“I’ve given him a second chance because, as Christians, we are called to forgive.” I’ve heard this comment from several young women over the past few weeks, as I’ve listened to their stories of boyfriends cheating on them. Yes, forgiveness is important, but it doesn’t mean we allow their behaviour […]
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There is a deep cry in the hearts of hundreds—possibly thousands—of women across the Fiji Islands. It’s a silent cry, a cry for the child you never got to hold in your arms, the child you did not nourish with your breast, the child not sitting at your table. You […]
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Every Sunday, people walk through the doors of churches carrying deep pain—pain they have never been able to verbalise for fear of judgement and rejection. They wear masks to hide their anguish, singing the songs, praying the prayers, and politely listening to the pastor. But they leave still carrying the […]
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Most days, I encounter someone who has faced significant trauma in their life. Suffering does not just exist in some corner of our city, hidden away; it is everywhere. Trauma is the mission field of the 21st Century. What an opportunity the church has to be a place […]
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I’ve grown to love and appreciate Mere (not her real name) as we have spent time together over the past few years. She has a heartbreaking story. Abused by an uncle at a young age, this life-altering event eventually led her to the streets of Fiji as a sex worker. […]
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There is a Cry in Our Communities that Demands the Ears of the Church. Last year, I was sitting in a busy cafe in Suva, preparing for a meeting I was about to lead. Sipping on my coffee, I was interrupted by a man asking if I was Letitia Shelton. […]
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I’ve lost count how many times a victim of abuse has shared an incident where the family or church knew what happened, yet it was never talked about. It’s the elephant in the room that everyone dances around. The impact of the event lingers on, but no one will speak […]
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Abuse is not just an evil act that is done to a person, but it’s also what is not done. In Ezekiel 34 the Bible talks about what the leaders failed to do towards the people of Israel. “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have […]
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It would be a horrible feeling to find out that God was blocking your prayers. I find it fascinating that for husbands there is a way you could be living that would mean your prayers are being hindered & blocked. 1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, you in turn must treat your […]
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There are things in this world that should make us angry—injustice, oppression, abuse just to name a few. I’m afraid that in the church, we have forgotten to get angry. A righteous anger that moves us into action to create better communities. There’s a subtle lie that I have believed […]
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