Ni Sa Bula

Twenty six years ago a young man left his little children and heavy-hearted wife to travel seven thousand miles away. He wasn't going to a foreign combat zone to do battle with a mortal enemy nation. His father had already done that tour of duty a lifetime earlier in 1942. This time, the mission was to go for a three week attempt to assist a missionary in his work in the South Pacific.

When that inaugural trip was done, so great was the homesickness of those agonizing days of separation that he swore he would never do it a second time. Little did he know that his journeys here would span a lifetime.

 As I sit here in a hotel room in Honolulu, having just completed a ninth mission trip to what has become my, "beloved Pacific," I look back over the years and see God's purposeful and merciful hand. He sent me here. Every single time. Of that, I am certain.

 My mind and heart are now so full. So many unique experiences, and countless faces that I have come to know and love. My father came here all those years ago to fight and defeat the hated Japanese. My missions here have been so different than his. And yet, I am still fighting an even greater enemy than he did.

This blog will be my feeble effort to put in words what this latest trip has accomplished, and the indelible memories it has produced. Thank you for sitting here with me as I look back over the last twenty days of livin' on Fiji time.

Before signing off on this initial post, a short introduction to Fijian greetings and salutations.

"Ni Sa Bula," is the Fijian greeting. Sometimes shortened to, "Bula," the former is a more courteous hello. The full greeting is actually, "Ni Sa Bula Vinaka." "Vinaka," is a versatile word that can also mean, "thank you." When a tourist enunciates the full greeting with the proper vocal inflection, the Fijian will smile and quickly respond with the same greeting. In essence, by including "Vinaka," in the return greeting, they are recognizing and thanking you for your courteous hello.

 One of the most precious qualities of the Fijian people is their kind-heartedness. While they are not a forward and brash people, Fijians are not as backward and bashful as the peoples of other Pacific Island nations, such as the Solomon Islands. Fijians respect and respond well to kindness, courtesy, and speech that conveys a regard for them as human beings.

Many of the white-skinned ("Keva-Langi") tourists they encounter, especially the Aussies, are not at all cordial and conversant with them. So, when one does reach out to them - with even the simplest expression of human regard, they warmly respond. Even a connection involving only eye-contact and a smile produces a sudden brightening to their countenance.

Just one of the many things that makes coming to their world such a joy. 

"Ni Sa Moce (pronounced, "Moy-They")... Another expression of courtesy and regard.

 We would say it as...

 "See y'all later..."