A letter from David Walter
August 25, 2008
Pacific things to pray for
Dear Friends,
I suppose I should begin by apologizing for the bad pun in the title, but those of you who know me know I never apologize for my bad puns.
The South Pacific, while apparently a paradise filled with beautiful plants, seascapes and loving and gentle people, suffers from a variety of problems, many of which we are, in part, responsible for and can help to fix. It is so easy to think of those beautiful islands only in terms of what little we know and see and not realize that they are inhabited by real people with real problems. I have committed myself to daily reading, researching or contacting friends in the South Pacific to learn steadily more about a part of a our world that I have come to love. My learning has uncovered a host of things that need our daily prayers. I have discovered that I have so very few needs (other than forgiveness), being blessed with a wonderful wife, family, great friends, a job I love and a loving and caring church. So, here is a little list of specific things to pray for, admittedly incomplete and ever growing. Please keep our friends in your hearts, thoughts and prayers.
The legacy of nuclear testing by the United States, Britain and France is an ongoing problem. The residual effects of those awful tests still have the consequences of genetic mutation and cancer. Recently the United States has said that they will no longer pay reparations due to “administrative reasons!”
Global warming that is causing (1) sea levels to rise, (2) stronger and more violent storm surges, (3) increased damage to reefs, arable land and drinking water and (4) is depriving the people of the very land on which they have lived for thousands of years. In particular, Tuvalu and Kiribati will undoubtedly disappear in this century (Kiribati has a population of 107,000.) Villages in other countries have had to be relocated as well. The Pacific Conference of Churches has been a leader in attempting to get the governments in the region to accept environmental refugees and has plans in place to ease the pain of resettlement.
While we here in the United States rightly complain about rising fuel prices and food costs, we have little to complain about when you consider that their fuel costs more than double what we pay and that imported food has risen even more due to the cost of shipping. So, as you say grace, remember those who must do with less at ever increasing costs.
A string band from Uri Island.
There are inhabited islands in the Pacific where there is no potable water. One of those islands is Uri Island in Vanuatu. A small island with just a few inhabitants, the people must make do with collected rain water or take their boat several kilometers to the larger Malekula Island to fill their water cans. As our climate continues to change, their ability to live on the land of their ancestors is threatened. The people of this little island established a protected marine reserve back in the mid 1980s on their own initiative. They did this well in advance of any government mandate. Today, it is filled with priceless shellfish, coral and mangrove swamps that harbor thousands of tropical fish. These forward-thinking people deserve to live where they want.
This year, the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu will take on the responsibility of three new secondary schools. Studies in Vanuatu have found that schools that are run by the Presbyterian Church produce a better quality of education and more well rounded students. (I could have told them that without the need for a study!) These schools educate heads, hearts, minds and hands in ways that secular schools cannot. The church there needs our support for this daunting task when they have so few resources.
Since the South Pacific is so far away and so remote, we pay little or no attention to it and so few resources are expended on it. Please note, however, when it came to nuclear testing we sure found it in a hurry. This lack of knowledge has led to indifference on our part. Then too, we tend to think that the oceans have limitless resources. Studies are steadily showing that serious over-fishing may be causing permanent damage to the ecosystem in the Pacific. Declining stocks of tuna and other food fish are becoming apparent with no end in sight. Be thankful for that can of tuna fish in your pantry — just remember the cost in sustainability.
These are just some highlights of the needs of our brothers and sister in the Pacific. I invite you to join me in holding them in your prayers. Should you wish to know more, please let me know and I will be happy to pass on additional information. I can be reached at: dpwalter@yahoo.com. Out-of-sight should not be out-of-mind. Surely they are not out of God’s sight or mind.
David Walter
The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 79
