Our first sevusevu was one of those moments.
It happened right at the beginning of our time in Fiji, before the programs, school visits, activities, and everything else we had planned really began. In a lot of ways, it felt like our introduction to what the next two weeks were going to be about.
We sat together on the floor, surrounded by people who were welcoming us into their home and community. Everything still felt new, and we were learning as we went. But there was something really meaningful about beginning the trip this way — slowing down, being present, and showing respect for the people and place we were there to learn from and work alongside.
Sevusevu is a traditional Fijian ceremony of welcome and respect, where kava is presented when entering a village or community. Experiencing it for the first time gave us a much deeper understanding of what that welcome really meant.
We sat, listened, laughed, learned, and spent time together.
Looking back, that moment connected so closely to why we were in Fiji in the first place.
OOCSA is centered around service and outreach, but this trip reminded us that none of that can happen in a meaningful way without relationships. Before we could think about what we were there to offer, we needed to listen, understand, and respect the people, traditions, and communities we were stepping into.
We didn’t go to Fiji wanting to arrive with all the answers or with our own idea of what people needed. We went to participate, learn, build relationships, and figure out where we could genuinely be useful.
Our first sevusevu was the beginning of that.
When I look back at this photo now, I remember how much was still ahead of us. We had no idea yet what the next two weeks would look like or how much the experience would stay with us.
We were simply being welcomed in.
And that meant a lot.
Vinaka vakalevu to the families, villages, and communities who welcomed us so openly and allowed us to experience Fiji in a way we never could have from the outside.
Some of the most meaningful parts of the trip were not the things we came home listing as accomplishments. They were the quieter moments — sitting together, listening, learning, laughing, and connecting with the people around us.