Bishop Sione Taufa

Bishop Sione Taufa

An important minister of Tokaikolo Christian Church was Bishop Sione Taufa (1915-2005). He made a tremendous contribution to the church. Bishop Taufa. was appointed as a “tangata malanga” (beginning minister) of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in 1936. He worked as a teacher between 1938 and 1942, commencing at Kolovai, Holonga, Vava’u and at Lotofoa, Haapai. He married ‘Amalani Latu of Lotofoa, Ha’apai in 1941. Bishop Taufa was the Head Tutor of Tupou College from 1943-1945.

He was ordained as a minister of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in 1944 by the laying on of hands. From 1944 -1945 he served as a minister of the Free Wesleyan church at Pangaimotu, Vava’u, before leaving for overseas service.

He began his work as a missionary to the Solomon Islands in 1946 at Marovo, Patutiva and later also worked at Kangu-Roreinang, Bouganville from 1949-1964. He then ministered at Skotolan, Bouganville from 1965—1970. From 1971-1976 he worked in the district of Kieta. This completed 30 years of missionary work in the Solomon Islands. During this time Bishop Taufa was responsible for establishing many schools and Christian churches. He converted many hundreds of people from paganism to Christianity.

Bishop Taufa returned to Tonga in 1976 and worked as a minister at Kolovai and at Pelehake,Tongatapu from 1976-1977. He joined the Scripture Union organization in 1979. He was a teacher in the Tokaikolo Bible College at Lavengamālie from 1982-1983.