MEMBERS of the Christian Mission Fellowship (CMF) in Labasa finally reaped the reward of their hard labour on Friday after they successfully paid more than $70,000 for the lease of their church land.
Despite the heavy rain and soggy grounds, the members organised a family day yesterday at Naiyaca sub-division to celebrate the 10-year struggle they endured in paying the debt to a local bank.
Church administrator Mesake Turuva said they had been raising funds for a long time and it was through God’s assistance that their sheer effort was successful.
“The outstanding arrears was $40,900 and the six zones in the church decided to fundraise in their own little ways to clear the debt,” Mr Turuva said.
“The members sold food items, raffle tickets and organised concerts for the purpose of collecting money.”
Even though collecting such an amount of money was hefty, Mr Turuva said the members did not lose hope because they knew it was the only way to secure the land. “Now, we can worship God in a more serene environment as another heavy burden is removed from our shoulders,” he said.
“Today marks another milestone for the church and we are here to celebrate our hard work.”
The celebration featured action songs, biblical sermons and lunch.