Fulaga, Lau Group, Fiji

By: Kerry

When Penina was eight months pregnant with her first child (thirty-some years ago), she was aboard the inter-island trader, the Makogai, when it foundered on the outer reef of Fulaga in the middle of the night. Two lives were lost but Penina managed to get ashore and led a small group of survivors through the bush to the village, where the alarm was raised and the rescue effort was launched.

Since then, she’s had a mortal fear of the sea. While we were in Fulaga, she and Seta were getting ready to go to a Methodist Church conference in Suva, but Penina, understandably, was dreading the voyage on the supply ship.

When it finally arrived – well behind its monthly schedule – we understood why.

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