Good Bye Smith Family

Posted on by Katie Goshert

#sigosherts

Kindred spirits

November was a busy month. I mean, I could say that about every month, since moving here, but November was exceptionally busy. My dear friend and colleague returned to the Solomons at the beginning of the month. It was a happy event, but also sad. She came to say good bye. I hadn’t seen her in more than a year. She went home on Home Assignment last year, and was supposed to be back around June, but her and her husband got news that SIL couldn’t endorse their return to the Solomons because she and her son needed more support, due to their autism. This was devastating to her and her husband, to their village community, and also to me. This isn’t the first time I have had to say goodbye to a friend here in the Solomons. It really stinks.

So! The first half of November was preparing for the Smith arrival, airport pick ups, chats over coffee, moving boxes, going through boxes, helping set up a “yard” sale, and then I got to go back to BuruBuru and help do a Bale Sale, and go through more boxes and help set up another yard sale there too.

On a boat heading to BuroBuro
Front of boat
Arrived in BuruBuru- kicking my feet up on bales of clothes for the Bale Sale

Maybe you are wondering what a Bale Sale is? It’s so cool! There are many second hand clothing stores in Honiara. Used clothes come from Australia and America (maybe other places too) in heavy bales, the air all pressed out, and the clothes bound together with wire. When my friend and her husband first arrived in their village, they quickly saw the need for clothing. Many of their community wouldn’t attend church because they didn’t have what they would consider sufficient clothing. The Smiths were able to bring out a couple of bales of clothing and sell it for less than $2 US a piece. It was a huge success, and the community was so grateful. So, as they went out to their village to say their good byes and pack up their belongs, and sell the rest, they also brought out 5 bales of clothes for a bale sale.

Playing cashier
The bales are opened on the tarp, and people grab armfuls and sort through them, selecting what they want and then put the rest back
At the community good bye party- group picture
Some of the kids that would hang around and come to the river with us (we bathed in the river)
Taking a quick rest after a long day of packing
Their pet cat liked to be held like a baby, and often was found sleeping here by the shoe shelf
At the beach, the morning we left on the boat- sweet women of the community, tears were in everyone’s eyes as they said good-bye
Our view as we headed back to the city- the rainbow stayed in view for at least and hour, reminding my sweet friends that God’s promises were true and He would always go before them

I cry again, as I think of my sweet friend. We have ways to stay in touch, but it just isn’t the same. I miss her terribly. I am also so stinking proud of her and her husband! They are so brave and strong, full of hope and love. I pray God blesses them as they head to PNG to serve Bible Translation in new roles.