The DTS students graduating

DTS = Die To Self

Once the necessary repairs were completed the ship sailed on to Lautoka, its original intended destination in Fiji. The cancellation of the Samoa trip left us with another week unscheduled, so we quickly re-grouped and prayed for guidance on how to spend this time. We felt that we should be involved where the majority of Fijians live – in the rural villages – and we already knew that Marine Reach Fiji were planning to do their next medical outreach in the North-East area of the island. This is often overlooked and has poor health service provision as people often have to travel all of the way back to Lautoka for anything more than basic care.

Namara locals
Namara locals

As it turned out Angie, our resident cook and childminder, has a sister-in-law who comes from one of the more remote villages in this area, and so a phone-call later we had arranged a visit to Namara. Four hours of driving in the Marine Reach truck took us there, but given how last-minute the arrangement was we were received with more than a little hesitation and confusion, even from our hosts. It was only when we performed the sevusevu (introductory ceremony with the village chief and elders) that we were able to explain who we were, what we represented and why we had come. Once that was cleared up the village welcomed us with open arms and we were given permission to visit as we pleased.

Doing the rounds
Doing the rounds

We began by going from house to house spending time with anyone who wanted it (being Fiji that means everybody!). We had the privilege of sitting with families in their homes, sharing times of prayer and getting to know them. Some would be quite candid and speak openly of their worries while others were content just to discuss the general goings on within the village. Either way, Dani and I couldn’t help but draw a comparison between the open door (and open mind) approach here compared to life in the UK. Usually the first response of the average British citizen to someone knocking on their door is ‘What are they selling/pushing/promoting?’ and making sure the chain is on the door. But here doors are left open all day and night long, privacy being a rarity.

Unfortunately that does not guarantee things don’t happen that shouldn’t, and one particular example pressed this home. One day we visited the home of a family who stayed in a typical one room, basic Fijian home.  We sat on the mat talking with them, and then prayed for the father, daughter in law and her son. As we prayed, Dani had a vivid picture of a raging bull with a red rag tied to its horns, charging around the room we were sitting in. With apprehension she shared the image, knowing its potential for insult but also certain of God’s voice.

Interestingly, the rest of the team had already discovered something Dani hadn’t: the son had been using drugs and was regularly abusing his wife. This had been translated to Alastair whilst Dani was talking with the daughter in law about a medical issue.  We realised that God giving this revelation was confirmation that He wanted to use us to confront this sensitive issue. Fijian culture places a high priority on friendliness and peace, even above justice for wrongdoing. This can result in many horrible acts being hidden by silence, and we have come across many sad cases of abuse and violence being left untold.

On this afternoon, after hearing what God had shown us, the father bowed his head and agreed with its truth. His humility gave us the opportunity to pray peace into the home, and hopefully empowered the family to stand up against the violence that had tainted their home life. This was just one example throughout the DTS of God speaking directly into a situation, and evidence that he wanted us to break into areas where unloving behaviour was going unopposed.

Giving the kids a custom paint job
Giving the kids a custom paint job

As well as the house visits we spent time with the children, singing and face painting. We also participated in youth and Sunday morning services, sharing our testimonies and encouraging the church. Despite the fact that this was not a medical outreach visit Dani was able to give helpful advice on some ailments, and our time there laid down valuable groundwork for our October outreach as we were able to build relationships with the villagers and the local health centre doctor. We also did a practical assessment of the village in preparation for the clinic that we will run there.

Cooking with our hosts
Cooking with our hosts
Dani meets her match
Dani meets her match

After nearly a week we expressed our appreciation to our very kind hosts and returned to Lautoka, feeling like we had built a significant relationship with Namara that would hopefully bear fruit in the months to come. The next day we were happy to be reunited with the other half of our DTS team who had been keeping themselves busy. They had visited Vatacoula, a primarily Indo-Fijian area where Hindu and Islam are the primary religions, and Rabi Island, a remote location inhabited by a people group quite different from the native Fijians, displaced from their home island several decades ago by a profit-mongering British mining corporation. Stories were exchanged and stomachs were filled in preparation for the next phase, our trip to the Yasawa Islands.

This had been organised in cooperation with the crew and staff of the Pacific Hope. They would provide transport to the island of Naviti for our team and equipment, and we would assist in some of their clinics as they were short of sufficiently trained medical staff. The journey there was idyllic – we were able to sit on deck soaking up the beautiful scenery and soothing sunshine for a few hours before offloading all of our equipment and personal effects onto the beach. We set up our clinic in the village hall and had been kindly provided with housing for the 40-strong team we had brought with us (including 17 kids!).

Yasawa landing
Yasawa landing

The next 10 days saw a melee of activity around the island. Medical and dental clinics being run in Kese and Somosomo villages as well as patients being herded onto the ship to be treated in their newly installed dental clinic there. Evangelism teams visiting homes throughout all of the villages in the region. Construction and repair work being done on the health centre, as well as contributions of instruments, medications and advice to the lone doctor there who had the unenviable task of being not only doctor but emergency dentist to the entire population of Naviti Island. We were involved with the local AOG church, taking part in the mid-week and Sunday services with yours truly delivering the Sunday morning sermon (if you want to book me I’m sorry to report my schedule is looking VERY busy).

Busy clinics as usual
Busy clinics as usual

The visit felt well-paced, as the numbers of patients attending clinics began to drop off just towards the end of our stay. From a dental point of view I was encouraged to be doing a lot more fillings than usual (usual being morning till night extractions). My guess is that being away from the main island means less access to sugar, and toothwise that can only be good. It felt rewarding to be saving teeth rather than binning them for a change.

When the time came to return to Lautoka we were both relieved and exhausted. Not all tiredness is physical, and there wasn’t an individual amongst us who hadn’t felt tested, stretched and challenged mentally and spiritually, in addition to the regular bouts of culture shock. But none of that took away from the unshakable knowledge that God doesn’t waste opportunities. We each took a chance by giving up time, comfort and money to come and spend these months listening to teaching, opening ourselves up to a life different to that which we are accustomed, exposing our frailties and vulnerabilities, and stepping out in faith. None of that went unrecognised or unrewarded, and in very different ways our respective lives have been nourished and matured in ways that only God knows how to accomplish. You can’t put a price on that.

Dani receives her graduation certificate
Dani receives her graduation certificate

We spent the remaining few days reflecting on our experiences and preparing ourselves for the transition back into non-DTS life. It was all capped off with a great graduation dinner that ended in a joyous display of singing, dancing and laughter (no alcohol, kava or other mood-altering substance required, but the ice-cream didn’t hurt). Every single person in our class is now considering a very different future to that which we had planned prior, whether that be in terms of relationships, careers, families or various other aspects of life. And yet it still only feels like the beginning…

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