REFORMED MEN CELEBRATE FATHERS DAY

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“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”  Proverbs 17:22
 
This was the message from Pastor Faalili Pepe Ofisa of the Samoa New Testament Church of God at Magiagi, which opened the gathering of reformed men of the SVSG Advocacy Program and the SVSG Alumni, as they came together to celebrate Father’s Day with joyful hearts.
 
Held at the SVSG Conference Room, the celebration was hosted by the SVSG Alumni for the reformed men of violence that are currently attending the Advocacy Program as well as those who have successfully completed relevant counselling programs.
 
One of the volunteer facilitators for the program, Mrs. Fiu Leaupepe spoke on behalf of the SVSG President, to congratulate the men on this Father’s Day, and to acknowledge the positive changes they have gone through as reformed men, standing up against violence.  Mrs. Leaupepe’s highlighted that “O le mea e i ai le alofa, e leai se popole, ae a i ai se popole, e le lagona.  Where there is love, there is no anxiety, but should there be any anxiety, it is painless.”
 
The celebration was through singing, sharing of stories and reading out poems from the reformed men themselves. There is a healing effect when we are joyful, cheerful people.  To be glad, happy or joyful, is when we choose to consider the good that God has done, rather than the misery and the opportunity to be sad and depressed.  All of the men shared on anger and how it got the better of them.  They all acknowledged the rehabilitation program as a wake-up call for them and a chance to start afresh as reformed men of change.
 
SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang acknowledges the coming together of our fathers under the Advocacy program to celebrate Father’s day together. “Thank you also to the SVSG Alumni for coordinating this event and to Mrs. Tupuiai of Solosolo for the donation of gift hampers for the men which makes the celebration more joyous.”
 
Happy Father’s Day!