Tonga for Christ
Image by Hudson Oliver
As I arrived in the island Kingdom of Tonga, I learnt that just prior to my arrival, on 26 June 2026, Tonga had celebrated 200 years as a Christian nation. This wasn’t a symbolic anniversary or a cultural nod — it was a living identity! Even the King and his royal family embody this faith, declaring a mandatory Sabbath rest every seventh day for the entire Kingdom, including the whales. This detail alone told me I was entering a unique country, unlike anything I had ever experienced anywhere before.
The Tonga for Christ evangelistic series brought together over 50 volunteers from a variety of countries, sharing Jesus in a range of locations and languages. I was blessed to partner with Hilliard Memorial School through the Tonga Mission and lead out two Weeks of Worship (WOW) back-to-back. I felt a clear sense of peace with the Holy Spirit leading into, during and even after I left. It was simply perfect — no surprise there! Hilliard is led by the incredible Principal Mr Asaeli Kivalu, who prays daily over his staff and school community to experience Jesus. His team carries a generosity and kindness that flows from the smallest to the largest action, naturally inspiring the students. It was also the exact time the Avondale pre-service teachers joined the Hilliard team. It was inspiring to observe them connect, serve and use their gifting.
Image by Hudson Oliver
In the first WOW, we explored as a whole school (Kindy to Year 8) The Jesus Way. The students engaged with sincerity and openness, and the seeds of faith were being planted through simply sharing about Jesus.
In the second week, the focus shifted to the senior students (Years 6–8). We launched deep into a highly interactive Bible learning experience.
Prior to departing, Susan from the Western Australian Adventist Book Centre demonstrated the fantastic Bible Bricks resource, the Old Testament Tabernacle, which I instantly added to my burgeoning luggage. Through the sanctuary, I took the students on an adventure exploring the clear parallels throughout Scripture and how Jesus fulfils every symbol, every sacrifice and every hope. We concluded with foot washing and communion — it was a powerful moment where students recognised that the Lamb of the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Jesus, and now we get to choose whether we respond as living sacrifices, in partnership with Him.
At the conclusion of the second WOW, the senior students were invited to make personal decisions about their faith. Their responses were deeply moving:
85% chose to learn more about Jesus
94% chose to follow Jesus
38% chose to be baptised (including one teacher!)
78% chose to help others like Jesus
Behind these numbers are real stories, including two students from homes with different religious beliefs who chose Jesus for themselves. Please pray for these students, and others in your own circles, as they navigate honouring their families while following Jesus.
I also want to express deep gratitude to my incredible Carmel Community, which I currently serve in. Their supportive, consistent, collective prayer, check-ins, affirmations and resources made an immediate and sustained impact on the Hilliard community. Representing a community 7,400 kilometres away that practically demonstrated love, worships the same loving Heavenly Father, and prays for them was a responsibility I felt privileged to undertake.
As I reflect on my time in Tonga, what stays with me isn’t the coconut trees, the street fairy floss, the humpback whales, or even the literal chickens crossing the road —it’s the way faith is lived, not just spoken of. It is the way it is carried out by people who I could hear singing worship songs from their houses as I walked past on Sabbath afternoon, who pray together publicly, who help all they can with generous hearts, and who hope together for Jesus to return soon. Watching the Hilliard students respond to Jesus reminded me that the gospel still moves most powerfully through relationships, presence, and prayer — not through polished programs or perfectly structured ministries.
And I realised: what happened in Tonga is not meant to stay in Tonga. It is a picture of what any local community can become when prayer is consistent, when service is practical, and when hope that is only found in Jesus is shared freely.
My prayer is that our communities — in Australia, in Tonga, wherever God places us — never become businesses that run events, but movements of hope that carry Jesus into everyday life. Movements where people show up for one another, where prayer is natural, where serving is joyful, and where hope is contagious.
May we be this kind of community. May we be this kind of movement.
