The Aleisa West Assembly of God has celebrated the 20th anniversary of the church leaders' arrival in the village. 

The church’s Minister, Reverend Feliuai Fiaalii Matautia, reflected on Thursday on the church's humble beginnings as a Bible study school when they first arrived in 2001.

"[In] 2001 on [the] 20th of May we arrived here and the work began on the other side of the village," he told the Samoa Observer. (The church has since moved to another location in the village). 

Rev. Matautia gave his thanks to the Lord, friends, the church’s committee, and support received by Samoans locally and overseas. 

He said the celebration was to thank the Lord for reaching a 20-year milestone.

The Aleisa West Assembly of God was founded by Rev. Matautia and his wife Papa Fiaalii in 2001 as a modest Bible study house. 

"Then after a while then we believed that there should be a church," he said.

Rev. Matautia said most of the church’s congregation are employed, mostly as farmers.

The church was built in 2010 and was blessed on 22 October that year. 

A residence for the church’s Minister was added in 2019.

Rev. Matautia said that the congregation is looking towards other improvements on church property, including plans to build a new hall over the next three years.