Avai'a - The Model Mother

I regard my mother as the model mother. She was an exemplar of "a loving mother". My father summed up her "loving" nature in his farewell words at Avai'as funeral Service. He spoke in Samoan and I have translated as follows:-

She was a source of many blessings
She was a mother who loved God
She loved her family, her church, friends, children, husband
And she loved Jesus

She was strong in her love
Strong in her faith in God
Strong in her love for her husband
Strong in her love for the children she raised and mothered
Strong in her devotion to her church

Her children in Jesus Christ ..she raised many of them
In Fatausi - ten years
In Vaivasetai - twenty-two years
The students at the Samoa College hostel who worshipped regularly at the Vaivasetai Church
The rugby players from Tonga and Fiji who she readily agreed to host
Many of her children in Christ can now be found ministering in different corners of the world

In all her work as Mother,
she was kind
and gentle
humble
and committed
SHE EXCELLED AS A CARING MOTHER

She had the qualities to perform
a quiet leading role in her Family and
in her Church

I salute my mother for all the good qualities she had and reflected in her life.
If I could demonstrate a third of all her qualities I'd be a much better mother myself.

my parents Vavae and Avaia Toma
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Fa'aipoipoga / Marriage

Na faaipoipo Vavae Toma ma Avaia Enesi i le Aso 31 o Ianuari 1942 i Moata'a.
O le Faife'au Toeaina o Elisara sa faapaiaina laua.O le amataga ai lea o le la mafutaga po o le la malaga fa'aleulugali'i ma le la auaunaga faatauva'a i le Atua lo la Matai. Na fa'amutaina le la mafutaga fa'aleulugali'i ina ua maliu Avai'a i Hawai'i ia Iuni i le 1989 a o saili togafiti mo Avai'a. O lona uiga o le umi o le la mafutaga fa'a-le ulugali'i, e fasefulu ma le fitu (47) tausaga.


Vavae Toma and Avai'a Enesi were married on 31 January 1942. They were married at Moata'a,the village of Avaia's father Enesi Tamapua. The marriage was conducted by the Toeaina Pastor Elisara. It was the beginning of their relationship and journey as husband and wife and more importantly, the beginning of their journey of humble service to God, who they strongly believe as their Master and the foundation of their marriage. Their relationship as a couple ended in June 1989, when Avai'a died in Hawaii, where she had undergone an operation for a cardiac condition that was causing deterioration in her health. The duration of their marriage was 47 years.

About my Father Vavae Toma

Date of Birth - 24. 04. 1915
Village of Birth - Safotu
Name of Father - Toma Polutea Maiava Laausauga
Name of Mother - Fo'ilagi Ainuu Pani
Names of Brothers - Tauinola (from the first marriage of Toma to Ataga'i), Ainuu Kapoka, Polutea Kapeteni, Laausauga, Muaausa Uatisone and Maiava Iulai ( Safotu gave birth to Iulai. He was raised and parented by Toma and Fo'ilagi. When Toma and Fo'ilagi became frail, Vavae and Avai'a continued the parental role for Iulai).
Names of Sisters - Safotu, Olive, Perise.
Village of Father - Sato'alepai and Fagamalo
Village of Mother - Sapapali'i and Safa'ato'a

Vavae was born when his parents, Toma and Fo'ilagi were the pastoral parents of the Safotu L.M.S Congregation. When Toma became blind, they left the job at Safotu and lived for many years at Sato'alepai. Vavae was about five years old. Vavae grew up in Sato'alepai where he spent many years caring for his parents. He specifically became the eyes and hands for his blind father, and was a constant help to his hard working mother who was trying to perform both the mother and father role. Vavae attended the local Pastor's school and the Tutaga primary School. He attended Vaipouli District School, Malifa Boarding School in Apia, Avele Boys School where he attained the highest qualification called the Proficiency Certificate of that time. When Vavae left home to attend boarding school he found it hard to study as he would rather take care of his parents. His parents pushed him to value and complete his schooling. Vavae taught at the Primary School at Saipipi, Savai'i. His parents pushed him to attend Matapo'os Practical Church School at Samauga, Savaii. From there, Vavae went to Leulumoega School and entered Malua Theological College (1938-1942). He married Avai'a in January 1942.

(Source: Personal Records of Vavae Toma kept by Tusipa Vavae Toma)

Sina Faamatalaga i a Vavae Toma

Aso na fanau ai - 24.04.1915
Nu'u na fanau ai - Safotu i Savai'i
Igoa o le Tama - Toma Polutea Maiava Laausauga
Igoa o le Tina - Fo'ilagi Ainu'u Pani
Igoa o Uso - Tauinaola (mai le usuga muamua a Toma ia Ataga'i),Ainu'u Kapoka, Polutea Kapeteni, Laausauga, Muaausa Uatisone, Maiava Iulai(Na fanaua Iulai e Safotu ae sa tausia e Toma ma Fo'i. Na mama'i loa Toma ma Fo'ilagi ona fa'aauau lea o le galuega fa'amatua e Vavae ma Avai'a)
Igoa o Tuafafine - Safotu, Olive, ma Perise
Nu'u o le Tama - Sato'alepai ma Fagamalo
Nu'u o le Tina - Sapapali'i ma Safa'ato'a

Na avea Toma ma Fo'ilagi ma faife'au i le nu'u o Safotu. O iina na fanau ai Vavae. Na tu'ua le galuega i Safotu ina ua tauaso Toma, ona fa'amalolo ai lea i le aiga i Sato'alepai, pe fa'ato'a lima (5) tausaga o Vavae. O iina na ola ai Vavae i ni tausaga se tele i le tausiga o matua a e maise le fai o ia ma lima ma mata o lona Tama tauaso, ma le tina, ua pei o ia o le Tama o le aiga.
Na a'oga i le a'oga faife'au a Tupe ma Fale, Tulagalua i Tutaga, A'oga i Vaipouli, A'oga nofotumau i Malifa, A'oga Maualuga i Avele maua ai le tusi pasi pito i maualuga i na ona po, o le Proficiency Certificate. Na faia'oga i le Tulagalua i Saipipi, A'oga Fa'amasani a Matapo'o i Samauga, A'oga i Leulumoega Fou. Ulufale i le kolisi i Malua i le 1938 seia o'o i le 1942. Na fa'aipoipo ma Avai'a i le 1942.

Sina Faamatalaga ia Avai'a / About my mother Avai'a

Na fanau i la Aso 20 o Aukuso tausaga 1919
Nu'u na fanau ai - Utulei i Amerika Samoa
Igoa o lona Tama - Enesi Tamapua
Igoa o lona Tina - Seine Fina'i
Igoa o Tuagane - Pelekina, Viliamu ma Fesilafa'i (Fa'i)
Igoa o Uso - Fa'ailoilo, Fa'ailoa ma Arieta
Nu'u o Enesi - Moata'a
Nu'u o Seine - Fasito'outa

Na avea Enesi ma Seine ma faife'au i Utulei ona fanau ai lea o Avai'a ma a'oga ai. Mulimuli ane ua avea ia ma teine auauna a Misi Taleni ma lona faletua sa faia'oga i Atauloma. Na si'itia i le Kolisi i Malua lea misionare e faia'oga ai, ona si'itia fa'atasi mai ai lea ma Avai'a. Mavae ni nai tausaga o le galuega a le aiga misionare i Malua, ona fo'i ai lea i Peretania, a e fa'atonu e laua le avanoa o Avai'a e a'oga faa teine tausima'i i le 1939 - 1941, i le falema'i i Moto'otua.


Date of Birth - 20. 08. 1919
Place of Birth - Village of Utulei, American Samoa
Father's Name - Enesi Tamapua
Mother's Name - Seine Fina'i
Brothers' Names - Pelekina, Viliamu and Fa'i
Sisters' Names - Fa'ailoilo, Fa'ailoa ma Arieta
Father's Original village - Moata'a
Mother's Original Village - Fasito'outa

Avai'a was born whilst Enesi and Seine were the pastoral parents to the Utulei LMS Congregation, in American Samoa. It was Utulei where she was raised as a child and attended school. Later on, she became a housemaid( a much sought after occupation in those days) for Mr and Mrs Talent who were L.M.S. missionaries working at the Mission School at Atauloma, American Samoa. Mr and Mrs Talent were transferred to Malua Theological College in Western Samoa and Avai'a went with them. After several years of service at Malua, the Missionary couple returned to England but before they did, they organised for Avai'a to undertake training as a nurse at the Moto'otua Hospital in Apia. Ava'ia undertook the training programme from 1939 to 1941. She graduated as a Registered Nurse.

(Source: Vavae Toma's Records kept by Tusipa Vavae Toma)

Fa'afetai i le Atua mo Matua

La Alii e, lo matou Atua alofa fua ma alofa mutimutivale,
O Oe lava o lo matou Tama ma lo matou Tina soifua pea,
Matou te faafetai tele atu mo o matou matua
Na e faia i latou mo i matou ma le viiga o lau Afio.
Faafetai tele mo lo latou ola foliga ia te Oe.
Na latou foliga ma ai ia i matou, i a latou upu,
manatu ma mea na latou faia mo i matou;
A e maise a latou faasinoga ia i matou,
Ia matou ava ma matata'u ma ola auauna ia te 'Oe.
Matou te manatua pea lo latou alofa ia i matou,
Lo latou faamaoni, ma lo latou faatuatua
ma talitonu ia te 'Oe.
le Atua e, faafetai tele mo o matou matua pele.
ia viia Oe e faavavau.
E sili lava ona pele Oe i o matou loto.
Ona o Iesu Kesriso lo matou Uso ulumatua,
Ua matou ole atu ai. Faafetai. AMENE.


(Vavae Toma, i le Liutofaga o Toma ma Fo'ilagi ma Ava'ia, Vaivasetai, 9/10/1995)


Our loving and merciful Father
You are our everlasting Father and Mother
We are very grateful for our parents
made by You for our sake and your glory
Thank you for their lives full of your image
as they showed in their words, thoughts and their deeds
especially in their parental guidance
wanting us to commit our lives to respect and to serve You
We remember their unconditional love
We remember their honesty, integrity
and their strong faith and belief in You
Thank you for our loving parents
We praise your name forever
You are dearest in our hearts
In our brother Jesus Christ, we pray.
Thank You. AMEN.


(Prayer prepared by Vavae Toma for the Family Service on the Interment of Toma, Fo'ilagi and Avai'a, at Vaivasetai - 09/10/1995)

Matua Pele

Ua ou amataina i lenei Aso Faraile, 2 Iulai 2004, lenei avanoa i luga o le net ina ia talatalanoa ai ma manatua ai o a'oa'oga e tele sa ou maua mai i o'u matua o Vavae ma Ava'ia Toma.

I dedicate this weblog in memory of my parents, Vavae and Avai'a Toma.I begin today the process of sharing what I learned from them. My hope is that my children, grandchildren and other members of my extended family will take the information I impart and use it to enrich their own learning.

Meripa