Spiritual encounter changed Rosi’s life forever
WINNING the Talent Quest in 1985 was just the beginning of Rosi Batimala's work in using her talents and gifts to reach out to people that need help.
Rosi is a well-known artist and has many songs under her belt in the music industry.
Many would also know her for her dedication and commitment in reaching out to offenders in Correctional facilities in Lautoka and Suva.
Her love for music began at her home in Volivoli, Nadroga. "I grew up in a home of six sisters and two brothers.
“In 1985 there was a singing contest called Talent Quest. I won that competition where Lenora Qereqeretabua, Sharon Rolls and Gilman Lasaisuva were the judges for that year.
"I became famous for singing and became a breadwinner in the family," she said.
Her fame took her to many resorts and places of entertainment where she would perform.
According to Rosi she met Lucky Dube in New Caledonia while travelling with the Talent Quest judge and mentor Gilman. In another opportunity Rosi performed for Celine
Dion. Meeting icons was one of the many perks of being in the music industry in Fiji.
Rosi was not a spiritual person in the early stages of her life as a singer, but she had her experiences with God in the early stages of her career.
"My faith was weak. I didn't care about God or the Bible. I lived the way that I wanted. This often led me to misuse my earnings.
"When I did gigs in resorts, I remember misusing the money I would get, mainly on buying shoes and dresses. This was money I could have used to put more food on the table.
"When there would be no food at home, I would pray asking God to provide for us at home. This was something I learned from Sunday school. To my amazement, God would lead people home to bring food. These were my early experiences with God on how he would provide for me and my family's needs."
In 2013 while she was performing at the Outrigger Hotel, she had a spiritual encounter that led her switch from being a secular artist to a gospel artist we know today. "While entertaining guests at the hotel singing Tina Turner's song "Simply the Best", God spoke to me. It was something I didn't expect that day. “He told me that he wanted to use me and wanted me to live a more dedicated and committed life to his work.
"I've always heard about pastors that talk about the Holy Spirit. I believe that the experience I had that day was God talking to me through the Holy Spirit.
"There was a march about Israel that happened that year and I decided to join. I sang a gospel tune and I never looked back.
"That was how I started my journey with the Lord and how my dedication for the gospel work began.
"Before I was not really deep in my spiritual walk with the Lord, shallow...but now it's very meaningful."
A full-time volunteer and missionary worker at the Correctional Facility, Rosi uses her talent for singing to empower women, men and young juveniles.
"I started volunteering with the Prison Fellowship right in the year 2000 in Lautoka. Taniela Savou who is now the director, took me for a training on womanhood, motherhood and marriage where I learned a lot."
That training gave me the boost I needed to be dedicated to my volunteer work at the Fiji Correction Centres.
"I visited women, men and juvenile correctional facilities. I would sing share my testimony and would have one to one sessions with inmates.
This led me to cut my hair so that I'm approachable to them. Having a loving and forgiving heart is what true beauty is according to Rosi
This was something that she had to learn the hard way through her life experiences.
"I've had close family members that abused me while growing up. God has taught me to forgive them despite the awful things done to me.
“I also had a nephew who attempted to rape me but I thank God that I had people to talk to to help me in my situation”.
"Also, having a relationship with God has helped to love my enemies and to forgive them because Jesus did the same thing.
"I want all women in Fiji to know that beauty is not your looks or the clothes you wear. It's the willingness to love and forgive from your heart as a woman. That's true beauty".
Rosi continues to record her own songs while being a full time volunteer with the Prison Fellowship.
She lives in her village in Volivoli and looks after her two nephews.