‘We can beat this’

Listen to this article:

Peni Veidreyaki at his home in Lautoka yesterday. Picture: BALJEET SINGH
Peni Veidreyaki at his home in Lautoka. Picture: BALJEET SINGH/FT FILE

Former Fiji 7s team head coach Peni Veidreyaki claims he is a living testimony that praying can be effective in the COVID-19 fight.

Originally from Waya Levu in Yasawa, Veidreyaki’s ancestors survived the deadly Spanish flu in 1918 which killed about 40,000 people in the country and 50 million around the world.

The 68-year-old said he was told by his dad and grandfather that the flu travelled throughout Fiji, killing everyone that contracted it, but “high jumped” the islands of Waya and Viwa.

“A dream that became a reality through the late Rev Samuela Jeke from Namara Village in Waya who knew what was coming and he prepared the villagers for the flu spiritually through continuous praying and fasting and that was how the people of Waya and Viwa were immune to the flu that killed one third of the world’s population,” Veidreyaki claimed.

“The late reverend dreamt he was on his way back to Yasawa after attending a meeting in February 1918 at Nawaka Village in Nadi when he saw a bright light in the waters and writings on the sand at Wailoaloa beach where he was to catch his ride back to the islands.

“Mr Jeke said the words on the sand clearly said that if Waya and Wayalailai were to survive the pandemic, its people were too fast and pray.

“If we compare it to this virus, we are fortunate to have machines and hospitals that warn us of the symptoms and can minimise the spread, however we came across this situation 102 years ago but Waya managed to survive it through praying and fasting,” said Veidreyaki.

He says the miraculous act still remains a mystery to many but a blessing for the islanders and their future generations.

The people of Waya and Viwa across the globe get together on February 17 every year to remember the day they were saved by God’s grace.

Twenty years ago, Veidreyaki coached the national 7s team and he used the concept of fasting and praying in the team’s preparation before an IRB Sevens Series tournament.

“We have a pandemic among us and we are facing one of the toughest eras in life similarly to a century ago but we can overcome this,” he said.

“As a professional rugby player or a local-based athlete working your way to don the national jersey, it is possible to come out of this stronger, but first we must respect the law that the Government has put in place because it’s for the betterment of all of us.

“Individual training is a start and if we can sacrifice something that we love to eat and continue to pray, I have no doubt that we will get over this easily,” he said.

“If we show the world we are champions through God and if Philippians 4:13 can boost our performance on the field, then it is also possible to tell the world that praying and fasting can lead us to victory over this coronavirus and we just need to have faith,” he claimed.

“Commit yourselves to God through fasting because I’ve witnessed that as a coach.

“I ask all national players and the people of Fiji to show the world we can beat this virus.”

Array
(
    [post_type] => post
    [post_status] => publish
    [orderby] => date
    [order] => DESC
    [update_post_term_cache] => 
    [update_post_meta_cache] => 
    [cache_results] => 
    [category__in] => 1
    [posts_per_page] => 4
    [offset] => 0
    [no_found_rows] => 1
    [date_query] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [after] => Array
                        (
                            [year] => 2023
                            [month] => 12
                            [day] => 28
                        )

                    [inclusive] => 1
                )

        )

)

No Posts found for specific category