Talofa lava lau Susuga ma le Faletua EFKS Lufilufi

Attending the recent wedding of Visesio Saga and Angharad Toma was the Rev Vaigalo Maua and Faletua Petimara Maua.

Autalavou Mo Taeao

Is an opportunity started on facebook for Samoan youth around the world to talk with each other about the issues of youth in Samoan Society and also to express their views about the importance of youth political participation in the decisions made about Samoa now and the future of Samoa.

I believe Autalavou Mo Taeao(AMT) promotes the issues of the younger generations, male and female, in Samoan Society. In our Samoan fa'a-Matai, young people are "seen and not heard". Even young people who are married with children they are treated like they are not allowed to have an opinion. Perhaps this is why young people are getting in and getting on the register for Matai. I would like to think that Samoa has moved forward and more mature than the situation of years gone by. Personally, I see the Education system and the Church as change agents regarding this issue in the fa'aMatai. Problem with Church is that majority have embraced the fa'aMatai into the Gospel of Jesus Christ so are more inclined to perpetuate the issue of youth's voice not being heard. Samoa has to educate or finance the eduction of the young to be informed of the world in Samoa and the bigger world that has very powerful forces that easily affect Samoa and the Pacific. AMT hopefully will encourage a forum that promotes freedom of speech and at the same time educational.

Tapuni le faitoto'a mo le aupalota ia Novema 2010

Ua soloia i lenei aso le Palemene a Samoa mo le sauni atu mo palota ia Mati Aso 4. O se mea lava e fa'anoanoa ai le loto ona ua tapuni vave le faitoto'a a e to'atele e le i lesitala mo palota. Aisea ua fa'atopetope ai? Ua tapuni i se a a e le i lesitala le anoano o e talavou, o tina ma tama'ita'i e tatau ona 'ave iai le avanoa e filifili ai ni sui mo se Palemene fou ina ia mautinoa ai se lumana'i mo latou ma fanau o tutupu a'e? Se palota 'ea na o matai, faipule, ma atunu'u i fafo o iai ni a latou polokalame e tatau ona fa'aauau i Samoa? Se palota 'ea na o e fai pine e pule ai? Po o se palota e ao ona fai i le fa'atemokarasi moni ma le fa'akerisiano moni ina ia maua ai se manuia moni mo Samoa uma a e le na o se vaega?

Talofa e ua manumalo le fili. O aso nei i le lalolagi ua lagolagoina lava e atunu'u tetele mai fafo faiga palota. Manatu fo'i o le tulaga lena i si o tatou atunu'u.

Le Atua e, o lo o e silafia mea uma. Ua e silasila mai i mea o lo'o faia i lalo nei se paga lea ua agasala pea i matou. Fa'aloaloa mai ou 'a'ao alofa e fusi atu lou atunu'u o Samoa ua lavea i togafili a le fili. Fa'amagalo mai ou tagata. Ma ia fa'atupu le filemu i totonu o si o matou atunu'u o Samoa. I lou suafa Iesu ua tatalo atu ai. Amene.

Being Samoan involves appreciation of the basic things

Being a Samoan involves an appreciation of the basic things like peeling bananas plucked from the nearby plantation, picking up popo to make the fa'alifu and just being in the bush...
Whilst living in Australia brings to me the world of fast technology and science,and gives me access instantly to global events, I much prefer a simple life in the bush.

Happy birthday Nikolao Toma

May today be a special day to celebrate the blessings in your life up to this moment. I pray for your health and for your well being and that God will continue to use you in many ways to promote his message of love.
Manuia lava lou Aso fanau bro.

alofa'aga

Matou uma ma lou aiga i Brisbane.

Samoan tourists to Jerusalem witness the Lords Prayer in their own language

Samoan tourists to Jerusalem today can witness the Lord's Prayer in Samoan written, according to Archbishop George H. Pearce, on tableaus of ceramic tiles found in the monastery gardens on the walls of the chapel near the Mount of Olives close to the spot where Jesus is said to have given that precious prayer to his disciples.

George Pearce tells the story to mark the occasion of the 85th birthday of my late father Vavae Toma in the book TUSITUSIGA O LE TALALELEI e Vavae Toma FS, that I compiled for the occasion 24 April 2000.

"Talofa Vavae" by Archbishop George H. Pearce (Known to Samoans as Patele Ameto)

When the Catholic bishops of the world were called to Rome in September, 1962, to take part in the Second Vatican Council, I took the opportunity to make a ten-day pilgrimage to the holy Land. this was a precious God-given opportunity to walk in Jesus footsteps, ending up on Mount Zion where I would ask the Father in his name to send down the HLy Spirit on the "council fathers", as they gathered on Vatican Hill.

While there in Jerusalem, one of the Franciscan Friars with whom I was staying offered to drive me to some of the places of pilgrimage. As we whisked along on our way, I caught sight of someone walking along the side of the road. The face appeared to be that of a dear old friend but the clothing was European. "Say, that looked like Vavae Toma!" I said to my Franciscan friend, explaining to him who he was..."but I'm sure I'm just imagining things"

"It would be a pity if you didn't give it a try," said the friar as he made a precipitous u-turn.

"Well", I said, "I'll call out to him in Samoan and if I get a blank stare I'll know I was wrong"......."Talofa Vavae!" I shouted and we pulled near. And then it was his turn to be jolted! For it was indeed Vavae.

It turned out that he was on his way to a meeting of the World Council of Churches, in Geneva, Switzerland. I think we both realized at that moment that our chance meeting was no coincidence but rather, as they say, a God-incidence. We had met not far from the spot where Jesus had prayed,


"Lo'u Tama e, ua o'o mai le aso... E le fa'apito la'u tatalo mo i latou nei, a o i latou fo'i e fa'atuatua ia te a'u ona o la latou upu; ina ia tasi i latou uma, fa'apei o oe le Tama o i totonu ia te a'u,o a'u fo'i i totonu ia te oe, ia tasi i latou i totonu ia te i taua." (Ioane 17).


And here we were, both of us unbeknown to the other, treding in the footsteps of Jesus, as we prepared to repeat that very prayer in Geneva and Rome!

As we continued our pilgrimage together, we went to the Carmelite Monastery of the "Pater Noster", located on the Mount of Olives close to the spot where Jesus is said to have given his disciples that precious prayer. On the interior of the walls of the monastery garden and in the chapel, there had been set up on tableaus of beautiful ceramic tiles, the Lord's Prayer in many many languages of the world. But not in Samoan...at least not yet!

Naturally both of us had but one thought. And as I completed arrangements with the Carmelite Sisters to have the "Lo matou Tama e" join the rest of God's family, Vavae thrust a generous gift into my hands saying, "And this will be the very first contribution." Probably Vavae's left hand never told his right, but at the age of eighty-five I'm sure he won't be too upset at my releasing this bit of classified information!

For two thousand years now, and in every tongue on earth, the whole Christian familyhas been sending up to the Father in the Holy Spirit, this precious prayer of his Son Jesus.

I pray with you Vavae, and with all God's family on earth, that in this Jubilee Year, the Father's Kingdom, in its fullness, may come on earth as it is in heaven!

MANUIA LOU ASO FANAU VAVAE!

Patele Ameto - 1 January 2000

Happy Birthday to my husband David Weir

Happy Birthday David. We remember the day David was told by his specialist doctor that he would be lucky to live to fifty years. Last night we dined out to celebrate his 67th birthday. Thank you Lord for your never ending love.

Floods and more floods in Australia

I have not seen so much destruction and devastation by floods in all of my 31 years in Australia. Queensland and Victoria have been hit the most to date. Many many properties, family homes, agricultural lands have been affected. Lives of loved ones have been lost. Floods that came from the Lockyer Valley is described by witnesses as "tsunami from the sky". A commission of inquiry is now been opened to investigate the cause. People are angry at why the floods happened when dams were built to prevent their occurrence. Can all of it be a natural disaster? Or is it the consequence of man's continuing abuse of the environment? Their is also the knowledge available that scientific and technological inventions can control our weather.

I pray for all those affected by the floods. I pray for the safety of all those services and people working in the clean up areas and those services helping in the reconstruction of communities. I pray for the spirit of 'helping each other' to continue to survive in Australia.

Aisea tatou te iloa ai le mea ua sese a e le fa'asa'o?

A o sauni atu Samoa mo faiga palota i le Aso 4 o Mati 2011, ua manino lava ua toe fai fo'i le fa'atauina o palota i tua i nu'u ma alalafaga ma itumalo palota. Ua manino fo'i le fa'aauau pea o faiga taufa'afefe i aiga ina ia palota i se sui mai le itu a le HRPP po o le malo a Tuila'epa. Afai e palota 'ese o le a fa'asala pe tutuli 'ese fo'i ma le nu'u.
O fea la o iai le aia aloaia a le tagata e fai ai lana filifiliga e pei ona tusia i le Fa'avae o le Malo o Samoa. O fea o iai le tofa mamao ma le fa'autautaga loloto i le fa'aMatai ina ia tausisi ai i mea tonu ma mea sasa'o? O le a le mea ua tala pelo ma fa'a'ole'ole ai le atunu'u fa'apea a e le tu'u le sa'olotoga i le tagata.
Ou te manatu e le kerisiano ma le temokarasi faiga palota e fa'aaoga ai le malosi'aga o pulega fa'amatai lagolagoina e le Malo e pu'e mai ai palota a tagata o le atunu'u.
Talofa e ia Samoa. Talofa e i tupulaga fai mai ma e le i fananau mai o le a tula'i mai se Samoa e pulea mai fafo e latou o u'uina tupe ma le tamao'aiga o le lalolagi po o e fo'o e popoto e fai togafiti e maunu mai ai fanua o si o matou atunu'u e maua ai lo latou tamaoaiga.

Le Ali'i e, o Oe lava o lo matou Atua. Na e faia le lagi ma le lalolagi. Ua matou fa'ato'ese atu ona o matou loto ua tumu i le fefete ma le fa'amaualuga. Ua matou fia Atua fo'i a e galo lou alofa na ala mai i Lou Alo pele o Iesu. Liligi mai lou Agaga i lou atunu'u o Samoa ina ia toe fuata'ina o matou loto ina ia iloa 'Oe ma lou alofa ua matou ola ai. Fesoasoani i so'o se auala i faiga palota ia Mati ina ia maua se fuainumera e fa'akersianoina ai ma fa'atemokarasiina ai so matou Malo Fou mo Samoa. I lou suafa Iesu ua tatalo atu ai - AMENE.

Wedding Bells for Visesio Saga and Angharad Toma

On Friday 7 January 2011, the bells at the Vaimoso Congregational Christian Church of Samoa rang a happy tune on a most welcomed fine and sunny day announcing the wedding of Visesio Saga to Angharad (Amaleta) Toma. I was honored to be present to witness their special day. It was a beautiful and joyous occasion. Congratulations to the families from both sides for their support from beginning to end. O le Atua lava e Ona le vi'iga. May the peace of the Lord be with you always in your marriage.

Climate change will be a permanent feature of our lives

As we witness on out tv screens and our own experiences the devastating effects of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, disappearing glaciers, and so forth, contrast it with uncontollable drilling for oil no matter the environmental consequences - is it not time for someone or some power to say "STOP DRILLING..Economic Growth is absolutely fatal to the survival of our planet"

http://www.gregpalast.com/peak-oil-and-a-changing-climate/