Bula bula, friends!
Kendall and I are just back from Fiji and had the most amazing time. It was really 5 days in absolute paradise. A few days ago we were in bathing suits and now (back in Sydney) we're in beanies...I'm in denial.
I'm not sure I can adequately describe how amazing our holiday was. I mean, yes, you can imagine how relaxing it was to be in Fiji on a small island of maybe 70 people. But, at the risk of sounding super "spiro", God opened my eyes to the power of His residue.
Seeing God in a new way is always the best part of any experience.
Always.
After arriving at our host's house, Coco and I walked to the local market to buy a few things (Fiji water, of course) and we came across what looked like a pick-up volleyball game across the street. Naturally, both of us being volleyball enthusiasts we went to check it out. Turns out it was the Nadi Championship team...so we sat on the bench and played with some local kids.
We didn't get to speak to the players or play at all, but they invited us into their team huddle as we left. They spoke in Fijian so we have no idea what was said except for one sentence that shocked us:
"We're going to pray in Fijian."
Yeah.
That's cool.
We didn't say a thing about us being Christian. Neither one of us was wearing some lame "I love Jesus" shirt. And we weren't carrying our Bibles. And yet, they invited us in their circle and prayed.
There you go.
It was a beautiful surprise.
After that moment Coco and I decided we wouldn't be reserved about our relationships with Christ (i.e. reading the Bible in public, talking about Bible college, etc). The only reason we would have is to refrain from making anyone feel uncomfortable. It wasn't much of a discussion at all; we were on the same page, we just needed to verbally confirm. I believe that moment set us right in the middle of being a part of something extraordinary over the next 4 days.
The next morning we arrived our Beachcomber Island aka home for the rest of our trip. Aesthetically the place is a dream: crystal clear water, light breeze, warm sunshine, beach bungalows, lush palm and coconut trees, etc. Everything you expect to be on an island plus the added bonus of a Fijian welcome committee :)
We were taken to our private bure, directed to our hammocks, changed into our bathing suits and headed to start working on our tans.
That night we ruled the dance floor. For a solid 10 minutes it was just Coco and I on the dance floor, but man, we owned the night!
We started every morning with personal time with God after watching the sunrise together.
Every day we met new staff; we made a point to get to know them and remember their names. The second day we were able to redo their chalkboard where they have the details about tours, spa treatments, and the day's activities. It wasn't easy to read and we love to do typography stuff so it was a win-win. While we were drawing a lot of the staff came up to us and talked to us. I think it was really powerful for people to see something being done without anything in return; we weren't getting paid, no compensation, we just wanted to help. We were invited to staff meeting the next morning!
And then the coolest thing: as we were finishing up, two of the girls on staff were chatting in Fijian and then one (Sally) asked us, "Are you Bure 18?" To which we responded "yes", and then she replied with a smile on her face, "you're Christians, aren't you?"
WHAT?!
She had seen our Bibles and apparently mentioned it to some of her friends.
Amazing.
We didn't even say anything, she associated our actions with our beliefs.
THAT' is what it's about.
THAT is how people should recognise us (John 13:35).
I'm still blown away.
Sally showed us the island chapel and invited us to staff devotion...at 4am. Of course, we went.
Seemingly little things like that kept happening. They're not little. They're sweet. Sweet and potent. Over the past 2 years I've been immersed in this amazing environment of Hillsong college: a spiritual epicentre, if you will. But it's not normal or common.
In a place known as "the party island" where people get drunk and things that consequentially follow, here were two young girls doing something different.
Being different.
Godly character always makes you stand out.
The people who became our friends are the highlight of my trip.
What God did for us, in us, between us is the highlight.
Everything else is just icing.
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My season here is coming to a close. I leave in just over a month. That gives me the collywobbles (it's a real word) on so many levels. I'm not as much afraid as I am...wandering. There's a lot of unknowns about going home, but what is known is foundational and will keep me moving forward. For example, what I'll actually be doing is unknown, but I know I'm ruined for the ordinary so I won't settle into a life mundane.
So much has changed since being here. I'm so grateful for it all! But a few things have stayed the same in essence (i.e. certain wants and desires), but have changed in outworking.
And some things have just stayed the same.
Every way you put it, I'm not the same person I was when I came and there's still much to be done.
When I leave here I won't be uprooted; I will be replanted.
Hillsong isn't the soil.
I'm not rooted in Hillsong.
Christ is the soil.
In Him I am rooted.
Change is coming...but I'll be chilling in denial/deliberate ignorance for a little bit longer :)
