Having left her hometown of Port Pirie, South Australia, 50 years ago, Cheryle Thomson MSS has now moved back. Cheryle will celebrate her 50-year anniversary next month having joined the MSS in January 1974, aged 23-years. As a Missionary Sister of Service, Cheryle spent around five years in Hobart, Tasmania; two years in Toowoomba, Queensland; eight years in Parkes, New South Wales and then 33 years in Whyalla, South Australia.
With Cheryle’s move to Port Pirie, this ends 52.5 years of our MSS base in Whyalla. Cheryle moved back to her hometown to be closer to family and friends. It’s also only 2.5 hours by bus to Adelaide, and closer to essential services. Cheryle acknowledges that she was sad leaving the many people she’s known and worked with over
those many years, and from so many places. But reflecting further, she is happy to ‘come back home to reconnect with those who live in Port Pirie and surrounds’. She says, ‘the move took a lot of hard work, but I’m very happy in my new home. This was the right thing to do. It’s a lovely home and I feel really blessed.’ Cheryle has already met a lot of people and is looking forward to getting involved in a small way in the local parish and community, once she’s recovered from the big move.