DOCSLIB.ORG

Field Visits to Viti Levu West

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Field Visits to Viti Levu West COVID19 FIELD VISIT Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 May 2020 MISSION UNIT: Viti Levu West Episcopal Unit 1.0 Introduction The Fijian economy is largely agricultural, and the main cash crop and export is sugar cane. Tourism is the largest foreign-exchange earner and clothing exports grew rapidly from the late 1980s. Other significant activities are gold- mining, fishing and timber production. The Mission Unit of Viti Levu West covers an area consisting of the townships of Sigatoka, Nadi, Ba, Tavua and Lautoka City. 2.0 Purpose of Field Visit: The purpose of this trip was to visit and talanoa with the priests in charge and if possible, some lay people in the parishes down in Viti Levu West, especially to gather information on the impact of the global pandemic COVID19 on our church communities. The priority focus was given to Viti Levu West Mission Unit as most of the Fiji’s economy export, sugar cane and tourism is mainly from the Western part of Fiji. The Parochial districts in these areas are namely; The Church of the Good Shepherd, Sigatoka town o St Stephen’s Worship Centre, Yalava o St Francis of Assisi Worship Centre, Nadrala St Christopher’s Anglican Church, Nadi town St Peter’s Anglican Church, Lautoka City Church of the Holy Spirit, Ba town Figure 1 Viti Levu & Ovalau map. Source: mapisland.com Page | 1 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 3.0 SITES VISITED: 1. Church of the Holy Family, Waidradra – Suva & Ovalau Archdeaconry Priest in Charge: Reverend Viliame Vereverevatu Background: The Waidradra settlement is within the proximity of Pacific Harbour, a tourist destination. Most of the people of the settlement (between the ages 18yrs -50yrs) work at the Pacific Harbour Cultural Centre as cultural and hotel entertainers, tour Figure 2Church of the Holy Family guides, divers, handicraft stall holders, bure builders, chefs and as hotel workers (The Pearl) to name a few. # Families affected by COVID19: 20 How? Loss of jobs directly part of the Tourism Industry – Fijian Cultural Centre, Hotel Loss of jobs – Construction workers Figure 3 Priest in Charge Revd Viliame Deduction of working hours and family Figure 4 Vicarage currently being built Figure 5 Inside church building Figure 7 Fiji Cultural Centre – Tourist Centre Figure 6 Church Warden Aliki Lakowai, Fr Vili, Secretary to Vestry, Jeke Dikiwai. Page | 2 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 2. Church of the Good Shepherd, Sigatoka Priest in Charge: Reverend George (Joji) Abonio Background: The Church of the Good Shepherd is a Parochial district based in the town of Sigatoka. The major tourist attractions in Sigatoka include the Sigatoka Sand dunes, Sigatoka Kula Eco park, the Sigatoka River, and is the principal centre for Fiji’s coastal tourism. Figure 6 Church of the Good Shepherd, Sigatoka The Church of the Good Shepherd also has two worship centres in the valley: i) St Francis of Assisi Worship Centre, Nadrala, Sigatoka # Families affected by COVID19: 8 How? Loss of jobs in the Tourism sector i.e. Hotel workers, handicraft stall holders, cultural and hotel entertainers, Lack of business for market vendors Figure 7 Reverend Joji and family selling freshwater mussels (fresh from Sigatoka river), vegetables and market produce Figure 108 Revd Revd Joji Joji and and Nadrala Nadrala communi communityty Figure 11 St Francis of Assisi Worship Centre Page | 3 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 i) St Stephen’s Worship Centre, Yalava village, Sigatoka # Families affected by COVID19: 12 How? Loss of jobs in the Toursim sector, e.g. Hotel workers, Handicraft stall holders, tour guides, cultural entertainers Figure 12 St Stephen Worship Centre, Yalava Figure 13 House blown down by Tropical Cyclone Harold Figure 14 Villagers diving for freshwater mussels 3. St Christopher’s Church, Nadi Vicar: Bishop Gabriel Sharma Figure 15 Freshwater mussels selling for $2 a heap Nadi is the heartbeat of Fiji’s Tourism sector. Most parishioners of St Christopher’s Church have jobs directly or closely linked to the Tourism industry. Most people also live in rental accommodation and due to reduced hours of work as well as some being laid off from their work, it is a struggle to meet rental payments and utility bills. #Families affected by COVD19: 20 How? Loss of jobs in the Tourism sector, factory workers Workers on limited hours work making it difficult to pay rental accommodation Figure 16 Bishop Gabriel Sharma, Reverend Daniel Houng Lee (Assistant priest) and Ann Houng Lee Page | 4 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 4. St Peter’s Church, Lautoka Priest in Charge: Reverend Peni Wako Despite being the first city in Fiji to go on lockdown due to the first positive case of COVID19, the Priest in Charge assured us that the members of the Church were all ok in terms of employment and meeting their day to day needs. Figure 17 Revd Peni Wako and family Figure 18 St Peter’s Church, Lautoka Figure 19 Peni Wako Jnr – Viti Levu West Youth Coordinator 5. Church of the Holy Spirit, Ba Priest in Charge: Reverend Kelvin Rakesh Background: Ba is an agricultural centre, which makes it a cultural point for tourists. Sugar cane has long been the mainstay of the local economy, but some manufacturing projects have been established over the past twenty years. The town is also the home of some of Fiji's wealthiest families who own some of the country's most successful business houses. Figure 20 Church of the Holy Spirit #Families affected by COVID19? 10 How? Loss of jobs in the Tourism sector, factory workers and the FSC Sugar Mill Page | 5 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 Workers on limited hours work making it difficult to pay rental accommodation 5.1 Chapel of the Light, Nabatolu, Ba Our team was privileged to visit the Chapel of the Light, up in the hills, in the interior of Figure 20 Revd Rakesh and family Ba. This area used to be the base for the Melanesian Anglican Brotherhood Order in the early 80s. Today it is no longer used as a monastery but is looked after by a former Brother – Bako and his wife. Figure 21 Chapel of the Light, Nabatolu Apart from the wooden chapel which is able to house 10-15 people, there is also a retreat house (3 bedroom) which offers accommodation. Mr Bako plants vegetables in the gardens and there is a need for a water pump to pump water from the river. We hope to promote this space more within our church as it is an ideal site for retreats, meditation and peace, up on the hills far away from the town life. Figure 22 Food gardens in Nabatolu Figure 23 Revd Rakesh with caretakers of the Retreat centre and chapel, Mr and Mrs Bako 6. Church of the Resurrection, Maniava, Ra Unfortunately, we were not able to visit Maniava due to the bad weather that day. Maniava is a settlement that was greatly affected by Tropical Winston in 2016. We hope to visit Maniava soon. Page | 6 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 4.0 COVID19 Assistance Forms received from other parts of the Diocese: # Parochial District #Families affected 7. Church of the Holy Cross, Dreketi 20 8. Church of the Holy Redeemer, Levuka 20 9. St Lawrence, Nausori 1 10. St Gabriel, Laqere 11 11. St Bartholomew, Caubati 17 12. St John Wailoku 30 13. St Mark, Newtown 27 4.1 Remarks: Parishioners in Vanua Levu (Dreketi) and Suva and Ovalau have been affected due to: Loss of jobs i.e. laid off factory workers, workers on shipping ferry, motel, hotel and tourist recreational centres Deducted hours of work for factory workers Because of this, people are now looking for jobs, subsistence farming of vegetables and root crops, semi-subsistence fishing for family and income earning, and bartering system e.g. bartering labour and skill for groceries. COVID19 Assistance Forms: April 13 2020 – Situation Report Post TC HaroldCOVID19 Assistance Forms were sent out via email to all parishes in the Diocese April 29 2020 – Follow-up on Forms and a COVID19 Specific Assistance Form was sent out via email to all parishes in the Diocese 4 May 2020 – Deadline for receiving forms 8 May 2020 – Extended deadline for receiving forms We also recorded videos with the Priests in Charge who shared their talanoa as well as talanoa of their parishioners in Fijian, Hindi and English. These videos can be found on our social media page Anglican Diocese of Polynesia Facebook page. Vinaka Reverend Sepiuta Hala’api’api [Diocesan Secretary and Registrar] Caroline Chambers-Torovugalei [Diocesan Communications] 12/05/20 Page | 7 COVID19 Field Report 06-08 May 2020 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Partners in Prayer 2014 (Web).Pdf
    2014 Anglican Missions Board of the Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia Canon Robert Kereopa in Africa learning about the Samaritain Strategy. [email protected] www.angmissions.org.nz I invite you to join with many partners around the 32 Mulgrave St // PO Box 12012, globe to pray for missions during 2014. After much Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand consideration we are focussing our prayer attention Tel // 64 (0)4 473 5172 more closely on the partners we support each year. We Fax // 64 (0)4 499 5553 would like to encourage more parishes to adopt projects www.facebook.com/AnglicanMissions from our Grant Partners and to pray regularly for them. www.twitter.com/AngMissions We are blessed each year to have the opportunity to Designed by: Emma Gallagher draw alongside communities of faith in Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Polynesia, Melanesia and the Middle East. Partners in Prayer is a prayer diary giving intercessions for mission Through our partner NZCMS we are also supporting the partners overseas and overseas partner churches. The material is in daily form for use through the month. It is designed to be used work of the Gospel being proclaimed to over a dozen by individual prayers, and for church intercessions/pew sheets. It is countries. published at Lent each year. Partners in Prayer is also available online at www.angmissions.org.nz/PnP A phrase often used about New Zealand is that we “punch above our weight”. In faith we are trusting that 2014 will Information about mission projects, programmes and agencies linked see the church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia with the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is also included.
    [Show full text]
  • Parish of Gore & Districts
    From the Diocese We are pleased to confirm that on the Friday 22nd September at Parish of Gore & Districts 7.30pm Fr Steven Benford will be Ordained and Installed as the tenth Bishop of the Dunedin Diocese at St Paul’s Cathedral. 2 July 2017 OS 13 Welcome to our services today From Alec Clark—Let us continue to pray for the Diocese and the person God _ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ has called south to be our Bishop. Gore 8.00am Holy Communion 10.00am Family Eucharist Loving Lord God, you call all of us, women and men, lay and ordained Riversdale 9.30am to the ministry of being your love in many and various ways. We pray for the Diocese of Dunedin and for Steven Benford whom you have called to be Bishop. Sentence of the Day May we together work for the extension of your kingdom Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great and the growth of love in our world. Amen. mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 Mission Fundraising for Anne & Anthony McCormick, Collect of the Day CMS Mission Partners serving in Cambodia. Our total from the Sales Table and Donations towards our annual target of Eternal Father, $1000 stands at 793.20 ($22.66 per week) through the resurrection of your Son, $206.80 to raise by 31 October ($10.88 per week) help us to face the future with courage and assurance, ALLM Day Saturday 8th July at Holy Trinity Winton.
    [Show full text]
  • Partners in Prayer 2015.Pdf
    2015 Anglican Missions Board of the Church in Aotearoa, Rev Canon Robert Kereopa, Executive Officer, sharing with New Zealand and Polynesia staff and students at Kasulu Bible School, Tanzania [email protected] www.angmissions.org.nz More than ever, the world needs our prayers. In so 32 Mulgrave St // PO Box 12012, many places our brothers and sisters live daily with the Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand challenges of natural disasters, poverty and conflict. Tel // 64 (0)4 473 5172 AMB is privileged to be linked with churches who are Fax // 64 (0)4 499 5553 seeking to model Christ in the most difficult situations. www.facebook.com/AnglicanMissions Through NZCMS the church’s mission partners seek to www.twitter.com/AngMissions serve and share the living truth of the Gospel. Designed by: Marcus Thomas The church in New Zealand has an enormous role to play Partners in Prayer is a prayer diary giving intercessions for mission in spiritually supporting the work of the worldwide church partners overseas and overseas partner churches. The material is with its prayers. As the Apostle James writes: in daily form for use through the month. It is designed to be used by individual prayers, and for church intercessions/pew sheets. It is “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” published at Lent each year. Partners in Prayer is also available online at www.angmissions.org.nz/PnP When we pray, we partner with Christ in his High Priestly ministry, interceding for the nations. Information about mission projects, programmes and agencies linked with the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is Our partners in this guide value your faithful prayers.
    [Show full text]
  • Fc Nbmnk 2020
    APRIL 2020 | ISSUE NO. 3 NA BULAGO MAI NA KORO FROM THE BISHOP OF POLYNESIA ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF POLYNESIA What's inside this issue: COVID 19 Pandemic Virus Mission & Outreach Schools: Developments Primates' Meeting Lotu Youth Mission Community House of Sarah Archbishop of York Visit Diocesan Thanksgiving Celebration Standing Committee Appointments Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ and Co-workers! Ni sa bula vinaka, Malo 'e lelei, Fafetai lava, Namaste and Greetings in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These past few weeks gone by have been quite a journey as the world comes to terms with the COVID 19 Coronavirus pandemic. As of April, Fiji has confirmed 5 COVID-19 cases, New Zealand with 1 recorded death due to COVID-19, and Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa although with nil cases, but joining the rest of the world in lockdown, it is important that our churches have obediently taken immediate action to ensure the safety of all people and to act as an example during the difficult months ahead. We acknowledge that some churches took pro-active measures two weeks ago to limit human to human contact within worship services and especially around the distribution of the Eucharist. For this we must be thankful for the wisdom shown by these churches, encourage them to continue and urge other faith communities to join the movement with their own preventive measures. In the midst of this, here we find an opportune time for the church to review its role as God’s hands in society by ministering to, providing and caring for the poor, sick and the aged – those most at risk from COVID-19.
    [Show full text]