• About Us
• Church Family
• Pathfinders
• Online Magazine
• Church Location
• Site Map

Book Review

This Boy Will Never make Old Bones by Ira Dawson

 
This book is a modern-day story (1970's onward) of a missionary Ira Dawson.

Ira grew up in Australia in country NSW.  An event that could have resulted in his very early death, made Ira realise that GOD must have a plan for his life.  Shortly after this he and his wife took a trip around the world.  Travelling through Afghanistan they were confronted with the poverty of the people, and wondered how they could help people in need.  A year later they were asked to serve as a business manager in Madagascar - they agreed and ended up spending 8 years there.  An accident early in tenure there again almost took his life, but once again he was preserved.  This was followed by a plane he was travelling on, almost having to ditch into the ocean - about six months later the same plane was lost somewhere and it was never found.

Ira and his wife returned to Australia and set up a business for two and a half years, then they were asked to go to Atoifi - Malaita - in the Solomon Islands again as the business manager.  Most of the book covers their time in this part of the world.  The Solomon Islands was still heavily influenced by devil worship.  A worker from Australia, Brian Dunn, had been speared through the chest just 10 days after he had arrived in this same part of the Solomon Islands.  It appears that if an oath was made it could only be removed by a monetary gift, a gift of several pigs, the murder of 5 local men or better still the death of 1 white man.  Life in this part of the world could be very dangerous for a white man.

Just three weeks into Ira's time he was piloting an aluminum boat in the harbour after picking up goods for the hospital.  Suddenly he found himself submerged in the water, when he surfaced his boat suddenly turned and headed directly to him, whilst it came close to him, he managed to avoid being hit - three times this happened.  One of the local people managed to save him and told him that a Devil Man lived there - and to avoid the area.

When Ira arrived, the hospital was heavily in debt, the training of the nurses needed upgrading, drinking water and electricity were substandard, Ira set about to correct these and other issues that the hospital faced.  Earthquakes and cyclones also added to the events to be managed.

Ira was always creative in how to manage issues.  To increase income to the hospital he proposed that a tourist enterprise be commenced - it was advertised as 'Come and see the mission field as it is'.  People were brought out to the Solomons, they saw Honiara, the hospital, and other mission work in the area.  The people went home spreading the word of the work in this area, and many of them further contributed to mission work.  A student missionary nurse went home and raised money to put in an airstrip.

Tribal fighting was not uncommon.  On one such occasion Ira arranged for all the expats to be evacuated.  He arranged for a boat to pick them up.  Arriving at the hospital with the boat 250 local warriors were there, spears at the ready.  The chaplain said to Ira - 'Its not good for you to die alone.  I've come to die with you.'

Ira managed to get the international students and the expats safely on the boat, he remained, and the trouble subsided.  Once again, he had evaded possible death.

Ira worked closely with the Australian high commissioner and other political figures through out his time at Atoifi.

Ira and his wife spent 5 years at Atoifi - there are many other life-threatening situations, which only GOD could have been protecting him from.  As he was leaving one of the local people told him how they had tried to kill him on his first night at Atoifi.  Several of the men attempted to kill him, but as they came close to him, they were forced away by an unseen force.  The local people decided the GOD of Atoifi was greater than their gods.

A book well worth the read.

 
https://www.amazon.com.au/THIS-WILL-NEVER-MAKE-BONES-ebook/dp/B0CQSR7RSL

Copyright © 2025 Thornleigh Seventh-day Adventist Church