Operation Foundation (OF), led by Peter and Jill Schultz, is a restorative organisation committed to bringing renewal and transformation to the lives of prisoners and their communities in Fiji. Since 2006, they have been engaged in rehabilitation efforts with inmates, ex-inmates, and vulnerable communities in Fiji, seeing lives changed through the power of the Gospel.
In 2021 OF began a partnership with the Nanuku Community working towards community rebuilding & strengthening. This partnership has continued to grow in significance and influence. In 2023 and 2024, New Vine Lakes were able to send teams that were involved in praying for the Nanuku Community and contructing a community centre to be used by the Nanuku people.
In 2024 Peter and Jill moved back to Australia, where Peter is leading Operation Foundation, and making regular trips back to Fiji.
Personally: Transition! It’s been a constant cycle of transitions and the required adapting.
Ministry: Operation Foundation continues witnessing impact, and catalysing transformation in prisons and communities. The local team leaders now manage the day-to-day ministry, which has been a significant step forward.
Challenge: Adjusting to the reverse culture shock of living in Australia. We had heard about this but living it has been quite the experience. The other challenge has been Peter living part of his time in Australia and part of his time in Fiji.
Testimonies:
Nanuku experienced its second crime-free Christmas, a God-alone testimony for those who have experienced the Nanuku Community.
The youth continue to lead a significant amount of the transformation within the community.
The OF Community Centre continues to be a witness of prayer and faith as it slowly moves to completion.
The impact of the in-prison and aftercare ministry continues, and we continue to witness God willingly at work in broken lives.
Solomon Islands (SI)
We have committed with SI Corrections to begin OF in their prisons. We are praying for two SI people to come and be part of OF Fiji for 6-9 months to learn our programs and undertake training and formation. Establishing OF-Solomons is a significant development project.
Internship Program
The first ministry intern was sent from the GIDI Church in West Papua. Misi Weya will spend 6 months with OF Fiji and one month with OF Vanuatu before returning to West Papua.
Nanuku
As the completion of the building comes closer, planning has begun on the establishment of training of volunteers to run the early childhood centre, the daily ministry programs, and Sunday fellowship.
Community Based Drug Intervention
We are in an ongoing dialogue with the government around establishing community-based addiction rehabilitation. This is in response to the significant ice addiction issues that have emerged in Fiji’s urban centres.
Let me share an update from JB, the Suva Team Leader, who has been conducting a program in Nasinu Prison for the last few weeks. “What a change of attitude in the young men this week! They paid attention and participated comfortably in class, asking questions. The highlight was when one of the most disruptive young men approached me yesterday, after all the others had left, and began to share that he would love to be restored. This led to a conversation about the One who can restore and is faithfully committed to His restoration. I asked him to share his desire with Jesus, and in a faltering prayer, he asked and encountered our Lord in his brokenness and desire. – what a powerful moment!” (Peter Schultz)
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