Pray for Grandma

Here is a prayer for the departed: "O my God! O Thou forgiver of sins, bestower of gifts, dispeller of afflictions!
Verily, I beseech Thee to forgive the sins of such as have abandoned the physical garment and have ascended to the spiritual world.
O my Lord! Purify them from trespasses, dispel their sorrows, and change their darkness into light. Cause them to enter the garden of happiness, cleanse them with the most pure water, and grant them to behold Thy splendors on the loftiest mount."
- `Abdu'l-Baha (Baha'i Faith)

My Dad and Uncle

My Grandma's two living children, my Dad and Uncle Steve, took some time at the end, alone, at Grandma’s resting place.

Prayers for Grandma

We said a lot of prayers for Grandma. The funeral was in the morning, and it was very hot. A lot of people held umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.

Remembering Grandma

There were about 40 people at Grandma’s funeral in Fiji. Only a few of those people knew her personally since she is from Canada and she had never been to Fiji before. On September 6th there was a large memorial gathering for Grandma in Canada.

Family and Friends at Grandma's Funeral

This is Uncle Steve, Auntie Carren and my cousins. One family friend flew with his wife and children from New Zealand to be at the funeral. Most of the guests were from Fiji, and seven of us flew from Vanuatu.

Getting Ready for the Burial

Grandma's burial plot is on the slope of a hill with several terraces. We stood on one terrace above waiting for the grave diggers to finish their task, then Grandma's coffin was buried and we said prayers for her.

Grave Diggers

My Dad and Uncle hired the grave diggers to prepare for the burial. The spot for Grandma's grave had a lot of rocks so it was very hard work to dig, and it took longer than expected. The grave diggers are Fijian prisoners doing community service. They were kind and hard working. They were supervised by a Sargent from the Loutaka Prison.

Funeral for Grandma Pat - Sept. 4

Grandma had a beautiful funeral. It was Fijian style. Her coffin had a hand-made tarpa (patterned cloth) draped over it, and two hand-made mats under it. We all wore Fijian clothes (island shirts). Uncle Steve and Quentin also wore Fijian skirts for men.

Trip to Fiji - Aug. 29 to Sept. 5, 2008

We stayed in Fiji for one week at a hotel on the beach called Mammas - Tropic of Capricorn. Fiji is beautiful just like Vanuatu, but it is more developed and has a lot more people.

Grandma Pat will Rest in Fiji

On August 29th Grandma was on a flight from the United States to Fiji. She was coming to Vanuatu from Canada to visit us for three months, but on the flight she died peacefully in her sleep. Me, my parents and relatives all flew to Fiji the same day.