visitors!

Monday, July 12

Yesterday, we were delighted to have three guests arrive on the Bikoi.  A teacher from America, Jolene, came to spend several weeks in the Solomons, and she was gracious enough to come to visit Marulaon for a few days.  An Australian brother-sister pair, Phillip and Naomi, accompanied her.  Their dad is a translator in the Solomons, so they are fluent in Solomon culture and in Pijin.  We are enjoying their company so much! 

 

Early this morning, we heard the church bell ring several times.  We didn't know any reason why it should be ringing so I went down to ask Eileen.  She said that our friend, Georgina, had died, and the bell was to let everyone know.  Georgina was the nurse at the Marulaon clinic when we first came.  When she had some kidney problems, she went to the hospital in Honiara, and our clinic closed.  It has remained closed since she hasn't been well enough to come back yet.  We were so saddened to hear of her death.  She had a sweet spirit and even made house calls for our family after hours when she still lived in Marulaon.  She leaves behind a husband and two young children.  

 

Later in the morning, my friend Grace helped Olivia, Naomi, Jolene, and me take the canoe out for a little bit to give Jolene her first taste of a dugout canoe.  We paddled over to a small island, Butat, where I went diving for shellfish in April.  This was the first time I'd had only one friend from Marulaon in the big canoe with me, and my arms got tired long before we got back to shore.  I could see the current coming against us like a river, and we were going upstream.  Guess I need to spend some more time in the canoe to strengthen my arms.

 

This afternoon, we made lelenga to show Jolene how to make this special food.  I was surprised to hear recently from another translator that lelenga is only a feast food in their village since our neighbors make it every week for their Sunday dinner.  Aaron, Phillip, Jolene and the big kids went down to welcome a visiting group of Sisters of the Church, so just Naomi and I were left to scrape ten coconuts and peel and scrape two big heaps of obikola.  I was very thankful when Isabella stopped by and helped for a little bit.  Our neighbors can scrape coconut and peel obikola so quickly!  I'll make sure to take the sokata out of the kitchen this time when I put the lelenga on the motu.