Yoghurt For Breakfast

“What kind of food do you have?” the airport customs officer asked me. – “I have yoghurt powder, breakfast cereals, and….” The officer interrupted me, laughing out loud, and waved me through to the exit. Rolf was waiting for me, big smiles and big hugs and yes, it actually does feel a little like coming home. Back in Tonga.

What I had imagined to be really hard – returning to Tonga after spending a wonderful time with our families and friends in New Zealand – was now much easier than when we first started our assignment. The little house here is the place we have made our home for the time being. The place and the environment, the people and customs are now familiar. We have work to do which we are passionate about, and plenty of it.

We want to thank all our families and friends for the wonderful times we have had together back in New Zealand, the shared fun, joy and conversations. Thank you for the interest you take in ‘our story’. For your faithful encouragement. It means a lot to us. –  I recently read this quote by someone who went on an overseas assignment similar to ours:

“Do not go where the path may lead – go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.”

It brought back a conversation we had a couple of weeks ago, with our older grandchildren and sons-in-law. We talked about how often, when we do something a bit different, when we take an unconventional path and ‘march to the beat of a different drum’ – new discoveries about ourselves are made, and how we view the world around us. That’s what we feel we are doing right now. There comes hardship and sacrifice with it – but also personal growth and reward.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less travelled by
And that has made all the difference.” (Robert Frost)