Thank you Joy-Marie Butler for being soft hearted enough to wonder where this little boy is buried. I have been in contact with his brother, Alwyn (born a year later) and it is indeed a touching story. Kenneth Campbell was born to Pr Alex and Emily Campbell in Rabaul. He was a beautiful Downs Syndrome baby and was only 15 months old when he contracted Pneumonia. His father was trapped in Rabaul by the May 1937 earthquake and had no idea that his little boy was sick and dying. The baby had been flown to Salamaua where there was a hospital but sadly died there and was buried in the graveyard there. The only people present for the funeral were Emily, sister Heather and the Government Patrol Officer. Can you imagine anything more heartbreaking? Alex found out some time later. The colour photo shows baby Kenneth and is a hand tint that featured on the front cover of the APPEAL magazine, presumably about that time. The second photo is a wonderful picture of the local people getting their first view of a white baby. Every eye is looking at the little chap. The last sad photo is of the grave. I walked around the Avondale cemetery today and found the graves of Alex and Emily and pondered at the wonderful missionaries who sleep while waiting for Jesus who will restore little Kenneth to his parents arms. I am constantly in awe of our wonderful missionaries who gave so much. I spent my time in mission service and thought that the road was a bit tough at times, but it was absolutely nothing compared to these wonderful folk. I knew Pr Campbell and loved his cheerful and gentle ways. Surprisingly, he died at 69 years which is my age now. He seemed such an old man to me then. I have more material which I now would like to write up as an article for the RECORD.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 08:55:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015