South Pacific 2002 - the Solomon Islands Reports

Did You Know?

• There are still ethnic populations in villages in the mountainous regions of the Solomon Islands who wear no clothes and worship spirits of the jungle and ancestors?
• People of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu speak Bislama, or Pidgin.  The language varies between each country and even from island to island.
• What do people eat in the islands?  In the Solomon Islands, we ate fish! And some of the best fish we ever tasted.  There was little beef (The cattle had been shot during ethnic fighting.).  In Vanuatu, we had lots and lots of chicken wings.  Because of danger of harmful bacteria being carried in reef fish, we were warned against eating fish in Vanuatu.  Strange to have so much water around teeming with seafood but being unable to eat the fish!  In both countries we ate rice –- everyday -- and lots of it!
• Contrary to the opinion that condemns Europeans and Westerners for bringing "white man’s religion", many islanders are grateful for the benefits that a relationship with Jesus Christ affords.  A man in the islands solemnly addressed Julie with these words: "Thank you for bringing the gospel.  My ancestors used to eat people, but now we know the truth.  Now we are free." This man represents hundreds of thousands of islanders who not only thank God for Jesus Christ and His salvation, but who recognize the courage and fidelity of early missionaries who carried the message of Christ to the islands of the Pacific.