Distributions were made among the island nations of the South Pacific. Helen Williams with WMP sayswork in this area is difficult for several logistical reasons.

The fourteen island nations of the South Pacific are home to 800 indigenous languages spread over numerous islands.

“The population is spread out over these islands,” Williams says. “The people that we communicate with out there, they love the material. They want to keep it and keep it coming, but they don’t use it in great quantities because they just don’t reach people in the same way because of the distance and the language and all that goes on in the South Pacific.”

WMP has good, long-time contacts in this region, so the organization is making an effort to reconnect with people who may be out of materials.

Additionally, Williams says that coordinating shipments is “a networking thing” and that a contact with the Bible Society helped get materials to the islands.

Despite challenges, the ministry has seen fruit.

The container held over 3,700 booklets in Tok Pisin and English, and another pallet of materials in other languages for the Island of Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

Williams received the report that the distributors are “Going into places where their relentless spirit not only conquered mountains and valleys, but also transformed lives along the way, equipped with gospel booklets and the powerful message of Christ’s love.”

These missionaries are not only seeking conversions. They are building relationships with locals and are seeing a ripple effect of families and communities seeking a relationship with Christ.

Despite travel challenges, Williams says, “We, as a donor-based ministry, try very hard to make every dime count, every penny count. Using these containers and then combining shipments for others in that same region, and making it possible for them to get the material more readily, more securely, and a great reduction in cost, keeps these missionaries supplied and helps us be good stewards of the funds that we have.”

WMP is sending these materials all around the world, whether that’s to the South Pacific, Scandinavia, Argentina, South Africa, Mali, wherever.

“The whole point of all of this is to share God’s love and His Word and His salvation with a world that does not know that even exists and still has a hunger for something that they don’t know what it is,” Williams says.

Please pray that English and Tok Pisin materials will be used by the Holy Spirit.

Pray with WMP over every step of the process, including production, staffing, funding, shipping, and waiting, as they seek to provide free Scripture to people around the world.

“We are seeing the Lord work in so many places around the world,” Williams says. “…If you listen to the news and read this-and-that, the world is in chaos. And it is, but I can tell you from where we are that God is working. People are coming to know Him. Villages are being changed,
and so keep up the good work.”

Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.

(Photo courtesy Wycliffe)

Many of the Solomon Islands’ half a million residents live in small seaside communities.

The endless blue horizons and remote villages of the Solomon Islands archipelago are beautiful to see but can be difficult to traverse, especially if you are trying to get help translating the Bible into your language.

But praise God — of the more than 65 spoken languages there, more than 20 Bible translation projects are in progress!

Touo, Unlike Any Other

A translation in this challenging language will not be an easy task. There are some people among the Touo–a language community of more than 2,000 speakers from the southern part of the island of Rendova–who are interested in Bible translation.

In fact, a translation advisor was starting to work with the Touo but had to leave the country due to family health concerns. Touo is a language isolate, which means that it is unlike any other language in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific. Therefore it is a very complex language. A translation in this challenging language will not be an easy task.

Two-way Communication and Water Safety

(Photo courtesy Wycliffe)

As many of the Solomon Islands’ Bible translation projects are based in remote areas, translation teams often rely on two-way radios for all outside communication, including e-mail. Technical problems with these systems keep teams from connecting with advisors and consultants, and impede the progress of translation.

Many local translators, fueled by the hope that access to God’s Word will transform their communities, make long and dangerous sea voyages in small boats. A wild journey across the waves on an overcrowded motorboat is sometimes the only option for people desperate to get to the next island, and beyond.

Some translators, and even translation advisors, regularly travel across the surging seas to gain or give essential support and advice from other teams and consultants in the capital, Honiara.

How to pray

• Ask God to provide the personnel and resources needed to fully begin a Touo Bible translation project.
• Pray for God’s protection on essential equipment–like two-way radios–and provision of wisdom to those who repair and maintain it.
• Pray for safety for God’s servants around the world who must encounter travel obstacles between them and their desired destinations.

In 1998, intense fighting broke out between ethnic groups on Guadalcanal, the largest island, forcing nearly 20,000 residents to leave their homes and killing almost 100 people. Militia from the rival ethnic group staged a coup in June 2000, forcing the prime minister to resign. At this time, Wycliffe and its partners were working on Bible translation under the name Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group (SITAG).

Rising violence caused Wycliffe staff to leave the country for safety. Translation efforts halted, and as the violence continued, Solomon Islanders weren't sure if they would ever have Scripture in their heart languages. Local leaders who had been working with SITAG realized the need for a self-sustaining organization. From civil turmoil rose the Solomon Islands Bible Translation and Literacy Partnership (SIBTLP), an organization of Solomon Islanders working on Bible translation and literacy.

The number of Solomon Islanders who want to be involved in translation efforts is steadily increasing. Wycliffe's Debbie Conwell coordinates training and review for SIBTLP, and helps to plan and execute two-week training programs. These programs teach Solomon Islanders how to translate Scripture. Because the need for training has increased so rapidly, SIBTLP now considers having fourteen workshops a year instead of two.

Ask God to keep sustaining this ministry. Click here to support Wycliffe's projects in the Pacific.

But can you imagine being in a 100-year-old church that has never had access to Scripture in the heart language of its people?

This is the exact scenario facing some churches in the Pacific islands. The churches have survived on Scripture written in other languages which the people understand, but the Bible may not speak to them the way those same passages would in their heart language. Misunderstandings about the meanings of various passages are significant.

The Seed Company is bringing the translated Scriptures to these Pacific island churches. Project personnel, working with local Christian leaders, will help the church translate remaining Scriptures in the mother tongue with a focus on local needs.

In the region in question, many have come to Christ, simply replacing the rules for appeasing animistic spirits with new ones to pacify the One True God.

As part of Wycliffe's Last Languages Campaign, the project will begin work in all of the remaining Polynesian languages that still have translation needs and want to invest in translation. Some groups will translate the four Gospels while others will complete the entire Bible. Local churches, several Wycliffe organizations, and the Christian Leadership Training College in Papua New Guinea are partnering with The Seed Company in this project.

This cluster initially involves 11 languages.

The Seed Company has some specific prayer requests regarding this project. Pray about a setback in typesetting due to the death of the facilitator's father. Pray that one missionary's trip to the Solomon Islands is prosperous and that the Tikopia translation project gets up and running again.

To commit to pray for this translation project or to help with it directly, click here.

Many people on the Solomon Islands have heard the message of Christ and responded. "The challenge at this point is that they want to learn and want to grow in their faith, and they don't have access to Scripture in a language that speaks to them personally and speaks to their heart," says Bruce Smith, President and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. "We want to help them have access to Scripture so that the reformation can come in their own language."

Bible translation has been in progress on the Solomon Islands for over 40 years, but Smith says Wycliffe is picking up the pace. Wycliffe has a goal of having translations of the Scriptures in progress for each of the 120 languages on the Islands by the year 2025.

Plenty of people are willing to help with the translation process, but Wycliffe cannot move forward if a few other necessities are not taken care of first.

The current training center on the Solomon Islands is just a house and therefore quite limited in terms of facility. Wycliffe is building a new training school with classrooms and a dormitory to allow more trainees to go through in a shorter period of time, multiplying the resources for and effects of Bible translators there.

Now Wycliffe is looking for volunteers to help build the center.

"This particular project includes a fair amount of physical construction, and we could use everything from skilled tradesmen to people with general handyman skills," says Smith.

The work to be done in the Solomon Islands lies in more than just construction, though. The translators working there also have several administrative and technical needs to be met. This means they're looking for volunteers in several different areas.

"Teachers, technical support, computer experts, maybe accountants–all of those things are needed to support the translators themselves."

Wycliffe hopes to mobilize over 5,600 volunteers next year throughout  63 countries. Any skill you have could be well placed and utilized–if not in the Solomon Islands, in another one of these countries. Smith especially implores those who are transitioning in life and want to make an impact on the Kingdom to think about using their God-given skills to help in Wycliffe's important work of spreading the Word of God.

Contact Wycliffe to discuss the skills you have and your availability by visiting Wycliffe's website or calling 1-800-THE WORD (1-800-843-9673).

However, World Vision's Rachel Wolff says the destruction
wasn't as bad as originally thought. "We are estimating that about 5,000
to 6,000 people have lost shelter or food. That could be a bit higher because this is an area with 90,000 people, so we're still unsure of that as
well. We may know more within the next few days. We still think that as many as
half the population [may be homeless]."

It's been over a week since the 8.0 magnitude quake hit the
area. While World Vision has been able to get supplies into the region, Wolff
says they've faced other problems. "The challenge for World Vision and
other aid agencies has been distributing [the aid]. Boats are the main way of
transportation in between islands, but most of them had been destroyed by the
tsunami. Yesterday, World Vision was able to get two boats to use."

While providing aid is a priority, Wolff says since that they're
a Christian organization, they have other priorities, as well. "Faith motivates
everything we do. People know that we are Christians. They know why we are
doing what we're doing. We certainly partner with churches. Our hope is to be
the hands and feet of Christ, especially in these life or death
situations."

According to Wolff, Christians in New Zealand and Australia
have responded generously to the needs in the region. Since the Solomon Islands
is a popular holiday destination, many have felt the need to help.

Wolff says the situation still needs your help because many
of the victims are children. "About half the population are children. In
fact, about 41% are younger than the age of 15."

If you'd like to help World Vision, click here. 

World Vision has been working in this region for 25 years. World Vision's program manager Frieda Kana
says the earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated the area. "At least
60,000 or more people have been affected. Many have lost homes. They had to
spend the night in the hills under trees."

According to Kana, many people have died. "Communication
is really poor, so it's impossible at this time to really get the confirmation
on the death toll or the injuries."

Kana reported that the quake and tsunami delivered a "one-two punch"
to some villages. "Up to 20 villages have been completely washed away.
World Vision and other organizations are planning to deliver water, food and
shelter."

While World Vision doesn't have any programs in the region
hit by the earthquake and tsunami, that's not stopping them. "We have a
mandate to respond to any disaster in the country."

World Vision's Rachel Wolff says there are challenges
associated with this disaster. "There are still islands where we haven't
received any reports back. World Vision nor the Government (are getting these
reports), so we have no idea how many are affected there. So these estimates
are just based on the places that we have been able to establish
communication."

In one of the worst hit towns, Gizo, just 25 miles from the quake epicenter, we
have heard reports of deaths and numerous injuries, as well as reports that the
local hospital has been flooded with water, making it difficult for health
workers to treat the wounded.

According to Wolff, there is also another issue. "The
main airport in Gizo has been hard hit; the airport has been flooded. So
it's going to be a challenge even just to get there."

Meanwhile, families from Nukiki, Zepa, and Luta villages in Southern Choiseul
have been searching for missing relatives since the tsunami struck.

Beyond providing immediate aid, World Vision is planning to
help restore water and sanitation to affected communities since they have one of
the leading teams with these skills in the Solomons. Kana has already met with
governmental and other disaster specialists to begin coordinating this
response.

Since World Vision is a Christian organization, Wolff says
they're being the hands and feet of Christ. "Disasters are the one of the
best chances to show God's unconditional love, and World Vision is doing that
around the world and certainly in the Solomon Islands."

If you'd like to help World Vision with their relief
efforts, click here.