Fiji mission inspires Menai Salvos
Ten members of Menai Corps, the youngest just 13, spent two weeks ministering to communities in Fiji (Credit: Photo by Sian McIntosh).
This month, a group from Menai Salvos in Sydney travelled to Taveuni, Fiji on a two-week mission trip. The team was made up of 10 people, ranging in age from 13 to 40.
Menai and Taveuni have partnered as sister corps' since 2012. Upon the team's arrival they were warmly welcomed by Captains Toto and Seva Wawa, the leaders of Taveuni Corps.
Over the fortnight they were in Fiji, the team made evangelical home visits to community members, shovelled sand for a new concrete driveway and ran youth, church, Sunday school and children’s events.
"The activity that impacted me the most was the evangelical visits," said team member, Sian McIntosh. "We entered the houses of so many different people – Christian, non-Christian, Muslim, Hindu, those struck by disease or illness, birth deformities and just plain hard-working poor.
"Some hosts were more welcoming than others, some were familiar to the Fijians that accompanied us and some were not. Amazingly, we did not get turned away by anyone; apparently it is a common occurrence to not be allowed in.
"I was fascinated at how open the community was, whether of Christian faith or not, to hearing about Jesus. We just knew God’s presence was in each home with every person we visited."
The team also enjoyed the opportunity to experience some recreational activities – some of them on the extreme side – and do some sightseeing.
"We were taken to a natural rock waterslide, swam near a blowhole and went on a four-hour hike up a mountain to a volcanic lake- a wet, marshy, painful journey we won’t forget anytime soon," said Sian.
One of the more prominent aspects of the team's trip was being able to spend time with Captains Toto and Seva and be inspired by their amazing ministry.
"Meeting such a warm, hospitable and godly couple is a rare, humbling opportunity," said Sian. "From the beginning of our trip they treated us as their own children. I have been inspired by the way that they purposefully choose to run their home – a comfortable family atmosphere that is so undeniably God-centred and driven by love."
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