By Tim Meyer

The Solomon Islands are rich in Christian history. This archipelago of islands lies off the northeastern coast of Australia. The people are Melanesian, black islanders. In the late 1800s islanders were blackbirded (coercively recruited through trickery and kidnapping) by ship captains who had contracts with Australian sugar cane growers to recruit workers for the fields. These workers were called "kanakas." Some of these islanders were legally hired, but many were gang-pressed (sold into slavery by their village chiefs).

Florence Young was born in New Zealand in 1856. Her family migrated to Australia when she was young, and in 1878 her brothers bought a sugar cane plantation in the Bundaberg region of Queensland. Burdened to win these islanders to Christ, Florence started the Queensland Kanaka Mission in 1886. She taught the blackbirded islanders to read and instructed them in salvation and Bible teaching. When Australia federated in 1901 and introduced the "white Australia policy," the kanakas were sent back to the islands. Because of the witness of Florence Young, many went back born again.

Florence spent six years of the period between 1891 and 1900 working as a missionary with the China Inland Mission, founded by Hudson Taylor. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, it was unsafe for white missionaries to be in China. Some were martyred. The CIM instructed Florence to go back to Australia. When Florence returned, she continued the work with the Queensland Kanaka Mission. Eventually, she received a letter from a kanaka who had become a Christian in Australia but had returned to his home island of Malaita. He asked for missionaries to come and help reach his people with the Gospel.

The message was from Peter Ambuofa. Peter had returned to Malaita in 1894. Having accepted Christ as his Saviour while in Australia, he returned as the first born again believer to the Malaitan village of Malu'u. He did not receive a friendly welcome. His family was expecting him to return with at least some sort of worldly wealth. Instead, he came only with the Gospel. His family was from the inland regions of Malaita. They had walked down to Malu'u to meet Peter. His mother approached him with roasted taro. "Son," she said, "you come back with us, up to your home in the hills. You see this taro? It's your food, but if you don't come with us, you will die of hunger." She put the taro back in her basket and walked away. This was a great insult. Island culture demanded the sharing of food with relatives.

Peter sustained himself eating the small fruit that grows off the trunk of an nwanwa'o tree. The tree usually bears fruit just once a year, but it sustained Peter for six months. This gave him time to plant a small garden.

Peter began to try to reach his people with the Gospel. Whenever his family came down from the hills, they tried to force him to return with them. Peter could not read very well, but he had learned to write John 3:16. This he shared with others. He sang the song "Jesus Loves Me This I Know." After a period of time he led his brother to salvation. His brother eventually was murdered.

After receiving the invitation, Florence and several other Christians formed the South Seas Evangelical Mission. This mission existed for over 70 years. Men and women, mostly Australian, surrendered to the mission work in the Solomon Islands. The mission had a boat built named the Evangel. This boat sailed between the islands, transporting missionaries and doctors. A Bible college was established on Malaita. The method of teaching was primarily Bible instruction given each week to the village pastors who would return to their villages to preach for the Sunday worship services. Hundreds of these village churches are now scattered throughout the islands.

This past year I received an email from a young man named James who has become a friend on Malaita. He wrote, "Tim, Stephen called me through phone last week to pass this message to you as quick as I can. Well, this is the message, Peter Ambuofa family members have been preparing to go into independent Baptist and they are waiting for you to go up and see them in Malu'u. It looks likely that you will organize a church in there. This is very important. Peter Ambuofa family members need any reply from you as soon as possible. James."

A church has since been constituted and they are now sending young men to our Bible college for training.

Last year I met with five Christian men from Malu'u. Four were the grandsons of Peter Ambuofa, the first born again Solomon Islander to return to his native home after being led to Christ on a sugar cane plantation in Australia by a lady who had worked with Hudson Taylor in China! The timeless Gospel continues to spread from nation to nation, and here I am over one hundred years later experiencing the fruit of the same work Hudson Taylor was doing! Great Commission work continues through the wonderful and powerful Gospel.

By the way, the fifth man I met with was Stephen Kori'i. He is the grandson of Peter Ambuofa's first convert!

Tim Meyer is a veteran missionary to Australia. He has been making trips to the Solomon Islands for a number of years.

How to Pray:
Pray for a Bible distribution in the Solomon Islands during the first quarter of 2011 that the Word will fall on good ground (Matthew 13:23).

Monday, May 21, 2012

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

J Steve & Nohemy Sidler -  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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