Monday 17th September
There was much excitement as David drove
the children back into the community on Sunday, arriving just before sunset.
Tooting and waving, they drove around the streets, to celebrate their return
from their Melbourne trip, and to let the parents know that they were back. At
the school, he dropped off the tired travellers and their luggage that had now
doubled in volume.
Throughout the day I had been asked, “when
is Mr. Dave gunna be back Miss?”
The children had been sorely missed and as
with all guardians, there was the worry that they may not have been safe in
that big city. I was waiting with my neighbours who had been missing their
daughter, and I was delighted to see David return. As I gave him a welcome home
hug and kiss, a sense of gratitude swept over me. I watched the children greet their parents
and guardians. There were smiles and certainly signs that they were pleased to
see each other, but no hugs or kisses. That sign of affection is not part of
their culture. David took one girl to
her house only to find that there was no one home. He returned with her to our
neighbours where she was casually told that her mother had gone up to Darwin
for medical tests and she could stay with them until her return. She sat quietly with the others as they
showed off their bootie from Melbourne, and my heart went out to her. Such resilience.
Once again I saw a stoic little one put on a brave face and not complain.
The day before, I had been out walking with
two little girls when one told me the reason why she had been away from school
and that she’d had five needles in five days.
Antibiotics are mostly given via injection here as tablets are usually
not taken as prescribed.
I asked how she coped with needles. Her
answer; “I’m seven now, I don’t feel pain no more, I got no more tears now.”
Maybe in some cases it is just mind over
matter. One of the school children had been complaining of a sore throat and
was sent to the principal, who asked her; “What can I do?” “Give me a band-aid
Mister.” She returned to class with the
band-aid stuck on her neck feeling much better.
The same girl asked me for a band-aid when she had a ‘sore bone’ after
falling from a tree.
The Melbourne trip had been wonderful,
exhausting, exhilarating and overwhelming. It will take a while for all the
stories to come out.
David was amazed at how they sat in the
back of the troupie, for the two-day drive home without complaining, happily
amusing themselves between sleeps. At one point he could smell a strong mint
odor throughout the 4WD. Upon looking in the rear vision mirror, he was amazed
to see that all eight had painted their faces with toothpaste!
It
will also be a long time before we forget the Zoo story. When one of the
‘hunter gatherer children’ from Robinson River saw so many pigeons at the
picnic area of the zoo, he raced off (stick in hand) to return soon after with
a live bird, much to the amazement of bystanders.
They were tired at school today, although pleased
to be back in their small community and enjoying the hot sunshine. Their new
clothes and gifts had been shared around and several students where happy to
wear a new Katmandu polar fleece in
the 31oC heat.
I am looking forward to hearing more about the
trip that has given them a glimpse of another world
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