A passion to serve Jesus! Mrs 'Ofa Tafa and TUITUIVAO Ministry
11/08/07 , by Posted by: Admin
A job for the rest of my life!
Mrs ‘Ofa Tafa started working for the Tonga Government in 1966 serving in various government departments. She was granted pension in 1998, putting an end to one calling, but starting of a more full-filled one. Mrs Tafa offered herself to serving the Lord through the church full-time straightaway once she finishes from her civil servant duties. “I wanted to do this – apply for pension from Government work as soon as I could - so I can concentrate only on the Lord’s work in the church”. It is obvious ‘Ofa has a strong passion to live out her faith by “… serving the Lord for the rest of my life which is the best occupation for anyone …”
Saved to serve
‘Ofa took up the story;
“Shortly after my second child was born, my husband was away through his work, (he was a civil servant too). I was really struggling. On top of my husband being away, I had some misunderstanding with my in-laws. A work colleague, Miss ‘Otolose Satui, sensed something isn’t quite right and simply asked if I wanted to share my burden with her. After listening, ‘Otolose Satui didn’t say anything and just wrote me the Tongan verses of the famous Hymn “What a Friend we have in Jesus”.
Monuu e ka ko ha monuu
‘Etau ma’u ha ‘Eiki ‘ofa
‘Oku tali ‘etau lotu
Kau he’etau me’a kotoa
‘Oku ai hatau mamahi?
Fakahaa ki he ‘Otua
‘Alu atu ‘o tekaki
Te ne kau ‘i hono fua
"I have heard from a young age many of the Bible instructions about Jesus’ life, memorized a lot of Bible verses, and all that went with a typical Tongan upbringing in those days. But in this particular day, things kind of become more real for me as I red through the Tongan version of this particular Hymn. I can say it was this day the Lord set aside; a day I decided to let Him into my life. Yes, it was that day in January, 1971 I was born again”.
"In the early 70’s my husband and I found ourselves living next to the Tonga Gospel Fellowship at Mataika, Kolofo’ou. There weren’t many residents in the area then, as it is now. So I got to know the church members, and gradually got involved with the church. And because of being a civil servant, the church thinks they should rely on me to translate a lot of their materials into Tongan language. A passion to do work for the church developed and got to a time when I decided I would try and do as much as I could for the church”.
Although it was difficult to juggle her civil servant duties with her now new task for the Fellowship, 'Ofa kept on it because she was "grateful for the Lord, for what He has done for me on the cross". ‘Ofa’s faith journey was strengthened again in September 1988, when she “rededicated her life to Jesus”. From that point onwards, she couldn’t wait for the opportunity to work full-time “serving my Lord in anyhow possible”.
Tuituivao-ki-loto-Tatau Ministry; worshipping one God – together!
Currently, Mrs Tafa is busy with Tuituivao-ki-loto-tatau Group. “It is both a women ministry and a youth ministry based at a community-type hall in the Tonga Gospel Fellowship complex, which was built and completed in 2004 thanks to collective effort of the Tonga Gospel Fellowship, AusAid, and various help by Missionary Friends mainly from New Zealand. It is from this community centre a lot of my works are carried out, especially the Tuituivao Ministry”
The Tuituivao Ministry started from a desire to bring down denominational boundaries. ‘Ofa, says she was saddened by the fact that she sees women of various denominations who supposedly worship the same God congregated in groups according to whatever denominations they belong to. One day, ‘Ofa invited herself to a meeting of catholic women at Halaleva. “They were shocked. One, because they hardly knew who I was, and also I just went on to talk and share the reason why I decided to turn up at their meeting”. And the reason?
‘Ofa, invited them to think about the fact that the “Lord they are worshipping isn’t just for the Siasi Tonga or Uesiliana or the Catholic or any particular denomination”. She proposed that if these women are worshipping a God who is for everyone, may be they should think about coming together with other women from different denominations and do something together. They agreed and so Tuituivao Women Ministry started, and the children of these women in the Group made up the Tuituivao Youth Ministry.
So, how would you describe your role these days, I asked ‘Ofa. “I have a passion for lost souls since that day in January 1971- the day I was born again. Back then I let a small prayer group which include; Miss Tonga Finau, worked at Queen Salote Wharf (now Mrs Tonga Niu’ila, residing in New Zealand); Miss Nanise ‘Ofanoa, worked for Government Chief Magistrate (now Mrs Nanise Tu’ilautala living here in Tonga) and, Mrs Sivoki Tupoulahi, worked for Government Market at Vuna Wharf (now Mrs Sivoki Moala residing in the United States).
‘Ofa, with these young women, all were working for various government departments set aside time to build their faith. “We come together at lunch break, using the Daily Bread Devotional book; we look at Bible passage and pray. We also made a commitment to witness and try winning at least one soul for Christ once a month”. ‘Ofa was also serving at the Police Department at the time. Ah! Christian at the work place, how is it going in Tonga, I made a passing comment while we were at the subject! ‘Ofa offers some interesting history.
Faith in the ‘work place’
“It was a great joy and very humbling to see more and more Civil Servants coming to Christ. Eventually we seek permission from the then Prime Minister – His Royal Highness Prince Fatafehi Tu’ipelehake – to allow us to invite all members of the Government Workforce to a monthly prayer meeting, which would be run by Rev Senituli Koloi of the Scripture Union. That’s how the Worker’s Christian Union started. The meetings were every last Friday of the month; first held at the Parliament House, moved to the Court House when Parliament House was not available. His Royal Highness Prince Tu’ipelehake was always present”.
‘Ofa made it clear that the Workers Christian Union was started, because, as Christians they wanted to encourage each other in the work place but more importantly “reap the harvest for the Lord”. “If we don’t go out winning souls in the work place, the meeting is just another social gathering, and it is a waste of time”. I agree hoping it is still the case now, but ask what it is like at present since there has been a lot of publicity regarding the Workers Christian Union meetings lately. ‘Ofa says when she left for further studies in 1986, she, upon her return to Tonga, “got involved in other ministries and I don’t know how it is now, but I hope they still go out and win souls for Christ”.
Winning Souls- ‘must be born again’
The passion to win people for Christ is too obvious and ‘Ofa cannot get away from talking about it. “Tuituivao Ministry is built on Mathew 28:20; “Go then to every people everywhere and make them my disciples”. This is a soul-winning group, ‘Ofa passionately declares. “We want to reach out to Tongan women and Tongan youths, to tell them that they are special in God’s eyes”.
‘Ofa is very involved in running the Tonga Gospel Youth Recreation and Development Centre, which she was at the forefront of its development. It runs fitness and other outside recreational activities, such as aerobic classes for all ages. The centre also offers short-term courses depending on funding received and sometimes on what the public may demand. Courses include;
Food Science and Hygienic Practice
Food Preparation (cooking)
Food and Beverage Services
Basic Communication in Work Places
Housekeeping Awareness
Office Skills
Sewing & Fashion
“But we also make it clear that part of the courses is hearing the message of Jesus Christ. We have offered the courses since 2002, a move by the whole church as part of its ministry – to provide spiritual guidance to young people. Something we cannot move away from”.
‘Ofa goes on to put emphasis on “being born again”, quoting Bible verses in support. A personal relationship with Jesus is paramount, according to ‘Ofa, sometimes at the expense of everything else by the sounds of it. “God leads me to people who haven’t heard the message of the cross of Jesus. People who have been brought up in false doctrine”, she continues. On that, she mentions two catholic women who are “leaving the catholic church” which they belong, to join a charismatic evangelical congregation, because it is a form of “denying oneself to follow Jesus Christ”.
“Our intention to win the soul was set from our very first meeting. That soul must confess that she/he really believes that if she dies she/he will be carried to paradise by the angels, because Jesus on the cross purchased his/her soul, as he died to pay the penalty for her/his sin which is death (Rom 6:23). After their spiritual rebirth, we would arrange for a weekly visit to follow up the converts, and do Bible studies, until, we think that person is capable to witness and win soul for Christ. We would then always go back to visit that person in normal programmed routines, and this time mostly for encouragements and fellowship”.
A recent study in America shows there are 5 different segments of people who called themselves Christians; Active, Professing, Liturgical, Cultural, and Private Christians. While listening to ‘Ofa, I mumbled quietly to myself that God is much bigger than we sometimes think. ‘Ofa’s passion for her Christian faith should fall somewhere in the 5 segments identified, so I presumed.
Challenges for Tonga today?
‘Ofa mentioned 2 Timothy 3:1-4, as she contemplates my enquiries of her view of the spiritual challenges facing Tonga at present. “People in general are so taken up by the old belief that Tonga is a Christian country, and that everybody knows God…. There need to be a revival in Tonga…. Christian Church leaders and Christian Fellowship group leaders should come together; organize evangelical and prayer movements for revival… We can only pray for revival and share/preach the good news to all creatures as Jesus directed, with the intention to win as many lost souls as we can for Christ… We must never forget, that no one can come to the Lord unless the Father draws him (John 6:44)”.
“It’s my job to make sure members of the Tuituivao Youth Ministry are born again. It is a criterion if you are joining the group that you receive God’s salvation”. That sounds demanding, and a touch judgemental but ‘Ofa isn’t going soft on getting lost souls saved by being 'born again'. She is adamant that you must receive “God’s salvation”, if not, you cannot be a Christian.
“We see a lot of the things Paul talks abut in 2 Timothy 3, happening to professing believers in Tonga at present; ‘… lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,…. ungrateful, …… unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather that lovers of God…". A lot of Tongans want to be religious, and still enjoy sinning where they would turn up to church services on a Sunday, and live a complete different life-style at other times, says ‘Ofa.
“A lot of Tongans get good education, and that brings greed for power and money. An obvious sign of people being lovers of themselves, rather than lovers of God”.
I think ‘Ofa has made it clear she is passionate about salvation that should start from 'being born again'. It can be a type of passion which makes people in parts of the world hostile to Christianity. We read of reactions such as; ‘Christianity is triumphalistic – it believes that it is better than all others’; Christianity is irrational and fights against creative thinking’; ‘It is dogmatic and thinks it possesses all truth’ … and so forth.
Off-course there is people out there (and in Tonga), who do more harm to “Christianity” than they realizes. I am thinking of some 'Ofa make reference to already. But it has been a long exchange. I am tempted to expound with ‘Ofa theologically, and especially on the notion of salvation, but I hold myself. I start to think that some ‘lost souls’ out there aren’t interested in Pauline theology, or another version of 'salvation' that my theological intellect may offer. I am left in no doubt that Mrs ‘Ofa Tafa and the Tuituivao-ki-loto-Tatau Ministry are busy for Jesus. As one theologian puts it – everyone has a heart for the one who had a heart for us.
It's probably does not have any use if I make theological arguments regarding my understanding of the Bible in light of what 'Ofa Tafa offers, because I cannot help but see that ‘Ofa has a real loving heart for others. And more importantly, there are people who are saved from their desperate needs through ‘Ofa and her Tuituivao Ministry. That is in the very heart of Christian mission!
Mrs ‘Ofa Tafa holds a Master of Arts Degree in Christian Ministry and a Master of Divinity Degree, both from the Faith Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, Tacoma ,Washington. She is a retired Government Senior Accounting Officer.
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