Introduction

Fly My Winged Child
Through the eyes of a Flying Fijian Mum

New Zealand have the All Blacks, Australia have the Wallabies, Japan have the Cherry Blossoms
(to name just a few); and Fiji have the Flying Fijians.

My Flying Fijian at 7 months
Rising to the ranks of an Elite sports person and then trialing to represent your country is extremely challenging; and being a parent of such an individual brings its own set of challenges. You look on to see that your child can be loved one moment and despised the next. Cheered and jeered at the same time either at games or in the media and as a parent you sit quietly and take it all in. Something I've mastered over the years. But so true is the song "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" sums up the characteristics of such elite sporting personalities. It is their tenacity and self belief to keep on going despite it all that makes them who they are.

As the mother of Flying Fijian Ben Volavola, I have been asked many times how it all happened for him and how I managed it all especially being a solo parent.

So, as a lead up to the Rugby World Cup 2019 (RWC 2019), I thought I’d share with you our story in the hope that this will inspire and encourage you to see that anything is possible, that a dream will stay a dream unless you act on it, that you have to be ready to take the good and the bad; and to purpose in your heart that you will rise above all the adversities that come. But ultimately, it was trusting God and believing in himself that has been and continues to be keys to Ben's success although he's always saying he's still got so much to accomplish.

I’ve never written or published a blog before although I did attempt starting one several years ago. You could say I wasn’t quite sure about what I wanted to talk about back then, but I do now.

You see, this is going to be my second Rugby World Cup as a Flying Fijian mum. My first was 4
years ago when I got to see my son play in the country that is dubbed the ‘Home of Rugby’, England. I was too excited to even think about writing back then but given I have experienced the highs and lows of a Rugby World Cup tournament; I am now better prepared.

There is something fundamentally important when it comes to these players who train so hard for
selection and are ready to put everything on the line for the sake of their country; whatever sport it may be. Success comes from having a supportive family and a close network of good friends! Fortunately, we have been blessed with both.

It is family and your good network of friends who will pick you up when your chips are down, it is
these same groups of people who will hold you up in prayer when it feels like the whole world is
crashing down on you. These are the kind of people you need to surround yourself with because
they will always have your back! They will support you regardless and will tell you things that you
probably don't want to hear. This is true love in action; the truth!

So, to all my family and friends (you all know who you are) who have been on our journey from
the beginning to now, thank you for your love, prayers and support. And finally to Franco, thank
you for taking the time to review and edit my work despite your busy work commitments.

This is a labour of love that I have pondered on doing for a while and given we are two weeks away
from the opening of the RWC 2019, I couldn't think of a better time to launch this.

It is often said that there are many a story to be told behind every successful individual regardless of
their profession. Such is the case of our Flying Fijian Ben Volavola. While he is my son, I now get to
share him with our beloved country Fiji and the rest of the world.

If you are reading this and you are on a similar journey to mine, don't be discouraged. I can tell you that as his mum, the journey getting him where he is today wasn't easy. We have had to make a number of sacrifices along the way; sacrifices that have paid dividends. 

For the next few days leading up to the RWC 2019 in Japan, I will continue to share various chapters
of our story. This will include how it all started, the highlights and the challenges and momentous occasions. I will also share our experiences and bring you updates of the mood of the team and the fans whilst on the road in Japan for this tournament.

This story is about a dream that was instilled in a 3-year-old child that has now been realised. So grab
yourself a cup of tea or coffee or nothing at all and come join me as I unveil OUR story of Ben's
journey to becoming a Flying Fijian and what it is like being his mum.

Next Chapter: Where it all started!

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