Return to Iva

February 8, 2015

Iva is the rural village on the island of Savaii where Mary and I spent our Peace Corps years. Samoan culture is very inclusive and we became a part of the Toufilau Kapeli family. Now it is about 8 years since Mary was there and about 5 for me. The children who remember us and played around our house are now young adults some with children of their own. The babies are in school and they wonder who these strangers are that everyone else is making such a fuss over. There are those older members of the family who we did not know, but who have now returned to take on their new roles. There seems to be a general increase in the prosperity of the family and the village.

Some things are the same. People walking to church while from cooking fires lingers in the air

Taia with her garden

People dress in their church whites.

Our former little house with a beautiful garden for our welcome.

The family daughter who planted these gardens

The remodeled main house

Now a mother with her son

"Babies" on their way to school

Mary with her dear friend, Saloti, the mother

Mary with Lawrence who she used to hold so closely

The family's refurbished are larger home

Children serving meal

Kapeli Family in 2007

Kapeli Family in 2007

A family 2015 photo with two sons we had had know before and minus three daughters

Kapeli Family in 2007

A gathering on our porch

Getting ready to serve dinner to the adults

The pigs to be raised to support the family