Situated in the South Pacific, Fiji consists of 330 islands, with a total area roughly the size of South Korea’s Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (comparable to the U.S. state of New Jersey). Although its population is under one million, it is a land fertile for the gospel, home to many who sincerely long for God and the teachings of the Bible.
Fiji, where the Church of God had only recently been established, was completely unfamiliar to us. One team member had originally planned to serve on another continent, but was reassigned to Fiji. When our mission field was finalized, I felt the weight of responsibility and concern about whether our efforts would bear fruit. In those moments, I was reminded that the work of the gospel is guided not by humans, but by God. Determined to place our full trust in our Heavenly Father and Mother, we united our hearts in prayer, fervently asking that God would bring forth a remarkable outpouring of the gospel in Suva, Fiji.
With a mix of excitement and apprehension, we set foot in Fiji and were welcomed by the local members with joyful songs. As they draped flower leis around our necks and welcomed us so warmly, all my worries melted away. In that moment, I realized, “Here, too, is where our beloved Zion family gathers, and our Heavenly Father and Mother are always with us.” Fiji no longer felt distant or unfamiliar; it was clearly a land ready to see the gospel bloom and flourish.
With hearts full of expectation for the wonders God would reveal, we set out that afternoon to preach. The people of Fiji listened attentively, welcoming the words of the Bible with joy. Their bright, focused eyes and thoughtful questions reflected a sincere desire to know the truth, and it felt as if the fruits of the gospel were already within reach. Yet leading them across the threshold of faith and fully into God’s embrace was not as easy as we had hoped.
One of the greatest challenges we faced in guiding people to Zion was that appointments were often left unkept. In Fiji, it is common for meetings to start hours later than planned—or sometimes not to happen at all—so people would often set only vague or approximate times. Because of this, meeting the same person again after the first encounter often felt nearly impossible.
At first, repeated cancellations of appointments left me disheartened and frustrated. Yet over time, I came to feel grateful, realizing that those who remained faithful to their appointments were truly devoted to God and sincerely striving to follow His will. The souls who embraced God’s word continued to return to Zion, studying the Bible, remembering what they had learned, and even keeping the Sabbath of their own accord.
Among them was a woman with whom we finally reunited after five rescheduled appointments. Each delay tested our patience, but when we finally met, she joyfully embraced the truth, received the blessing of new life, and began faithfully attending the Third Day and Sabbath worships.
“Thank you for leading me to Zion,” she said.
Her words on the day of our final worship in Fiji brought tears to my eyes. I was deeply grateful to God, who had lovingly paved the way for her salvation and, through every obstacle, faithfully led her into His arms.
Every member of our heavenly family who comes to God is precious and dear, yet one person in particular stands vivid in my memory. One day, while sharing the truth in a residential neighborhood, I knocked on a door and was invited inside. There, a woman struggled to rise from a bed near the entrance. Despite severe visual impairment and difficulty walking due to illness, she earnestly wanted to hear God’s word. She listened attentively to every sentence, careful not to miss a single word, and expressed a deep desire to observe the Sabbath and the Passover. She also recognized God the Mother and longed to receive the blessing of new life. When I returned the following day to continue studying with her, she discerned truth from falsehood through the words of the Bible and wept as she spoke,
“I truly want to keep the Sabbath. But how can I possibly come to Zion when I can barely move?”
Her tears touched my heart deeply. I was certain that this devoted soul, whose heart earnestly sought to obey God, was truly part of our heavenly family.
On our third visit, she welcomed us dressed neatly, her bed tidied and everything in order—a clear reflection of the reverence she held for God’s ordinances. Seeing her participate in the rites of life, hands clasped and responding with a heartfelt “Amen,” moved me profoundly. I still vividly recall the joy on her face when she received the promise of salvation, proudly declaring herself a member of the heavenly family.
After returning to Korea, we learned that the sister is continuing her Bible studies with the local members, steadily growing in faith. It was only through God’s guidance that our steps led us to Suva, Fiji, and ultimately to her home, allowing us to share the message of salvation. We give eternal thanks to our Heavenly Father and Mother for allowing us to take part in bringing this soul to the light of the gospel.
Our short-term mission to Fiji began with the hope of sharing Mother’s love and supporting the gospel, yet we returned having received far more blessings than we could have imagined. Though Fiji lies far from Korea, where Mother resides, the hearts of the local members were profoundly close to Her. Every glance, every word, every gesture radiated a quiet, heartfelt love for Mother. We saw members rise early to work yet come to Zion without rest, participating in the gospel with unwavering dedication, and enduring physical hardships simply to accompany us. We saw hearts ablaze with longing for Father and Mother, faithfully keeping their faith and holding heaven in their gaze. Witnessing such devotion made us reflect deeply on our own hearts and faith. Through shared laughter, heartfelt prayers, and the joy of spreading the gospel alongside members whose hearts burned with a desire to save even a single soul and bring Mother joy, we truly experienced what it means to be a genuine heavenly family.
“Let’s meet again in heaven, where we will never be apart.”
Even now, back in Korea, the twelve days of our journey in Fiji remain vivid in my heart. Carrying the heartfelt parting words of the local members, we are inspired to preach the gospel with renewed faith and fervent devotion in our daily life. I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the gospel, praying that the truth will swiftly reach every island in Fiji—from Viti Levu, where Suva is located, to the farthest corners of the nation—so that the gospel may be fulfilled there and ultimately spread to the ends of the earth.