The birth and baptism of a child could be viewed as completely and absolutely routine—non-news compared to coverage of horrifying wars, corrupt elections, or sports competitions. But from the perspective of one of the most remote societies on earth, where human settlement for nearly 200 years has been very challenging, news of a new member of the community is quite welcome and important.

The Tristan Times, reporting breaking news from the island of Tristan da Cunha, indicates in a story from December 7th that the newest resident of the island, Julie Sarah Green, was baptized at the community church, St. Mary’s Anglican, on November 28th. Born at the island hospital to Wendy and Raymond Green on July 27, 2004, Julie joins a population of about 300 people.

She will be thirteen when the Tristan Islanders, or Tristanians as they are also called, celebrate the bi-centennial of the permanent civilian settlement on the island.