Fiji is a natural fit for Mark and Fran Wakefield who serve as Southern Baptist missionaries in the tropical island setting. Mark is acquainted with life in this part of the world as he spent part of his youth in Malaysia where his parents were missionaries.
The Wakefields have been serving as missionaries in the South Pacific islands since 1986 after they were appointed by the International Mission Board (IMB) a few months earlier in 1985. They are strategy coordinators for the South Pacific islands and are the only IMB missionaries for the region.
“Frank and I have been in Fiji for 14 years, and we’ve done everything from church planting to church development,” Wakefield said.
“We are currently exploring other avenues for ministry and training which involve a lot of travel around the islands,” Wakefield said. “Much of our time is spent visiting different churches and trying to help them develop into strong fellowships,” he said, noting Mrs. Wakefield actively works with women’s groups in various churches.
“The Wakefields have worked alongside Fiji Baptists to strengthen the evangelistic efforts and leadership training of the Baptist Churches in the islands,” said Dan Panter, the IMB’s Richmond associate for Southeast Asian and Oceania. “They have built significant relationships among the leaders of the Baptists and have sought to give encouragement as they served alongside them. Mark and Fran will continue to serve the Baptists of Fiji as they look for other opportunities for the IMB to be involved in island nations of the South Pacific.”
According to the Wakefields, native Fijians are mostly Methodist or Catholic, and the Fiji Indians are mostly Hindu and Muslim.
The Wakefields said the Fiji Baptist Convention “is a small group of 10-12 churches with memberships that average 40-60 people. One or two churches may top 100 attendees on a good day,” they said.
The Wakefields have two sons who grew up in Fiji — 19-year-old Luke who is a freshman at Ouachita University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and 17-year-old Ben who is a high school senior at Dalat School in Penang, Malaysia. The Wakefields live on the southeast part of the largest island in the capital city of Suva. Suva is located on Viti Levu which translates to “Big Fiji.
“You can drive around our island in a single day but it would take all day,” Wakefield said. “The coastal road hasn’t been paved all the way around the island but we hope it will be finished in a few years.”
When it comes to adjusting to living in a different climate the Wakefields are quick to point out their weather preference — the winter.
But winter is “very pleasant,” they explained, noting the coldest months are in July and August due to Fiji being in the southern hemisphere. The average temperature in the warm months — the hottest being January and February — usually settles in the 90s. But the humidity rarely falls below 75 percent, sometimes reaching as much as 95 percent.
“This makes life muggy,” they said.
Offering insight into the political unrest that has plagued the country throughout the past few months, the Wakefields noted, “The political unrest that has plagued the country throughout the past few months, the Wakefields noted, “The political unrest here stems from Fijian conflicts and Fiji/Indian conflicts.
“The Fijians are the landowners and the Indians, for the most part, are the merchants. There are also different confederations within Fiji that may have friction from time to time,” they explained. “The current situation has abated from the emergency that was upon us a few weeks ago. It certainly feels better now. But there are many issues to be sorted out — political and otherwise — and it will probably take years.
“Things are quite sensitive politically both in the government and — to a certain extent — among churches,” they said.
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