Today’s young Pacific Islanders are interested in missions, especially the students attending Youth With A Mission’s (YWAM) Discipleship Training schools (DTS) in the Pacific. The purpose of this blog is to give them a history of some of their own Pacific Island past and present heroes, to encourage, challenge, and hopefully recruit them for ongoing missionary endeavours.
One of my favourite chapters of the Bible, Hebrews 11, names well-known Bible characters who, moved by faith, accomplished great things with and for God. In verses 32-38, after listing a few more familiar names, the author shifts to using the non-specific pronouns “those” and “they” rather than proper names. The brave Pacific Island missionaries of the past are some of those who fit the “those” and “they” of Hebrews 11. They served, were beaten, martyred or died with diseases in foreign lands. I cannot hope to find them all but will do my best to honour some.
Hebrews 11 ends with verses 39-40 (Message), " Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours."
It has always been my passion to help young Pacific Islanders learn about their own history and spiritual legacy. Most of the books they read in training are written by or about Caucasian missionaries. While such resources are helpful, there remain the “those,” many of whom only receive a small mention or remembrance. Through this blog, it is my desire that the faith of the young Pacific Islanders (and my readers) would come together with the faith of the past and present heroes of the Pacific Islands, thus making a “completed whole.”
Hello dear Pioneer Woman of God and a missionary for 48 yrs. what a joy and privilege to come across your profile on the blogger and the blog post. I am a Pastor from Mumbai India. I am also privileged and feel honoured to get connected with such a woman of faith. I am so encouraged to know how you and your husband have been instrument in pioneering another work called Mercy Ships serving on two vessels, The MN Anastasis and the Godd Samaritan. Though your husband left you to be with the Lord bringing stop to your journey to gether for so many years who brought temporary loss to you but join the heroes of faith that are mentioned in Hebrews 11. I am encouraged by your blog post on Hebrews 11 which speaks of Heroes of faith. Also so encouraging to see that you have served at the University of The Nationsm Youth With A Mission. I am honoured and was a privileged to be a part in helping pioneering the early short term missionaries who came form Australia and New Zealand to Mumbai to esablish the Base in Mumbai back in early 80's. My wife became the first DTS Student of the first batch to complete the DTS Training. I love getting connected with the people of God around the globe to be encouraged strengthened and praying for one another. I have been in the Pastoral ministry for last 41yrs in this great city OF Mumbai a city with a great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the brokenhearted. We also encourage young and the adults from the west to come to Mumbai to work with us during their vacation time. Since you are still working with the University of Nations in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii we would love to have young people coming to Mumbai during their practical training time to work with us. We have had many teams of YWAM DTS from Australia and New Zealand coming to Mumbai to work with us during their practical training. We would love to have from Hawaii such young people who want to serve the poorest of poor in the slums of Mumbai to work with us by being hands and feet of JESUS. Looking forward to hear from you very soon. God's richest blessings on you and also wishing you a blessed and a Chrsit centered rest of the year 2020. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede.
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