Yesterday was one of the hardest days for me yet in Samoa.
As always my Day started with Mass here at Don Bosco and one of the other Kiwis who attends has offered some assistance and appliances for the Fao Fao bar project for the Legalo family.
At half eight I was on the phone to the NZ military organizing my assistance for the day.
However the big one was waiting for the call at 10am to find out if we had secured all the necessary funds to buy the wood to build the bar. I got the call and it was not quite what I wanted to hear. It is by no means a comment on anyone at all but time is a factor here and with having lined up everything except the wood it was a bit of a heart breaker.
SO… we started making some MORE noise back in NZ, the amount of money to buy the wood is just over 1k, so despite it not being a huge amount it is significant, as is the project. I’ve been told by both the heads of the red cross and the NZ military that its a valid project and will be a real beacon of inspiration for the larger displaced Village of Salepaga.
However I needed to continue my day here, so at midday it was off to the Red Cross where I met the head of the Samoan effort and she gave me the full tour of the operation. One of the real highlights of this was the emergency amount of Blood they had collected after the Tsunami, most of which hasn’t needed to be used but now Samoan blood banks are in a healthy position. Its a nice side effect for sure. I got a pretty good idea how $20 from NZ let alone the $100,000 I heard about from the Telethon on Good Morning can have an amazing effect for the people here.
In the afternoon I failed to be able to get in contact with the NZ military person who was to take me over the south coast, when I got hold of him later it would seem a flat cell phone battery was to blame…grrrrrrr.
I started to get this sick feeling in my stomach however that somehow I had over promised the Legalo family and maybe I was out of my depth. All my critics that had thrown shit at me before I left…maybe they were right, Im not helping anyone…just another loud mouth spouting shit. I imagined Va’a telling his firends about the crazy Palangi that turned up and promised to re build his bar and never came back, or did empty handed…not what I had imagined.
I think yesterday I called just about everyone who could help me out and was desperately puttting all my friends in contact with each other to try make something work. You know who you are 
Anyway…last night the pledges started to come in and it was amazing! Little amounts, larger amounts…it didn’t seem to matter people I know, some who I dont got in touch and wanted to help.
To this all I can say it THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU…Im not usually an over religious person, but I snuck into the Don Bosco Chappel last night and even said Thanks to the big fulla for hooking me up with such a great group of friends, it was a lil emotional.
DOWN TO BUSINESS: I have received a little bit from you fullas and to that I say thank you, however if you would like to make a donation we kinda need to funds today, not tomorrow to get the timber so please chuck it into 38-9008-0692399-00 Account Name MOA STUDIOS at any NZ Post Shop. Or head over to this page on givealittle.co.nz or click the paypal donate button below.
Sorry to be so crude about Money its not my style but I don’t have time to be polite and neither do the Legalos. It’ll be a big deal in Samoa if this Bar opens Friday and I believe we’re gonna do it.
I didn’t sleep much last night out of nerves and the Dogs barking but today is gonna be something else….I can just feel it.
Thank you for your support you have NO idea how much it means to the people here.
You can donate to support Hamish’s work in Samoa here:
or through any of the following general appeals:
Red Cross Samoa Tsunami Relief project at givealittle.co.nz
www.oxfam.org.nz, by phone 0800 400 666, or you can make make an automatic $20 donation, please call 0900 600 20.
www.caritas.org.nz, by phone 0800 22 10 22, by automatic $20 donation from a phone account 0900 4 11 11, or cheques posted to Caritas, PO Box 12193, Wellington, 6144.
www.mercury.co.nz, by texting the word Samoa followed by the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury Energy account number to 515 (e.g. Text ‘Samoa 20 John 012345678′)
http://www.habitat.org.nz/
Deposits to the Pacific Cooperation Foundation Tsunami Relief Fund can be made at any Westpac branch.
If you have clothes you’d like to donate you can do so at any of three Auckland drop off points:
South Auckland – 68 Puriri Rd, Manurewa. Contact Belz & Stacey via text or phone on 02 1143 2680 prior to drop off
West Auckland – 109 Swanson Rd, Henderson. Contact Letti & Jae’d via text or phone on 02 153 8580 prior to drop off
Central Auckland – PIPA, Carrington Road, UNITEC Entry 4. Contact Olivia via text or phone on 02 1034 2981 or bt phone on 09 815 7486 prior to drop off
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