Our friends Doug and Jan Hanson have been working at the Christian Leaders Training College in Papua New Guinea for a couple of decades. Their students come from PNG and islands covering the breadth of Melanesia: Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and more, stretching over 3000 miles from east to west.
We love reading their email postcards with short messages and colorful pictures. Today we received a postcard with a video attached. I was riveted from start to finish, and I hope you’ll find it as captivating as I did. Here’s an excerpt from the e-postcard introducing the video (I think Jan writes these):
It was fun to view it on Mother’s Day with the local village church where some filming took place. The people were so excited to see themselves on the screen! (The pastor wanted to know why his whole sermon wasn’t on the video!) We are looking forward to showing the video in churches and homes upon our return next year.
If you look closely at the congregation in front of the grass hut church about half way through, you can see Doug in the back row. He’s the tall balding guy, sometimes wearing a green hat.
OK, enough introduction. Go watch and see what God is doing in Melanesia!
Tongans are Polynesians, but yes, Pacific islands Christians are fantastic!! When I had the very great privilege of visiting Tonga, I was struck with the Tongan Christians’ kindness, generosity, warmth, compassion and attitude of worship. To see people singing and laughing with pure joy because of Jesus when they might not have an easy life is so humbling. It made me realise just how precious the good news about Jesus is for all the nations and people of the world, and how spreading that word is a privilege, and one that we share with Christians all over the world who worship and praise the same God in different ways.
Thanks for the clarification, Mim. I know they have Tongan students, but shouldn’t have listed Tonga as being in Melanesia!
This was so good. I watched the video and loved learning about what they have been doing in the community there and how Christ has helped so many! Saw your friend in the video too smiling while talking to some of the people in the background. I really love how in one shot you see a woman walking with children and there are mountains in the background and it looks like it is raining in the mountains but it is so green where they are. What amazing scenery!
They live and work in a beautiful place, but their stories show even more beauty in the people they get to work with and the things God is doing. I am so glad you enjoyed it, Victoria!
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