Narere Settlement

Hey team,

During our Fiji Training Week someone (I think it was James Robson) asked me to show you some photos of the settlements / slums that we will be going to visit.  Unfortunately I didn't have any myself, so I've had to call upon Graduates for help.

These are some photos from the Narere Settlement near Suva.  We'll get to visit Narere during our time over there this year.  A married couple, Leiki and Lata, sold up their house in town and moved into the settlement to do ministry there.  Essentially, they too, are doing mission in their own backyard (literally).  Their home has room to conduct a weekly Church service underneath, Lata works in the city to provide for their family while Leiki ministers to the people in the settlement.  They are a pretty incredible couple.  And a couple that we will get to know while over there.  You could be thanking God for them and their ministry and asking that He would use this couple to help shape your view of mission.

Over and out!

A place to post thoughts

Hey there friends!

I have been meaning to get this blog up and running for the last few weeks as a place to post thoughts regarding our upcoming mission trip.  I've finally lifted my head up from emails and squeezed a little bit of time to get it done.

It is not long to go now - only 24 more sleeps!

As I prepare for our trip, I have been struck by how many other teams head to Fiji on short term missions.  It seems to be the destination of choice for a lot of short term mission teams.  And so it has got me thinking, if all these other teams are heading to Fiji, should we look at going somewhere else?  Should we go somewhere that isn't as popular, that could really use our help.

But then I am reminded, that the work that we do in Fiji is not short term in nature at all.  But rather, it is a long term investment of Year 13 in Fiji.  We don't just go for four weeks, but rather we build on the four weeks of investment that Year 13, 2011 did last year, and the four weeks of investment that Year 13, 2010 did the year before that right back to 2008.  And we're also building on the hours upon hours that leaders and others spend in between trips continuing to build relationships and encourage local churches.

And that's important.  Our ministry in Fiji is long term ministry.  And so there is a lot at stake.  Cause we can go and be an absolute blessing, or we could go and absolutely screw things up.  Let's make sure we do the former.

So as you prepare, please pray that we would be a blessing to the locals.  That we would be sensitive in our ministry and approach.  And we would go as learners.  There is almost nothing more offensive than someone coming from the west with the intentional or unintentional attitude of "we know it all".  We don't.  God is bigger.  So pray for humility.

Peace out.