7 September 2009

Mission offerings to benefit Fulton College, mission partners

Wahroonga, New South Wales
RECORD staff/Ray Coombe

More than $A100,000 has been given to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-Pacific region to help with the purchase of land for the new Fulton College campus at Sabeto, Fiji, as a result of camp-meeting Mission Offerings in the past financial year.

In addition, all regional offices within the South Pacific that have a "partner mission" have funds to assist their partner mission with special projects identified and promoted during the campmeeting mission program.

A total of $A196,926 was collected in camp-meeting offerings and pledges in the past year. Pastor Ray Coombe, director of Adventist Mission for the South Pacific, says, "This is a gratifying result, given the economic downturn, and a slight improvement on the previous year. Although it will take a "little while" for the partner mission projects to be implemented and completed, the funds provide the stimulus for small projects and help to strengthen the relationships between conferences and missions."

Morobe Mission in Papua New Guinea (PNG), which partners with the Adventist Church in Western Australia, is planning to provide much-needed accommodaton in Lae for their single ministers. The Adventist Church in Fiji is developing a TV/video production facility to complement their successful radio and Hope TV ministry in Suva. "The $A35,000 raised by the Adventist Church in North New South Wales for this project will certainly be a great help to their partner," says Pastor Coombe.

Mr Semi Francis, media development officer of the Adventist Church in Fiji, standing outside the Hope FM radio station.

Vanuatu Mission has identified necessary building developments at the Kwataparen Junior Secondary School on Tanna island, and a district director's house and office on Malekula. The Adventist Church in South Queensland is partnered with the Vanuatu Mission and Pastor Coombe says, "The regional office is very involved in both evangelistic and building projects in Vanuatu."

Solomon Islands Mission is looking for funds to help operate their medical yacht, which they use to take health outreach teams to island communities, and the Kiribati Mission has purchased a public address system for youth evangelistic series from the funds contributed by the Adventist Church in South Australia.

Pastor Coombe says, "The Adventist Church in Greater Sydney is supporting the Central Papua Conference in PNG and their funds will help develop a church member training
facility. The Adventist Church in North New Zealand's camp-meeting offering income will assist the Cook Island Mission with a new Adventist Book Shop and health store, while the Adventist Church in South New Zealand's partnership with New Caledonia Mission will help to develop a health outreach ministry. These are very exciting mission projects that have a special, local focus."

Meanwhile, the project of relocating Fulton College is underway with the signing of the lease for the Sabeto land, near Nadi, and development of plans for the new
campus. Pastor Waisea Vuniwa, president of the Adventist Church in the Trans-Pacific region, says, "We really appreciate the injection of funds from the camp-meeting
mission offerings. But we have a lot more to do in rebuilding Fulton on a brand-new campus."

He adds, "We will continue to be challenged financially as we try to prepare Fulton College for opening as a new campus and part of Pacific Adventist University in 2012, and we hope camp-meeting offerings in 2009-10 will help us reach that goal."

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