February 16, 2025

Otara Saturday Market 

The selection of fresh fruits and veggies makes the whole trip worthwhile.

Crowds! Crowds! Crowds!

This market is HUGE!!  In addition to the produce, there are jewelry vendors, food trucks, clothes, toys, and almost anything else you can imagine.  Notice the “trolley”, serious shoppers prepare to take away the week’s groceries.

Simply take a colander from the center and choose what you want, placing the produce into the colander.

Some vendors offer plastic bags to keep selections sorted.

In addition to the “usual” items, we found delicious cherries.

Notice the vans in the background.  Vendors pull in, set up shop, and work from their vehicles.  Experience helps them with the throngs of people and sellers.

Big white turnips.  I haven’t seen these since Hong Kong.

Close to the exit there are a few smaller displays.  I stopped to purchase green onions.  They’ve been so expensive in New Zealand – too rich for me.  This Chinese woman sold them for $1 a bunch.

Pacific Area Communications Missionaries.  The Tanners and Sister Truman have since returned home. The Shaws now lead the way.  Tania Torea is an employee from Wellington.  We treasure her vast experience.  The Fords are based in Australia.

Same group, but at the end of the table sit the Hustons, serving in Papua New Guinea.  I’m snapping photos and don’t appear in a single picture.

Our marvelous legal secretary, Ruby Hugo, her husband Logan, and three of her four sons (one is serving in Layton, Utah), become citizens of New Zealand.  They come from South Africa.

Four of our precious Primary children.  It’s a circus every week.  We never know what will happen.  We use a lot of activities, songs, and hand games.  Plenty of adults join in.  Some claim to enjoy our class more than the adult classes.