Villagers from Kabara Island in the Lau group dedicated the last three months in preparation for their recent trip to the Methodist Church Conference held in Suva. Despite limited income opportunities, more than 40 villagers made the journey that took them several days to reach the city.
Many of the villagers planned to stay in the capital for an additional two weeks to visit friends and family, seizing the chance to extend their time on Viti Levu, primarily due to transportation challenges when returning to the Lau group.
The group was led by their chiefs, who contributed financially with a sum of $5,000 to cover travel expenses. They brought a variety of seafood to sell at the conference, which proved to be a profitable venture.
Chief Tui Lomati Mosese Kotobalavu noted that this trip has become an annual event for the Kabara community. He mentioned, “About 40 church members came on this trip, and we spent the last three months preparing seafood to sell at the conference, which we did and also earned good income.”
He emphasized the significance of the event, stating, “This is a very important event for us, especially making time to attend this church gathering and to hear more about the word of God. We will return home and share our experiences and messages from our church leaders with our families.”