Race of a lifetime Father Daniel Sitaram began his lifes - TopicsExpress

Race of a lifetime Father Daniel Sitaram began his lifes journey along the dusty roads of Siberia in Labasa, running his way into the national athletics team and then furthering his dream by becoming an ordained priest. Today he is the Waikato Hospital chaplain, an extension of his work as an Anglican priest. Fr Daniel said he did similar work when he was a priest in Fiji but he ready for the challenges of a big hospital, and what the new 24-hour job offered. Well for those who are Christians, they are fine to deal with. Some want me to pray; many dont want any prayers being said for them. Others appreciate a pastoral visit only. Non-Christians clearly tell me they dont want a pastoral visit. More people are becoming liberal. However any Pacific Islander would request for prayers. Many in the young generation are not happy to hold on to Christian faith. This is really sad but its their choice, Fr Daniel said. The chaplain was born a Hindu and later converted to Christianity in 1978 after witnessing his mother getting healed during a prayer meeting. It all started when I went to Sunday school with other classmates from our school back home in Siberia. I loved and admired the way my friend and other children would perform plays, dramas and sing in the Sunday school programs. I enjoyed watching these performances and it is from here that my Christian journey began. She (his mother) had a fracture in her left leg and had been to hospital and took all her medications as directed by the physician, but there was no healing. She also tried most herbal medicines and there was no success. It was a miraculous healing because she was in pain for three years. That night, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, Fr Daniel said. He said he continued his walk with his Christian brothers and sisters until he became an ordained priest of the Anglican Churchs Diocese of Polynesia in 1992. Fr Daniel also holds a Bachlor of Arts from the University of the South Pacific. He also became a qualified laboratory technician (pathology) and obtained a certificate in secondary teaching from the Christchurch College of Education. He earned a certificate in mission and evangelism from the Anglican Church Army. Between 1996 and 2002, Fr Daniel taught at Saint Thomas High School, All Saints Secondary School and Swami Vivekananda College before migrating to New Zealand. Although he is called Father Daniel today, he still remembers when he was usually known as Sitaram. It was during this time that he was at the height of his sporting career, captivating the nation as one of the few boys of Indian origin who stamped their mark in the secondary schools athletics competition during the early 1980s. I was the first athlete to come from Labasa and win first place at the National Secondary Schools finals in Suva. Above all, in my first year I ran barefeet and won the 1500m. I came from a poor background and I couldnt afford to buy a simple pair of canvas shoes — buying a pair of track shoes was only a dream. I only hope the current President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau who was then the Commander of Fiji Military Forces in 1983 can vouch for my talents as he personally came down to the National Stadium to watch me race with his military soldiers. He might remember me as Labasa boy. Fr Daniel said he represented Fiji in the 1981 Mini South Pacific Games in Solomon Islands and 7th South Pacific Games in Apia, Western Samoa as a long distance runner. I have come a long way to be where I am today and I thank God for the blessings. I am absolutely enjoying the job. As usual the Home is open to all. I am at the hospital from Monday to Friday. Anyone visiting Waikato is most welcome for a chat and a cup of coffee, he said. Solomoni Biumaiono Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Fiji Times