Eternal Perspectives Samoa Article

Let the Isles Rejoice

Psalms 97:1

The grey light of early morning slowly dispelled the darkness as I gazed out the window of the Air New Zealand Boeing 777. It had been a long night since we embarked on the last leg of our journey from Los Angeles. The clouds thinned as we began to lose altitude and I made out vast stretches of dull blue. Suddenly, a green strip appeared, rushing towards us - my first glimpse of Samoa. It was the island of Upolu, the smaller but more populated and developed of the two main islands, that along with Sa’vai and eight other small islands make up the nation of Independent Samoa.

Situated just to the east of the international date line, I was struck by just how remote a place I was coming to - sequestered on a huge volcano rising from the sea floor with thousands of miles of ocean on every side. It felt awful and wonderful all at once to know you're in one of the most remote places in the South Pacific - indeed, in all the world.

The Independent Nation of Samoa, along with the islands that form the U.S. territory of American Samoa 30 miles to the east, are all a part of the Samoan archipelago. No one knows for sure how people originally came to these isolated islands. Samoan legends tell of great voyages by brave navigators who dared to cross the thousands of miles of ocean in dug out canoes. Older legends speak of still greater men who swam all the way from Asia and Indonesia. However they came, archeological research points to the first known settlement dating to around 1,000 B.C., the era of David. With a current population of around 200,000, the vast majority are of polynesian ethnicity, closely related to the natives of Hawaii and the other islands of the South Pacific such as Fiji, Tonga and Tahiti.

Our interest in Samoa began when a towering tsunami struck the southwest coast of Upolu in early October. Over 150 people were killed and hundreds of homes and business were destroyed. Jenna Matthews was adopted from a family in Samoa and naturally was deeply concerned about her Samoan relatives. When C.C. contacted her uncle there, he asked if there was any way we could help. Her uncle replied that there was already much relief work going on, but that there was a great need for information regarding tsunami preparation. Also, several village elders voiced great interest in Americans teaching English in elementary schools on Sav’ai. C.C. mentioned this need to Dad, who was enthusiastic about an outreach work there. After much prayer and discussion, plans were made to head out on November 10th and spend three weeks distributing tracts, CDs and tsunami emergency packs throughout the island. We also prepared to show the Jesus Film in Samoan and teach English in the village schools if the opportunities arose.

At about 5:30 AM we touched down on the runway in Apia, Samoa’s capital and largest city. After steering all 11 of our team members - C.C., Jenna, Micah, Sarah Foster, Yolanda Halteman and my family - and upwards of 20 bags of luggage through the tiny airport, we found our rental van. After a short drive, we arrived at the wharf where a ferry takes vehicles and passengers across the 10 miles of ocean that sever the islands of Upolu and Savai’i. As the old Japanese ferry creaked and groaned across, I was stunned by the beauty around me. In the distance I could just make out a small, rocky uninhabited island with dense vegetation shrouding it’s conical top, asserting it’s volcanic origins. Deep in the mist ahead of us the volcanic peaks of Savai’i began to emerge. After unloading our van, we started to wind across the undulating road cutting through Savai’i’s mountainous coast. I was awestruck at the exotic and exquisite beauty of the island. Deep blue ocean fringed by lighter shades of teal interspersed by black craggy igneous rocks; white sandy beaches graced with coconut palms and mango trees shot up to steep volcanoes shrouded in clouds, covered by dense tropical jungles. Samoan girls wearing colorful lavalavas with white hibiscus flowers adorning their dark hair smiled and waved at us as we passed them on the road. Fales, traditional open meeting huts, rose periodically as we drove through villages. The only road in Savai’i is a large circuit around the island, making its way along the coast, leaving the rugged interior virtually inaccessible. Two hours later we arrived at the small hotel that served as home for the next three weeks.

The first week we plunged into distributing tracts and gospel CDs around the island. Most Samoans we encountered were very friendly and received the gospel literature warmly and even enthusiastically. As we met village chiefs and leaders, we scheduled appointments to show the Jesus Film in their villages. This turned out to be a great success. Each time we showed the film, more than 100 people gathered to see this vivid portrayal of Christ's life and work. It is a fabulous way to share the core teachings of Jesus and the heart of the gospel with those who are not very literate. Many were greatly moved, asking us through teary eyes if we had additional copies so they could view it again and share it with family and friends.

As we proceeded from village to village, I tried to take in the all the sights of daily life in a traditional Samoan village. Most of the homes, although crudely constructed, were clean, well maintained and accented by neatly manicured flower bushes and shrubs. The lush environment accommodates a wide diversity of flora in brilliant hues all around. The center of daily life is the fale. Similar in structure to a pole barn, it is a great room open on all sides and covered by a palm frond or sheet metal roof. Around this structure are various other small buildings for daily life - a kitchen, an outhouse, sleeping quarters, a workshop, and so on. Most people appear quite poor by western standards, owning no vehicles and living in simple cinder block homes, but have the basic commodities for an acceptable standard of living. Nearly everyone is engaged in some activity relating to food; fishing or working on a small pineapple plantation or running a tiny shop or restaurant. The pace of life is easy going but disciplined. There is a strong moral framework integral to the society, largely due to the influence of British missionaries of the nineteenth century. First pioneered by John Williams, who arrived in 1830, the missionary efforts of the London Missionary Society are still evident in both the worldview and practice of many Samoans. Church is the foundation of social activity, the niche that defines one’s place in Samoan life.

Even though the majority of Samoans have been evangelized and nearly every village has at least one church, the pre-Christian traditional class structure and many cultural standards were not necessarily transformed by the gospel. There is a great deal of formalism within and denominational rivalry between many of the churches, and often heavy demands are placed on the congregations for financial support. A host of new challenges face these churches as the next generation seeks a hope and a future amid an influx of cults, high teen suicide rates and other obstacles. Another formidable challenge is the exponential growth of Mormonism throughout the island. Pray that those seeking truth could be enlightened and see the errors of this cult and won over by the love of Jesus.

The Samoan’s attitude to church tends to be quite ritualistic. It seems to many to be the “anchor” to their social life with little emphasis on a personal relationship with Christ. Not unlike very legalistic churches such as the Amish, many do not really understand the new birth. They are very moral, devout and religious, even setting aside a daily curfew in the evening for prayer and singing. Despite all this, there is a great need for a clear understanding of a vibrant, personal connection with God.

By the end of our first week in Samoa, final approval to begin teaching English in the elementary schools was granted. This proved to be by far the most rewarding aspect of the trip for all of us. Each morning our team split up into five groups to teach at all the schools in that district. Yolanda, C.C., Mom, Dad and I each taught in different villages, and the rest of the team assisted us in class. It was quite daunting at first to attempt to hold the attention of 44 6th and 7th graders for two hours of English, but through the course of two weeks we and the students came to look forward to it each morning. Most of our students were exceptionally smart and caught on very quickly to the various aspects of grammar, spelling and vocabulary definitions we went over. This provided an excellent opportunity to share Christianity by teaching them Bible verses in English, and they were enthralled with stories from the Bible. But the greatest part was when class was finally over and we exploded out of the classroom onto the field outside. There, I would show them how to play American football and they in turn patiently attempted to show the dense Pa’lagi (foreigner) the basics of rugby.

The two weeks flew by, and I was surprised how difficult it was to say goodbye to my little friends when the time came. Before we left, the school held a farewell ceremony in our honor, presenting us with intricate gifts hand crafted by the students and bestowing leis about our necks. As our van jostled down the school’s long, dusty driveway for the last time, I waved to all of my students, wondering where they would go in life and if I would ever see them again. The last night we all fought tears as we said our farewells to Jenna’s family. As I watched my last Samoan sunset at the Apia airport, I thought over the many things I had learned from this beautiful culture and of all the new experiences I encountered and friends I had made. I was amazed by how much Samoa had given me when I had come expecting to do the giving.