‘Mālō e lelei.’ My name is Tapuakiloua Stewardship Ione. I was born and grew up in Tonga, and it was never in my mind that God would use me to preach His good news in Fiji.
When I considered going on the Navigators Mission project, I restudied the Greatest Commission in Matthew 28:19, where it says, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” I wondered how God could use me to do that? My conclusion was, “My God is big enough to do the impossible!” This realisation was eye-opening for me. Joining the Navigators Mission project to Fiji was part of my commitment to Jesus’ mission.
While preparing for the trip, I struggled to follow my commitment to go, particularly looking for financial support. Besides this, my studies were too much, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I thought I could not make it. However, God taught me so well that ‘He who is in me’ will be my power and strength to fulfil this mission. My role is only to trust Him. In addition, I realised that I do not need to be a Bible scholar or expert to be committed to Jesus’ mission. I need only to allow God to use me through the guidance of His Spirit.
Praise God! He has done it for me. As we shared the good news with the people of Fiji, it was a blessing to see how the locals were so friendly and open to hearing it. Neither my efforts nor our team’s skillful tools but the Spirit of God were in front of us to prepare the hearts of people for His hope.
Throughout this Mission project God showed Himself so clearly to me. I know that through His grace, He made all things happen according to His word. By humbly trusting Him, He can use me in all circumstances for His glory.
Please pray that He will use me and the other students on the team this semester to see other students come to faith as we return to our campuses. Vinaka!
– Tapuakiloua Stewardship Ione