The Fiji Ministry Encounter Trip 2025 was, by all accounts, an incredible success. A group of nine rangatahi, young adults, and leaders travelled to Fiji as part of the Nelson Anglican Diocese’s ongoing partnership with our Tikanga Pasifika whānau. This was the second visit to Dreketi, and it was powerful to see how deeply the relationships and learning have grown since the first exchange.
The team was made up of Luke Watts, Levi Petterson, Ruby Hughes, Ethan Rutherford, Hana Wood, Will Poil, Renata van der Wal, Marzi van der Mark and myself.
Preparation played a key role in shaping the experience. The team met monthly for six months before the trip, alongside a weekend training retreat, which helped form strong relationships and prepare everyone for the cultural, spiritual, and practical aspects of the journey. It felt like God had put the right people together at the right time. It was awesome to see our young people and leaders engaging fully in everything we did.
One of the most significant outcomes of the trip was the strengthening of cross-cultural relationships between Anglicans in Aotearoa, particularly within the Nelson Diocese, and our Polynesian Anglican brothers and sisters in Fiji. There was a strong sense of mutual learning and shared faith. For many of the team, seeing God at work in both big and small moments was deeply formative. Hana Wood reflected, “I saw God at work through the little moments. It was such a testament to how personal God is and how well he knows each of us. Seeing the youth two years later, they are walking testimonies of God’s provision and faithfulness.”
Time spent in Dreketi visiting elderly parishioners was especially moving. The team visited people in their homes, including one woman who had been living in a tent for five years after her house was damaged by flooding and cyclones. Sharing kōrero, prayer, and kai together was emotional for both the visitors and the hosts, highlighting the power of presence and relationship. Hospitality was a constant theme throughout the trip. Levi Petterson shared, “The Fijian people were incredibly welcoming and hospitable, especially in the Dreketi parish. Some people even took time off work just to spend time with us. That generosity really stood out.” Luke Watts also noticed the strong sense of whānau. “Life felt so family-oriented. People did everything together, and even just walking through town, everyone would say ‘Bula’ and you’d say it back. It felt so warm and welcoming.”
Practical service was another key part of the encounter. The team spent a day helping NZCMS Mission Partners Rachael and Roy from Mobile Mission Maintenance build a house for an elderly woman connected to the ministry. Mixing and pouring concrete alongside local builders Frank and Atu became a powerful example of shared work and humility. Renata van der Wal recalled, “They told us the work we did in a couple of hours would have taken them about a week on their own. They were so grateful that we pitched in.” Levi added, “It was incredible to see how something small for us made such a big difference for her. Her faith was amazing.”
Another highlight for many was a day spent at the river in Dreketi. Will Poil shared, “We spent the afternoon connecting with people, travelling by boat to different homes along the river, and hearing how people live off the land and water. Watching the youth jump off the boat into the river felt like we were being welcomed into everyday life.”
A particularly significant moment of the trip was the visit to St Christopher’s Home in Suva. The team spent the day playing games, sharing Bible stories, singing, dancing, and simply being present with the children and young people who live there. It was a really special time together. Everyone got involved, whether that was sport, stories, or testimonies. Marzi van der Mark, who helped lead a testimony workshop alongside Hana, described a moment of unexpected grace. “We were talking about how testimonies are about both big and small moments, and then the police arrived with gifts. It felt like such a clear picture of God at work in simple, unexpected ways.”
It gave young people space to grow in confidence, faith, and leadership, while strengthening long-standing Anglican relationships across cultures. It was also about going as Jesus’ hands and feet, seeing where God is already at work, and joining in with humility and joy.
The trip would not have been possible without generous support. Special thanks to the Henry and William Williams Trust for their funding, to Bishop Steve, Simon Martin and the diocese admin team for their ongoing support, to NZCMS, to Cassie and Takape Kamunaga for their guidance and cultural wisdom, and to Sai from the Parish of the Holy Cross in Dreketi for his incredible hospitality and leadership.
Most of all, thanks are given to Jesus, who continues to call, shape, and send his people, drawing whānau together across oceans, cultures, and communities.
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We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
The Fiji Ministry Encounter Trip 2025 was, by all accounts, an incredible success. A group of nine rangatahi, young adults, and leaders travelled to Fiji as part of the Nelson Anglican Diocese’s ongoing partnership with our Tikanga Pasifika whānau. This was the second visit to Dreketi, and it was powerful to see how deeply the relationships and learning have grown since the first exchange.
The team was made up of Luke Watts, Levi Petterson, Ruby Hughes, Ethan Rutherford, Hana Wood, Will Poil, Renata van der Wal, Marzi van der Mark and myself.
Preparation played a key role in shaping the experience. The team met monthly for six months before the trip, alongside a weekend training retreat, which helped form strong relationships and prepare everyone for the cultural, spiritual, and practical aspects of the journey. It felt like God had put the right people together at the right time. It was awesome to see our young people and leaders engaging fully in everything we did.
One of the most significant outcomes of the trip was the strengthening of cross-cultural relationships between Anglicans in Aotearoa, particularly within the Nelson Diocese, and our Polynesian Anglican brothers and sisters in Fiji. There was a strong sense of mutual learning and shared faith. For many of the team, seeing God at work in both big and small moments was deeply formative. Hana Wood reflected, “I saw God at work through the little moments. It was such a testament to how personal God is and how well he knows each of us. Seeing the youth two years later, they are walking testimonies of God’s provision and faithfulness.”
Time spent in Dreketi visiting elderly parishioners was especially moving. The team visited people in their homes, including one woman who had been living in a tent for five years after her house was damaged by flooding and cyclones. Sharing kōrero, prayer, and kai together was emotional for both the visitors and the hosts, highlighting the power of presence and relationship. Hospitality was a constant theme throughout the trip. Levi Petterson shared, “The Fijian people were incredibly welcoming and hospitable, especially in the Dreketi parish. Some people even took time off work just to spend time with us. That generosity really stood out.” Luke Watts also noticed the strong sense of whānau. “Life felt so family-oriented. People did everything together, and even just walking through town, everyone would say ‘Bula’ and you’d say it back. It felt so warm and welcoming.”
Practical service was another key part of the encounter. The team spent a day helping NZCMS Mission Partners Rachael and Roy from Mobile Mission Maintenance build a house for an elderly woman connected to the ministry. Mixing and pouring concrete alongside local builders Frank and Atu became a powerful example of shared work and humility. Renata van der Wal recalled, “They told us the work we did in a couple of hours would have taken them about a week on their own. They were so grateful that we pitched in.” Levi added, “It was incredible to see how something small for us made such a big difference for her. Her faith was amazing.”
Another highlight for many was a day spent at the river in Dreketi. Will Poil shared, “We spent the afternoon connecting with people, travelling by boat to different homes along the river, and hearing how people live off the land and water. Watching the youth jump off the boat into the river felt like we were being welcomed into everyday life.”
A particularly significant moment of the trip was the visit to St Christopher’s Home in Suva. The team spent the day playing games, sharing Bible stories, singing, dancing, and simply being present with the children and young people who live there. It was a really special time together. Everyone got involved, whether that was sport, stories, or testimonies. Marzi van der Mark, who helped lead a testimony workshop alongside Hana, described a moment of unexpected grace. “We were talking about how testimonies are about both big and small moments, and then the police arrived with gifts. It felt like such a clear picture of God at work in simple, unexpected ways.”
It gave young people space to grow in confidence, faith, and leadership, while strengthening long-standing Anglican relationships across cultures. It was also about going as Jesus’ hands and feet, seeing where God is already at work, and joining in with humility and joy.
The trip would not have been possible without generous support. Special thanks to the Henry and William Williams Trust for their funding, to Bishop Steve, Simon Martin and the diocese admin team for their ongoing support, to NZCMS, to Cassie and Takape Kamunaga for their guidance and cultural wisdom, and to Sai from the Parish of the Holy Cross in Dreketi for his incredible hospitality and leadership.
Most of all, thanks are given to Jesus, who continues to call, shape, and send his people, drawing whānau together across oceans, cultures, and communities.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
