Lila Wati Sundram – Ordained Deacon at Anglican Diocese of Polynesia

I commend to you our sister Lila, a deacon of the church at Nausori. 

(In the spirit of Romans 16.1!)

PTCEE IN PRACTICE

Mrs Lila Wati Sundram has been taking PTCEE courses for quite a few years now, progressing gently and steadily. Simultaneously she’s been part of a ministry training group in the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia and was ordained Deacon by The Most Revd Dr Winston Halapua, having already been recognised as a licensed lay minister. She serves at the Parish of St Lawrence, Nausori, just outside Fiji’s capital Suva, making a great contribution there.

As you might imagine, we were keen to hear whether studies with PTCEE had been at all helpful to Lila on the journey to becoming a Deacon. After all, PTCEE isn’t an ordination programme of itself. This is her reflection.

 

I had the desire to know more about theology and to broaden my knowledge of the Bible. As well as studying the course books I’ve been attending the Friday tutorials on the PTC campus and find them helpful, interesting and challenging. At times I had thought of dropping my studies but received great encouragement from the Director and other students, and from my husband and family. Everything has worked together well and harmoniously.

 


Looking back I see that God has been working in my life since I was young and He continues to guide me everyday. I was a Hindu and became a Christian later, baptized in the year 1981. At one time I got very sick, was hospitalized, and everybody – doctors, nurses, family members, even the Priest – lost hope that I would come out alive. The prayers of my God-parents, Priest-in-Charge and my husband helped me greatly in my recovery. Though I was suffering, I had peace in me and was not afraid of operations, injections and medicines. All these years later, the Lord Jesus continues to work faithfully in my life and today I am an ordained Deacon in the Anglican Church. Thanks be to God.”