Stories From Kiribati

[This story took place several decades back and at the time when there was only one main hospital ever built for all the inhabited islands of Kiribati. This hospital was at Abaokoro village on the island of North Tarawa. All patients with serious cases from the rest of the islands had to be admitted to this hospital for treatment]

An elderly man from the island of Arorae, the last island in the south, was admitted to Abaokoro hospital for treatment. Accompanying him all the way fro...

Below is the lyric of a sad song composed and sung by Nei Kauee (Kiribati well known female singer) and her group FOB - a local string choir which was so popular in 1980s. The four verses of the song together provide a summarised account of what really happened to Te Roota and passengers who were onboard her at that miserable trip. Te Roota was a passenger boat running mainly between Tarawa and Abaiang islands. It was owned and run by the people of Nuotaea village on Abaiang island. This trip...

I was thinking of my brother who was very ill at the hospital. I wanted him to get well soon so that he could be home with us as one happy family. I loved and missed him as he had not been around for days. While thingking of him, I remembered my Heavenly Father, the only one, who could make my brother well again.

As I prayed, I remembered all the things my brother often did for me when I needed help. I did cry while asking my Heavenly Father not to take my brother away from us. I also a...