Agriculturalist Paul Craig and his wife Marguerite returned to Britain in July after spending four years in the Solomon Islands. Marguerite spoke at a conference in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this year. Here are extracts and a postscript from Paul:
Marguerite: I have a great fear of flying. This is not good when married to a tropical agriculturalist and living in the UK. Paul would come home and say, ‘How would you like to come and live in Nigeria - Saudi Arabia - Zambia - Papua New Guinea - Solomon Islands?’ Each time my answer would be the same: ‘No thanks, I’m very happy where I am.’ Again and again I have had to give my fear to God. At times I have cursed Paul and his chosen job. My dream was always to live in the same street as all my family. Friends would live in the outlying villages and I could bicycle out to see them. No need to have a car, let alone go on an aeroplane!
Well, God had other plans. We have now lived in seven different countries in our 33 years of marriage. We lived in 12 different homes in our first 10 years of marriage. What is amazing is that you can overcome the things you are most frightened of - and as you do that and go towards your fears, you not only grow as a person, but you grow closer to God, and your faith is kindled and blessed.
These last years in Solomon Islands have been truly amazing - the friendships we have made, the adventures we have had. We have also had the privilege of working with the small but dynamic IofC group called Winds of Change. This is a group of mostly young people who have not only led a Clean Elections Campaign in these islands but have also put many things right with their families and have gone out to help Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
We have also experienced riots and the burning of Chinatown in Honiara. We have had to help rescue a friend from a burning hotel. We have landed on tiny islands, just missing the coconut palms, where the cattle are used to keep the grass down on the runway. We have dived to the depths of the ocean and seen hundreds of rainbow-coloured fish. We have visited people who are totally cut off from society, to help them with school materials and general support. I have volunteered in schools with classes of 60 and only 30 pencils between them.
God has spoken quite clearly to me. He has said, ‘This world is your family. It is not just your children, parents and good friends. Open your heart. There are so many people out there who need your love and help.’ I am grateful to have a husband who demands the best of me and a God who loves me and challenges me all the time to move out of that ‘comfort zone’ which leaves little room for growth or movement.
Paul: I worked on the European Union portfolio of aid programmes and Marguerite taught successive classes at the International School, but together we were involved in so much more. We supported the growth of a group of mainly young volunteers who formed Winds of Change and are committed to the development of their young country, freed from corruption. Their message, that change starts with oneself, proved to be both a challenge and an inspiration. We have also appreciated our link with the Melanesian Brotherhood, an Anglican order who are a humble but joyful force of national builders engaged in the same battle. Whilst we are clear it is the right time for us to return to the UK, we leave Solomon Islands with a concern that these somewhat fragile initiatives receive the support they need to grow and operate.
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