Journey asks Minister of the Word candidate Viliami Mila to tell us of his call to minisrty

Fakatapu moe talamalu ‘oe Fonua mo Ha’a – Taki Lotu kau hūfanga atu ai. ‘Ihe tau 1999 neu ausia ai ha Ūi pea fai mai leva ‘e fononga ‘ihe ngaahi founga ‘oku tu’utu’uni ke fou ai ‘e kau ‘Ako-Faifekau kotoa pe ‘ihe UCA aia ‘oku ui koe Period of Discernment ‘ihe tau ‘e taha – koe tefito’i fakakaukau ke fakapapau’i hoto Ūi. Kaikehe, hili ‘e tau kakato ‘e taha ‘oe POD neu fou leva ‘ihe tepile fktaha’anga ‘ae Siasi [Church Council], Presbytery, pea moe Sinoti. ‘I he ‘aho 18/10/03 neu hoko leva koe tokotaha Kanititeiti ‘o lolotonga teu’i ‘ihe Kolisi Tohitapu ‘ae Siasi [Trinity College] ki he ngaue faka-sevaniti ki hono Sino – Hamai ka koe Siasi ‘ihe kahau. ‘Oku ‘ikai fakatataua ‘ae KELESI kumi mai ‘ae ‘Otua ‘oku te ausia. He ‘oku ne tokoni’i hoku vaivai, pea ko ‘ene Folofſla ‘oku ne fkhinohino au ki he hala totonu. Koe taha ‘oe faingata’a ‘oku te iai koe malae ‘oe Ako. He ‘oku te ako ‘ihe lea kehe meihe lea na’ate tupu hake moia. Koe taha foki ‘oe ausia ‘oku te iai koe fe’ohi, moe lotu ‘ihe kau papalangi aia ‘oku nau kehe mei hoto matakali. Pea koe ako lahi ‘oku te fai meia tekinautolu he ‘oku ou Tui koe konga ia ‘oe Misiona – kete fe’ohi, tokoni, ‘ofa pea mo tufaki ‘ae Ongoongo Lelei ‘o Kalaisi ki he kakai kotoa pe. Mole ke mama’o ha’aku polepole ‘iha me’a na’a te lava pe lolotonga ausia – he na’e ‘ikai ha me’a ia neu lava. Koe ‘ausia ‘oku te lolotonga tofanga ai koe ‘OFA ‘ata’ata pe ia ‘a Langi. Koe Ui ko’eni ‘ihe’eku mo’ui ‘oku ne to’o hake au mei he vanu ‘oe mate moe palaku, ‘o lilingi ‘ene meesi keu fakatu’amelie ‘ihono Ta’ata’a ka koe Lami Mate noa – Kalaisi. Koe faka-feanga’i fakaaho malo pe. Koe ‘Ako malo pe. Ka ko’ene ‘OFA ‘e ‘ikai ngata pe ‘osi. Mo’oni ‘e Apositolo ko Paula; “kainga, ‘oku ‘ikai teu lau au kuou ma’u ka koe me’a pe taha ‘oku ou fai ‘oku ou fakangalongalo’i ‘ae ngaahi me’a kuo tuku ki mui, kau kakapa atu ki he ngaahi me’a mei mu’a; ou tuli atu pe ki he ngata’anga, ke mau ‘ae pale ‘o hoto Ūi mei ‘olunga na’e fai ‘ehe ‘Otua ‘ia Kalaisi Sisū. Tua’ofa’eiki atu. Viliami Mila In 1999 I sensed a call to Ministry within the Tongan Ethnic UC in Sydney and I began the process of a Period of Discernment to further confirm my call. From my calling in 1999 to my acceptance as a candidate for MOW in 2003, I married and moved to Queensland. This was a new journey for me, experiencing married life, being away from my immediate family & friends and living in a new state. I also experienced the joy of becoming a member of St David’s Coopers Plains, as my new spiritual family, which was certainly a learning process for me as I had previously grown up and been moulded within the Tongan Church. In truth I had never been involved in an Anglo context but I truly believe that this new journey was all part of God’s great plan, to equip me for his ministry – to interact, share and be a part of God’s wider church, regardless of our differences. The Call has not been smooth sailing. One of the challenges I face is my education, particularly as English is my second language. Another challenge is that of my financial situation where my wife is the sole provider. The most recent challenge in my life was the loss of my mother, which I’m still dealing with at the moment. But with life’s challenges comes its joys. Joy that my mother journeyed with me when I first sensed my call to ministry and joy in knowing that even in the midst of distress, God is my refuge. In my journey as a candidate, the journey has not been easy but it has been a blessing to be called into the ministry of Christ. I do not boast about any gifts that I may have or any successes that I may have achieved, because where I am at the moment and how I got here, is all because of God’s constant love, mercy and grace. I speak with Paul “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus‿. Grace and peace Viliami MilaPhoto : Viliami Mila is a candidate for Minister of the Word