Methodist church honours 87 mothers service to the church

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 05 JULY 2022: Eighty-seven retired mothers at age 70 were honoured by the Methodist church yesterday at the church’s headquarters at Faleula.

This ceremony was part of the Methodist Church’s annual conference which had been postponed for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The special service to honour these mothers was conducted by the President, Reverend Faulalo Leti who spoke of the mothers unwavering support and service to the church in decades.

This year is quite special for the mothers and especially those who have travelled from overseas for the special service after two and a half year closure of international borders due to the pandemic.

One of the mothers is 70-year-old Aliitasi Tupai Tauave from Siusega who had served the church through the Siusega Methodist Church.

“Serving the church is a sweet habit I cannot get forego as I was born a Methodist member, baptized in the Methodist and now I have reached this significant step, so praise God,” she said.

The mother of four had an emotional moment when she described how grateful she is as an ill person to have reached 70 years.

“I have so many illnesses and I easily get sick but today, I realized God has been good to me all these years to have made my wish come true,” she said.

Aliitasi Tauave advised to all mothers of the church is not to give up on their service.

“Things may seem tough at times, but so long as you overcome those challenges and keep your faith and pray, you will get to where I am and it feels good I tell you all mothers out there,” she said.

“Our service is to God and not people remember that.”

The ceremony concluded with a family session outside the Methodist church building at Faleula with congratulations and exchanges of gifts.

The Methodist’s annual conference kicked off this week with the Au Uso Fealofani (Mothers) conference which ends tomorrow.

The main conference will commence this Saturday and run until the weekend.