He's Home!

At 11:15 last night, the phone rang.  It was Aaron calling from Yandina, about six hours away, to let me know that he was finally on the way home.  At 6:00 this morning, the phone rang again.  This time Aaron said he thought the Kosco had slowed down a little to arrive in Honiara at dawn.  The boat was on the outskirts of Honiara, so I quickly woke up the kids, and by the time we all got dressed, this was the wonderful sight that met our eyes.  Aaron's ship coming into Honiara's harbor.

 

 

The ship paused (maybe just for us?) so that by the time our colleague drove the truck to the right part of the wharf, the Kosco was just nosing up to the dock.  Seeing my tired, smiling husband was a sweet sight!

 

 

We found that several of our friends had also come back on the Kosco.  Winter had come to pick up his sister, Hilda, and he lent his muscles to helping us unload cargo.  I love Solomon Islanders, especially Lavukal.  Everybody always pitches in to help.

 

 

Our chief's son, Gerald, also returned on this trip, accompanied by three huge ice chests full of fish for a school fundraiser on Saturday.  We're planning to go and support him and another young lady from Marulaon who attends the same school.  My friend Melissa/Leku was also on the ship and waved a greeting.

 

 

She came in with her cousin sister Agnes, and we invited them to ride up in the back of the truck with us since they were headed to a house really close to SITAG.

 

 

Smiles abounded now that Daddy was home!  On the way up the hill toward SITAG, I was trying to listen to rapid Lavukaleve over the roar of the truck's engine and I mentioned that I was going to Honiara's Central Market that morning.  I always try to head to market for fish from our area when the Kosco has just come in.  Agnes said, "I have fish.  Do you want some?"  I didn't intend to take her food, so I told her no.  Then she pulled out her ace card.  "I have cassava pudding, too.  Do you want some of that."  I couldn't turn down lelenga from the Russells.  It's the best cassava pudding in the entire Solomon Islands.  And I'm not biased a bit.  So I accepted her offer, but told her just to give me one.

 

 

We dropped off the ladies at a house on our morning exercise route, and Agnes dug in her box to pull out a parcel of lelenga and four parcels of fish.  I was so happy!  The parcels smelled like home.  We waved goodbye and chugged the rest of the way toward SITAG.  As soon as we walked in the door, I unwrapped the parcels and dug into the breakfast of champions.