Villagers from Kabara Island in the Lau group dedicated the last three months to prepare for their journey to the Methodist Church Conference in Suva. Despite facing limited income opportunities, over 40 members of the community traveled for days to participate in this significant national event.
The villagers plan to spend an additional two weeks in the capital visiting friends and family, as this allows them a longer stay on Viti Levu due to challenges with transportation back to the Lau group. The group was led by chiefs who contributed $5,000 towards travel expenses and brought various seafood to sell at the conference.
Chief Tui Lomati Mosese Kotobalavu noted that this annual trip is a tradition for Kabara villagers. He explained, “About 40 church members came on this trip, and we spent the last three months preparing seafood to sell at the conference, which was successful and provided good income.”
He emphasized the importance of this gathering, stating, “This is a very important event for us, especially to attend this church gathering and hear more about the word of God. We will return home and share our experiences and the messages from our church leaders with our families.”