Fifty years since Ordination 1964
to 2014
Thank you for the invitation today to share with
others who were ordained forty or fifty years ago. A question I ask is why I
have survived when most of my colleagues have passed away. I am 78 which is regarded as elderly in Fiji. When we look back to the years since our
Ordination we give thanks to God for the opportunities, and I am grateful for
the experiences in Fiji and also in Australia and for my wife Wendy and family.
I started very young in the ministry going to a Bible
School when I was sixteen and I turned 21 while I was in the theological
college in Davuilevu Fiji. The old
system then in the Methodist church was to have three years study and three years
practical work before ordination. The
Principal at that time was Rev Tippett and another teacher was Rev Cyril
Germon.
A few things I learnt early in life – was that once
you have been ordained you are marked for life. Also it was a time of following a leader,
people who become a mentor to us. Like Rev Setareki Tuilovoni, Rev Setareki
Rika. They noticed that I knew the Fiji
Hindi language so that I would be able to work amongst the Fiji Indian
community at some stage. I worked in a
mountain village in Navosa then was sent to the Indian Division to
Lautoka. My induction was not in a church but out of
doors at the main Lautoka football ground to a mix of all kinds of people. Wendy
and I married about that time. After
working in other places our family moved to Australia and we were in Hopetoun when the Uniting Church was formed. It was unusual then to have Pacific Island
ministers in Victoria. In the Mallee I learnt more about the Australian way of
life and I took up golf which was a great way of meeting the men who were not always in the Sunday
church and then they started coming to worship possibly to talk to me about my
wins at golf.
I am grateful
for the time I spent with Aboriginal people in the Mallee and was at that time involved in meeting with
in Swan Hill, Robinvale and Mildura and the Berriwillock wheat scheme funded
some of my travelling. One thing is about the stump jump plough. Some people are rather tough like mallee
roots left in a field. Instead of
crashing into them, the stump jump plough gently rides over them. I think this is how we can manage our lives
so that we don’t get offended and hurt by those who reject the Christian faith.
In Geelong East our family developed – the boys at
Geelong High School, their footie, their tennis and Deakin for George. Wendy
was on-campus at Deakin and I was closer to Melbourne to visit the Fijian
congregation at that time in Richmond. At the Ormond Rd church the congregation
were brave to have me as minister for
nine years. My preaching was never brilliant
but I did my best. One woman often commented positively. One day I asked her – ‘Hey
Doreen, how did it go today?’ She answered, ‘Fine of course, but actually I
didn’t bring my hearing aids today.’ The
good relationship with some of our Geelong East and St Andrews members has
continued until today.
Retirement is
not letting go for a minister. We wanted to remain in Geelong so bought a house
at 13 Boundary Rd. I found volunteer tasks to do such as Donation in Kind, some
study at Monash, some locum ministry connecting with churches, and playing
golf. These days I’ve slowed down due to
health matters but still go most Sundays to Altona Meadows/Laverton Uniting
Church to support a small Fijian group there. In Geelong we have a strong
Fijian network with many young couples. We call our group the Fiji Geelong
Friendship Club. Last week we celebrated
Fiji Day for about 30 people in our back yard with traditional food such as
cooked in an underground oven. And at present we have a household of twelve at
weekends, so retirement is not dull.
Wendy and I thank God for the
long journey.
Peceli Soqovata Ratawa
October 2014.
Wonderful story Peceli! Congratulations on your ministry in Fiji and Australia. You have touched the lives of many. Wendy has clearly been a great support to you.
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