This Is Duavata
How two brothers moved into a Fijian village — and what grew from it.
We didn’t move to Fiji with a plan. We moved with a willingness to step into the unknown and a desire to learn.
In those early years, we fished with families. We sat through long evenings where we understood maybe half of what was said. We got sick. We learned to eat what was offered, sleep when it was hot, and show up even when we didn’t know what to do.
We started this work because we saw needs and wanted to help our friends. It was that simple.
Churches, businesses, and schools back home partnered with us. Together, we built homes for single mothers, provided medical and school supplies, and showed up for urgent village needs — roofs, boats, emergencies. The chief of the village saw what we were doing and, to our surprise, offered us land nearby to build a mission base. It was a gesture that said: we believe in what you’re building here and we want to do it together.
With every project and every team that came from the States, we saw the same thing happening — excitement in the eyes of both Americans and Fijians. Something was moving in both directions.
The Bridge Goes Both Ways
We went thinking we’d change Fiji. Fiji changed us just as much.
The slower pace. The different priorities. A culture that revealed blind spots we didn’t know we had. We stopped assuming we had the answers and started asking better questions. We began leaning on village leaders — people like Tala, Dan, and Ili, who know their communities better than we ever could.
This wasn’t one-way service. It never was. We needed Fiji just as much as Fiji needed us. That realization changed everything about how we approach this work.
A New Chapter
Looking back, we’re in awe of what’s been built. Nearly $1 million generated to support Fijian communities. Homes built. Churches helped. Jobs created. Mission trips hosted. Lives changed — on both sides of the ocean.
We’ve grown too. Two young brothers who moved into a village are now men with families of our own. The work is maturing, and so are we. So we’re stepping into this next chapter with more intentionality than ever.
Duavata is a Fijian word. It means working together. Unity. It’s the idea that neither side could build this alone — that what we’re making together is greater than anything either of us could make separately.
Want to Be Part of It?
There are a few ways to get involved — pick whichever fits where you are right now.
Support the village projects. Every donation goes directly toward homes, boats, school supplies, and urgent community needs. Give here.
Drink the coffee. Every bag of Fiji Wild Coffee supports the highland families who grow it. Wild-grown, direct trade, and genuinely unlike anything else in your cup. Shop coffee.
Stay at Fiji Surf Hut. Live alongside village families, and experience what twenty years of partnership looks like on the ground. Book here.
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