Idaho Falls couple calls Guam home; reacts to threats from North Korea
Life goes on. That is the message from Idahoans who now call the territory of Guam home after threats of an attack from North Korea.
“I’m ready for whatever,” Lolita Groves said.
Lolita and her husband, Colin, live on the island nine-months out of the year. The sold their Ririe home in 2008 to make a life on the island.
“I love it. My family is here,” Lolita said. “It is why I am so passionate about it. These people are beautiful.”
The island territory is on high alert after North Korea said its leader, Kim Jong Un, was briefed on his military’s plans to launch missiles in waters near Guam days after the Korean People’s Army announced its preparing to create “enveloping fire” near the U.S. military hub in the Pacific.
“This is nothing new to us,” Colin said. “We were on the island the last time the North Koreans threatened us. We have been on islands when it was high alert before. We have had Russian bombers fly over our house.”
The Groves and Lolita’s family, who still lives on the island full time, said many on the island are forced to wait. Across Guam, where nearly everyone is Roman Catholic, priests are praying for peace.
“They pray for everything,” Lolita said. “I have never prayed so much in my life than I do there. “
On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said if North Korea launches an attack on the island it will be “game on.”
“I worry, yes,” Lolita said. “It is a very scary situation. If North Korea decides to do something like that, they (island residents) believe that we are here and no matter what happens, it happens and we will just live on.”
The KPA’s Strategic Forces said last week it would finalize by mid-August a plan to fire four intermediate ballistic missiles near Guam and send it to Kim for his approval.
President Donald Trump tweeted North Korea would be met with “fire and fury” if an attack was to be launched.
The words are comforting to the Groves.
“It is the words that have the impact and in that area of the world direct talk carries weight,” Colin said.
Lolita’s cousin is the governor of Guam. Monday, he told his people there are no plans to evacuate the island if North Korea launches a missile and said he believes the risk remains very low.
“If I happen to be there when something happens, I’m blessed that I had a good life,” Lolita said. “I am going to think that way and the people around me because I have good people around me.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in says North Korea could create conditions for dialogue by stopping additional nuclear and missile tests.
Moon says that his government shares a view with Washington that the purpose of strong sanctions and pressure against North Korea is to draw Pyongyang to negotiations.
