Culture Night At Wonder Park!

Talofa! or should I say "Ohla" This is my little girl at the Culture Night at her school. I dressed her in her "pulatasi", (a traditional Samoan dress for all you none Samoan speaking folks) and then she won the sombrero for a door prize. Cute Hugh! We had over a 100 people there which I'm told was a lot more than last year. I made a photo backdrop (below) ...simple but the kids and parents liked it. I also brought costumes for the kids to wear to take pictures in.
I loved working on this project. I really felt like I was helping out my community. I think sometimes in the church we don't get out of our own circles and share our talents and friendship with people of other faiths. I think it is mainly because we don't see the opportunities to help or we don't seize them when they are there! Well taking on PTA President this year was not my first choice but it has been really rewarding. Our involvement this year has been very minimal but the Principle has supported us every step of the way and I've really had my eyes opened to what a difference I can make in my community.
My sisters, Leilani, Rachael, and Kaye (below) came to help with the evening. They were sweating as they made who knows how many candy leis for the kids and their parents. I am so lucky to have family that enjoys serving. Not to mention we always seem to have the best time, what ever we are doing.
I was so happy to see Kaye. She assisted at the food table or I really should say our "International Marketplace", with some of the other parents who had volunteered to help that night. We had parents bring in sample dishes from their cultures. Then they filled out cards which had their names, the country it was from and the type of food. people had a blast trying out the exotic dishes and the best part is that we had a lot of food! I was so happy with the turn out.
Yes, those of you who have see those mission photos will recognize this pose from the MTC. I took my cue for this station from my MTC experience. It was fun to have everyone find the places they were from and mark them on the map. My little multi- cultural people on the wall were colored by Leilani and Lilly. They did a great job!
Here's Leilani and her helper Julie (a parent that just sat down and started helping), making leis faster than lickity split! Leilani is concentrating really hard.......Leilani and Rachael are both so good with kids and working with people. It is such an asset to have them on any project I work on because they are reliable.
Here are some helpers from the night! CUTE HUGH! They had a blast!

Some of the other booths included African Masks, Family Crests: this is wear they took a shield and made a symbol that stood for their family, native yo-yo making and there was a place were students could play some traditional native Olympic games. During the evening we had some Polynesian dancing and I taught some hula to a group of kids. All in all it was a wonderful night.

I felt so good afterwards and as I thought about it I came to realize that the feelings I was feeling were the spirit. Funny Hugh....a school activity and I felt the spirit but I did. You see it all had to do with the people who chose to show up and participate. Family (members of the church), Polynesian singers (members of my ward), and an awesome Beehive class that came with their leader and helped people they had never meet before, enjoy an activity that promoted unity, tolerance, and appreciation for their own cultures as well as their neighbors...basically individual worth.

Isn't that one of the main principles of the gospel? That we are all children of a Heavenly Father who loves us. If anything that is what makes us all the same, and I felt that that night with all these strangers that I meet and I know from parents I talked to that they felt it too. Comments like "it just feels so different this year." "I don't remember ever having so much fun at a school party" It may not make sense to you but I it was another testament to me that I can make a difference. That all of you who came to help, YOU made a difference because of who you are, and we can bear testimony through our actions were ever we may be and whatever organizations that we may be a part of. Thank you everyone for your help..........Felicia