ADRA and Church leaders from across the South Pacific have discussed how local Adventist churches could become more involved in community development at a regional gathering in Fiji.
More than 40 leaders met in Sonaisali from September 15 to 17 for the ADRA South Pacific Regional Kibung—a Tok Pisin term for a meeting or gathering. Participants included ADRA directors, board chairs and Church leaders, with representatives from all seven ADRA countries in the region: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
ADRA International president Pastor Paulo Lopes and vice-president Thierry Van Bignoot also attended, alongside South Pacific Division (SPD) leaders.
Themed “Kacivi: Called to Serve, Equipped for Mission”, the gathering took its name from the Fijian word kacivi, meaning “invitation”.
“Kacivi reminds us that we are called to serve, but we also need to be equipped for the mission God has given us,” said Matthew Siliga, Regional Director of ADRA South Pacific.
One of the initiatives workshopped during the gathering was Mission Ready, a program that has been under development for almost 12 months and is designed to equip Adventist churches across the South Pacific to engage with their local communities through practical community development.
ADRA will support the church-led program, with initiatives adapted to individual countries and community contexts. During the gathering, delegates explored what those initiatives could look like in their respective countries.
“The Church has an incredible opportunity to be more deeply involved in serving its communities,” said Mr Siliga. “Our strength comes from bringing together local leadership, cultural knowledge and the collective experience of the ADRA network. When ADRA and local churches work together, we can create pathways for people to experience the love of God in practical ways.”
Governance, stewardship and organisational effectiveness were also key areas of discussion. SPD Ministry/Strategy and Youth director Pastor Terry Johnson, also an ADRA Australia board member, led a session exploring board responsibilities and how good governance leads to effective operations.
The gathering also celebrated the diversity of the South Pacific, with leaders from different cultural and organisational contexts sharing experiences and approaches from their respective countries.
A panel moderated by Mr Siliga brought together ADRA Papua New Guinea director Darren Yorio, ADRA Fiji director Iliapi Tuwai and ADRA New Zealand chief executive officer Tony Fautua to discuss accountability, leadership and operations in their contexts.
“Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths,” said Mr Siliga. “When we listen to one another and learn from different contexts, we become better equipped to understand communities and respond to their needs.”
Speaking to the delegates, Pastor Lopes encouraged all to view ADRA’s humanitarian work as part of the Church’s broader mission of service.
“Our calling is responding to God’s invitation to participate in His work,” he said. “It’s His work. It’s not ours.”
