The Fiji Times featured one of the founders of St Christopher’s Home in Nakasi, Nausori in an article published on June 4 1977.
Her name was Sister Clare Masina and in the story she explained why she established a home for the underprivileged in society.
She said while parents were the right people to care for children, when no parent was to be found, someone else had to step up and fill the void. Sister Clare said St Christopher’s Home received children who nobody wanted.
“We think of the words in the Bible, that they are all God’s people,” said the Anglican sister who had been running the St Christopher’s home for the past eight years.
“Christopher means Christ bearer. When we carry the children, wash their faces, feed them, help to educate them – we do it all in the name of Christ. “We carry Christ not on our shoulders, but in our hearts.”
Sister Clare said children arrived at the home from different situations as abandoned babies, unwanted or neglected children, orphans and children from broken homes.
She said they were referred to the home by the Welfare Department, police and other agencies.
When the article was published, the home was overflowing with 62 children aged from four months to 18 years.
Apart from children, there were 10 unmarried, expectant mothers living at the home.
“We have undertaken the responsibility to care for expectant mothers, preventing them from doing harm to their lives or committing suicide.
“The girls often feel it is better to live at the home in peaceful surroundings and give away their children for adoption than to keep a child in a deprived condition.”
She said when the girls returned to the home from the hospital after having their babies, “jobs are found for them in good homes if their own parents do not want them anymore”.
Sister Clare said the home had received “tremendous help” from service clubs, women’s organisations and individuals.
It had a fundraising committee that organises activities and raised money. Fundraising activities began three months ahead of St Christopher’s Week, where street collections were held between July 18 and 24.
She said the committee had already raised some money through a morning tea, a film evening and garden visits.
Other planned activities included a luncheon at the residence of the New Zealand High Commissioner, a casino night and Chinese cookery lessons.
Sister Clare was born in Nukualofa in Tonga and was 50 years old when the article was published.
She was trained as a teacher and taught for 14 years at St Andrews Mission School before going to Christchurch, New Zealand for further training on mission work with the Community of the Sacred Name.
She took her vows in 1965 and arrived in Fiji in 1967.
After spending time in Labasa at the St Mary’s Hostel, she travelled to Suva to establish the St Christopher’s Home in March, 1968.
