Fiji Disaster Relief

Cyclone Winston has caused a lot of damage throughout Fiji with many homes, villages and crops being destroyed leaving many in a dire situation. The hardest hit areas are receiving assistance from the government and Aid Organisations. However with many needs, the current resources are not enough.

Bethlehem Baptist Church has people in Fiji with access to these more remote villages - people who are well aware of their needs. With food, clean water and shelter running out, money is required. We are seeking funds to help purchase items in Fiji as follows:

FOOD. Crops are the main source of food and income for these villages. With no crops they have no food to eat, nor anything to sell to buy food from local stores. They currently have enough to last them for another few days, however, this supply will not be enough until crops regrow.

CLOTHING. Many are still in the clothing that they were the day the cyclone hit.

REPAIRS. Roofs, walls and rebuilding of entire homes.

YAMACIA RUGBY CLUB. This club aims to 'change lives, the rugby way'. David, who began the club in 2012, had a heart for the troubled youths of Fiji and wanted to provide a second chance for young people who may have dropped out of school, unemployed or come from a broken home. The Club provides young people a centre to improve their rugby skills through competitions and rigorous training but to also teach these men life skills through youth advocacy seminars, drug awareness, family life education, finance and budgeting and much more.

The club has had many successes which include having a number of players go on to play at the national level and for international teams.

Bethlehem Baptist Church was in the process of arranging new facilities for this Yamacia Rugby as their building was too small and falling down anyway. Cyclone Winston destroyed what little of a home that they had and has left all 20 of them (40-50 in peak times) homeless. We are aiming to bring our building project forward so that these men and future men can continue to grow and learn.