For four years, Tomasi Tuibua’s only language was tears. The stroke he suffered at the age of 32 had left him unable to speak and he suddenly found himself in an unfamiliar world – a world where he was forced to slow down.
“I was working in Kadavu in 2000, doing all sorts of work from construction, scuba diving, and kayaking. I would take resort guests from village to village, presenting their i-sevusevu,” he said.
“It started with a headache and I was in a lot of pain and decided to go to the hospital at Vunisea.”
Mr Tuibua, now 58, said at the hospital, he was given medication and discharged. “They didn’t give me any warnings because I don’t believe they knew what was coming next. They told me to carry on working.”
In 2001 he said he was back at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.
“After my hospital check, I bought fuel, returned to Kadavu and kept working. It was then that I suffered the stroke.
“I wasn’t able to talk for four years. During those years, I could only cry – tears were the only language I spoke and my family would always see tears streaming down my face.
“It was God who helped me and restored my ability to speak.”
Mr Tuibua holds September 2004 dearly to his heart, believing the visit by evangelist Reinhard Bonnke then gave him a surge of faith that helped him recover.
“Usually, walking from one lamp post to another would take me 30 minutes. When Bonnke came, I was already at the stadium by 1pm even though the service was to start at 5pm.
“After the service, I walked from the stadium to my home in Wailea Settlement in Vatuwaqa. Many were healed that day, and I was one of them.”
Mr Tuibua said physiotherapy had also aided the recovery of his speech and mobility.
“I started selling roti parcels and did that for four years to support my family. My youngest child is now in Form 5 and my other children are working and married.
“It has taken physiotherapy and prayers to come this far and I would like to tell others going through similar situations: you are the truth of it. If you give it your effort – your relationship with God and others – and you make kindness and respect a priority in how you treat others, you will see a difference.
“I realise now my stroke was triggered by exhaustion due to being overworked. This is a reminder of how we need to prioritise rest. These days, I do just enough work.
“With this condition, we need to be kind-hearted. When people get angry at you, you need to be patient and show kindness as much as possible.”
Tomasi Tuibua at the National Council for Persons with Disabilities complex in Toorak, Suva on May 15.
Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
