Fijian Church Service

On Sunday morning we were invited to join a church service in the nearby village of Naisisili. I don't know what I expected but it certainly wasn't this.

The priest welcomed us into their 'family', this was in between his spluttering coughs and wiping the sweat from his brows (not helped by him wearing a suit and tie). His spluttering and coughing lasted for the entire duration of the service. This man was not well and I'm surprised any of us are either as he spluttered all over the bread (crackers) and wine (fruit juice) which we later consumed.

Other highlights included dancing with the local children and multiple sustained periods of the service where the church-goers muttered/spoke/proclaimed what I can only assume were prayers, but all at the same time and with different proclamations. Some of the people appeared to be possessed by the Lord and I thought the woman in front of me was having a mental breakdown at one point.

90 minutes of my life I will never forget and regret absolutely none of.Read more