July 2021: Dealing with Changes, Trusting in God
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
Last spring was the start of my official Global Ministries experience. I traveled to Fiji to work with the Pacific Christian Council (PCC) where I served as a part of the stewardship team. With complications caused by COVID-19, I was unable to return to Fiji after leaving for visa issues and only returned in Spring 2021. This feels almost as though it is a restart, and despite already having lived and worked in Fiji, I find myself feeling as though there was a time skip, and this is once again my first time. To a certain extent, I consider it my first time because previously COVID-19 was beginning to ramp up. The lockdowns and curfews that were put in place changed opportunities to interact, as well as pretty much every other experience.
In the time between leaving Fiji and returning, I had the opportunity to work as a Partners in Service volunteer with an outdoor ministry in Wisconsin, maintain desert water stations with Humane Borders in Arizona, and observe a Global Ministries partner in Nogales. While it was unfortunate that I was unable to return to Fiji for this period, this time gave me a chance to have new experiences. Global Ministries’ steadfast efforts to provide support and social connection have been reassuring. I am grateful for the work of the Global Ministries U.S. offices and the Pacific Christian Council that enabled my return to Fiji.
Robert Howard serves with the Pacific Christian Council, Fiji. His appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church’s Wider Mission, WOC, and your special gifts.