Mother and son duo, Maeli and Mele Foaga from Predestine Adventist Church in Sydney, began participating in the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “100 days of Prayer” movement in March 2019. As the 100 days came to an end, Mele said to his mother, “let’s carry on until Jesus comes!”.
There are now many families who have joined them in this continued prayer program. Daily they pray for others—families, children and friends of friends—some church members, and some not. As of June 2022, they were halfway through another cycle of the 100-day program, which they had been through eight times.
Life has not always been comfortable for these prayer warriors. In 1997, when Mele was 18 years old, he received a diagnosis of lupus. This meant his kidneys stopped functioning and the following year he began haemodialysis. Three times a week for the past 24 years, Mele has made the journey to Blacktown Regional Dialysis Centre. Each visit lasts five hours, which he sees as a perfect opportunity to talk with the nurses who attend to him. When the nurses share what is going on in their lives, he encourages them with the answer that has sustained him all these painful years: “Jesus cares”.
A steadfastly positive person, Mele is still open to being upset, but gains strength from participating with his mother in prayer. Maeli, who for 13 years cared for her late husband, has a health ministry and shares messages of health and prayer over the phone. Prayer and fasting are used by them both.
After multiple hospitalisations in the past year, Mele has found it necessary to use a wheelchair at times but is thankful to still be able to drive a car. Mele says he “lives day by day” and looks forward to the return of Jesus. He says, “I just pray every day that I can lead someone to Christ.”
Arthur Hudson is an intern pastor at Dundas and Hoxton Park churches.
