Leaving Nadi for Suva, the Golden Oldies team first stop is to be welcomed by the Churches of Sigatoka. The Church of the Good Shepherd is one of three parishes in this small community. Two of these Church groups from up the Sigatoka Valley had been collected on buses at 8am to journey along the road-tracks, down the fruit-bowl valley of Fiji, to the small rural settlement of Sigatoka.
Our team are hosted by Rev Daniel and his wife Catherine, and contribute in song, preaching, and prayers to a Service full of wonderful Fijian singing and song. A delicious array of Fijian foods follow of local fish, mussels, chicken, salads and tropical fruits. Much of the food having been transported down in the valley earlier in the bus.
As usual, Fiji time begins and we depart late to visit a small Melanesian Church community in a village along the way to Suva. An impromptu thanksgiving service by Father Demesi occurs and our musical Mike leads the village children in some hilarity with his children’s songs. The smile on their faces a joy to be hold.
Fiji time, we depart even more behind schedule for the oasis of the Bible College in Suva.