Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the ENDS OF THE EARTH, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you ISLANDS, and all who live in them.” Isaiah 42:10
May 3, 2014 was a day I’ll never forget! It was the day that I was privileged to see the Rugby League Match featuring Samoa and Fiji for a chance to play in the 2014 Rugby League Four Nations Tournament. My beautiful wife Nathalie and I were graciously given an opportunity to see our very first rugby game since moving to Australia in December 2013 by our new sister – Keira Walker! For the first time in a very long while, I was proud to be amongst my Samoan people. Growing up in a Polynesian family, I have experienced so many “good times!” However, as I grew older, the number of “bad times” began to supersede the good ones. Sadly, I began singing “a new song” of bitterness and disillusionment. 
I was born as Mason Semigalio Fetelika on February 19, 1989. About four years later, I found myself as the middle child of five, in a religious Samoan family living in Compton, California. One learns a few important things very quickly if you lived in this particular household: “missing church” is not an option; disobedience is not an option; and family is everything. My parents did their best to put food on the table, make church a priority in our lives, and keep our special Samoan family together. I cannot forget the foundation of Christ laid for me through my parents’ convictions of keeping God in our everyday lives. Family devotionals (all of us sitting in our living room singing “church songs” and a prayer by the “man of the house” – my father) were set in stone into the “Fetelika itinerary” every day. It seemed as if we had all the right puzzle pieces in place for a great up-bringing, even if it was in the infamous city of Compton! Confusion started to settle in at a very young age as “life and doctrine” did not seem to line up in my family and my spiritual family. (1 Timothy 4:16) Dealing with domestic violence at home, fami- lies bickering against other families in church, and a few physical fights in the church parking lot cluttered my young mind. I began to doubt the way of life that was bred into me. In church, we sang praises to God but would leave the building spreading gossip about the flaws of others. Instead of joyful and praiseworthy subjects of conversation, unfortunately, “family” was always the hot and most always a negative topic. Soon my young innocent character became corrupted, as I too joined in condemning those standing next to me in church. (1 Corinthians 15:33) But, I did not like this new me, and I did not like this new realization. Rather, feeling confused and guilty, I wanted to go back to hiding behind the cars in the church parking lot, so that I could boast that I was the winner of hide-and-seek. Things at home also had its ups and downs that added to this new revelation that life was not a fun game of hide-and-seek anymore. I felt like I was trying to be obedient in a disobe- dient system. Questions, qualms and quiet reservations about God and church built up through the years. In high school, I came to the con- clusion that God was someone who did not mind my wicked daily living, as long as I showed up to church on Sunday with a tie, a Bible in hand, and was ready to serve. I concluded that church was a service you had to attend in order to forget the sins you committed throughout the week, and also to please Mom and Dad. Secondly, I concluded that the people closest to you, also known as family, would be the ones to hurt you the most. Frustration froze my heart as “a new song” of praise seemed beyond my faith. I then began singing daily a song of self-pity. I was molested by a close cousin (or a close friend in my mind), family mocked me behind my back, and then I lost my eldest brother Mel to a malignant brain tumor in 2008. Many nights, I sat down like Elijah, and prayed that I might die. (1 Kings 19:4) Yet unlike a repentant Elijah, I did not take stand for God, but for myself and my choice of sins. So, “woe is me” is how I often felt. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15) The roots of bitterness at this point in my life ran deep, and bloomed into a lavish tree of hatred, anger and depression. By early 2009, I completely replaced God with the god of self, church with the god of clubs and parties, and lastly, family with friends. I was so disillusioned about everything in my life, I became a typical young Samoan in Los Angeles: emotionally “jacked,” living with the parents, and easily angered. 
THANKS be to God that He always had plans to prosper and not to harm me! (Jeremiah 29:11) Even in my deepest times of darkness, He gave me encouragement through precious moments of babysitting my amazingly talented and beautiful niece Jazaleia Feterika! Then God determined the exact time and place (Acts 17:26-27) where I would be on the campus of California State University Fullerton, where my “mother in the faith” Lynda Moreno reached out to me! The Spirit and the an- gels worked to get my “Philip(s)” to me! (Acts 8:26-39) Raul Moreno, Michael Underhill, Joey Un- derhill, Marcos, Daheem Smith, and the “best man” in my wedding Javier Ochoa told me “the good news about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35) The powerful Word of God came to life in me for the first time in 20 years! I had attended church for 20 years, but in a matter of seven or so days, I found the true God, the truth and especially the “true family of God.” For the first time, I was called by the Bible to deal with my lavish tree of sin. I repented and let the hatred go, laid my anger at the cross, and found urgency similar to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Incredibly, I was baptized into Christ for the for- giveness of my sins on March 15, 2009! (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4) Sadly, many young Polynesians today are suffering with what once spiritually suffocated me. Too many are ignoring their trees of bitterness, anger and depression. Back in LA, Polynesians have a reputation: Polynesians go to church; they are big in statue; they have big families; and they are the nicest and kindest people you will ever meet… as long as you do not get them angry! Be mindful… do not mess with one, because if you do, you will have to deal with the whole family! The Polynesian culture is a beautiful and vibrant culture, yet what we see in our Polynesian youth today is definitely a heart-breaking darkness. 
The answer to finding the “one true God” is found only in His commands which give us “light to [our] eyes.” (Psalm 19:8) The answer to “true family” is found through obeying the statutes of the Word, and not what our own humanistic cultures tell us what family should be like. Since I was in their number, I now realize that most Polynesians are failing to obey the Word of God as it teaches us the way to live life, but instead are following the ways of the Islands instilled in us since being young infants. God has a plan for not just the Polynesians, but Islanders everywhere! All throughout the Bible, God’s heart to save the whole world is evident. Isaiah 42 teaches that God wants His glory to be sung about from “the ends of the earth.” Well in this passage, “the ends of the earth” equates to the “islands!” It is true that Polynesians are also known for their singing, and here God is calling “Islanders” to sing about Him to “ALL THE ISLANDS!” Although the years of bitterness and disillusionment led me to isolate myself from Polynesians, God has removed my heart of stone, and has given me a heart of flesh for “my people.” (Ezekiel 11:19) Samoa overcame the very tough Fijian Rugby Team that night to advance to the 2014 Rugby League Four Nations Tournament. From the beginning of the festivities surrounding the match, to hearing the Samoan national anthem sung by hundreds of fellow “usos” (brothers in the Samoan language), to seeing “da boyz” perform the Manu Samoa haka, the night ignited in my wife Nathalie and me a strong and special desire. A desire to take “the good news of Jesus” to the thousands of Pacific Islands was born that late evening, on that chilly yet victorious night! I know by faith that someday the Islands will “sing to the Lord a new song!” This song will be a song of forgiveness, genuine love and inexpressible joy! This song will be echoed from one island to another as “all who live in them,” will eventually extend to “the ends of the earth!” This new song aligns with Jesus’ century old great commission to “go and make disciples of ALL nations!” (Matthew 28:18-20) I pray and now dream of a day that Islanders from around the world will stand side by side, united in Christ and performing a “Kingdom Islands haka” before our Savior and King – Jesus Christ… And He will smile! Vi’ia le Atua, Amene! (God be the glory, Amen!)