The power of stories
I wanted to share a story from a reader friend who bought a copy of Miltrup’s memoir, When The Garamuts Beat. I sought her permission to share this story and she wholeheartedly agreed.
Many people who purchased Franz Miltrup’s memoir have enjoyed a close association with Bougainville and or PNG. The book is full of relatable stories, including people some of us remember. It describes events with such clarity from pre-war days, during the war, and post-PNG’s independence, that we can easily imagine the scenes as they are written.
My friend’s parents lived in PNG and Bougainville in the early 1950s, and her beautiful mum now lives courageously with Alzheimer’s in a nursing home. My friend has been reading Fr Miltrup’s memoir to her dear mum, and as familiar names and places are mentioned, her eyes light up and her face sparkles with happiness. She listens attentively, throwing in comments and even corrections to her daughter’s pronunciation of certain words. This brought home to me the power of story telling, especially when it relates to a time and place we are drawn to. Stories, like music are food for the soul.
Photos below are from my family collection taken at Tubiana and Chabai missions Bougainville.
