Vatuadova church plan

from w
Our village near Labasa has a new project - a new church. The first church was built about twelve years ago and it is now too small for the number of people coming to worship - some come out from Labasa. Vatuadova village started as two houses way back in about 1967 and is the extended family of the Ratawas with very good houses and cane farms. Vina'a va'alevu Epi Dakai, Ateca, Mila, Degei and others and to those who are hardworking with the new project. When Dakai talks about 'children abroad' this is a bit a hint isn't it for us guys in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, England and elsewhere! The Fiji Times wrote up this story. A nice positive story amidst some of the disquiet of other news of the day.

Villagers build house of worship
Salaseini Vosamana
Saturday, March 17, 2012

Vatudova church building committee chairman Waisele Tuidama marks the construction of the new village church by laying the foundation of the building. Picture: SALASEINI VOSAMANA

VILLAGERS of Vatudova outside Labasa Town will soon serve God in a composed environment following the groundbreaking ceremony of their new church building yesterday. The villagers decided to embark on the $120,000 project because the existing building could not cater for the increasing congregation.

Vatudova church building committee chairman Waisele Tuidama said the villagers had put aside part of their money received from lease payments for the new building.

"The villagers have taken a strong stand to put aside some funds from lease payments for the project," Mr Tuidama said. "The existing building is always full every Sunday because those people in nearby villages and settlements usually attend the service. Construction work started last week and we are expecting to complete the project in six months time," he said.

Mr Tuidama said the villagers, who were from the mataqali Nadogo in Wailevu, had made it an effort to contribute part of their income towards the development of their church.

Mataqali head Epi Ratawa said the project was a major investment. "It has become a norm for us to contribute one tenth of our income to the Lord because we believe it will spawn more blessings for us," Mr Ratawa said. "This project is a major investment we are working on this year and our children who have resided in other parts of Fiji and abroad have significantly contributed funds. We will not grow weary in trying to create a better house of worship because whatever we are doing will be rewarded one day," he said.

a temporary church near Suva

from w
Peceli sent me some photos about a struggling community trying to build a church on the outskirts of Suva in a suburb called Newtown. The people meet in a tin shed and hope to build a nice building. As Fijians move to the urban areas they form a new social network and identity with a local community and seem to prefer to have a church within walking distance of their homes.

Peceli wrote: I thank God that I am able to spend my Sunday Church Service in the almost forgotten area that is Newtown close to Valelevu where the Housing Commission people struggle to make ends meet. Instead of spending my Sunday with Centenary Church.

As you can see in the picture they still worship in the tin shed for almost ten years and hope that one day they will finish their new church. So they need help money and working bees and our prayer are with them. One photo is of the two little girls before going to Church. Maybe one day they will be in their new Church building.

I preached there in the morning service and took photos of the Choir and some of the congregation. I got to know this community because they are related to my friend Sailosi Koto who is in my congregation at Altona Meadows in Australia.

This is a photo of the new church in progress. The congregation are struggling to get the funds to complete it.