When we arrived, I was introduced to the congregation. Almost everyone was related to one another. One of the locals, Pifa, one of four police officers on the island with a population of 2200, took me under his wing and translated the service for me, which was delivered in a mixture of French and South Marquesan, a dialect of the Polynesian language. The service was delightful, with a large part delivered by children who were reciting parts of the biblical story of Easter.
The people in attendance were all local with the exception of the crew of LIA, a Morman couple from Hurricane, UT, with their three children, two older boys and a girl: Matt Flanders, Gina, Owen, Emerson and Ruby. Later, I would understand the connection because I was attending a Church of the Later Day Saints. The family had spent some time in the area and would generally sail to Hiva Oa on Saturday evening and attend service on Sunday. However, this was going to be their last time as they were continuing on with their voyage. After the service, Matt wanted to take a photo of everyone. At first, I stepped aside, but Pifa insisted I be included. That’s me in the back on the left. Pifa is in the back on the right, with the peace fingers behind his head.
After the service, I was invited to attend a meal with Pifa and his family. I will post about that wonderful experience later.