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Sister Doreen- Issue 2

Unfortunately families these days can be beset with many problems, one of the worst being domestic violence. Solomon Islands has its own share of domestic violence and until recently the problem was not recognized let alone being addressed. This quarter’s personal profile is a great example of the treasure trove mentioned in Letter’s from the Editor.

Open the lid on Sister Doreen’s life and there shining forth is an array of glittering gems that only the people her life has touched could begin to put a value on. God makes special vessels for special tasks and the vessel he has formed as Sister Doreen is very special indeed. Her slightly smaller than average stature for a Solomon Islander seems barely able to contain the exuberance she holds for life and for the God she has dedicated herself to serve.
Sister Doreen’s outgoing nature and ability to talk with and care for others, has she admits, caused some disruptions at times and has been the stuff that compensation payments have been made of. Young girls of her era were meant to stay quiet and not ask questions, but we will let her tell her own story of how she did not and still does not fit this mould.

Doreen was the first Born of eight children to her Mother Messie Awaiasi, and Father Martin Awaiasi. She spent the first ten years of her life in her mother’s village of Asimanioha in the Arosi one district of West Makira. Her father was from Marau Sound on East Guadalcanal and was a sailor until his arranged marriage into the Chiefly family of his bride.As custom would have it in those days, because his Father in law was a chief, Sister Doreen’s father did not have to pay bride price for his bride. Local custom meant that the family should remain living in Sister Doreen’s Father’s village, however because her Maternal Grandfather was a chief, he decided that the family should remain living in Asimanioha and Sister Doreen’s Father respected his decision.

Doreen describes her childhood years as very happy with a good home life albeit a very strict Anglican upbringing and mostly subsistence based lifestyle. She was a very outgoing young girl and at an early age developed a taste and talent for singing and helping others, which she has nurtured to this day.
Her initial primary schooling years were at a village school Toroi Wango and singing in choirs at her local church. At age seven Doreen experienced life in a Boarding School and being away from her parents for the first time. This separation was very challenging for a young Doreen.
The expectations placed on their first born by Doreen’s parents were very high. It was expected she would complete her schooling to a high level, get a well paid job and assist with the families financial needs, as they had invested a lot of money in her education.

The expectations placed on their first born by Doreen’s parents were very high. It was expected she would complete her schooling to a high level, get a well paid job and assist with the families financial needs, as they had invested a lot of money in her education. Quotation

Over the three years of her Secondary schooling at Pawa Provincial Secondary School, Doreen was to discover with the help of some unexpected external influences, she wanted something different for her life. Every weekend while at the boarding school, Doreen was to visit and become interested in the work of the Society of St. Francis. Here too or even more so, it was her questioning and outgoing nature that started to sow the seeds that were to take her on her life’s journey of serving others. Perhaps it was providence that took her to the quiet and picturesque island headquarters of the St. Francis Friary at Alangaula on Ugi Island. It was here that Sister Doreen really began to feel God’s presence. Under such a tranquil setting and the influence of Brother Francis in particular, Doreen started to learn English and continued to ask many questions of him.

At the age of 17 Doreen had the first inkling she wanted to join an ‘Order’ and was told she had to write a letter to the Novice Mistress in Honiara. At this stage Doreen did not realise there were Sisters as well as Brothers. Eventually after many a talk and even more questions, in 1982 Doreen had made up her mind, she wanted to become a member of an order and be just like Brother Francis. She then told Brother Francis of this decision. Brother Francis looked at her and said: ‘My friend when you go back home you will forget all about this promise’.Brother Francis tried his best to explain to her the future she had in front of her, marriage, children, a home life of her own. He further explained she would have to give up many things if she wanted to become a Sister. He also told her she would never make it, she talked too much and she would have to give up material things and allow God to lead in her life. Doreen’s typical response was to ask the question. “Give up what things?”

Doreen now admits she did forget all about this promise when she left secondary school and went back to her home and family. She loved children and was absorbed in youth work and Sunday school teaching. It was in 1983 Doreen experienced a real tug of war in her heart, one way pulling her toward what she knew she wanted to do, the other fulfilling family obligations and commitments. It was expected of her she would be the one to look after her parents as they grew older.Doreen had never been off the island of Makira and her mother was very much against such thought. Many times Doreen wanted to go to Guadalcanal to visit her father’s family but was never permitted. Her mother was always very strict regarding the whereabouts of her daughter and what influences she might come under. She was fearful if her daughter went off the Island and came into contact with her father’s side of the family they might not let her come back. What hurt Doreen most was the talk she might get married without her mothers permission or worse come back as an unmarried mother. Sister Phyllis Sau, when she came to Makira for a celebration and holiday in 1983 was the first female member of any order Doreen had met. Sister Phyllis also bought with her books for sale and they were a magnet to Doreen.

Fearful of the influence it might have on her daughter’s fertile mind, Doreen’s mother was very much against her daughter purchasing any literature. Uncles however can be most helpful at times and it was Doreen’s Uncle David, her mother’s youngest brother who who not for the first time Doreen admits, came to her aid and supplied the $5 necessary to purchase a book called ‘The History of a Community of the Sisters of the Church’. It was at this time in 1984 Doreen felt the very strong pull of service in her life. She remembered the promise she had made to Brother Francis three years before and was now determined to fulfil this promise.When it was time for Sister Phyllis to leave Makira and return to Guadalcanal, Doreen without telling anyone, especially not her mother, was in that canoe and no amount of talking or cajoling would unseat her. Instead of presenting a letter of application, as was the procedure, to the Novice Mistress at Tetetenikolivuti which is the Guadalcanal name for ‘Hill of Prayer,’ Doreen presented herself. Starting age for a Sister was 20 years old, and that is what the 18 year old Doreen claimed to be until the correctness of this claim was gently challenged by the astute Novice Mistress. Not knowing what to do with this determined young lady on their doorstep, the Sisters allowed Doreen to stay, and thus began her life’s journey of serving others.

Like all youngsters away from family and familiar surrounds for the first time, Doreen found life at the community very different and challenging. A routine of early rising before the sun, silent listening, prayer, keeping to the clock and learning English were difficult adjustments for a young village girl to make.The quiet environment of the Teteteni kolivuti training centre was the ideal setting for Doreen to learn. She adjusted quickly and well and enjoyed the community life with people of different background and cultures. One of the most awkward adjustments was to sit at a table for meals and use a knife and fork. It was a time where she could really start to build a relationship with God.
This first year as an Aspirant, soon passed and it was time to go home for a holiday and face her Mother with the news Doreen was to break her promise and that this year away from home was going to be extended to one more. This first holiday was a considerable challenge for Doreen as it was not just her Mother who was against her returning to the community. Friends and other family members took it on themselves to try and talk Doreen into staying in the village, getting married and having a family of her own. Doreen was committed to her journey with God but above all wanted her parents to trust and accept her thinking that there are other options in a girls life than marriage and family. It made it a little easier for Doreen to know her father supported her in her decision to return to the Community of Sisters.

This first holiday was a considerable challenge for Doreen as it was not just her Mother who was against her returning to the community. Friends and other family members took it on themselves to try and talk Doreen into staying in the village, getting married and having a family of her own. Doreen was committed to her journey with God but above all wanted her parents to trust and accept her thinking that there are other options in a girls life than marriage and family. It made it a little easier for Doreen to know her father supported her in her decision to return to the Community of Sisters. Quotation

In 1985, on the MV Bulawa Doreen sailed back to Guadalcanal and to Teteteni kolivuti to complete another year as a Postulant.The second holiday back home was different in as much as Doreen went back as a novice in her Habit and this was the first time anyone in her village had seen a real Novice Sister wearing a uniform. This did not stop the pressure on Doreen for her to stay, get married and raise children. There was a change this time however, more so in her own thinking, and Doreen could now appreciate her parent’s perspective, however, she remained focussed on following the path God had chosen for her.
After completing six years of training at the Community of the Sister’s of the Church, it was time for Doreen to apply to the Provincial Sister, Sister Helen (a European Sister) to continue on living as a Sister in the community. Doreen was very happy to become a Junior Sister and spent the next three years at Teteteni kolivuti training centre with the next batch of novices.After this it was another three years spent as Sister in charge of Patterson House which is the head office in Honiara for the Sisters outreach work and mission into the surrounding local communities. During this time Sister Doreen developed a passion for working with impressionable teenagers in Honiara which further affirmed her special connection with both young adults and children. Sister Doreen also began to realise that there were many women and children who were victims of Domestic Violence who also required support.

In 1993 Doreen travelled to Kempsey, Australia for eighteen months to experience a different life, namely how to live as a Sister within the community and deepen her relationship with God. Another enjoyable task for Sister Doreen at this time and possibly what paved the way for her current work, was working one day a week with the Roman Catholic Nuns at a women’s refuge for mothers and children from broken homes.
It was here as the only Solomon Islander, she was trained in life line counselling. After Kempsey it was back to Solomon Islands and her home village for a three week holiday. This holiday was unlike any of the others. This time both Family and friends had a very different attitude and were proud of their Sister Doreen. Young girls looked up to her seeing there were options they could take in life, other than marriage. The following year was as if Sister Doreen was at a real crossroads in her life. She needed to pray, think and take council from the other Sisters, as to where her life would lead to now. Whatever decision she was to make she wanted it to be for life. 1993 to 1994 were the years of struggle with too many strings pulling Sister Doreen in too many directions. At the age of twenty seven she was seen as well groomed to make a good wife and there were many eligible young men who thought it should be with them. With help from other Sisters who had all faced the same decisions, Sister Doreen had to find out what was in her own heart. Did she want marriage, family, material things and employment opportunities or did she want to serve God and the larger community. It came to a point where she had to cut all strings if she was to walk with God as her choice of vocation. To those seeking marriage she learned to say, “My heart is filled with Christ, where would I put you, there is no space for you.”
It was time to make difficult choices and Sister Doreen choose to live a life of service to God. This was highlighted in 1995 by her Life Profession made by Bishop Norman Palmer, in Asimanioha her home village, in front of her family and friends. This was the first time such a Life Profession was made in the Solomon Islands in a village. There were mixed feelings for Sister’s Doreen’s parents, obviously they were very proud of her, but at the same time realised they had lost their daughter to the community. Sister Doreen comforted her parents saying, “If I commit my life to God then I am your daughter forever, because I am free to come and see you when you are sick and need my care, because I am a free woman with no husband or children, committed only to God’s work and mission.”

In 1999 to 2001 Sister Doreen was off to England to live with the community there for further training in Counselling, Trauma, Listening Skills and Grief and Loss. In 2001 just as she was settling into the course and enjoying living with like minded Sisters from other nations, as if to test her own ‘anger management’ she was recalled to take up the post of First Provincial Sister for Solomon Islands Province, the First non European to do so.In 2001 Sister Lilian Maeva initiated the building of the CCC (Christian Care Centre) at Tenaru Beach Guadalcanal. With the help of Sister Doreen in the position of First Provincial Sister, and many other Sisters along the way the centre was eventually opened in March 2005. Sister Doreen has been in charge of the centre for six years and her central theme is still ‘Girls can have alternative lifestyles to marriage and families’ if that is what they want. From a very meagre start the centre now caters for up to 20 families at one time, dealing mainly with Women and Children who have experienced mental, physical and or sexual abuse. The CCC has ten full time staff and six part time volunteers and is the only ‘safe home’ of its kind in the Solomon Islands. Since its conception the centre has assisted more than five hundred families with a range of issues.

In Solomon Islands like many similar nations, men hold more social power than women. The status of women is improving, however many customs and traditions mean that women and children are still not adequately protected and therefore very vulnerable. Running workshops on social issues such as the Domestic Violence, Commercial Exploitation of Children and HIV and AIDS is very important. Through a concerted education campaign more Domestic Violence and rape cases are being reported and the status of women in the Solomon Islands is improving at an increasing rate. Early in 2008 the centre established another arm catering for the needs and education of males. This is staffed by two Brothers. The main focus is counselling and support for alcohol related problems and the provision of support for those males who genuinely wish to improve their attitude towards their wives and children.

Resources are few and have been hard fought for over the years by Sister Doreen and her helpers. The centre has been fortunate to receive support from many generous organisations but still continues to struggle to meet the demands placed on the service with so many women and children requiring support. Despite these challenges Sister Doreen remains focussed on her mission and work and attributes her strength to the Church and the wonderful people of the Solomon Islands.
By sheer commitment to serving the community through the Christian Care Centre in Honiara, this arm of the Church of Melanesia is having a real impact for the betterment of woman and family life within the Solomon Islands.

The Christian Care Centre can be contacted direct at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

phone +677-22801 or through the Church of Melanesia, Honiara.

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