Region / Country: South Pacific

Stories in the sand

The student crowd watched closely as Uncle Edgar drew his finger through the sand. The skillfully etched patterns and shapes represented characters in the story he was telling: two people, in a precious relationship that had been broken, now joyfully reconciled. With an accompanying tune played on his bamboo flute, Uncle Edgar used the ancient storytelling art of sandroing to bring home four central stories from the Gospel of Mark to students at Vanuatu’s regional university campus.

The national IFES movement, Gud Nius Yunivesiti Felosip (GNYF), asked Uncle Edgar to create this novel presentation of the gospel as part of their ?Huia Jisas? outreach (“Who is Jesus?” in Bislama). It was one way of addressing two pressing issues: How do you help students in a culture of churchgoing to personally encounter Jesus? How do you enable students in an oral culture to engage with the Scriptures?

Vanuatu, a cluster of islands in the South Pacific, is populated by small, subsistence-farming communities, where most profess Christianity (90%+) and where the few who are involved in tertiary education (<1%) prefer to learn by hearing and talking rather than extensive study of texts. Joel Atwood, GNYF National Director, notes: “Many students come to university having grown up in churches their whole lives, but they haven’t looked closely at the Bible and are still unsure of who Jesus is, what he has done, and what that means for us”.

This is why GNYF strives to be intentional about sharing the gospel with friends and classmates in ways that fit their relational culture. In 2021, their ?Huia Jisas? outreach was a Melanesian form of Uncover (a Gospel distribution project used in many IFES movements). It not only equipped students to share stories from Mark’s Gospel with other students but also went a step further: by connecting with Uncle Edgar – a local expert in sandroing – they devised patterns to help communicate key themes of sin, forgiveness, reconciliation, and rule.

Now, in 2024, the movement is organising another ?Huia Jisas? outreach, this time using John’s Gospel. Sency, a student leader at a relatively new campus group, is looking forward to it: “We want our classmates and friends to dig deeper into discovering who Jesus is. What exceeding joy to know that the God of the universe loved us so much that he sent his only Son to die for us so that anyone who believes should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I pray that more and more young people here in Vanuatu schools, colleges, and universities will encounter Jesus and develop a personal relationship with him in daily life. What an awesome adventure it will be!”

Since many student leaders are new, the first semester (February-June) will focus on training and planning; a cross-campus team will choose stories, develop the booklets, and plan events. “With John’s big metaphors for who Jesus is, we could have some real fun using traditional art forms like sandroing, weaving, and dancing,” says Joel.

Let’s pray for students in GNYF Vanuatu:

  • Give thanks for the creatively contextual way the gospel was presented in 2021 and pray for the student leaders as they plan ?Huia Jisas? 2024 over coming weeks – that the Holy Spirit will give them inspiration, wisdom, and anticipation.
  • Pray for GNYF students who are anxious about inviting friends or classmates to read the Gospel or attend talks and events. Ask the Lord to use the “support events” to equip them and give them courage.
  • Pray for the Gospel distribution and public events in late July and August – that students will engage with Scripture, encounter Jesus, and enjoy an ever-deepening relationship with him.

Persevering on the Sunshine Coast

This World Student Day, on Friday 20 October, we’re praying for students around the world to persevere as witnesses for Jesus. It’s an exciting opportunity to join with thousands in prayer. But knowing exactly what to pray for can sometimes be tricky. That’s why the World Student Day prayer cards are a brilliant resource to help you – they present real requests from students, staff, and movements from across our eleven global regions. 

Here’s one example from the South Pacific: 

Behind every request is a current situation with a specific backstory. For this Prayerline, we’ve asked Lucy to tell us more about Moreton Bay. 

“UniSC’s Moreton Bay campus opened in 2019 as an offshoot of the main UniSC campus in Sippy Downs on the Sunshine Coast. The AFES group has fluctuated in size and student engagement since then – during one semester we had up to fourteen students coming along to the main Bible study and social events, but it has recently dropped to just a few.  

In fact, at the start of this semester no students came to the Bible study for the first few weeks. It was quite discouraging. But by God’s grace, he brought along Bevan, a non-Christian student who’d seen our advertising around campus. He wanted to find out more about Jesus. Ever since, he’s been meeting weekly with a staff worker to read Mark’s gospel.  

And Bevan’s also connected with one of our Moreton Bay students, Noah, who, along with a Sippy Downs student, has been reading through the Old Testament with him. A few weeks ago, Bevan decided to give his life to Jesus at one of these Bible studies!  

Noah says, “One thing that’s been encouraging about Christian Students at Moreton is simply that the group is surviving despite it being small. I’m thankful to God that we’ve got this far.”  

The hope we have is that the small group will grow and – with a firm base of Christian students – have an impact on the Moreton Bay campus as it expands.”  

You’ll find dozens more requests like this here. As you explore them, please pray with us for students in Moreton Bay – and all around the world: 

  • Give thanks for the encouragements in Moreton Bay and pray for the students and staff as they persevere – that they will establish a Christian witness that will impact the campus. 
  • Give thanks for our global family of IFES movements and supporters that are praying for students on 20 October. Pray for a move of God as individuals and groups use the prayer cards – that those requests will be answered and that those who sent them will find strength to persevere. 
  • Pray for all Christian students who are struggling with their faith, mental health, or circumstances. Pray that this week they would feel uplifted and discover that God’s power is made perfect in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).  

Catching the vision for pioneering ministry

“God has placed a huge burden for Micronesians on me,” shares Mark, a recent graduate from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). While studying abroad in Guam, Mark developed a passion for sharing the gospel with students. As he thinks about returning home, Mark is wondering and praying whether student ministry might be part of his future. 

“My vision for student ministry simply came from day-to-day conversations with my Micronesian dorm mates and listening to their beliefs about who God is,” he explains. “Seeing how the religious and cultural practices of our nation have led us away from who God truly is stirred up my desire to start a Bible study and show them who the God of the Bible is, the true and living God.”  

The FSM is composed of more than 600 islands in the Western Pacific. Approximately 95 percent of the population identifies as Christian. Going to church is the norm. But Mark says that for many, their faith is based on tradition and culture rather than on the bible.  

“It has always been an encouragement for me to hear from students that some of the Bible studies we have had are actually the first time they’ve heard such stories about Jesus, even though they’ve been in church most of their lives,” he said.  

After he moved to Guam to study public administration, Mark became involved with the student ministry work pioneered by Sam, an InterVarsity Link staff worker, whose story was covered in this Prayerline article.  

“I am truly grateful to Sam for coming out to Guam and conducting Bible studies for college students,” Mark said. “It was encouraging to be able to fellowship with peers who are also faithful.” 

Mark began leading Bible studies in the University of Guam Residence Halls where there are more than 150 students from other Micronesian islands such as the FSM, Palau, and the Marshall Islands. After graduating with a master’s last year, Mark decided to stay in Guam to work and continue volunteering in student ministry. As he looks for opportunities to return home, Mark considers how God might use this passion and experience in future ministry on Pohnpei, the largest and most populous island in the FSM.  

“I hope that God will provide laborers in the Federated States of Micronesia that are young and passionate about sharing the gospel to students. If the Lord wills, it would be great if he were to open doors for me to do student ministry there.” 

Knowing his home country like he does, Mark understands that it won’t be easy.  

“It can be difficult to challenge traditional ‘religious’ beliefs with Scripture because it can come across as if we are disrespecting our elders, our traditions, and our culture. Young born-again believers can face backlash when they are bold for biblical truths. It’s something I’ve experienced myself.” 

The FSM is one of approximately seven countries or territories in the South Pacific currently without an affiliated IFES movement. Developing student ministry in these remote island nations is complicated by the fact that many student groups and college campuses are geographically isolated from each other.  

In addition, some of these Pacific Island nations do not have a traditional four-year university. The FSM, for example, does not have a major university but it does have a community college where students can study for two years before completing their studies at another institution abroad or online. Nevertheless, IFES believes that institutions of higher learning are strategic locations for mission. In some nations that means a focus on universities, while in others it may mean working in secondary schools or community colleges.  

“These factors – and others – make the prospect of planting a new student movement in the FSM a significant challenge,” says David Walter, IFES Regional Secretary for the South Pacific. “But God is good.” 

Please pray for Mark and students in – and from – the Federated States of Micronesia: 

  • Pray for guidance and opportunities as Mark explores future ministry opportunities on his home island of Pohnpei. 
  • Pray for wisdom and boldness for young followers of Jesus in the FSM. 
  • Pray that the Lord would provide “workers for the harvest” so that Micronesian students may hear the good news of Jesus – either in their own country or while studying abroad. 

Mourning into Dancing: finding healing in Jesus at Summit 

Just looking at someone, it’s impossible to know what experiences they carry with them. But the Bible speaks strongly into issues of suffering and trauma, as David Walter, Regional Secretary for the South Pacific points out. Recently, TSCF, the national movement in Papua New Guinea, held their Mid-Year Bible Summit student conference, with the theme ‘Wounds of the Heart and the Hope of the Psalms.’ They looked at Psalm 30:11: 

‘You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.’  

‘We have just had such a week’, write Keith and Marion, volunteer staff with TCSF. ‘Sometimes when our Lord turns on the tap, it really is astonishing. It’s been far more than we asked or thought.’ 

One student called the Summit a time of ‘deep healing’. ‘I never really understood my feelings’, she says. ‘But through the laments of the psalms and our discussions about hidden emotions, I was able to really pinpoint the feelings under the surface and come before God in humility to let him heal me, as I receive his forgiveness. 

‘My father, who is a musician, was never home when I was growing up. He never seemed to have time for me. I developed this idea that he does not love me, which led me to despise him. However, deep down I needed his attention. Understanding that no human relationship can fulfil us the way God can, through Psalm 42, has given a freedom I have never felt in my life. Because now I want God’s Word more than anything else in this world.’ 

This student also survived an attempted sexual assault as a teenager, a trauma that left her with deep emotional wounds. ‘I never really healed from that traumatic event’, she explains. ‘I have triggers that set me off, and I experience depressive episodes that last for weeks and months.’ But as she testifies, some level of change began at the Summit through reading the Scripture. ‘I experienced healing from that emotional wound this week’, she writes, ‘as we went through the Psalms of Lament. The over-thinking has stopped and the shame and fear I’ve been carrying all these years have been lifted. I experienced that “weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5). I felt washed in the Word, renewed and free from the pain I have been carrying for nine years.’ 

Pray with us for TSCF Papua New Guinea: 

  • Thank God for these revelations and pray that these students would continue to trust in Jesus and find deep joy in him. 
  • Pray for the strengthening and flourishing of TSCF, that they might be able to share the gospel with more students. 
  • Pray that TSCF students will be salt and light in their families, universities, and throughout their lives. 

Fighting human trafficking with gospel compassion

In December 2019, PSFC, the student movement in Fiji, were invited to join an initiative combatting human trafficking, nationally, regionally and globally – a big task. With a host of high-calibre organisations involved and funding from the EU, PSFC was invited to join a taskforce working to eradicate human trafficking from Fiji as part of the two-year project. Fiji is increasingly a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking, and there are many migrants trafficked into or through Fiji for exploitative purposes. 

It is a worthy and incredibly daunting initiative, but Taniela, PSFC General Secretary, hasn’t been fazed. ‘I was glad that we said yes to this partnership,’ he shares. ‘It opened my eyes to the reality of this issue right before us. I’ve seen cases of university students involved both as perpetrators and victims. Alarmingly, these activities grew in lockdown’. 

How can a Christian movement of students make a difference? Once, Taniela was asked by someone from another organisation what PSFC offers in the battle against human trafficking. He gave the most straightforward, powerful answer. ‘Jesus’. He explained that human trafficking is ultimately an issue of the heart. If that is not changed, all our efforts are wasted.  

Knowing that cases of human trafficking have increased since the pandemic, PSFC students have launched a project to alleviate the impact of lockdown, ‘part of the answer for us in fighting human trafficking’, as Taniela explains. ‘5 Loaves and 2 Fish’ was an idea born in an ordinary student Bible study. As the students discussed Jesus feeding the five thousand in Mark 6, they saw an opportunity.  

The plan is to distribute packs of groceries worth $100 to international students. 43 students have been identified, and PSFC are liaising with universities for more names. They hope to distribute their first packs this month. This has the potential to lift and sustain students from desperation, making them less vulnerable to trafficking. It displays the compassion of Jesus on the crowd in Mark 6, ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ (Mark 6:34). 

Grace is a student representative and key leader in this project. She shares her experience of getting the project off the ground: 

‘Getting to know what other students are actually facing has changed my perspective. Most have a loan which covers school fees, rent and allowances. This was reduced during the pandemic, and students were unable to pay their rent. They often had no other option but for 4 or 5 students to move in together. For those whose parents have lost their jobs, the reduced loan had to support the whole family. 

‘I recently had a message from a close friend who is from the Solomon Islands, asking me for financial assistance. I was told that all sponsored Solomon Island students had not received an allowance for more than two weeks. One message just said ‘I’m broke and hungry’. Reading these kinds of messages from students studying in a country foreign to them really broke my heart and made me cry. But I serve a God who sees and knows the meaning of each tear that falls. I might not be able to help all of them, but my prayers are with them always.’ 

Pray for human trafficking victims in Fiji and the students of PSFC: 

  • Pray that God will deliver students from human trafficking. Pray for those already in these terrible situations, that they would be delivered. Pray that perpetrators would be brought to justice. 
  • Pray that the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish project will bring hope and stability to students.  
  • Pray that the project would prevent people from becoming involved in human trafficking, along with the other gospel work of PSFC. Pray that it would transform lives and turn hearts to Christ.

God ruins a perfect plan

God, why did you ruin the perfect plan?

Everything was set. After years, the movement in Tonga was finally going to start again. In 2019, Sam, an InterVarsity USA staff worker with Tongan heritage attended World Assembly. There he made friends with several students from the South Pacific. One of these students was from Tonga and had been praying for someone to restart the IFES ministry there. Over his time at World Assembly, Sam’s heart was moved for the students of Tonga, and he decided to move there to serve as the first IFES staff worker in years.

Then COVID-19 struck. Tongan borders closed and Sam was unable to acquire a visa.

What do we do now, God?

It was back to the drawing board. Sam still wanted to serve, but he did not know where!

In God’s timing it became clear. Plans to send a staff worker to Guam had been derailed due to the pandemic. Laura and Kurt Thiel from InterVarsity Link began asking everyone they knew to join virtual prayer meetings for Guam. Sam was invited to these meetings. Slowly it became obvious that God had a new purpose for Sam. Since Guam is a territory of the United States, Sam could enter its borders without a visa.

With no history of any IFES student movement in Guam, the need was even greater than Tonga. God had provided the right person to meet it. After some time of preparation, Sam is now in Guam. Recently he has held the first meeting with three students who are praying about what a movement could look like there. Though the path to Guam was rocky, it is obvious now that Sam’s plans were always in God’s hands. We have faith that God will continue to build up a strong movement in Guam through faithful workers like Sam. Pray with us for new beginnings in Guam.

  • Praise God for providing Sam to plant a group in Guam. Pray that God will give him wisdom, strength and guidance as he takes on this important work.
  • Pray for the three students who are praying for student ministry in Guam. Pray that they will become leaders on their campuses. Pray that they will influence others to be a part of their group.
  • Pray for Tonga, that in the right time, God will provide someone to restart the ministry there.