There is always an undercurrent on all the messages that the island of Nikunau is used to not getting much extra food. This is part of a paragraph from March 16 from E. Tonini to his parents that they shared with us.
"......then we saw the big boat come in which was to have all the solving of our food shortage (like really only seen like 3 new bags of flour my whole time here, don't worry though the family we live with feeds us very well, like almost too much, its way funny), the boat came and had no flour, no sugar and almost no rice with a few cans of meat, then just afterwards, the internet place opened at which point it was discovered that due to a lack of the island paying its bills the internet had been shut off... Rough day/week for the island, but everyone seems to have recovered well. "
Then I just received a snail mail letter from Feb. 16 stating that at that time, they had run out of soap.
Then this week (see post about it) March 29, D. states that their family has finally run out of their rice storage. He said that there are still pockets of stored food at other places on the island, so he isn't going hungry yet, but when i asked him to tell me what he eats daily he only mentioned a couple of meals, so that is when I realized that it seemed more serious than usual. Of course they always can get fish and he bought a pig and some chickens for the 1 year anniversary celebration, so there is still food there, but not at all like we in America might imagine on even our lowest day. Also, this week announced the new shortage of Toilet paper and sugar, but that they had acquired a bag of flour by 'miracle.'
He said that he is not concerned for himself as he is used to it, but is a bit concerned for the new missionary coming soon from America with very little transitioning time.
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