This article is written by Columban Fr Frank Hoare from the pages of a missionary's diary - 29th May 2000
Fiji had its third coup d’etat in May 2000. I was stationed in Ba parish in the west of Fiji at the time. Ba was one of the quietest and least affected parts of Fiji.
I played tennis only occasionally but was delighted to be invited to play a doubles game with a Fijian married couple and a friend. I was enjoying the game as I moved across the court to hit a forehand. Suddenly I felt as if a bullet had smashed my ankle. I collapsed to the ground. My Achilles tendon had snapped. I was brought to the hospital in Lautoka, my leg and foot were put in a cast and I was given a pair of crutches to use.
For the following two months I hobbled up the church hall on my crutches to say Mass each Sunday. The most difficult thing I faced was carrying things from the cooker or fridge to the table. Luckily I had a thoughtful and helpful companion Columban.
I didn’t do much visiting during that time but when I next visited my tennis friends I laughed when I saw their 6 year old son hobbling into the room with a tennis racquet under each arm!
Columban Fr Frank Hoare lives and works in Fiji.