LIFE Runners Mission Trip to Vanuatu

1 Peter 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

All things are possible with God, there is nothing beyond our reach.  When God calls, we just need to show up with a willing and ready heart.  When we truly understand that God is our source in this life and that He is faithful to keep His promises to us, then we can take big leaps of faith knowing He will be with us through it all.

Last year I had the opportunity to speak at the Raising Sisters Conference in Vanuatu, and that trip opened my eyes to the desperate need for the LIFE Runners ministry in the far reached places of the world.  Sometimes as an American it is easy for me to forget that there is a world out there not like my own.  There are places in the world where people don’t know the truth about abortion and there are few who are even talking about it.  Not because they don’t care but because they don’t know how to defend life, or even have full understanding of abortion.  God clearly revealed this need to me when I spoke in Vanuatu and so we began making preparation to return for deeper study and direction soon after my return to Fiji.  Ultrasound may be common place in America but it is not readily available to pregnant women in many parts of the world.  They do not readily see the humanity of the unborn, and with Planned Parenthood already at work in every one of these nations they have the advantage to teach what they like.  We must not let them be the only voice concerning pregnancy and the humanity of the unborn or we will not be able to protect these children or their mothers from the destruction of abortion.

There is a common misconception that if abortion is illegal it means there are lower rates of abortion but my time spent in the South Pacific Islands and documented global studies done on abortion illegal countries tell another tale.  There is actually a higher rate of abortions in 3rd world and developing countries then there is in first world countries like America.  The impact only seems bigger in America because the population is far larger than these island nations. Planned Parenthood and abortion supporters use this higher instance of abortion to push their agenda for legalized abortion but I believe the higher rate of abortion happens not out of a bigger need or desire to end the life of the unborn, but because in these abortion illegal countries abortion has become taboo and no one is talking about it. These studies meant to push governments to legalize abortion don’t prove a need for legal abortion, instead they prove a deep need for compassionate help and education!  We need more LIFE Runners on the ground and in the communities reaching out to women in unplanned pregnancy, we need to be the crisis pregnancy centers and sidewalk advocates in our daily lives so that no woman is left pregnant and alone!  There are no abortion clinics to stand in front of, there is not specific place to find women who are abortion vulnerable, so we must pray for God to bring them to us and we wear our bold blue “REMEMBER the Unborn, Jer 1:5’ to be a lighthouse in the darkness these mothers are facing.  We need more churches to join in standing for life and to see that they need to embrace women in unplanned pregnancy not reject them.  The unborn baby, regardless of how it was conceived, is not sin and is precious to God.  The crisis is rarely the pregnancy and more often the circumstances.  Being willing to take time to help the mother find solutions to her crisis, a place to live, a job, or just someone to support her emotionally, is more often then not all these mothers need.

When I was called to speak during our six day mission trip it was an opportunity to remind our brothers and sisters in Christ that we need to be careful that we are not causing women to abort by shaming them in the church or rejecting them.  We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus and Jesus would not reject these women, He would embrace them and restore them back into the body of Christ through repentance and forgiveness. We also need to remember that unbelievers don’t live by our moral standard and you don’t win them over to Christ by pointing a finger of judgment at them, you win them over by helping them through and loving them. Let the Holy Spirit do the convicting as you speak truth into their lives.

Abortion will not be ended by making it illegal, we see that every day here in Fiji and the South Pacific in these abortion illegal countries.  We have to go further, we must make abortion unthinkable!  We end abortion by changing the heart of man.  We do that with compassionate outreach and awareness.  We do that by teaching those who do not have the knowledge, by empowering them with truth.  The mission teams’ time in Vanuatu gave us the opportunity to do just that.  It was a time of training and education. Not only was I able to speak at two churches and give them guidance on how to defend life through the Sidewalk Advocacy for Life training, but we were also able to bring them brochures on child development and sexual purity and fetal models that they can show to women who are considering abortion and questioning the humanity of their unborn.

To change the world we have to be willing to go where we are called and my family has been called to the mission field of the South Pacific where so many women are being wounded by abortion and so many unborn lives ended. God wants to protect these beautiful people from the devastation that abortion brings to their shores and I will go where I am called to do my part to teach and encourage. God has blessed us with an amazing family of believers in Fiji who have a heart for missions and have committed to bring this message to the Island nations of the South Pacific and beyond.  This ministry would not be possible with out every last one of them, as well as the faithful 5,000 plus LIFE Runners all over the world doing their part in their mission fields!

Our team all walk faithfully with the Lord and the Holy Spirit delivered.  God used every single one of us to bring something significant to the mission field through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Pst Conan and Bui gave beautiful testimony of LIFE Runners and how it has blessed our church and the people in Fiji.  This couple has been the biggest voice for LIFE Runners in Fiji and beyond, their commitment to this ministry has been unwavering and I am blessed to be a part of their church. Pst Conan was even invited to give the message on Sunday at the Ekoftau Church, which is led by the most amazing couple Pst Fong and his beautiful wife Radini Wati.  Pst Fong and his wife have lovingly embraced us and welcomed this ministry. Pst Rozina, who came as a LIFE Runner and representing Raising Sisters Conference, started us off on Wednesday night with a beautiful message of faith and taking hold of Gods promises. Raising Sisters is a powerful ministry of empowering the women of the South Pacific and I am deeply blessed by how they have taken hold of the LIFE Runners ministry. To spend time with Pst Rozina is to be in the presence of someone who loves God with all of her heart, she is a blessing.  Ryan, whose faithful heart to obedience to God has made our  call to mission possible.  He was so helpful and encouraging and he usually chooses to stay working in the background but he was called to give LIFE Runners testimony at church on Sunday.  Ella Mae brought candy and treats to every service and played with the children.  She is such a shining light in our lives and God is working in big ways through her!  Thursday Pst Allen and his wife Karen opened their church (Apostolic Church) to us and I was able to speak to a group of men and women about LIFE Runners and how it serves the community with awareness. I was able to explain how this is an important calling of the Christian church.  We are so thankful to them for making this time together possible.  Friday night I spoke at Pst Fongs church and brought tools for them to utilize with the brochures, Sidewalk Advocates For Life training, and the fetal models.  Saturday morning the Vanuatu LIFE Runners took their first prayer walk and it was awesome!  These women were excited and they showed up ready to be the light to their people.  They have the hearts to serve and I am thankful for every last one of them.  Each has a role to play in Gods plan for LIFE Runners in Vanuatu. 

A few people stopped us to ask questions about who we were and what we are doing.  This message has never been spoken so boldly in their nation and I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that it will save many lives.  I am so thankful for all who labored to bring this mission week together.  Merilyn, Hannah, Harriet, Karen, Pst Fong and Radini Wati, and Pst Allen, all played a huge role in making sure that things came together upon our arrival. Honestly I cant thank these amazing people enough, they went above and beyond!  They organized, they hosted, they fed us, and they supported and encouraged us. I am sure there are others that deserve mention, so please forgive me if I left you out.

There was a point where things seemed that they were falling apart before we left Fiji and it is only by the hand of God and His faithful obedient children that it all fell perfectly into place.  I am in awe, when I said yes to God concerning this trip back in November I gave it all back to Him and told Him that He would have to bring it all together and He exceeded my wildest dreams! The enemy did not want us there, but God is faithful and the leadership in the churches in Vanuatu pulled together and made these meetings a priority over other scheduled events.  I will never forget all that they did to make this week possible and I pray God blesses them and their ministries abundantly. It was powerful to see Gods hand at work as He knocked down the enemy!  This mission trip was so exhausting in a great way, we prayed together, we cried together, we laughed together and we served together.  The team and those in Vanuatu were handpicked by God without a doubt for this very purpose!  We were truly touched by the power of God as He delivered above and beyond during this trip. 

We walked away from this mission trip with a deeper understanding of what it will take to serve these Island nations and we also know that it will require follow up care and encouragement.  I hope to return to Vanuatu with a smaller team before the year ends, but will trust in the Lord.  With our eyes set on Jesus we will go when and where we are called!

I received a beautiful testimony from one of our Vanuatu LIFE Runners;

“In the past I used to feel angry when I heard stories of mothers dumping their babies or killing newborns or having abortions.  I did not understand the whole thing until I heard you (Karen) speak through this LIFE Runners program and what you do.  It was a new knowledge for me and I know God planned for us in Vanuatu to know His truth, to understand that He loves and cares for these women and their babies.  He wants to set them free.  So God wants to use us to reach out to these women that the world has rejected to show Jesus’ love to them. Praise God now I can see like Jesus sees. To God be the glory!”

This mission trip of 6 people for the week cost just over $4000 usd when all was said and done (including travel, hotel, food, transport, and gifts for the churches.) Incredibly, between a generous donation from LIFE Runners, thank you Mom and Dad for sowing into this ministry, and our amazing church in Fiji, Living Way Church, we received over $3000 usd in donations!  The people of Fiji are generous and faithful to give but there are financial limitations here that require us to seek continued support from our American brothers and sisters in Christ.  We have trusted the Lord from the get go and never let lack of money stand in the way when answering the call, but prayerfully I feel that it is time to invite others in to help us reach further into the world.  It is the desire of the Fiji LIFE Runners to take up this call to the mission field and reach out to the neighboring Island nations who would otherwise be overlooked.  We must defend the women who are being coerced and forced to abort in these countries where no one is standing to protect them, where the topic of abortion is taboo and silence has always been the answer.  It is time to bring back hope and offer help!  Please consider making a donation to LIFE Runners in support of the continued outreach of the South Pacific missions.  LIFE Runners is making an impact all over the world and it depends on donations from faithful partners.  If you desire to donate specifically to this outreach just earmark the donation (South Pacific Ministry).  LIFE Runners has many different outreach programs that need financial and prayer support and you can read about them at liferunners.org. Not everyone is called to leave their home and to go into the world, some of us serve in the mission field of our home town or our office or school.  We all are called to serve in our own way.  Some of us are called to come along and join in prayer and in finances to help further the mission.  Praise God for the body of Christ!

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE! None of this would have been possible without God every single step of the way!

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ~1 Corinthians 15:58