Goodbye to the Solomons

There is a time for everything under the sun, including saying goodbye.

We have spent the last few days saying goodbye to all the people we have come to dearly love in the Solomons. It hasn't been easy, but as I keep reminding myself, it is all part of the experience.

On Monday, (our last full day in the Solomons), we started packing to come home, but there were so many last minute things we wanted to do, so we didn't get much of it done. I spent the whole morning out with the teachers from the Hospital school trying to organise uniforms for them (long story). It was a long and frustrating ordeal, (not uncommon for the Solomons), but in the end we got it done.

Elora spent the morning playing with Lucy.

Later on we took all the kids from the base out to Frangapani Ice for an ice cream, which was lots of fun.

Sixteen ice creams please!

Helen had promised the girls she would braid their hair before they came home, so she spent a good part of the afternoon doing that!



We decided to go out for dinner, (so we didn't have to cook), and asked Florrie to come along. We loved spending whatever time we had left together.



After dinner we came back and enjoyed some delicious cake (make by Susan) with most people from the base. Michael, Salome, Lovelyn and Mikey were also there, and had some lovely presents for the girls. Brianna was thrilled with her butterfly necklace - a matching one with Lovelyn.

Cousins and friends - Lovelyn and Bri.

Leonia and Salome spent ages doing Elora's hair.

Our little Solomon girl, proudly displaying her new hair style and new bilum bag!

The kids squealed and laughed right into the night, running around the base enjoying themselves (not at all concerned about the many cane toads all over the grass). We said goodbye to Kevin, Simon and Lydia, who were off to Malata early the next morning, and were assured by Kevin that we were always welcome to come back.

Following dessert, Geoff and James worked on getting the musical songs programmed into James' keyboard (for when the youth group perform the musical after we're gone), and I attempted to get our hyperactive, over-tired children into bed (no easy task).

Geoff and I fell into bed at the end of the night, tired and exhausted, yet unable to sleep - so much was going through our minds.

Tuesday was a scramble to get everything packed in time, but we managed! I was quite teary all day, knowing that we had to leave, but not wanting to let go of the people we had come to love. But it had to happen, and by one o'clock, we packed all our stuff on the back of the big blue truck, said goodbye to everyone at the base, and headed off to the airport.

We arrived at the airport, emotions already in a fray, to discover that all the girls friends and teachers from Emmaus Christian School were there to see us off. I promptly burst into tears, which of course set Bri and Sophie off too (sorry girls!) It was very touching though - the kids had made beautiful flower lays for our whole family, and they presented us with necklaces, as well as booklets for the girls with letters from their friends.

Millie and Rose. No sign of tears from Millie!

Sophie did lots of crying! Thankfully she stopped long enough for Mona Lisa to give Soph her new necklace.

Some of the teachers and students from school.

From there it all got quite overwhelming. Most of the youth group were also there to see us off, and they had enlarged and framed a lovely group photo taken at the musical for us to keep. Other people we knew were there as well - people from the base, and well as the Reitvelds.

It was so hard to say goodbye. I'm not sure why we connected so quickly over such a short period of time, but God has certainly blessed this experience for us, and we are just so glad we came.

As we walked onto the tarmac we looked up to say goodbye to everyone on the viewing platform. We held up six pieces of paper, spelling the word 'FRIEND' (as done in one of the scenes in the musical), then climbed the stairs to hop on the plane.


We had a fairly uneventful trip home (always a good thing), and landed safely in Sydney last night. We were picked up by Dad, and slept at their house last night. It was great to chat with Mum and Dad about our last week in the Solomons, knowing that they both understood what it was like. God is good! I guess it will take us a while to process the whole experience. At the moment I still feel strange being here - my heart is not wanting to let go of what we had. I am trying to remind myself of all the things I didn't like about the Solomons (eg. mozzie larvae in the 'clean drinking water', damp sheets and clothes, constantly sweating, always being itchy, etc. etc.)

We drove home to freezing cold Bowral today, and were greeted with a beautiful bunch of tulips and welcome home cards from the Strakers. Then as we looked further, we discovered our fridge had been stocked with generous amounts of food! It was very touching and such a blessing!

Straight into warm jackets - today was only 9 degrees. We ended up lighting the fire - so much for skipping winter!

So there ends my blog. I think I will miss blogging every few days! Thank you to everyone who has followed our adventures - we have been so encouraged by the comments people have left, and hope that you have enjoyed the ride.

If you ever get the opportunity to experience a different culture,
GO FOR IT!

A bucket load of tears

Today was a big day for us, and one that will carry many beautiful memories.

It was our last Sunday at Kukum Church. We were looking forward to it, wanting to savour every memory, especially of the beautiful singing. We didn't realise that we (all six of us) would be called out the front and prayed over by the leadership team, and generously thanked for working with the youth. That was emotional enough, but then the youth all stood up and sang 'Friends are Friends Forever' to us. Stella, who introduced the song, was in tears before the song began. Then I really lost it, as did many of the young people, who found it very difficult to sing while crying! We have been so blessed in getting to know the youth group so well in such a short period of time, and saying goodbye was always going to be hard.

After church, we and all the youth headed off to the prison to participate in the opening of the chapel service, and to perform the musical one last time. It was quite a logistical effort getting everyone cleared and approved to enter the prison, and it took ages to get over 40 people into the prison. Many of the girls were really nervous about being near the prisoners, so it was quite a big thing for them to come along.

Geoff, and the men he had been teaching music to, lead us in some wonderful worship songs, and the youth all sang along enthusiastically. The program dragged on a bit though, and in the end, we ran out of time to finish the musical, so that was a shame. But what we did do was done very well - everyone worked hard to encourage the inmates and be a blessing to them.

Geoff was sad to say farewell to the men that he had been working with in the music program for the last 6 weeks. Many of them are changed men and love the Lord dearly yet have a lengthy or life sentence to serve. So saying goodbye to another group of friends was hard.

It was pouring rain the whole way through the 2 hour service (I think the wet season has already started), and it hadn't stopped by the time we got out of the prison, so we had a very wet trip back to SWIM on the back of the truck!

Unbeknown to us, the youth group had organised a farewell for us at SWIM, and by the time we got back from the prison, tables and chairs were all set up, and dinner was ready to be served! It was so lovely.


Many touching speeches were given, and we (all six of us again) received precious gifts from different people in the youth.

Honestly, it was quite overwhelming, and I certainly didn't feel worthy of all the thanks. We have received so much blessing ourselves from working with the youth. It is amazing to see how we have all impacted each other in such a short period of time, and how God has worked through us all.

Proudly wearing some of our new gifts.

More songs were sung ...
more tears were shed ...


... and then it was time to say goodbye.

We ran around, taking as many photos as possible, not wanting to forget anyone.

The boys in the band!

Shirley, Esther, Gail, Kevin and I

Showing off for the camera!

My dear friend Florie.
I will find it hardest to say goodbye to Florie.
She lives at SWIM, and has been like a sister to me.

The Kukum Boys (this one's for you Narelle!)

Brianna and Sophie have found saying goodbye very difficult, (as have Geoff and I), and have shed many tears at the prospect of leaving. Millie and Elora, on the other hand, seem completely un-affected! We all cope with things differently. It will be interesting to see how we all deal with 'reverse culture shock' in a few days time.

Musical celebrations!

We finished on a great note last night!

I'm so proud of all the young people and what they have accomplished.

End of musical celebrations!

Musical fun

I'm on a high right now!

We've just arrived home from the second night of performing the musical, and it was fantastic! I'm so thrilled to see how well it has come together and how much the young people have enjoyed themselves. The audience loved the musical, and all want to come back tomorrow, even though it is a sell out! (I think they will just all squash in - not the same fire regulations here!) It is really the first time many people here have seen anything like this, and they are loving it!

Our opening night was not as exciting - there were a few technical issues and the cast didn't sing as well as they had in the practises. So it was so great to step up tonight and really have fun! And once again, the young people are so quick to give all glory to God for the gifts and talents He has given them, and for enabling them to perform.

So, let's pray that tomorrow night is just as good, and that people are touched with the message that Jesus was willing to die to make us friends with God (and even better, children of God!)

Sorry, no photos - Geoff and I are too busy to take any!