By Hilary Barry
Final preparations are underway in Samoa to mark the first anniversary of the tsunami tomorrow.
One hundred and forty three people died in the devastating sea surge that followed the massive earthquake.
In the hills overlooking the sea that took their lives, 10 members of the Taufua family are buried. And today the final touches were being made before a day of grieving.
“We look at the headstones, and tears came back for us. We remember the day it happened,” says Taufua Iuma.
More than 200 Taufua family and friends will gather on the shoreline at dawn to mark the moment the tsunami hit.
“It's still alive in our hearts; we're still having a bad dream. We're still trying to overcome the fear that we have.”
Down the coast at Faleapaga, everyone is pitching in to get the roof on the new hall finished for the first service tonight. A monument has been erected for the 32 lives lost.
Tutogi Taavili was one of the lucky ones in Faleapaga. She was badly injured by the waves, but she survived. Now it's the struggle to rebuild that's taking a toll.
Her family has no safe drinking water, and government funding won't pay for a proper house.
“It's not enough for the house; we still need more because all the materials are so dear,” she says.
Hundreds of other families are living in shacks, waiting for government help. But the Red Cross says most people are grateful for the help they have had.
“We've been working very closely with government; we've been making good efforts - putting all we can into the community,” says Tautala Mauala, of the Samoa Red Cross.
Money's not the issue. More than $100 million has been donated from overseas, but the Samoan government says the recovery will take time.
“Everything can't be done at once. We're assisting all we can,” says Hans Joachim Keil, the Samoan government’s associate minister.
Many in the hills of the south coast would disagree. But tomorrow, those frustrations will be put aside to grieve and remember.
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