From Tonga
5.6.86
Dear Alan,
Enclosed
is a little something for the two girls. My attempts to find out from Mum their
ages and sizes (to buy T-shirts or something) has been a lost cause, so I hope
they are the right age for losing their first teeth. I haven’t bought them
anything before, though I’m absolutely broke, I’ve still managed to send
presents back to Australia for most occasions.
Tongan
handicrafts are lovely, but I’m sure you have bulk South African ones as it is.
Anyway I owe you and Lorna ‘something’ when you get to Australia and earn some
money again. (I do get an allowance, but it’s very small and so far has never
been enough). I have only one month to go here, so I am now tying up some loose
ends. Though I have really very little to take back with me (no Tongan
husband!), though a little girl, aged fifteen would like to come as ‘luggage’.
I may
have given the wrong impression but Tongans also go to church to sing. The
service is really a hymn sandwich. It is not at all like the Uniting Church in
Australia but follows the Anglican service of the time of John Wesley – lots of
liturgy and responses. Every church has a big choir and often a brass band.
I’m not
as charitable of Christians as you are; not after working in a nominal
Christian country in a Christian school. I find it all so unbelievable I cannot
imagine how anyone can believe such rubbish.
What do
you mean of by because of your background you are incapable of believing? Is it
the general environment of Australia or a more specific one of our family? Strange
how none of us believe except Anne.
Anyway
I’m using the church to go to probably my last Tongan feast on Sunday week. I
use it as a time for day dreaming and are thankful that I cannot understand a
word that is said so don’t have to listen to garbage. The singing is always
wonderful.
Cheers
Pam
No comments:
Post a Comment