Making a difference in the community

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 02 December 2016, 12:00AM

People read stories of other people’s suffering and struggles and say oi talofa e!

Some people react differently. They don’t just say oi talofa e, they get up and do something about it.

That’s precisely what members of the Seventh Day Adventist, Immanuel Church, did when they read about the plight of a family featured in the Village Voice Section of the Samoa Observer on 22 November 2016. The story was titled “Unbelievable struggle in modern day Samoa.”

On Monday, the good Samaritans, led by Pastor Mosese Laweloa, delivered kitchenware, groceries, and some other household resources to the mother of the family, Sefuluai Mulitalo, and her children.

Tears of joy filled the eyes of the family when they received the much-needed assistance.

Pastor Mosese told the Samoa Observer that when they were reading the story, they felt that no one should live in such an environment.

“First of all I would like to thank the Samoa Observer for putting up this news,” he said. “I believe we saw it on Facebook; I’m not sure whether the women saw this news but I saw it on Facebook.

“Somehow it touched our lives, how the Samoa Observer put it together saying that this woman got a kettle from the rubbish bin and somehow we thought that no one should live like this.

“So it inspired us to do something together, especially the women, you know mothers have this feeling for the family.

“Somehow we decided to come together today to arrange and contact the Samoa Observer also for the information of this family’s background and where they live so we can come together today and deliver everything we can get together.

“The Samoa Observer inspired us for this story.”

Members of the church put together all the donated goods and Pastor Mosese explained that this is all part of their outreach ministry.

“We decided to bring kitchenware; pots, pans, kettles, cups and if some family wants to bring in food then that’s extra blessings,” he said.

“So that’s what we aim for; kitchenware and if people wants to bring in blankets or other stuff then that’s added to it.

“The church has their own department, there is a women’s ministry, Adventist men, pathfinders and then there’s young ones.

“So one of our missions is to reach (out), especially inside the church, because even in the church (some) people are facing problems.”

Furthermore, Pastor Mosese explained that as Christians, it’s always good to do as Christ did and reach out to people.

“We also reach to the needs of the people outside,” he said.

“So we have been doing that for the past years, especially for those who are in need of money and other stuff.

“One thing I have been thinking about is Samoa in the Pacific is well known for a Christian country. Why I say Christian country is because we have no Muslim mosque.

“I went around Samoa and didn’t see a Muslim Mosque so it is a Christian country. So we believe in Christ and Christ reached out to people; so why not, we reach out to people in need.

“I encourage the people of Samoa to reach out to people; live a life we preach about. It’s my prayer that God blesses everybody and with that blessing, we bless others also.”

In receiving her gifts, Sefuluai thanked the group as her children excitedly went through all the boxes of goods.

The good Samaritans prayed a quick prayer for the joyful family before returning to town.

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 02 December 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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