Saturday, July 27, 2013
Lance Corporal Maciu Waqanisau hugs daughter Grace with wife Vou during the farewell. Picture: ATU RASEA
KADAVU soldier Corporal Maciu Waqanisau said the best and only weapon soldiers could take to the Golan Heights was the Word of God.
He was the first man who caught the attention of The Fiji Times teams when they arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks on Thursday night.
Cpl Waqanisau was sitting next to his wife Vou and his 10-year-old daughter Grace at the parade ground offering them words of encouragement that he would be back soon.
He said it was hard seeing his daughter and wife in tears because it was hard leaving them behind.
He said while they were aware of the situation there, it was important that every officer prepared themselves spiritually.
For most of the soldiers, deployment on a peacekeeping mission was not new, however, Cpl Waqanisau said the only thing that made this mission new was the report of civil unrest at the Israeli-Syria border.
The 160-strong contingent shook the hands of the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama before they were given another 30 minutes with their loved ones.
Hundreds of people gathered to show their support for their fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, mothers and sisters who were deployed as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on a peacekeeping mission to the Golan Heights.
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