In this career-driven world, many individuals dedicate their entire lives to attaining higher education and well paid jobs.
Very often, they are egged on by the desire for material wealth and good quality of life.
This was not the case for a young teenager brought up in an ambitious family but took a leap-of-faith by dropping her law studies and taking on a new journey as a missionary.
She is Natalina Naivalu.
A former Natabua High School deputy head girl and the eldest daughter of local lawyer Mosese Naivalu, Natalina took on this bold stride after being motivated by the Bible text found in Romans 10:14 – “God’s purpose in my life is to know Him and to make Him known.”
Earlier this week, she flew out to Asia with a group of 10 young adults for a two-month outreach program and will celebrate her 21st birthday in November among her fellow missionaries.
“While I was studying law, I felt called by the Lord to do mission work,” the young Yalobi, Yasawa lass shared.
“I thought that I’d lose everything (money, recognition and good education) if I became a missionary but then I realised it was worth losing all of it for the sake of Christ.
“I’m always struck by this Bible verse: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him, whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
The energetic missionary said joining Westcity Point YWAM has been a huge blessing for her.
It has not only allowed her to reach out to others but also mould her to be the woman God wants her to be.
“It truly is beautiful to be able to extend Christ’s grace and love to everyone around me.”
Proud father and the principal of Lautoka-based firm Law Naivalu said he was pleasantly surprised when his daughter broke the news to him.
“She did not tell me directly but had confided in my wife her desire to do discipleship training with YWAM but was scared to tell me given that I had all her semester fees fully paid,” Naivalu said.
“It was not until Pastor Waqa Baravilala broke the news to me that I got to know and I immediately respected her decision to follow her calling from the Lord.”
But Natalina is not the first female in her family to be involved in evangelism.
She walks in the footsteps of her grandmother, Amelia Naivalu, who was a female evangelist in her time.
“On Sundays she used to conduct open-air services at the old Suva Market car park around the late 1970s so I completely accepted her change of heart and knew exactly where that was coming from, ‘man’s plan is not God’s plan’”.
Natalina and her fellow missionaries had an induction session at their Tomuka, Lautoka based-camp before they did practical outreach work in the rural areas of Sigatoka and Nadi before finally departing Fiji.
Naivalu said while everything just happened so fast he was glad that her daughter had taken on a path of courage, boldness and commitment to do the work of the Lord at a young age.
“One day she’s in the office fixing my coffee and the next day she’s off to Asia but am extremely happy for her, in her choices and can only pray and fast for God’s protection and for the blood of the Lamb to keep her covered every inch of the way to Asia and back.
“Apart from my late mother, and an elder sister, Laite Waseiyaroi who is also heavily involved in evangelical work with her Hope Mission Church, Navua, she is the first in the family to venture into this path overseas.”
