Colly -Tuesday the 25^th at half past eleven we arrived in Suva and anchored outside the Royal Suva Yacht Club, everyone got into their uniforms and were looking so smart while waiting for the Officials to come and do their bits so we can all go on the land,

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We waited for a long time until afternoon before the Customs and other Officials turned up for clearance. All was good at the end although it was late we were all glad to go on the land trying to find the Wi-Fi unfortunately the RSVC don’t have Wi-Fi so we had to go to town to buy the new sim cards to do our internet and to do phone calls.

Guy thought it would be better if we get a Hire Car which we did. We find the people in the office were so friendly, one elderly lady who worked there was so glad to know that we are missionaries from PNG and so she agreed to give us a reasonable discount on the car. She was a Christian too from the Methodist Church.

We then drove all the way to Kinoia Street to find the CMF World Harvest Centre, the ladies who worked there in the office were very helpful, they introduced us to Pastor Manasseh in his office and Guy spent some time talking while the other man took me and the Korean lady Yun to show us around and the auditorium. I then asked if there’s any Papuan students whom I can meet and yes to my surprise we met the only Papuan female student from Esa’ala in Normanby Island. Here’s the picture of her.

She was astounded to see us and was lost with words probably wondering how we got there but was so happy afterwards. We had a little chat and told her we intended to come here on Sunday to the main service which we did, the weather was terrible on Sunday but that didn’t stop us either going to church, we had great time, the service was good; the youth were to lead the whole service and we thoroughly enjoyed it with the presence of God evident.  One lady spoke with anointing on the topic of knowing your authority and how to use it. I believe that was the right message we all needed and we got it. Thank you Lord. 

After the service I found a long time missionary lady Nina Lotho who once came to Papua with the others when I was only nineteen years old serving in the Ministry. We didn’t recognise each other at first so we took some time staring each other on the face before we knew, Here’s a picture of us with her after we met, What a time! I have always dreamed that one day I will come to Fiji and now here I am. she then called me during the week that she wanted to come and visit us on board which she did,

Guy – Suva has changed dramatically since I was here in 1975!   In those days one could walk from the ship on the wharf directly into Suva town but now fences, walls, security paths and rafts of public servants and security officers have changed all that.  In those days there were still native schooners plying the islands trades whereas now there are the white painted and usually rusted hulls of Chinese fishing craft littering the harbour, many of them sunk or broken.   The people themselves are as friendly everywhere and no evidence of tension between the descendants of the Indian Indentured workers’ families and the native Fijians.   The coup d’état of recent years has rather divided the political establishment but drawn down to the spiritual basics it is all a matter of beliefs.   Hindu beliefs drive their votaries into a drive for achievement of position, wealth and status in the early hope of eliminating karma and arriving at a god-state of obtaining Moksha thus removing the need to be ‘re-incarnated’ and pass on to deification.  

The native Fijians on the other hand are a more natural folk and very hospitable in their spiritual outlook which is far more akin to Biblical Christianity, although many Indian descendants are receiving the Lord as well.  From a political perspective this would inevitably give the upper hand to those who had more offspring and if this was the Indian descendants then it would only be a matter of time before a collision would occur and produce a problem that democracy could not answer.   Suffice to say that Fijians are extremely fond of their connection with Britain and are glad to be back in the Commonwealth again; some of the political establishment wanted to remove the Union Jack from the Fijian flag but the native Fijians really protested such a thing to such a degree that the politicians withdrew their plans.   Even better; there is a general openness of people here to the Gospel and our one-to-one evangelism continues among receptive hearers.

The people we meet

Colly – Fiji is such a beautiful place, we met lots of people from every walk of life, we share the love of God where ever we go in the shop, on the street, in the market place, in their offices or work place, taxi drivers even beggars on the street, Here’s a picture of a young boy who keep following us begging for money, now before we gave him few pennies, Guy and I witnessed and prayed for him.

We also invite people to come and meet us on board and few came on board to visit us, one of them got saved and made a decision to receive Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. Some were just curious to know about the long journey we did and were glad to hear what we will be doing with the vessel when we head back home.

We met quite a few Papuans here including Ana, who is Lasam’s sister.   She is a lovely woman of God who works in the Methodist ministry and her focus is on educating people toward promoting the family and eliminating violence toward women.   Ana very kindly brought us some food and blessed us financially as well.   A truly honourable saint of God.

Guy – We have completed most of the works needing to be done and preparations for our last leg to Misima are well under way at our writing.   We still need to get some deck paint and also to repair the damage done to the mast track by the frapping main sail.   The anchor fairlead is holding well after being welded by Andrew at his business of Trouble in Paradise at Neiafu.   Well the first part of that ‘Nom de Lieu’ was not applicable as it has held wonderfully since, although it would suffer greater tests when we need to recover the anchor from rocky ground in a swell.  

To our supporters a really big Ateu owa and kagutoki sinabwana or just simply thank you.

Cameron and Abi our long suffering friend’s thank you for all your support and for faithfully keeping our website updated even when we are off world.

Not forgetting our sister in the Lord, Anita Wahawe.

We get emails from time to time which let us know what has been donated, so for those of you who have faithfully sowed your seed financially you know who you are, for those who think of us or prayed for us, we appreciate you all and thank you for been part of us in this ministry.

For the readers online thank you for showing interest in us and following us on our tracking device, in one way or the other you are all part of us and it means a lot! God bless you and prosper you in every way.  Until next time.

Lots of love from us all

God bless you all mightily

The Living Waters