Skip to Main Content

BLOG: Community - "Going back home"

BLOG: Community - "Going back home"

Summary: Aaron talks about his first trip back to his village after moving away.

Author: Aaron Hilliker

 

 I had the pleasure of heading back to my home island of Ambrym to do the yearly site visit for the volunteers who are currently serving there. I got to the airport at that oh-so-familiar time of 5am to check in to my flight.  Waited two hours, boarded a fairly packed twin otter airplane, landed in Paama Island, took off from Paama Island, landed in Ambrym Island, and was greeted by the familiar faces of my family. 

After a 30 minute truck ride, we arrived in Endu Village just as the first bell, and the longest of the bells, for the gathering of church was ringing. This meant that it must be about 10am, and that church would start in about an hour.

I went and said hello to the volunteer who replaced me, saw my dog for the first time in nine months, and was hit with all the memories of living in this little house, by myself, for over two years. All the times I met and talked with people on my front steps about life and work, fed and scratched the belly of my pig Jerry Gergich, and that little chair I would use to sit on and call my mother for the 20 minutes I was allocated every Sunday from my satellite phone. 

After dispersing all of the mail, medicine, and goodies that I had brought for the volunteer, I went up to my family’s house and dropped my bags off. I would be staying in their new fully cement brick house that my dad built. He had just recently returned from seasonal work in Australia and he built this house with that money. 

By this time, the last bell for church was ringing and I heard my grandma call out for me to tell me it was time to go. I quickly put my best button-up shirt on and shorts and dashed out the door, making sure not to forget my Buk Fo Hymnal. 

We were a little late to church and I had to endure the staring, but it was a happy staring, from the people in my village who wanted to come shake my hand but could not because church had started. The deacon made his morning announcement and welcoming statement in the local language of Ambrym that I am not yet able to speak. Then the leading elder took to the podium and started giving his welcome. He specifically welcomed the men, women, children, elders, and their Peace Corps volunteer (me). He could of easily had said our old volunteer. Instead he said our volunteer. This really struck a chord with me and the way I look at my service and time I spent with the people of Endu Village. They have a new volunteer and I have moved on to another job. However, to them I will always be their volunteer. Present tense. Always there, not physically, but in their minds and hearts, and they too will always have a special place in my mind and heart.