Many long years to you

TOMORROW the year 2011 ends.  And Joseph Irima, 81, from Vurar and LungaLunga in East New Britain province will thank God for His grace that has seen him through to the end of another year.
Irima has experienced countless blessings throughout his long life which he says he owes to God, to his wife Sinai Kavanamur, 70, his nine children and 20 grandchildren.
Irima was awarded a Meritorious Community Service Medal (MCS) on May 26 this year, in the 2011 New Year Honours List
On that day, Irima was accompanied by his son Kaminiel and his wife to Government House, dressed neatly in a navy blue laplap, white shirt and tie and sandals to receive his medal. 
Irima said: “Always put God first in everything you do. I owe my achievement to God.”
Born to Kaminiel ToRot and Oscillah IaVue, Joseph was the first of two children.  His brother Kulap Pidik, 78, lives in Tavui No 1 village, with his wife and nine children.
When he was five years old Irima’s mother died leaving him to the care of his aunts IaUtul of Tavui No 1 village and IaMonde of Vurar. Later relatives Sakius Tande and Nellie Kavanamur at LungaLunga village took care of him. 
Joseph saw the Mt Tavurvur eruption in 1937 and  the plight of the people which followed.
He survived World War II (1942-45) when Japanese soldiers invaded Vurar, capturing young men, including his father. He remembers vividly Japanese soldiers ordering him and his mother at gunpoint to round up poultry for soldiers’ meals.
His uncle ToVilomo gathered villagers one night to escape.  Using two canoes they sailed out in rough seas, Joseph was with his mother in one canoe. The other canoe capsized halfway to shore.  His two uncles and two aunties ToVilomo, ToMaragil, IaMode and IaPulit had to swim to shore. His father was killed in 1945.
From 1946 to 1953, as people were resettling after war, Joseph attended Luk Buk (vernacular school) and later did Grade 1 to 5 at the village primary school.
 From 1954 to1956, he did Grades 6-8 at Nganalaka High School and went on to do Grade 9 and 10 at Kerevat high school.
In 1961, he was one of the recruits taken in by the Correctional Institutional Services (CIS).
His first post was at Kerevat the same year as senior CIS admin clerk. In 1962 he married Sinai Kavanamur. His first child Junior (Joseph) was born a year later, his daughters Pauline and Oscillah were born in 1965 and 1966 respectively. 
In 1971 he was the commanding officer at CIS in Kavieng, New Ireland. In 1975 he moved to CIS Bihute, Eastern Highlands.  Other centres he served at were Barawagi (Chimbu), Baisu (Western Highlands), Buiebi and Buimo (Morobe).
Joseph retired in 1981and returned home where he became LungaLunga Primary School board vice chairman and caretaker treasurer until 1984.
Since 1985, he was chairman and treasurer of the Boava United church pastorate in 1996 and circuit which controls 10 congregations – Boava, Vurar, Matanakivu, Pakanairir, Tavaluai, Ramandu, Masava, Kelepom, Nangas and Valmatki.
Under his leadership secured a vehicle, a boat, a canteen, two pastors’ houses at Vunairima, three land titles for the Boava pastorate at Natava, Tavaluai, Nangas and Kelepom, and a minister’s four-bedroom house at Boava worth K120,000.
Today, Joseph has been chairman of Boava United church circuit for North Coast and North Baining since 2004.
He told his son Kaminiel recently: “I thank Oscillah, my daughter, and her husband Dr Kaminiel and their daughters Julie-Anne and Josephine for our trip to Port Moresby for the investiture,” 
“Boas and partner Pauline; Miriam and husband Kauli and sons Emmanuel, Michael and Joseph and Kubak my last born son, Daniel Kautu my nephew and Melita Burangat my granddaughter”.
So what has kept him going all these years? “You live long when you are loved and cared for.  My wife has stood by me since we were married plus the love my children and 20 grandchildren give me.”
What about food? “My diet includes a lot of fruit and spices like ginger and chilli. I eat a lot of bananas and singapu (Chinese taro). It is healthy to eat aibika and banana with no protein,” Joseph said.
Kaminiel said about his father: “Life was peaceful growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. My father was a football player and would take us to watch weekend matches or take us to movies on big screens.”
“I grew up in EHP.  I did my primary education in North Goroka and Kainantu primary schools.  My older siblings were back at home in Lungalunga in the care of my grandparents Vana and Kubak.  Our youngest brother, who is employed with Air Niugini, was born in ENB when dad had retired. 
“I remember Christmas then, dad always had enough food and presents – not so glamorous and expensive but simple for us all.
“Father often told us; Fear God alone and prayer must be a daily ritual. I recall my childhood when he would wake us up to pray before school.  At times, we complained but respected our father”. 
“He told me never to lay a hand on a woman. He never hit our mum. They would argue though.
 Mum said if it was not for dad, she would never have flown in a plane and lived in places like Lae, Kavieng, Kainantu, Goroka, Mt Hagen and Chimbu.  She even named the planes like Ansett, TAA and Fokker Friendship F27.”
“There are struggles in life we go through but our parents go through so much. As a parent myself with four children, I see the struggle they went through for us to be happy,” Kaminiel adds. 
This festive season, the family celebrated many blessings they have received but especially the long life God has given their father. 
“My dad and mum, will be celebrating because God will give them peace and happiness.” 
“A variru, warmari ma tinorom. – “As dad would always say practice these three words; respect, love, obey – every day”.
 “We owe it to you dad,” Kaminiel said. 
“Bosi tuna tata.  Karimu vinitiri pire mamami mise nukulavia nokeni, ravasalili ma tara umana bungubungu paruka.  Kir mbia naravi kake.”  “Thank you dad, your words we shall treasure always and be with us forever.”