Mrs. Bella Asiata is a proud wife, mother of 5 young children ranging from 2 to 10 years old, full time Support Specialist Seminaries and Institutes of Religion in American Samoa for the Church of Latter Day Saints and Volunteers for the American Red Cross in American Samoa, and with that one title comes multiple demands and huge responsibilities. She returned in American Samoa on Friday, May 26, following a one-week Red Cross training event in San Diego, California covering the following:

•    Disaster geographical mapping information systems

•    Service to Armed Forces

•    Volunteer recruitment

Her training in geographical mapping called “RC View” will improve the American Samoa Red Cross humanitarian response during tropical storms and other natural disasters by helping to identify delivery sites enabling Red Cross Disaster Response Teams to provide the needed disaster supplies.

Additional training will focus on the capacity building of the ‘Services to Armed Forces’ Program by offering this specific training to more Volunteers while incorporating it as and area of interest in the recruiting process.

Local American Red Cross Manager – Val Vaela’a Tuilefano added, “There is more to this story I am both honored and humbled to share. In short, we, Bella’s Red Cross family in American Samoa are proud of her representing us both in Santa Monica and San Diego for these crucial trainings. In sharing, my appointing Bella to represent our local office in this rare opportunity was highly received and supported by the San Diego Chapter leadership team as she in the past 2 years helped in building the capacity of our local Volunteer online registration data base system.

“My challenge was to get Bella to accept, commit and help navigate around any obstacles that may prevent her from attending the trainings. Everything fell into place except for some major traveling document issues. The odds seemed to be stacked against her. Her faith, endurance and support system paid off in full. It was meant to be. Thank God!

This happens to be Bella’s first trip to the United States and away from her family.  Tuilefano said, on behalf of the Red Cross family he wishes to thank Bella’s immediate family, her boss LDS Malaeimi President Aiono, students and to the staff of Congresswoman Aumua Amata’s office for their support and believing in the American Red Cross Mission: Prevent and Alleviate human suffering in the face of Emergencies by mobilizing the Power of Volunteers and the Generosity of our Donors.