Honouring Rusila Dilagi Logaivau

Rusila Dilagi Logaivau was born in Jeruslamie, Savasavu, Fiji on December 30, 1965 to Paula Raveavea and Ateca Tinaimere. She was the third youngest of eight siblings, five boys and four girls. 

In 1984, while attending a local church (Christian Mission Fellowship) youth camp, Rusila responded to the pastor’s altar call inviting the participants to give their life to Jesus. In 1985-86, she attended a mission school where she learned more about God. When a friend challenged her to join a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), she agreed it was right. 

In September of 1989 she attended her DTS in Vuniyasi, Nadi, (website) then joined the YWAM Prayer Team in Baba, Nadi, where prayer for the nations continued in 24/7 shifts. The land for this ministry was given as a gift to Loren Cunningham,the founder of YWAM. He in turn gave it for the Prayer Ministry. In 1991, Rusila felt a call from God to go to Canada, leaving her parents and siblings behind for the first time. 

Rusila lived in Canada for four years serving the First Nations people on a Canadian reservation. She worked with a ministry called “Second Wave,” led by a Vaeluagaomatagi Elisara, a Samoan and his Canadian wife Julie.

On returning to Fiji in 1995, Rusila met and married Penijamini Logaivau. In 1997 the couple welcomed a beautiful baby girl they called Selina to the family, then in 2001 a boy named Louie Frank Penijamini (Peni) arrived. Rusila faced a terrible tragedy when her husband of only eight years passed away in 2003. As a widow, she returned to the village of her birth in Savusavu and in this time of loss, grief and bewilderment she drifted away from the Lord. However, God had not forgotten her and her little family. 

In 2005, her Fijian friend Viniana Gaunavinaka, with whom she had served in Canada, asked her to pray about coming to help pioneer a new ministry in Lautoka, Fiji. Feeling encouraged, Rusila agreed and in 2006, she became a vital member of this new pioneering team called The Personal Transformation Center (PTC.) (web page)

Never looking back, Rusila and her children have thrived. She has been in PTC ever since. Rusila works tirelessly and the journey has been fruitful. Over the years Rusila has shown superb Fijian hospitality to visiting speakers, including myself, and served countless outreach teams from other YWAM bases. She also attended the Foundation in Counselling Ministry (FCM) and went on to help staff future schools, all while raising two remarkable children. It has been no small accomplishment or step of faith, wondering how God would provide for her little family in missions. 

Her daughter Selina, did well in public school and has now grown up with a strong enough faith to believe she too could become a missionary herself. Today she is serving in Romania with YWAM. 

Peni just finished High School last year. He was a Company Commander during their Annual Cadets Parade, a part of the school basketball team and also an actor in his school’s film for the National Competition. 

When PTC was pioneered in 2006, the Lord spoke to the leader Viniana, “The Children will lead the Way”. The Pathmakers Kids Club takes place in four locations a week, and Rusila is there serving the children of Lautoka with all her heart. Peni helps when he can. When PTC was pioneered in 2006, the Lord spoke to the leader Viniana, “The Children will lead the Way”. The Pathmakers Kids Club takes place in four locations a week, and Rusila is there serving the children of Lautoka with all her heart. Peni helps when he can. 

Currently, the PTC ministry is in downtime with only three staff members. Some former staff have been called to serve in other nations. Usually PTC offers Discipleship Training Schools (DTS) and Foundational Counseling Ministry (FCM) but due to lack of staff and finances these are on hold for the moment. However, they are currently running a Children’s ministry in the local community offering help with homework and providing Bible teaching, games and crafts. 

As a part of the pioneering team in 2006-2008, I watched Rusila and her small family serve and thrive and have followed her commitment through social media over the years. She deserves to be honoured. God has promised to sustain widows and orphans and part of that sustenance for Rusila was the close community environment of PTC. As she served God and many others, Selina and Peni found fathers, aunties, uncles, brothers and sisters all around them. 

Fiji Leadership Team

Rusila also serves on the Fiji Leadership Team. 

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing.

Deuteronomy 10:17-18

Contact: Email: rusilalogaivau@yahoo.com

ywamptc@yahoo.com

Rusila Logaivau on Facebook.