Salvation Army captains Elizabeth Walker-Ratu and Semi Ratu are saying farewell to Ashburton for a new posting – to his homeland, Fiji.
The married couple, who have recently been promoted from lieutenants to captains, leave on January 8.
‘‘We love Ashburton. It really is the most lovely place to live,’’ she said.
‘‘There is something about the community here, it’s fantastic.”
Ashburton was the first posting for the pair out of theological college in Wellington and it had been a positive experience and given them a chance to grow.
“Our church family here, they really embraced us early,” Liz said.
“They have allowed us to grow, obviously in size as a family, but as we have grown up… they have let us have our little quirks.”
‘‘We can be ourselves here, which you want.’’
When they first arrived in 2021, their main goal was to listen to the needs of the community and out of that grew the foodbank supermarket.
It was set up to let people in need stock their pantry with goods chosen by themselves, rather than for them.
It was about making sure when we provided something for the community, it was ‘‘fit-for-purpose’’, Liz said.
“Everyone just embraced it, which was fantastic.”
They were also involved with the formation of a Fijian group to help meet the needs of the Fijian community in Ashburton.
“It’s not just growth within the church, but growth in the community and where we are connected too,” Semi said.
Liz had also set up a play group within the church. The couple, now in their 30s, met at a conference in Australia 15 years ago.
Then, Liz was based in New Zealand, and Semi in Fiji.
Since then, Semi has lived in New Zealand for the past 13 and a half years.
Returning to Fiji, they will be based at the Nasinu Corp in Suva where they will live right next to the church and lift the average age of church members.
It was an exciting opportunity for them both, and they were keen for their four young boys, ages 14, 10, 5 and 1, to experience it.
‘‘It is totally different to Ashburton, over there are more younger people in the corp the majority their late teens, early 20s,’’ he said.
“It’s exciting. Things will be different compared to what we do here in Ashburton.
“There’s no foodbank, there’s no community managers…I’m looking forward to just having my kids – the boys – learn the other half of their culture,’’ Semi said.
In Fiji, they look forward to fresh fruits and vegetables.
And being ministers together as equals and leading by example in their new community.
“If they see how we act with each other, (they’ll know) we are not just saying it, we live it,” Semi said.
‘‘In Fiji, the ministry will look differently than Ashburton, but the mission is still the same,’’ he said.
“It’s caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society through God’s power.
“It will look different but will be the same.
“In saying that, we will miss this place,” he said.
“This is a very special place,” Liz added.
