Reaching Vanuatu for Christ

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Reaching Vanuatu for Christ This story has a unique beginning. On vacation last fall, we were visiting friends who live in Maui. It was Sunday, our friends were church shopping so we attended a new church, Kihei Baptist. The service was great and at the end the pastor mentioned a missions report and presentation on Friday about a church team returning from Vanuatu; a remote group of islands in the South Pacific. Being missions minded we attended the presentation on Friday and heard an amazing story. A member of their small mission’s team, David Courson, had been a missionary to Vanuatu 30 years ago. He described hacking his way into the Jungle with a machete and hand digging a well by a big tree. He hit water at 8 feet. The water eventually drew people from the surrounding villages. This led to him teaching 6 men under a huge tree by the well for two years. He went home to the states for 2 years and then back to Vanuatu for another 2 reaching out to the villagers around the well, sharing the Gospel with many. Fast forward 30 years & David is now on Staff with Kihei Baptist church and Island Bible Institute, a small seminary in the Hawaiian Islands. David had just come back from leading the small mission’s team to Vanuatu. They had been sent to find a Christian man who would be willing to come back from Vanuatu to be trained at the ‘Island Bible Institute’ for two years and then return to start a new church in an unreached area of Vanuatu. They found their man (Paul Robert, not his indigenous name) and they’re returning with him this September on another mission’s trip to begin the process of searching for potential church locations. They will be backpacking 20 miles into the jungle, fording rivers, climbing mountains and sharing Christ with villages that have never heard the name of Jesus or ever seen a white person. As I heard about this mission opportunity I, of course, was attracted to it, as it seems tailor fit for a person with my skills and background. I ignored it at first counting it as excitement about the presentation. As time passed, it ate at me. I realized that I could be a valuable member of the team. I had planned on heading back to Africa in the spring to help a missionary friend there. However, God had other plans for me. I really believe the Lord has led me to this opportunity and that my skills will be a real asset to this small team. They have asked me to participate and I’ve accepted. I don’t have space in this letter but there is one of the strangest cults in Vanuatu that I’ve ever heard of. It’s called the John From cult, dating back to WWII, Google it.

Backpacking, fording rivers, applying first aid, climbing mountains is the fun part for a guy like me but honestly, walking into a remote village that has never seen a white person is rather intimidating. How will they respond is the big unknown. For this reason I (and Faye) would really appreciate your prayers for this journey. Would you also prayerfully consider supporting me financially in this effort to share the Gospel where it has never been heard before? Our hopes are that there will be a church in one of these villages in the near future as well. I can’t wait to send out a report upon my return. Here are the details. You’re probably asking, where the heck is Vanuatu? It’s a remote chain of 82 islands in the South Pacific, north of New Zealand and east of Australia with a population of about 307,000. It has some interesting WWII history and 104 people groups with 92% being indigenous. There are 108 languages spoken but over half of them are spoken by less than 1,000 people. Only 6 languages have full Bible translations with 11 more that have New Testament translations. It’s the 3rd poorest nation in the Pacific with an average income of $2,400 a year. Christianity is by far the most common religion, but there are many unreached people groups. We will be partnering with the Luganville Baptist church in Vanuatu. They will be providing the interpreters and helping Paul Robert plant the church once that decision has been made. Here are the travel & financial details. I will meet the group from Kihei Baptist in Fiji on September 2nd. Once arriving in Vanuatu on the 3rd we will island and boat hop our way to Santo Island where on Sept. 4th we will start journeying into the jungle, until we return and rendezvous with a boat on the beach on Sept. 13th. The next day we start the 2 day journey back home. The cost of this mission’s trip is $3,100 per person and I will be providing all my personal food for the backpacking portion of the trip. The $3,100 covers airfare on numerous flights, ferries, lodging and some food etc. The Deposit of $500 is due early July and final payment is due early August. Would you prayerfully consider joining my support team in this Gospel effort? Please pray for logistics, safety and open hearts to the Gospel. If you would like to donate please send donations to Kihei Baptist Chapel, 1655 S Kihei Rd Kihei, HI 96753 and please write on the memo portion or add a note that says Spence Vanuatu Donation. All donations are tax deductible. Thank You. Because He Said Go, Paul Spence