$A1,033,718 was given and spent supporting missions of the South Pacific Division.
Most of these funds provided stipends ($A900 each per year) for national volunteer workers to grow churches in isolated areas (300 in 2001). This has more than doubled the church’s work force in some areas.
Malaita Mission president Pastor Baxton reports that Volunteers in Action has changed Malaita, with 250 new areas entered and more than 2,400 baptisms.
Volunteers were responsible for more than 16,000 baptisms from 1996 to 2001.
Sponsors provided four outboard motors for canoes and 36 bicycles to assist workers with transport.
Some 35 village packs of clothing, more than 300 cartons of schoolbooks, a container load of medical supplies, soap and sporting equipment have been distributed to needy people and institutions.
Volunteers have been provided with a variety of resources to make their ministry more effective—including 2000 picture rolls donated by mission-oriented church members in North America at a cost of $A130,000, provided free to pastors, volunteers, schools and church members in Papua New Guinea.
During 2000-01, 186 applications were approved at a combined cost of $A800,000 to put permanent roofing on bush churches in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Building a church leads to unity and team work among local members and is a catalyst for further evangelism.
Mission has become real and personal for almost 60 individual or family sponsors and eight church groups. They each support a volunteer, which, with their dedication and God’s blessing, brings great rewards to the givers.