Here We Go!

As usual, our SITAG family turned out in full force to help us get ready for the ship. We sent an e-mail out this morning letting everyone know that we hoped to load the truck at three o'clock. Well before then, we had extras at the house helping do whatever needed to be done.

Almost our entire SITAG came to help load the truck, and by four o'clock we were stuck in Honiara traffic on our way to the wharf.

 Our family almost always has to divide up to find enough space on the ship for us to spread out and sleep.

 But this time, the ship was almost empty and we were able to find a great spot where we could all stretch out on benches or the floor, and all of our cargo stacked up on the walls behind us.

Our SITAG family helped carry and count the one hundred boxes from the truck up to the ship (even my seedlings and flowers came along),

then several of them stayed, played games, and visited for a while.

Around six o'clock, another SITAG team came to bring us supper: homemade pizza and cold grape koolaid. Koolaid never tasted so good!

 Families came and went to tell us goodbye,

including our former director and his wife, dear friends. They will be leaving the Solomons soon, so this goodbye was a little teary.

We finally settled in to our sleeping positions around 8:30, the kids reading books, and Aaron and I just talking softly. The area where we settled was full of Lavukal, and it was really nice to hear snippets of Lavukaleve floating through the air.

We were surprised when the ship pulled quietly out of the wharf a few minutes before nine o'clock. No whistle or anything to warn late passengers. We paused in the water then turned back to the other end of the wharf where the ship pulled up to refuel. We were so glad the Kosco came back because more SITAG friends came to say goodbye and boarded the ship for a few minutes!   Finally, a little before ten o'clock, the ship really did begin its journey toward the Russell Islands, and we settled in for a long night.

We pulled into Yandina, the first stop, around 4 a.m. Our friends warned us to watch our many boxes carefully, because young men often boarded the ship just to walk around and take things. Sure enough, Olivia saw a man take one of our boxes, so Aaron got off the ship to deal with the situation in a culturally appropriate way – by making a big stink! We didn't get the box back, but thankfully, it was a kitchen box with baking soda, baking powder, and salt in it. I think our thief was bitterly disappointed.

Between Yandina and our village, Marulaon, we watched the sun rise. Benjamin and Olivia climbed to the very front of the ship and stood talking almost the entire hour.

We watched dark clouds begin to form, and a rainbow appeared over Marulaon as we approached our home for the first time in 19 months. Unfortunately, a storm was approaching, too. It broke just as we begin to unload our boxes from the upper deck where we slept to the lower deck.

 Canoes lined up four deep as everyone attempted to get to shore in the driving rain. I was so proud of our kids!.

The Choates made a line as we handed boxes down from me on the upper deck all the way to Sarah in the bobbing canoe.  I whispered prayers for safety as I hoisted boxes. 

Eventually, the three girls went on to shore with the first load of boxes while the rest of us stayed to battle the storm. We were soaked through by the time we climbed into the last canoe and headed toward Marulaon. Our neighbors helped immensely. Some of them had climbed on board to lend their muscles in the driving rain, extra canoes had shown up to help, some of our friends were already carrying our wet boxes up the hill to our house, some of them were watching our boxes under cover. We have the best neighbors ever.

We quickly changed into dry clothes, devoured the banana bread we brought along, and tackled the new day by unpacking boxes and drying of damp books. Several boxes dissolved in the rain and had to be thrown away. Thankfully, the sun came out soon, and we were able to put our wet backpacks and clothes out to dry. We're so thankful for all of those who were praying for us through this crazy ship ride!