Mothers Worry for Sons Deployment in Middle East
“It hurts me that my son left for Tour of Duty (TOD) because at the moment there is a war going on there, but I will continue to pray for him so that God protects him and other military personnel.”
Monday 23 October 2023 | 09:14
Lance Corporal Manasa Wainiqolo (second from left) with his wife, Esther (left) and daughter Evlogia, mother Miliana Wainiqolo (third from left), Latu Salusalu and father Joji Wainiqolo at the Nadi International Airport.
The thought of war in the Middle East has Miliana Wainiqolo worried and in tears after seeing her son, Lance Corporal Manasa Wainiqolo, off Nadi International Airport yesterday.
LCpl Wainiqolo was among the 99 Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) personnel who left the country for one-year peacekeeping duties in Sinai.
Mrs Wainiqolo and her family members travelled from Suva to farewell her second youngest son.
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“It hurts me that my son left for Tour of Duty (TOD) because at the moment there is a war going on there, but I will continue to pray for him so that God protects him and other military personnel.”
The mother of seven was not the only mother who shared tears when the soldiers boarded the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft.
Another mother, Loata Liku, could not stop her tears when she saw her son, Private Tevita Kuruyaya, wave from the aircraft.
She missed hugging her son because they were late, having travelled from Navosa early in the morning.
Despite being late, she had the opportunity to wave at the RAAF aircraft as it departed the airport runaway.
“I miss my son. It hurts me that I didn’t meet him board the plane, and knowing that I will be spending this Christmas without him. I will always pray for him.”
“This is his first TOD, and he was excited about it,” Mrs Liku added.
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