[Fiji] Heated with Fever, Fiji World Camp

Fiji is in its coolest weather throughout the year. On the 7th, at the Suva Civic Center where a cool breeze is blowing, the second day of the happy Fiji World Camp has begun.

Fiji is consisted of 322 islands and for most people it is not easy to afford to attend the camp. Therefore, this camp was supported accommodation and food, transportation costs, participation fees by the government, allowing 200 students from surrounding islands to attend along with 300 students that participated through TV advertisement and university promotion, as well as many pastors and educators.

Moreover, the brothers and sisters from Australia or New Zealand gathered offerings to support those students who truly wanted to attend with transportation costs and participation fees, making this camp not only a Fiji Camp but a great event of all of the South Pacific.

The World Camp Opening Ceremony news on Fiji media and the Gracias Choir’s small concert in the Prime Minister’s office

On the 6th, last Monday, news of the Fiji World Camp at the Suva Civic Center where the Prime Minister also attended was reported throughout influential press of Fiji. News was published on Fiji Today, Fiji Times as well as on the government website. On the 7th, last Tuesday, after the meeting with Pastor Ock Soo Park at the Prime Minister’s Office, news of the small concert of the Gracias Choir with Ministers of each Department was posted on Fiji Government’s Facebook and YouTube.

– Fiji Government Website http://www.fiji.gov.fj/Media-Center/Speeches/HON-PM-BAINIMARAMA-WELCOME-REMARKS-AT-THE-INTERNAT.aspx

– Fiji Government Facebook – Opening Ceremony Event https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1180521285314138.1073743932.207532522613024&type=3

– Fiji Government Facebook – Opening Ceremony Event(video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-mPMzDK5A

– Fiji Government Facebook – Small Concert at Prime Minister’s office (video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6K6SgUt3WE

– Fiji Sun Online http://fijisun.com.fj/2016/06/07/no-one-immune-to-social-ills-global-problems-pm/

– The Fiji Times http://fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=357045

– Fijivillage http://fijivillage.com/news/PM-opens-International-Youth-Fellowship-Fiji-World-Cultural-Camp-59r2sk/

– FBC News(Fiji Broadcasting Co rporation) http://www.fbc.com.fj/fiji/41038/bainimarama-encourages-youths-at-iyf-world-camp

– Fiji ONE TV http://fijione.tv/youth-leaders-need-to-inspire-young-people-to-address-modern-challenges-pm/

Heated with fever, the Fiji World Camp

In the afternoon, the programs were carried out in separate teams. The pastors and educators attended a separate workshop and the World Camp student participated in k-pop, taekwondo, Korean traditional mask making, Good News Corps etc. 8 academies and 7 mind recreations that took place at the park in front of the Civic Center.

The students learned news things and enjoyed their youth to the fullest under the sunny skies covered with clouds.

“I feel like we are able to make relationship, know each other, and our hearts become closer. It is extremely fun. Through the camp, I think they tried to gather the youths instead of leaving them in times of hardship and pain, temptation etc. I very much feel this way beginning from yesterday to today.” – EPA, Mataceva

“The Korean was especially interesting. I also lived in Korea, for about three years in Busan. I lived in Nampodong. Perhaps because of this experience, I thought Korean was fun and very interesting. The taekwondo was also very interesting.” – Andaini, Fiji

The Righteous Stars which have become popular in Fiji started the evening event with the dance to the song ‘Up all night.’ The day was wrapped up with photos of the day’s activities and the promotional video that followed delivered a message of the IYF that changes hearts and changes the world.

When the Lincoln House Busan School students performed the cultural dance ‘Pate Pate’ that they prepared for the Fiji World Camp, the audience shouted wildly with cheers.

To continue the fever, the Gracias Choir’s stage began. When the songs of Tenor Julio’s “This is the moment”, Violinist Jun-hee’s “Meditation of Thais”, “Jesus loves me”, and trio performance of “O sole mio”, “Amazing grace” echoed throughout the hall, the participants cheered loudly and opened their hearts.

“Everyone, no matter how weak or strong, how rich or poor, how wise or foolish a person may be, if they have no strength in their hearts, they will be led away by sadness and hardship. The story of how to defeat this sadness and pain is inside the bible.”

At the evening mind lecture, Pastor Ock Soo Park strongly delivered a message. Through the story of General Naaman in 2 Kings chapter 5, he spoke about how the servant girl who came as captive was in a miserable and poor position but because she had Jesus in her heart, happiness was able to defeat sadness. He also added that God had visited the hearts of the Fijian students and hoped that they also fall asleep in happiness and wake up in hope.

Mr. and Mrs. Tagitumaivei’s meeting with Pastor Ock Soo Park

After finishing the sermon, Mr. and Mrs. Kisoko Tagitumaivei, former Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office who attended the 2015 Korea World Camp and received salvation, and the wife of the Minister of Youth were waiting for Pastor Ock Soo Park at the VIP room. Mr. Kisoko asked for prayers to Pastor Ock Soo Park some time ago regarding his wife’s who couldn’t use half of her body due to stroke.

Pastor Ock Soo Park said that when the Words enter the heart, it can overcome any illness but, the problem is like that of the Scriptures in Acts 13:22 ” I have found David[c] the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” We must first join our hearts as one with God and he introduced to them how to join hearts with God.

Pastor Ock Soo Park preached the gospel to Mr. Kisoko’s wife saying, “As the Scriptures in Romans 3:23-24, the bible says that no one can reach the glory of God because all people have sinned. However, it also says we became justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. It is not because we did something well but by the blood of Jesus on the cross, our sins have been washed. It is fatal to be bitten by a cobra, but when the blood of a person immune to cobra poison is transfused, the cobra poison can be overcome. Likewise, we cannot go to heaven due to sins, but by Jesus who died on the cross, we have become whole and perfect to go to heaven.”

Mr. Kisoko’s wife found peace, saying “I’m righteous.” Pastor Ock Soo Park gave a prayer asking God, whom he saw people overcome cancer or a scorpion stings through the Words, to give new strength to this sister and live for the gospel.

Each day in Fiji became happier with time. New people were connected and the boundaries of the gospel broadened beyond our expectations. Fiji Camp, which budded from a prayer 40 years ago, is hopeful.