The Plural of Mongoose

On of the many signs of the Indian presence in Fiji is the common sight of a mongoose scurrying across a patch of grass. These descendents of Kipling's Rikki-tikki-tavi are about the size of a squirrel and have a similar shape to stoats. Mongooses (to settle the question) belong to the same family as meerkats, but for my money are rather more attractive.

Let me bring you up to date:

I'm adjusting to the tropical climate (which doesn't bode well for my return to Belfast) though I do keep a fan running at night to get to sleep. My morning walks, apart from being good exercise, are helping me learn my way around Suva. The nearby harbour has a fleet of Korean tuna boats rusting away, a large survey vessel here to look for oil, a succession of container ships (mostly from China) and the occasional cruise liner disgorging hundreds of visitors and cheering up the local taxi drivers. The water has a depressing amount of rubbish - plastic bottles, old shoes, bags, etc - and I'm certainly not going swimming anywhere near here. The central market is next to the wharfe. 33 years ago it was one of the first places Sue and Winston took me to and I can still remember the shock of the heat, the colours and the smells. Moving up the coast road you come across the huge bulk of the new Chinese Embassy, one of the biggest buildings in town. China is very much the power on the march in the Pacific. Everywhere you come across its aid projects and there is an uneasy feeling that the long-term effect will not be beneficial. British influence is seen mostly in the names of streets, which still retain an echo of empire: Disraeli Road, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Gordon Street. Gardens are lush with hibiscus, orchids and the occasional rose as well as the vegetables you can grow on a small scale: taro, cassava and even banana.

Fiji has been held back these last 25 years by a succession of coups; the present military government has just announced plans for a new constitution and an election in 2014 and people seem divided between hope and cynicism. I spent part of this morning with a former colleague of Diane's and a great prophetic figure in Fiji, Aquila Yabaki. Aquila is a Methodist minister who works hard for the whole of Fiji and although over 70 he still heads up an organisation that works on human rights and constitutional issues. He is, he says, in critical engagement with the government at the moment, walking a careful path but seeing some good prospect of constructive change.

There's plenty more to tell. last night I gave a lecture at the cathedral on the theme of 'Violence and the Cross'. I think everyone was surprised at how well attended it was a mixture of ages and denominations and cultural backgrounds. One young woman spoke about her visit to the killing fields of Rwanda and the possibilities of forgiveness, so it was an evening of deep engagement.

I'm shortly off to begin a training session with Winston's clergy, so more soon.