The People

Monday 13^th August   

It is always easy to get to know children, especially these cheeky, outgoing children and especially if you’re a teacher. But the adults here are more reserved so we have been gradually working at building relationships and hopefully becoming accepted into the community. Then it just sort of happened, VERY suddenly! First David was told by one of the assistant teachers that he would come around to give us “the talk”. Great, we thought, we have made a connection. I have been helping one of the other ATs with her study and I was pleased when she asked could I speak to the tax office and organise some forms for her. Then another came to my door yesterday, with three little ones and several dogs in tow. I was delighted to be able to help her with her study book and then spontaneously, at her suggestion, we prayed together. Today I have been asked to speak to several people in Darwin concerning financial  matters. I’ve printed off pages of forms, sent through my email address, and stayed back at school to help a couple buy a car on the internet!!........a tricky one when you live in RR. I arrived home late only to hear that while David was in the shop a man approached him and said he was coming to dinner to talk to us!!  He is also a neighbor and we wandered over to his fire, which he’d lit outside his house, and chatted about making that meal another time… he said he will catch a Barra for us to eat.. sounds good. Ten minutes later he was in our kitchen chatting away.

As David said, “you never know what to expect in Rob River”. But I do feel we are quickly being accepted, ……. and that’s got to be a good thing.

  

Robinson River Moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Humour and Heartfelt 

• ·      A little tug on my shirt in the shop makes me turn around. I look down at a tiny face with big brown eyes and wild hair. “Can I have a look at your ipad Miss?”
• ·      David is helping students learn to add on 2 .  One of the older students asks him quietly, “Mister I am going to high school next year, can you please make me brainy?” 
• ·      We settled down to cook our brunch by the river when our little neighbour, who is quickly becoming our little shadow appeared, sat down, and just stared at the food cooking.. not a word, not a movement. When it was cooked David put bacon and egg between two fresh slices of bread, walked over to our little friend, and handed it to her. The look on her face will always stay with me; not a single sound from her while that and seconds were eaten to the last mouthful. On Monday in her school journal she wrote that she went to lunch with Miss Christine and Mr. David.
• ·      Show and Tell… “We went hunting Miss; shot a big kangaroo, cooked it for dinner Miss, it tasted real good.”
• ·      I am washing the dishes when five horses gallop by my window and down the main street, no one even turns to see where they are going.
• ·      Monday morning assembly, the principal asks if the children could round up the horses out of the playground, and shut the gates, before they start school.