Thursday, February 20, 2014

Remembering Rev Tui, from a distance

from w
Even though we are two thousand miles away, the internet has provided us links with yesterday's funeral of our friend, Rev Dr Tuikilaikila, the scenes at Centenary and Davuilevu which are places so familiar. Thank yo to Fiji Village for good photos, for face-book members, for the video link though it was only good for half an hour, then a radio station in Fiji was very clear. I was impressed with the beautiful words by Senirewa giving a strong articulate tribute to her father. The service at Centenary was going three hours before the sermon started though!  We are grateful that we could participate in a small way through the internet connections.

Peceli was tellling me one story about Tui. After his Form 4 at Sila High School in Nausori he went back to Moala and there went to a Bible school, his young teacher being from Mali Island near Labasa. The teacher encouraged the teenage Tui to go to Davuilevu to the Bible School, and from there on to study to become a talatala.  Many years later Rev Tui was in Labasa and noticed his former teacher in the crowd so called him up to sit at the top table for the special dinner.

And we've known Tui through the years, especially his years studying in Melbourne. We are all connected - through relatives, places, opportunity, chance, through the grace of God.









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