The 1906 Lava Flow

On the way to the ferry Saturday morning, we had a few minutes to stop and see the lava flow that destroyed an LMS (London Missionary Society) Church.  In 1906, a volcanic eruption on the northeast side of Savaii destroyed a community and this church was totally consumed by the lava flow.

 Lest you think that nothing grows in lava, take a look at this one hundred year old tree that is growing just inside the walls with one of the roots escaping out a door.

It is fascinating to see the concrete walls totally surrounded by lava.  The lava flowed through and took out all the windows and at one point the corrugated roof fell onto the lava and cooled there creating a corrugated shape in the cooled lava.

Theron had a very great time, they let him fly the drone around the lava field and he ventured into the interior of the church.  There was a New Zealand family, two couples and grandma who was in a wheelchair.  We had a great time talking to them and grandma loved seeing the video Theron took of the Church as she could only down to the Church - disability access is limited at tourist sites in Samoa.

This is a favorite picture.  The people at the lava field have built a small fale on top of the lava and it just sits there by itself.  It's an interesting place to build and a surreal take on life in a lava field.

I think we'll try to upload a small video clip with this blog.

Saturday's are wash day at the laundro-pool.  It is so fun to watch the women standing in the freshwater, spring fed, pool, on the edge of the ocean, pounding the clothes in their 5-gallon buckets and then rinsing them.  They then take them to their homes to either hang them on a line or lay them out over the rocks to dry.  It's a community pool and a community effort.  The men are bathing and kids are swimming in the round pool.  Laundry is in the pool on the far side.