Here we sit the day after we were almost slammed by Tropical Cyclone "Heta". It passed within 120 miles to the east of Vava'u, Tonga where we will be spending the next eight months. Before the arrival of "Heta", we spent two days securing everything on board. This entailed pulling everything off the decks, which with all our junk was not a mild undertaking. All the canvas had to come down, the main sail wrapped, Genoa pulled off, wind generator pulled, solar panels padded and lashed. Not to mention that Jim had to dive the mooring (12 tons of solid concrete), and secure our backup line. Then he ran around helping our friends by diving to secure their moorings. Our friends here kept checking the US Navy web site for the projected track of "Heta". She kept playing chicken with us as she was headed straight at us until 12 hours before her arrival. At the cyclone's center there was over 150 knots of wind but we saw only gusts to 50 knots or so. The Eye of "Heta" passed to the east of us but ran right over the island of Nuie, decimated the main town and killing many people. We were fortunate.

Since we have arrived in Vava'u, Jim has been involved with the Prince Wellington Ngu Hospital in Neiafu, Vava'u. At present, he is volunteering two to three days a week at the hospital, treating patients. They are very short staffed in Vava'u, which treats a population of 15,000. His expertise has been greatly appreciated here in Vava'u. As a result, he has been inundated with patients. The health care in the Kingdom of Tonga is paid for by the King and the Ministry of Health so as a result is minimal at best. Like most central pacific island countries, they are very lacking in the basic things that we in the USA take for granted. Simple equipment that is available in most offices in the USA is unavailable here at the Hospital. Without proper equipment many patients, especially newborns and children, cannot receive the most basic of care. With a rising population, obstetrics is a major workload. The Tongan's are wonderful simple people. During the past hundred years little has changes with their way of subsistence living on the outer islands. The hospital is in need of many items to bring the level of patient care to a bare minimum. We are putting out an appeal for donations of extra equipment that doctors and hospitals have at their disposal that is unused or out of date and can be sent to a people in need. We will be in Tonga until August so we can organize the delivery and implementation of the supplies delivered. People are suffering and dying down here and with your help we can make a difference. To donate equipment or for a list of equipment needed contact us at svladystarlight@hotmail.com. Malo 'aupito (Thank You Very Much)

Equipment needed for the Obstetrics Ward and NGU Hospital, Vava'u:

1. Doppler
2. Delivery Bed
3. Infant Resuscitation Trolley
4. O2 Concentrator
5. Dynamap
6. Tocography
7. Pulse Oxymeter
8. Suction Machine
9. Delivery Equipment:
   • Episiotomy scissors
   • Cord Scissors
   • Forceps to clamp the umbilical cord
   • Tissue forceps
   • Needle Holders
   • Drapes
   • Hand Towels
10. Amniocots or Amnio Hooks
11. Suction Tubing size 8, 10,12
12. Pediatric Iv Giving Sets
13. Clinical Thermometers
14. Stethoscopes
15. Pediatric BP Cuffs
16. Bed liner
17. Under pads
18. Diapers
19. Nasal cannular for kids and adults
20. 02 masks bady, child adult.
21. dressing scissors
22. Stainless dressing tray
23. B Ketone strips
24. Transformer
25. Incubator
26. Infant and Adult Weighing scale
27. Teaching Aids - video/tv/camera/overhead projector
28. Diagnostic set, tuning fork, pin wheels etc.
29. Glucometer plus strips
30. Infusion Pump
31. Nebulizer
32. Physiotherapy equipment - Pulsed ultrasound, Interferential or Galvanic Electrical stim, Tens
33. Reference materials; There is no medical library at the hospital so any materials like Merke, De Gown and De Gown, Cecils or Harrisons textbooks of Medicine, Orthopedic and surgical texts, PDR.s, Surgical Nursing Texts, etc.
34. High Speed X-ray Screens and Film.
35. Suture Materials
36. Surplus medications including antibiotics, NSAID's, analgesic's, muscle relaxants, asthmatic inhalers, and (hypertensive/diabetic meds)- major problem here.
37. If in Doubt, clean it out, and give it to Tonga!