6 Townsville people head off this weekend to a remote island in Fiji laden with gifts of love from the people of Townsville.
A former Townsville pastor – Lepani Pulea is to become the chief of Vanuabalava, a remote island 300 kms from Suva. Lapani and his wife Fifi have chartered a boat from Suva to take a team of over 40 people from England, Sydney, Brisbane, Fiji and Townsville to travel the 14 hours to the island. We go laden with gifts for the people on this remote Fijian Island. Already a shipping container has been sent with desks and chairs for the school, hospital beds and equipment, and a heap of supplies.
The Townsville folk were allocated to bring lipsticks, nail polish, women’s underwear and netball bibs as gifts for the women who rarely get off the island to buy these supplies. A plea was put out on Facebook and texts were sent to friends and over 34 kg of goods have been received. One of those going, Anne Harley, says ‘It’s quite extraordinary. All these people, I don’t even know, giving lipstick and nail polish and underwear. “We have 180 bottles of nail polish, 120 lipsticks and 220 pairs of womens undies and a lot of excess luggage!!” she laughed
Remote island of Vanuabalavu, Fiji
Lomaloma village was hit by Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 and there is still many repairs to be done. It was the most intense cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere on record and the most to make landfall on record. The team will be fixing and rebuilding parts of the community that still need repair, carrying out workshops, home visitations and activities with the school.
Anne says ‘As we go, we will carry the love of so many Townsville people who have given. We are very thankful’
Further info: Anne Harley – 0413527651