More then a lecturer

More then a lecturer

By Elia Vesikula

She may look like your ordinary friend from across the road. But she is more than that. She is a lecturer

but delivers more than just intellectual stuff to help students. Born in a renowned and respected

Rotuman family Ms Makereta Mua affectionately called Margie by her close friend has experienced her blessed journey with God that many of us can learn from. Her life is not one that is desperate for God as she has most of the good things in life. But her life has been predestined with the Almighty and it started when she was asked to write a eulogy: that was her Calvary.

“I was asked to type the eulogy for a close relative of mine who had passed away in March 2008 and I sent it to Professor Alan Howard to include in the Rotuma Website. It was a real struggle as I was not familiar with the Bible readings contained in the eulogy and can recall flipping the Bible pages to find the book of Ephesians and Timothy. I had never heard of Ephesians or Timothy and that experience made me somewhat embarrassed about the fact that I knew very little about the Bible.”

Ms Makereta Mua is an academic and has taught both at the University of the South Pacific and the Fiji National University. She was also the Head of School for the School of Social Science at the Fiji National University.

 The eulogy she wrote for a close friend started her walk with the Lord Jesus.

  “A few days later I decided to join my colleagues for their usual bible studies meeting. The group would select different people to lead the session every Wednesday; a Bible reading was chosen and everyone would discuss. There was a time given for sharing and prayers would be offered. I must admit I had very superficial reasons for joining the Bible studies group at work. I reminded myself that it was only to learn about the different books in the Bible, nothing more. I noticed though, that during the first two sessions with the Bible group, it was not uncommon to have someone burst into tears while sharing the Word of God and I thought to myself, “oh, what a bunch of cry-babies they are…” It was during my fourth bible session that I was asked to say a prayer. I was very reluctant. I did not know what to say. I hesitated. I closed my eyes and after a few seconds, I felt this very deep surge of something, I couldn’t even describe it, somewhere deep down in the middle of my stomach and before I knew what was going on, I started to cry and sob uncontrollably and it went on for several minutes. I knew that, for the first time in my life, I felt the Lord’s presence. It was such a wonderful moment. This was the special event in my life that first led me to the Lord.”

Ms Makereta Mua comes from a blessed family and is the daughter of the well-known medical doctor Dr Mua. Her brother is the famous television broadcaster Tukaha Mua.

“I consider myself very fortunate to have the kind of family I grew up with.  My parents were not perfect and we did undergo some challenges as a family but my parents were hardworking, loving parents who tried their best to bring up my siblings and I and there was never a time when we were hungry or poor. However, we were not practicing Christians. We did not go to church or pray regularly although we did believe in God. I accepted the Lord in my life seven years ago and am now very happy with my older self. I have certainly changed. I am more thoughtful and considerate, a lot more mellow in my ways and not as selfish as I used to be. Rather than give in to anger, I react to situations in a much more calm way.” Makereta Mua reveals. 

The Lord Jesus had a secret and that was to engage in prayer to the father all the time. He urges all to pray ceaselessly. Makereta Mua also does that for her students and her relatives with amazing results in her life and others.

“Perhaps I should start with the prayers I do on my own. I have learnt to pray from my heart. It was never easy at first but then, as time went by, it became easier.  Because of the regular praying and prayers of thanksgiving I became calmer, more at peace with myself and very happy. I also learnt how to do protection prayers. I joined a prayer group at my local church where we prayed from Saturdays at midnight to 4am on Sundays and it gave me the opportunity to pray over people who had left their prayer requests in a box which we would open and read out and pray about each time we met on Saturday nights.  Prayer requests also came from the other members of the group and we would pray over people in our church and people of other ethnic groups as well. It gave me the opportunity to share the protection prayers with other people,” the prayer warrior added.

In this age of self-love and importance, Ms Mua amidst her busy schedule has selflessly given her time and mpney for the Lord Jesus work to empower students at the Fiji National University.

“I joined two groups—one in FNU Nasinu and one at Raiwai campus and we would meet once a week to read the scripture and share and discuss the Word. It gave me an opportunity to interact with students, share and even learn from them. It was inspiring for me to see some of the students open up and share their stories. It was an opportunity to pray for our families, the University, Fiji and the wider world,” added Ms Mua.

Thanks to the Holy Spirit the anointed Ms Mua has seen Gods mighty work in her prayers to the joy of others.

“There was an aunt of mine who was covered with itch. She was most uncomfortable and went to the doctors who prescribed medication but somehow she could not heal. She had a lot of visitors, prayer groups who would visit her but she did not heal. The night before she phoned me I had a vision of a woman wearing a blue dress who was in some kind of trouble. I prayed over the woman without knowing who she was. I received a phone call from my aunt the very next day. When I went to see her I was really surprised to see that she wore the same blue dress that I saw in my vision. I discussed my vision with her and explained that the Lord was going to heal her and I prayed over her. I also said that when she was healed she had to thank and give glory to the Lord for it was He that healed. I was simply a vessel that He used to do his work. A couple of days later when I returned home I saw a cake on our dining table and was told that my aunt had baked it for me. I phoned her to thank her and she said that after I prayed over her, her itch dried up the same night. She was healed. She also added that quite a number of people visited her but she was never healed. It was through my prayers that she was healed. I quickly reminded her that the prayers of all those who visited her were important. I told her that it was much like making a cake. All the different groups who prayed over her are much like a group of people who buy the ingredients to make a cake, those who put the ingredients together to make the cake, those who bake the cake and my role was much like someone who put the icing on the cake.  It was the icing on the cake, the final prayer but it was the Lord who healed. He used all of us as vessels/messengers to do His holy work.  To me, the honor and glory of healing belongs to God alone,” said Ms Mua.

The FNU Ethics lecturer goes beyond her duties to spread the Lord’s message of love among others especially the young.

“I understand that many students come from broken families. Families that are poor. Families that face financial problems. To me, the best way to impart Lord Jesus teachings is through one’s actions.   As a lecturer, I try to be fair, honest, kind and impartial in my teaching.  

I’m also teaching ethics and it does give me the opportunity to discuss issues of moral importance to students. Ethics and Religion does share some commonalities as they both discuss what is right and wrong and how we ought to live our lives.   

A student came to see me regarding a problem that he had. I noticed that he looked very sad. I asked him why he was sad and was there anything I could help him with. He mentioned that he hated his mother.  He said that she was always nagging at him. I paused, and under my breath I prayed to the Lord for some help in how to respond. The answer came. I asked the student, “do you think your mother nags at you because she hates you? Or does she nag at you because she cares about you.” The student smiled and responded that his mother nags because she cares.  I suggested that he should try for one week to go home early, help his mother around the house, clean and cook. I asked him that after one week he should evaluate whether his mother’s nagging would stop or would continue. The student smiled and went away,” Ms Mua explained.

Ms Mua has many achievements in life and has taught and has empowered so many students through her teaching of Ethics but she still echo the words Paul in 1^st Thessalonians 5:16, 17, 18. “Be joyful always, pray at all times. Be thankful in all circumstances, this is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ,” said Ms Mua.

“I find that praying helps in so many ways. It helps me to deal with issues at work and particularly the stress of having to teach hundreds of students every trimester. It does help me to remain calm and even peaceful almost all the time. Regarding my walk with the Lord, I find life is meaningful and worth living. 

Makereta Mua is a lecturer but she still has a teachable spirit. Thanks to the Holy Spirit.

“I am still a very young Christian. I have to watch myself and to ensure that I never try to treat the Lord as my means to an end. Quite often, we pray or commune with the Lord because we want something from Him. I am careful not to fall into this trap.

My other greatest challenge is I don’t often read the bible and only read the passages that we use for our bible studies each week,” Ms Mua added.

She has some advice for us all.  

“Listen to that little voice inside of you. Listen to the Lord’s voice inside of you. I’m reminded of the hymn: trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus… is to trust and obey”.

End.