When I first met the team who were going to Fiji, I was struck by how friendly all the youth were and how excited they were to be on this trip. I loved these initial conversations I had with the youth because I was keen to be part of a united group, working together on this trip.
I travelled to Fiji with Word of Life to build relationships with these youth and ultimately encourage them to grow more in their faith. I went on this trip because I love discipleship and getting to work alongside youth in Fiji for three weeks was a dream come true.
During the trip, we had many training sessions for the youth and then carried out some kids’ programs to help the Fiji Word of Life team. One of my favourite moments was getting to be the photographer and taking photos of some special moments the youth had with the sweetest Fijian kids. But I also really appreciated the moments I got to spend with the youth, getting to know them all individually and talking about Jesus and faith with pretty much everyone.
One challenge we faced was that some of the schools and programs were unexpectedly cancelled. We even went to one school, prepared to run a program and waited 2 hours only to get turned away. While this was a bit discouraging, our team was still thankful that we were able to go to another school and carry out the program.
I met a young Fijian woman who joined our NZ youth on the trip. She was awesome, super friendly and chatty, and she shared many aspects of Fijian culture and customs that helped us understand the people better. Life for many Fijians is very tough and something I learnt on a deeper level was that people always have a back story which is important to understand when working with other cultures.
At Pathways, I have been studying the NZ Diploma in Christian Studies (Christian Leadership Level 6). I have learnt a lot about leadership which really helped me on the trip because there were a few things for which I had to take responsibility. So I was prepared to lead a study and the children’s program in the first week which both went pretty well! I also learnt how much I enjoy leading from the side-line.
This trip changed me through testimonies of God’s grace and love. I now have a better understanding and can see how everyone is beautifully made in God’s image and has their individual story that God is writing through them.
After this experience, I think my passion for discipleship has just grown so much more and I just love seeing others grow in their relationship with God. A passage from Scripture that sums up how I feel about my experiences on my trip is from Matthew 28:19-20 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
