Waqa was born on March 1st, 1971. His father Iliesa Baravilala is from Naqalotu and Yawe Kadavu. His mother, Neomai Sega (deceased), was from Ogea Lau. Waqa grew up in Vuma Village, Levuka.
Waqa married Jade Alexandra Baravilala, a woman of Greek, Russian and Australian descent in October 2000. Besides being a wife and busy mum, Jade studied Counseling and Family Therapy at the Australia Institute of Family Counselling. She also has a degree in Business and Sports management. Jade teaches on Discipleship and Counselling.
Their children are Napolioni Seru, an 18-year-old and budding missionary with Island Breeze in Busan Korea; Lagakali Sophia (16), Iliesa Williams Tuibua (14), Rupeni Koto (12), Ieru Pa’ala Gailnya (deceased) and Ratu Jope Sigaruarua Galinya (almost 2).
During his DTS in Nadi, Waqa received a call to missions. He took more courses at YWAM’s University of The Nations and these equipped him for the call to reach nations. He graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in Biblical Studies.
He first served the Lord with YWAM for 10 years in both Fiji and Tonga, then moved to Australia to join Island Breeze there. He and his family have been with that ministry for the last 20 years.
Waqa has remained in missions for 30 years, serving specifically with the Island Breeze Ministry since 1994, a role that came about after he attended the Principles of Redeeming Cultures School (PRCS) in Tonga. Waqa and Jade began leading a YWAM base in Carbrook, Brisbane in 2003 and pioneered a new YWAM program called Island Breeze Rugby Plus (Facebook). Within the Rugby Plus ministries, DTS students have hailed from nations such as Fiji, Samoa, Australia, Vanuatu, France, Japan, Papua N Guinea (PNG), Brisbane, USA, New Zealand, and Tonga. Over the past few years, outreaches from teams in these nations have gone to Japan, Fiji, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, PNG, Vanuatu, Samoa, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and within Australia, visits to many Indigenous aborigine communities. Waqa and staff have run around 15 Rugby DTS programs and continue to partner with YWAM in Samoa, Labasa, Melbourne and Tokyo.
In 2006, they assumed the role of National Leaders for Island Breeze, Australia, then in 2007- 2020 they helped launch Island Breeze in Sydney, Melbourne (two locations), Surrey Hills, Canberra, Perth, Hervey Bay, Fiji, Manitoba, Cairns, and Tokyo.
Waqa teaches in YWAM’s Discipleship Training Schools on subjects such as The Father Heart Of God, Missions, Redeeming Worship, Inductive Bible Study and Discipleship. He has also taught in the Discipleship Bible School (DBS) and the School of Worship. He is an accomplished worship leader himself.
Waqa is passionate for today’s youth and hopes to see them realise a call to use their gifts in missions to other nations. Waqa himself has travelled to 20 nations in his life.
Special note: A huge highlight for Waqa was a visit to an Indigenous community in Australia where his Great-grandfather was a missionary in 1929. Watch for the upcoming blog for more details.
Contact:
WAQA BARAVILALA
