Child of Orokolo

As the sun rose in the horizon its pinkish reddish brown fell on the dark pitched sand of Iuku village. Its facinating eye captivating sight illured those early risers who got into action.

Haeare packed her lunch and headed for Orokolo Mission Station . She was a helper at the mission hospital with the missionaries in their area.

As the months rolled on by she got to do basic dressings for sores and with help of the nurses adminustered oral medication.

Her personality beautifully clothed her with magic fingers. She cared for the sick so well and was promoted to an assistant nurse.

She had no idea that, that was the beginning of a career she never thought would take her to the country's capital. For she only could read and write at least a paragraph or two. But her greatest teacher was her father an ordained pastor of the London Missionary Society.

Her text was the bible and prayer that moulded the character within 

The Papuan Medical Collage at that time was enrolling nurses and she was selected by the missionaries who recommended her for enrollment .

The good news arrived , Haeare was leaving for the city.

She bid farewell to her loved ones at home and the missionaries for making it possible to go for the training to become a nurse. Little did she know that she'd never again return to her homeland. 

The city lights were beautiful at night but she missed the tranquility of life in the village. She missed her parents and her siblings more than anything else.

A village girl who was not prepared for life in the city back than. 

But the rules of the collage helped her to hang in there. Her bible and prayer her light to her path.

Letter writing was the only form of communication. She wrote home only twice.

Training was fun and exciting for her. She caught up quite fast since the nurses at home had prepared her well.

The only thing that she had to get used to was her new name Helen. The expatriates back than couldn't pronounce the name Haeare, as well as that they couldn't remember her name. So she was given the name Helen.

The day arrived and she found herself part of the second lots of graduates of Papuan Medical Collage.

It was around that time as well she got married to a handsome young man from the Trobriand Islands who was here course mate.

Her marriage and her job took her further away from home. But she was fortunate to travel home with her three girls on one of her breaks . Her parents then got to see their grandchildren.

That unfortunately was the last time she got to see her father. About an year later her father passed away. This was a pain unbearable for her. Since she never got to witness his burial.

She got to serve with her husband in a couple of hospitals in the country  

She was firm and got along well with her staff. She served with dignity and pride up till he retirement. But unfortunately was never paid her dues. Many broken promises and jealousy left her broken and torn. As a simple village girl she left this world with nothing of her service to the Health Department of her country.

But her legacy lives on in the minds and hearts of those she trained and worked with and those dearest to her heart 

I know this beautiful heart because she is my mother.

My queen my hero . You have taught me what true honest service is. You vowed to serve and not to be served as Florence Nightingale did. You did it with truth honesty and saved many lives.

Though you lie in the city that made you who you are. Your people will always know that you are the child of Orokolo.

Rest in eternal peace my mom .. arave lou Sr. Helen Ratu ( Haeare Meakao)