This beautiful and vast territory, known as the South Pacific, encompasses a variety of people groups and terrain that makes mission work both a challenge and an incredible opportunity.
Taste the Mumu
From remote tropical islands to the bustling cities of Sydney and Auckland, from thick jungles to traffic-jammed streets, amidst rugged mountains and white sandy beaches, this is the South Pacific Division. This beautiful and vast territory encompasses a variety of people groups and terrain that makes mission work in the region both a challenge and an incredible opportunity.
God is doing amazing things in this region of 40 million people. The Adventist Church here counts a membership of more than 500,000 people who worship on Sabbaths in nearly 2,000 churches. More than 80 percent of the membership lives in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands.
In Goroka, Papua New Guinea, or PNG, the Adventist Church operates one of the largest missions in the country. As you drive through the beautiful landscapes in this central region of PNG, it’s hard not to notice the many Seventh-day Adventist Church signs. Adventists here work hard to grow God’s kingdom.
Today, some nearby church members gather to celebrate the Sabbath with enthusiasm. They sing joyously in praise and worship.
[HEAR CONGREGATION]
Music is a vital component of worship. Here, many groups and choirs sing songs to prepare the spirit for the preaching of God’s word.
[HEAR SOME OF THE GROUPS]
After the Pathfinders perform a skit, the pastor brings a message of encouragement to people who face many challenges as Christians here. Among these challenges are tribal beliefs and superstitions, geographical isolation, and language barriers. As the world’s most linguistically diverse nation, PNG is home to more than 800 languages. This can be a real tower of Babel experience for those sharing the gospel.
At the end of the service, this community of believers sits in groups as others dig up a pit where food has been cooking. This pit is called a mumu [MOO-moo], a traditional Papua New Guinean way of cooking. It’s like an oven right in the ground where you put hot stones in the hole, followed by banana leaves, and then food. Then the hole is covered with earth, and the food cooks overnight.
When the food is ready, it’s a warm and welcoming experience for all.
[SHOW PEOPLE AND CHILDREN EATING TOGETHER]
In the afternoon, many churches in this area host programs. This lively all-day event makes Sabbath a day that the children and adults look forward to.
The growth the Adventist Church has experienced in the South Pacific goes back to humble beginnings. In 1891, Seventh-day Adventist Church co-founder Ellen G. White arrived in the South Pacific, virtually pioneering the work here. In the home she named “Sunnyside” in Cooranbong, Australia, she performed her dual ministry of missionary and writer. Her work in this region built a foundation for the church’s early efforts in the South Pacific.
Today, the Adventist Church carries on the early missionaries’ legacy as it continues to spread the gospel throughout the region. Although there has been significant growth, there are still unreached people groups in hard-to-reach places. Please pray for the missionaries who sacrifice much to serve in the South Pacific Division.
