In a nation that values family and religion, no day is more sacred than Sunday.
Silence falls over the villages as parishioners, dressed in white, make their way to the local church.
The village of Viagalu is in one of the hardest hit areas, but the church was spared. While many locals are yet to come back and rebuild, the village comes alive every sunday for church.
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And Sunday was particularly special. On the Christian calendar, Palm Sunday is one week until the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It'll also be the first Easter, spent without two local children killed in the tsunami.
"They really had it bad for them on children's Sunday in october, then came christmas, and then this is the first easter with them so I think the children will be missed”, Reverend Suafai Patu said.
But people seem to be moving on. Six months ago, Karen Niumata witnessed the waves first hand. Far from testing her faith, she says that turning to God has helped her.
Other locals agree.
Faith gets many through
“With their faith and their strong belief in God, and trust in God, so they are able to cope with what has happened, so they are able to able to handle all the suffering that was cuased by this disaster” , said Karen Niumata.
Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi Tuilaepa is the first to acknowledge that the church and family are the glue binding the community together.
“The reports I get is that they recover extraordinarily well, and all because of the system”, he said.
There are signs of generosity where ever you turn.
The Sinale Reef Resort was another tourist spot smashed by the tsunami.
Manager Joe Annandale lost his wife as she tried to escape in the car.
Volunteers add to helping spirit
“There's been a constant stream of volunteers here - which has bee a humbling experience for me and for my family", Annandale said
One of those volunteers is chef prodigy Ernst Broer.
The 30 year old has cooked all over the world, serving actors such as Sandra Bullock and Robert Redfern.
When everyone was flying out, he and his wife flew into Samoa the country, where he's been working for Joe for free ever since.
“They've very warm and generous people and they also want - us, we are happy here, that's important for them", Broer said.
“For us the money is not an issue, so long as you're happy with the place you work and with the team and people.”
And even though there's much to rebuild, Samoans have shown that their generosity, faith, and belief in family is all that's needed, to rebuild the nation's spirit.
