The digital home of Dennis A. Smith
IT Entrepreneur
A Tour Guide in Samoa
If I was asked to speak one word about the Lord’s will for Samoa it would be giving. If asked to expand it from one word, I would include the words sacrificial, and then in faith, then include it in the context of the Samoan culture, then into the context of the world and finally His ultimate purpose – of course for His glory.
So the entire sentence would be this: [Read more...]
Keke Pua (literally Pork Cake) It’s actually neither a cake nor pork – more a chicken or lamb bun, but hey, this is Samoa!
I recently experienced another lovely session of Samoan hatred. A Samoan guy threatened to stab his fork in my face if I didn’t shut up while he was eating his lunch. Not nice, especially as he’d just previously asked if he could sit at the table my friend and I were using. The cause of this hatred, aka racism, or prejudice, is pride. In this Sermon from Samoa I explain the root cause of the hatred and share a little wisdom on how to hate the hatred, and not the hater. [Read more...]
Savea Sano Malifa
[Source: Freemedia.at]
What is unusual for me is that this example is remarkably clear and in writing, from an influential Samoan leader. Apart from the many witnesses who have spoken to me and emails proving professional misconduct of a government department CEO, it is actually the first time that I have documentary proof for others to see of the mostly hidden workings of the Samoan gossip machine.
Samoa’s 50th year celebration of independence. A nation with a culture highly resistant to change.
As I mentioned previously, the recent publication of the Palagi Perspectives in Samoa’s primary newspaper (Samoa Observer) has increased my exposure in Samoa. This Sermon from Samoa is personal and details in more depth some of the challenges that a straight-talking, deep-thinking, Christian blogger living in Samoa faces when penning words that could (dare I say will) offend in a country steeped in ultra-political correctness. I share how I find information on a topic, then identify truth and formulate ideas for publication. [Read more...]
God gets the blame for a lot of things, and not always bad things either. In this Sermon from Samoa I highlight the shallow thinking that diminishes the majesty of our loving Creator. [Read more...]
On White Sunday 2009 I was on holiday with my daughter Rebecca in Safotu, Savaii, Samoa. The country was gradually coming to terms with the impact of the September 2009 Tsunami and I was a tourist, interested but only just getting interested in the future of the country.
Three years later, on White Sunday 2012, the Samoa Observer will commence publishing a weekly column called Palagi Perspectives. I am definitely a Palagi with a “perspective” having engaged fairly deeply with this unique, South Pacific country and culture. [Read more...]
I’ve just spent a weekend in Savaii again, this time following an invitation from the secretary of SSTA (Savaii Samoa Tourist Association) to attend their AGM. In a few words I would summarise the event as “words, words and words”. Silky words. Big words. Silly words and of course a few little porkies thrown in to keep the event interesting. [Read more...]
When I work with a business, I always try to find what I call the bulls-eye. This is the one thing (yes just one thing) that really stands out. I then work with that concept, idea or asset and use it as the key, the main selling point and the central focus of my energies.
In this Sermon from Samoa, I share how this has outworked for me in practice here in Samoa and also note how I’m in very good company, for Jesus did the same. [Read more...]
Thomas, a SWAP Ambassador acting as a “French/Greek” god in front of the Taga blowholes. A delightfully creative … umm … idiot, oops, no, I mean photo!
Standard church teaching in Samoa is that God requires a tithe – supposedly 10% of our income, but in actual practice here, a lot more. The churches almost universally teach that this tithe (to be paid in cash) should be given to . . . of course . . . themselves, i.e. the church. Tithing is a biblical principle they say, and God will ensure that blessings will result for the giver. In this sermon from Samoa I draw attention to the fact that this teaching has many fundamental errors and address the issue of whether God is Greedy or not.
My take on it all, in all seriousness is that he very definitely IS! [Read more...]