First Sabbath Offering for Fiji Mission headquarters

The Republic of Fiji is a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific, about 4,450 km southwest of Honolulu and 1,770 km north of New Zealand. Of the 332 islands forming the archipelago, about 106 are permanently inhabited. Fiji enjoys a tropical climate, sandy beaches, lush vegetation, abundant fruits, vegetables, and root crops. Fiji’s estimated population is 903,207, made up of native Fijians (Itaukei)—predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture 56.8%, the Indo-Fijians 45%, and other races 7%. The official language is English. Fijian and Hindi are spoken by the majority. In times past, Fiji was known for cannibalism, widely practiced by prominent native chiefs as a symbol of superiority. The dawn of the Christian era in Fiji was marked by the arrival of Wesleyan missionaries who came in 1835. The swift spread of the gospel completely eradicated the evil practices of both cannibalism and witchcraft. Today, most of our population is Christian, with 45% Protestants, 27.9% Hindu, 10.4% other Christians, 9.1% Roman Catholics, 6.3% Islam, 0.3% Sikh, and 0.8% irreligious.

The Reformation message entered our shores in 1974 when missionaries visited and baptized four souls. In 1997 the work was reestablished, and 30 more souls were baptized. Growth has continued. Although poor in the things of this earth, believers here are challenged to spread the gospel and are reaching new interests in the highlands, cities, and remote islands.

We have acquired a quarter-acre freehold land in 2015 and built a small hall where worship services are currently held. Considering our growing membership, our most desperate need at this time is a house of worship, office space for our headquarters, and for the distribution of literature. We earnestly pray that the Lord may touch your heart and respond to the needs here in Fiji. Blessings will surely come as you give generously, so a headquarters may stand as a memorial to glorify God. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38). We thank all of you in advance for your kind generosity.

Your brethren and sisters from the Fiji Mission