Dr. Nick Kross, South Pacific Division (SPD) Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) director, recently spent time with Tui Dakua, Fijian Member of Parliament, to pray with him and offer support.

Dr. Kross was in Fiji with Dr. Sven Ostring, SPD director of Ministry and Strategy, and Pastor Danny Philip, discipleship strategy leader, for meetings with Trans Pacific Union and Fiji Mission leaders. While there, Kross reached out to Dakua, the deputy minister for youth affairs and one of several Adventist politicians serving in the Fijian parliament.

“Mr. Tui sees it as an answer to prayer that he has been elected into public office,” Kross said. “He is a dedicated Adventist who is vocal about his faith. In fact, he now has youth groups from other religions sending him messages on a Friday night saying, ‘Happy Sabbath’.”

Kross also met with a group of Fijian Adventist business leaders to get an understanding of the issues they face working in the public arena.

“My plan is to see if we can support these professionals in public office and in public spaces with Adventist resources and to present our church in a very positive light across the South Pacific,” Kross said. “We recognise there are many Adventists who are playing very significant roles across the South Pacific Division, and as a church, we are very proud of these people, and we will do our best to support them and to help them be effective witnesses within their spheres of influence.”

More information on the SPD’s PARL department can be found on their website.