Queen Salote Tupou III passed away in New Zealand, on December 16, 1965 at 12:15 am. On the Sunday before she left Tonga after she received communion at the Palace, she spoke these words to the President, Secretary of the conference and local ministers (October 31, 1965). This is a translation by Miss Rowlands, Principal of Queen Salote College during that time. This translation was copied by Christopher Hoogenhout during a visit with Miss Rowlands at her home in Mornington Peninsula, Vic, Australia on September 7th, 1998.
“Thank you very much for coming. As you know I am preparing to go away this week, and the nature of the return is uncertain; whether I shall return or whether I shall die and then be brought back. But it is all the same whatever happens. I am waiting in readiness for the time whenever it comes, for that is not my decision. But I know that my task is to prepare.
And so I am telling you the leaders of our church, that the preparation has been accomplished and not made hurriedly but over considerable time. I shall know why God has called me when the day comes and I have made my preparation for that day. I have not done it in my own strength, the preparation has been made through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. No matter what the place or time, I shall be content to answer God’s call.
I am leaving the family, the country and the government, they are temporal things and it’s the Lord’s doing if I have been of any use to them. In this journey through the dread valley there is no fear nor doubt because I know that my Lord is there. This is my treasure, the joy and peace of dwelling with Him in these days. And I affirm with positive assurance that my life is firmly fixed in Him.
[ref: Maamaloa, Queen Salote College Magazine, 1998]