Prisoners With Family Perished or Missing in Samoa Tsunami Asking For Prayers

Posted: October 2, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Analysis, Breaking News, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, education, Environment, Noticeboard Tsunami, NZPacific, South Pacific Region | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Yolande Ah Chong from Radio 531pi read out an email from those working within the prison system with Samoan prisoners. They have also lost loved ones in the tsunami and are in need of our prayers and spiritual sustenance.

The emailer is asking for people and church ministers to overlook that these men, and woman, are prisoners and to extend a hand of prayer and fellowship to them at this time.

Like Michael Jones, the former All Black, is saying on 531pi radio right now, we forget about our prisoners and it’s good to be reminded that they have also lost loved ones as well.

Email request below

From: LOLE-TAYLOR, Le’au (NRCFPP) [mailto:Le’au.Lole-Taylor@corrections.govt.nz]
Sent: Friday, 2 October 2009 11:39 a.m.
To: L.A. Lole-Taylor
Subject: Need your help for Spiritual comfort to our Samoan prisoners

Talofa and Greetings to all our community.

It is time like this when nature strikes, that some of our men turn to their faith for support.
While they may have done wrong which landed them in prisons, they are still tama-fanau of our ancestors.
We are in need of some Samoan ministers who could provide prayer sessions for an hour or so at some of our prison sites this Sundays 3rd October.

Some of our Samoan prisoners have lost their families in the villages affected by the Tsunami. I ask that you look beyond their offending, and help provide them with some spiritual support.

With the majority of us having our services in the morning from 10.00am onwards, we are happy to facilitate earlier services e.g. 8.00am – 9.00am  or afternoon from 1.00pm onwards.

If you could help out in any way, we would really appreciate this.

Le’au

Le’aufa’amulia Asenati LOLE-TAYLOR
Regional Advisor-Pacific, Northern Region
Dept. of Corrections Prison Service
Level 4, 195 Khyber Pass, Grafton.
Private Bag 92625, Symonds Street, Auckland

Tel: +64-9-638 5726 (DD) or Internal Ext: 99926
or Mob: 021 764 306

Spring Hill on 07-826 0496 or Ext: 97496

Email: Le’au.Lole-Taylor@corrections.govt.nz

Pacific Strategy:
My strength does not come from me alone but from many
O le tele o sulu e maua ai ni figota, e mama se avega, pe a tatou amo fa’atasi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noticeboard: Looking for Mrs Teki Uilelea in Lotofaga after Samoa Tsunami

Posted: October 1, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Analysis, Breaking News, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, Noticeboard Tsunami, Politics, South Pacific Region | Tags: , , , , , , | 4 Comments

If you can help one of our readers who’s just sent an email wanting information on a relative in Lotofaga, please respond via comments or send an email to: editor@pacificeyewitness.org

This email from Ashley Wickham:

We have a dear relative – my wife’s cousin – married to the Congregational Minister Rev. Iosefa Uilelea in Lotofaga. Her name is Teki and although originally from Kiribati, she migrated to Wagina in Solomon Islands, but lost her heart to Samoa.

If anyone can tell us how she and her family are, we will be very grateful

Regards
Ashley Wickham
Brother of Frank Wickham who works at SPREP but who is not in Apia.

Update

Ashley has been updated from a contact he has who knows the Reverend and his wife, and it appears all is well. Excellent news.

From all reports that I am hearing at the moment, it suggests Lotofaga escaped the worst of the tsunami, except of course for those fales right on and close to the beach.  I will let you know if any more information comes to hand.

Please read the comments on this post for additional information.

NZ Governor General Expresses Sadness at Tsunami Tragedy

Posted: October 1, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Analysis, Breaking News, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, Environment, NZPacific, Politics, South Pacific Region | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Media Release

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

New Zealand

1 October 2009

Governor-General expresses sadness at tsunami tragedy


The Governor-General of New Zealand, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, has expressed his deep sadness on the destruction and loss of life caused by Wednesday’s tsunami.

The Governor-General, and Lady Satyanand, who are in Papua New Guinea on a State Visit, have written to the Head of State of Samoa, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi offering his condolences on the loss of life.

“Having visited your beautiful nation many times, including twice as Governor-General, I have found the news of the loss of life deeply distressing,” Sir Anand said in his message to the Head of State.

“In happier times we have often commented publicly on the strong ties between Samoa and New Zealand and the warm and friendly relationship our two countries share.

“The strength of any friendship lies not in the good times, but how we respond in the bad times.     I know the Prime Minister, Hon John Key, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, has offered to do all New Zealand can do to assist Samoa and its Pacific neighbours at this time and I reiterate that commitment.”

Sir Anand said while the loss of life and damage will be most keenly felt in Samoa, the grief and heartache will also be deeply felt in New Zealand.

“Many New Zealanders have visited Samoa and have fond memories of island holidays and it is clear that New Zealand lives were lost in the tragedy.    Many New Zealanders, myself included, have professional and business connections with people in Samoa and will have lost friends and colleagues.

“The loss in New Zealand will be most keenly felt by the more than 130,000 New Zealanders of Samoan descent.  There will be few who will not be personally affected by this tragedy.”

Sir Anand extended his deepest condolences to the Head of State and the people of Samoa on the loss they have suffered.

“I also extend my condolences to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy.”

The Governor-General also offered his condolences to the people of American  Samoa and  Tonga.

Noticeboard: Looking for Loved Ones In South Coast Samoa

Posted: October 1, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Breaking News, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, Environment, Noticeboard Tsunami, NZPacific, Politics, South Pacific Region | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

I’ve been receiving a steady stream of requests for help in locating missing friends and family in Samoa. Some have been located within 24 hours. Others have yet to be. To answer questions about the villages of Lotofaga and Lalomanu, this is as much as we know at this point. Information is slowly trickling in. For the most part, the survivors are either being treated at the hospital or quietly getting on with clearing up their villages, where-ever possible, or mourning and preparing burials for those who didn’t make it.

  1. Lotofaga

    A number of readers have emailed asking for more information on Lotofaga. It hasn’t been easy getting through on the phones there. From what I have been told: expect casualties there, the village is very close to the coast, rather than inland. Pray for a miracle and be strong.

  2. Lalomanu

    3. As you may already know from news reports and family, Lalomanu was completely wiped as a village, beach fales gone, it’s desolated. The good news, for a number of children who were missing in Lalomanu, in one case a family of six children were missing. They were at school when the tsunami hit so they survived. There are still many reported missing and families in NZ are having a difficult time getting through on the lines. But some families have received news this morning from those in Apia. So keep strong. The death toll is not fully know right now as bodies are still being retrieved.

Do you have any information on the following people in Samoa?

These are requests from friends or family of those in Samoa. Email editor@pacificeyewitness.org or write a comment on the site. We will pass on the information. Thank you very much.

MISSING

  1. Mrs. Luluù Berns (resident in Brisbane but visiting the sick mother Lua) and his family and the families Falinga and Fauena residents in Saleapaga and Lalomanu us you would be very helpful.Daniel and Elisabetta Bertani, Italy.
  2. Tapu legalo, in Saleapaga( which is in the district of Aleipata), his sister Kuruseta, and all the kids living around faofao.. does anyone know what happened to them?Daniel Dencik
    A number of readers have asked after Tapu and her family.
  3. Please read the comments section of this posting for other readers seeking information on missing friends and family.
  4. In fact, many of the comments contain request for information on the missing. Please check them out and if you can help with information, send it through to editor@pacificeyewitness.org or post it directly to comments.

FOUND

This morning, one of our readers Mary-Beth Hunter and Brett Gillies received word that their co-worker Chris Kroger and her daughter, who were holidaying at Litia Sini, have been found in Apia. Excellent news.

We’ve also received some good news from family and friends missing in Lalomanu since the tsunami, who have been found this morning. Still others not yet found.
***Please check other postings on this website as this information will be updated. Any additional names not on this post will be headlined Noticeboard

Samoa Tsunami: Families Crying Through the Darkest Night

Posted: September 30, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Analysis, Breaking News, Community, Current, Earthquake Tsunami Samoa/AmSampa 09, Environment, Noticeboard Tsunami, NZPacific, Politics, South Pacific Region, Tourism | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Earthquake and Tsunami destruction on the island of Samoa

I’ve been listening to Kerre on Newstalk ZB this evening.  Caller after caller express their devastation at hearing the tragedy unfolding in Samoa. That’s coming from family and friends in New Zealand.

Thinking of our people back in Samoa. Missing children. Missing mothers and fathers. Missing grandmothers and grandbrothers. Missing brothers and sisters. A large number of families who are still missing tonight and in the dark without shelter. Heartbreaking.

Thinking of the families in the dark tonight out in the South Coast with power lines out, the dead around them.

Families looking for missing children, grandparents, mothers and fathers.  How, and where will they sleep tonight, amidst the debris and the smell of death? I can imagine the cries that will bellow throughout the desseminated villages in the darkest night. Hospitals are reportedly full and there’s no room for the dead that have been found. I know Poutasi Hospital destroyed. In a country that does not have a first class medical resources, any reduction to medical resources are likely to have overwhelmingly distrastrous effects on a people, already traumatised.

List of villages on the South Coast of Upolu (the most beautiful coastline in the world): Lepa, Falealili, Lalomanu, Aufaga with Paradise Cove, Matatufu, Lotofaga, Aleipata district, the list goes on. In the chaos and debris and blocked roads, I cannot see the rescue teams being able to reach all the villages within the next day or so. They will need more manpower and equipment than Samoa presently has.

God Bless Samoa. Please. Time for prayer.