23/07/2026
๐ผ ๐
๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ฉ. ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ง๐: ๐ผ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ข๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐
By Willie Kombua
In 2019, I had the privilege of serving as one of the facilitators during the Simbu Province Teachers' PIST Week held at Muina Secondary School. My presentation focused on ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ (๐๐๐๐) that I had developed.
The response was overwhelming. Teachers and school leaders showed great interest, and the presentation sparked many discussions about how technology could improve school administration.
Among those in the audience was ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง a teacher from Southern Highlands Province who was serving at ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ in Simbu. Although he was married to a Simbu woman, he carried himself with the warmth and humility that instantly made him easy to connect with. After my presentation, he approached me with great enthusiasm.
"One day, I want you to come to our school and install this system," he said confidently.
Little did I know that his words would soon become reality.
In October 2021, I received a WhatsApp message from Mr. Simon. True to his promise, he invited me to Yauwe Moses Secondary School to install my School Information Management System. It was a wonderful opportunity, made even more special because his wife, Mrs. Simon, was then serving as the school's Principal.
Together with my support team, I travelled to Simbu and successfully completed the installation and training. The hospitality we received was unforgettable. After our work was done, Mr. Simon took us to the famous ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐, where he bought each of us a beautiful souvenir mug bearing the Congo Coffee logoโa simple gesture that spoke volumes about his generosity.
At the school, I also met Brian, the school's bursarโa smart, energetic young man with a bright future ahead of him. The following day, I spent several hours training him on the financial management features of the system. His eagerness to learn made the training enjoyable.
That evening, we shared a delicious meal at Mr. Simon's home. Surrounded by laughter, conversation, and genuine friendship, I felt less like a visitor and more like a member of the family.
Then came the adventure.
Knowing that I enjoyed exploring new places, Mr. Simon suggested we drive to the famous ๐๐ญ. ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข.
For years, I had heard mysterious stories about Mt. Elabari. During my time studying in Goroka, PMV passengers travelling through Sinesine would often whisper tales that the mountain was the gathering place of ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ (witches). Those stories had fascinated me, but I never allowed fear or superstition to shape my opinion.
Now, I was finally going there.
As we drove along the sealed mountain road toward Elabari, I was captivated by the breathtaking scenery. The rolling green hills, fresh mountain air, and spectacular views revealed one of the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen. The road itself forms an alternative route linking Simbu with Bena in Goroka, and every turn offered another stunning panorama.
Eventually, we reached a viewpoint where Mt. Elabari stood majestically before us.
To my surprise, life flourished around the mountain. There were homes, gardens, schools, and families living peacefully at its foot. Children played happily while farmers tended their gardens. Looking at the peaceful community before me, I couldn't help but wonder where all those frightening stories had originated.
Sometimes, reality is far more beautiful than the myths we grow up believing.
Years passed.
Unfortunately, I lost my mobile phone and, with it, many valuable contactsโincluding Mr. Simon's.
But life has a way of reconnecting people.
Just tonight, Brian found me again on WhatsApp. We exchanged messages, reminisced about those memorable days, and he even sent me photographs that instantly transported me back to Simbu.
Filled with excitement, I asked him for Mr. Simon's phone number.
The reply that followed broke my heart.
"Bro... Mr. Simon was involved in a motor vehicle accident. He passed away last year."
For a moment, I could hardly believe what I had just read.
The man who had welcomed me like a brother, opened his home to me, shared meals with me, introduced me to the beauty of Mt. Elabari, and helped make my work meaningful... was gone.
No one had told me.
The news left me deeply saddened.
Some friendships are formed not by years, but by the sincerity of the hearts involved. Mr. Simon was one of those rare people whose kindness left a permanent mark on my life. Though our friendship was brief, the memories we shared remain priceless.
My heartfelt condolences go to ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง, their children, and the entire Yauwe Moses Secondary School community. May God continue to comfort you all during your time of loss.
As I reflect on this journey, I am reminded once again that ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ค๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. It is a land blessed with breathtaking landscapes, diverse cultures, hundreds of languages, and extraordinary people whose kindness crosses every provincial boundary.
Our differences should never divide us.
Instead, they should remind us of the richness of who we are.
๐n๐ ๐a๐ญi๐จn. ๐n๐ ๐e๐จp๐ฅe. ๐n๐ ๐a๐ฉu๐ ๐e๐ฐ ๐u๐ขn๐a.
May the memory of my dear friend, ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง, continue to inspire us to welcome others with kindness, build lasting friendships, and leave behind footprints of love wherever we go.
๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง.
๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐:
๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
