AN appeal on Facebook for old eyeglasses and sunglasses has received an overwhelming response.<\/p>\n
Run by Wendy Rigney, who spent six years in Papua New Guinea as a teenager, will be taking the glasses to the country when she visits next month.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was almost 13 when my family moved to Bougainville Island,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy father had already been there for a year as camp catering services manager for the local copper mine. Then my mother, two sisters and I joined him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a wonderful place and I have so many great memories.\u201d<\/p>\n
Visiting Port Moresby in 2014, Ms Rigney was shocked by the poverty she saw on some of the small islands.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the poverty, everyone is so friendly and happy, always smiling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI stayed with Louisa Kariko who was my sister\u2019s friend and always at our house when we lived there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I came home, I asked around for unwanted knitting needles and yarn, and on my next visit taught many women to knit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were so grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four years ago, Ms Rigney searched Facebook to see if she could find another friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatricia was a good friend but after I started work, and then later moved back to Australia, we lost contact,\u201d Ms Rigney said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough Facebook, I was able to find her daughter Ireen and I\u2019ve sent messages through her ever since. Patricia still lives on Bougainville Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext month I am going to surprise Patrica. She doesn\u2019t know I\u2019m coming, and we haven\u2019t seen each other for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the way, I will visit Louisa and take all the glasses. They are desperately needed and much too expensive over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Rigney leaves at the end of next month and already has her suitcase packed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI received so many glasses I had to take out some of my clothes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t need any more for now but, if they can still use more, I will collect them when I return and post them over.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, to everyone who responded. You have helped to make a big difference to my PNG family.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AN appeal on Facebook for old eyeglasses and sunglasses has received an overwhelming response. Run by Wendy Rigney, who spent six years in Papua New Guinea as a teenager, will be taking the glasses to the country when she visits next month. \u201cI was almost 13 when my family moved to Bougainville Island,\u201d she said. […]<\/p>\n