Posted by Carl Vanderpal in News

On Sunday 30th April, we had the privilege to be visited by the renowned One Voice Choir. One Voice is a ministry group originating in the United States of America, who have put together a vocal and drama ensemble comprised of both male and female music leaders from various congregations throughout the state of Mississippi.

The One Voice Choir led the worship for our Sunday Morning worship service and we were provided with a vocal and drama performance for our evening service. We were given the opportunity to hear the word from Dr. John Taylor, the senior pastor one of Mississippi’s largest congregations.

Posted by Carl Vanderpal in News

Press Release: CHERISH A CHILD- FIJI MISSION
by Avinesh Gopal - Freelance Journalist, Lautoka, Fiji

Cherish A Child has provided assistance to several students of two rural Primary Schools in Fiji facing problems after the closure of a gold mine.

The “Cherish A Child” group of Australia under the leadership of Rev. Mathew Kuruvilla visited Vatukoula Covent School and Toko Bhartiya School on Wednesday 26 July 2007 after learning about the students plight.
More than 200 students at the two schools have been going to school without breakfast and lunch for the last few months.

The parents of affected students are without jobs following the closure of Vatukoula Gold Mine on 6 December 2006- a day after the military coup in Fiji. As a result of being unemployed, the parents cannot afford to pay their children’s bus fares to school and provide them with a decent meal on any day. The two schools have been luring the needy students to school by assuring them that lunch and bus fares would be provided.

Vatukoula convent school has a roll of 262 students in classes one to eight and about 97% of these children’s parents were employed by the Emperor Gold Mining Company Limited, which has closed down. School Head Teacher, Ledua Niubalavu said most parents had exhausted the financial package given to them by the Gold Mining Company. Mr. Niubalavu said a recent survey carried out by the school revealed that many students missed their meals daily. He said, “Many parents could not send their children to school because they were not in a position to pay the bus fares or provide lunch for their children.” He said the school teachers have been forking out money from their pockets to provide meals and bus fares to the very needy students.
Mr. Niubalavu thanked the “Cherish A Child” project for the timely donation of food, school supplies and cash to pay for students bus fares.

A similar situation also exists at Toko Bharatiya School, which is further down the road from Vatukoula towards Tavua town. With 618 students, the school has also reported of children coming to school without meals and bus fares.
School Head Teacher, Ghana Nand Mishra said more than 100 students had problems in getting lunch to school and paying for bus fares. Mr. Mishra said, “We provided lunch to all students for one week during midyear exams recently and when we provide lunch, then it’s for all students because we don’t want to discriminate.”

He thanked the “Cherish A Child” organisation for the donation of food, clothes, school supplies and cash to assist the poor children and their families.
Rev. Kuruvilla along with his wife Savi and son Jason who had visited these schools were shocked to see the plight of these children and promised to offer ongoing support to these students.