A Few Things That Have Popped to Mind

Hey team,

There are a few things that have popped to mind recently that I should have told you, or that I have only just recently thought would be helpful for you to know.  So this post is just like a tidy-out, making sure that all those little bits of information that I should give you, I actually have!

Alcohol
Our time away will be alcohol free.  That goes for students, staff, volunteers, everyone on our team.  And it starts from Sydney / Brisbane airport and ends once we arrive home.  There will be opportunities for you to have alcohol while away, with the first instance being on the plane trip over to Fiji.  But our rule is, no alcohol.

This may seem a little ridiculous on surface value, however the reason for this decision is really quite simple.  Just like we talked about in training, we do not want to bring the gospel of Jesus into disrepute.  This means also that we want to abolish any barriers that there may be to the gospel.  If this means that giving up alcohol for a month, then we should be ready and willing to grab a hold of that with both hands and do anything we can for the sake of our brothers and sisters around us.

If the thought of going for a month without having a drink concerns you, then you really should come and have a chat to one of your leaders about that.  If it is an issue, then we can help.

If we catch anyone breaking this rule when we're away, then like mentioned before about other things, we will have to consider seriously about sending you home.

Giving Money
Please take the time to read Information Pack 3 and the section about Fijians and Money.  But what we are really asking you to do is be generous, but also be aware.  For many in Fiji who work full time, their wages would be around $60 per week.  This means that dropping a $50 note into the offertory on a Sunday is rubbing in their faces how much we have and can afford.  Be generous, but don't be 'flashy'.

If you have any questions about how to be humble, loving and wise with money while we're over there, please just ask one of your leaders.

Learning the Language
I know we've done a little of this, but it would be good if you guys could really work hard over the next week and during our time away to learn as much language as possible.  We want to be different to tourists and often the only Fijian a tourist will say is 'Bula'!  Which is good, but it will be a major point of difference if we work hard at learning language and we can speak more than just that.  It's also really awesome when you can tell the difference between a native Fijian and an indo-Fijian and you greet them with the appropriate greeting.  I've seen indo-Fijians take a double-take and give me a massive smile when I've greeted them with Namiste instead of Bula.

Touch
This is a simple one but one that requires a lot of thought and awareness.  Imagine a cute little Fijian kid with fuzzy hair.  All you want to do is touch that hair because of it's awesomeness.  DON'T!  Fijians find it offensive when you touch their head.  It's almost like saying 'I am above you'.  Also, it's the same idea to not wear hats in villages as a sign of respect to the chief.  By not wearing a hat, we are saying that we respect his leadership and authority over that village.

It will be hard, because for us it's no problem to touch people on their heads, but we must be very careful not to do so in Fiji.  If you do, apologise and then let it go.  Fijians are also really forgiving and will be able to see that we are trying our best to serve them and understand their customs and cultural norms.

That's it from me for now.  Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to post about if you feel like there are holes in your preparation.

Over and out!