of private they went according to plan. Really.

And then email didn't happen. For example, parking died, and we mourn for six months, which means you don't have loud noises you cancel a lot of school extracurricular activities and we, the decision was made you to cancel my training goal and I saw how I was really fretting about that but can you expect support me to do this and those six months of grieving came I went ahead and let the Lord have my expectations grieved my expectations and came on the other side of that with his heart and his timetable in his place with the Scripture that comes to mind is, we mourn with those born we agree with those brief to myself and fellow caregivers don't just do something similar in our village and with one another very body and sometimes just being with each other and it's all a group thing how they process through beautiful thing. I didn't think so, but now having walk through it with my sister-in-law to see him talk about hymns a lot lately on the program. What is a him you love hearing the Tongan people seeing you specifically love hear them sing. What is a him it comes to your mother and English I, tongue, and one in English, one that you like hearing the Tongan people sing Joy to the world.

That's almost a list of 25 films of every Christian. My apologies to all churches that I've been part of the United States but nothing like red all chested down on buyers on one lot in their one listed as far as the curse is found, for you have traveled literally around the world. You know that the curse is found globally. But as far as the curse is found, his redemptions, and this is what George the world is not just a Christmas it was these films that we talk about here on this program I think it's very important for us to not forget these great text, and so forth ago out the plot and moved that they love to sing that hill.

How much different is Tongan music their own natural music than what you grew up with here in Western music came and translated extremely long time.

There are five parts intentional, screeching quality to their voice screeching makes it sound unpleasant but it's really not what they're doing. So when they obviously natural way. Just riveting because you you can feel the harmony when I'm talking sing traditional Tongan songs and their long, long time. It's a whole group of people I think of how God called us to be his church and we each have a different part and when they work together on hard things is part when they all work together seeing their parts together. The harmony shows you what the body of Christ we can all be doing the same thing were not supposed to do our part well and do it harmony with others well will be the glory of the Lord as the water covers see through his kingdom to come to his will be done on rich that I think that the everything that is beautiful because I can picture the troubled West Africa and listen to great harmonies that they sing and it's just so beautiful and think sometimes we got away from that in our Western cultures that we have so much going on accompaniment was that we let the voices just rush through a love that. And so thank you for sharing that this is been a wonderful conversation with Lynn Redwood, although she's in Tonga if you want to get in touch with live there challenges brought down getting in touch with her, but you can go to my website. Hope the caregiver.com will form their youth were filled out if you want to send a particular scripture verse note of encouragement.

If you want to help donate, contact me and I'll show you how that can be done for them to help support what they do. If the Lord puts us on your heart and I would encourage you to do so would hopefully caregiver.com live you are a treat. Would you hold all the info going for me and let's do this again and I've like to the that will schedule a surprise you with this. One of the like to do this was some of the folks there in your community could be a real treat to have them on right now there's a break so I can go out some of the other white people to just we will love it organized that we thank you so much chance to be heard so far is treat you daily would be very proud to Gracie as well walk walking literally walking trying to walk through some challenges as well.

So our community will be praying for you.

Continue to we use wills like you live Gracie her since her lovers will been wooed and she is in the kingdom of Congress. You all either son from going. Would you please keep in your prayers. Again, if you want to send a note of encouragement to the Scripture verse go to my website.

Hope come before the incident is source of encouragement. We schedulers understated isolation of the world is