The Islands Will Wait Presentation Notes

Introduction

• Title: The Islands Will Wait
• Focus on the rich history of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
• Key Biblical references:
  • Isaiah 42:4: "He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his law."
  • Isaiah 60:9: "Yes, the islands will wait for me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead..."

Pioneers of Missionary Work

Abraham Leroux

• Called to be a missionary at age 8; parents deemed him too young.
• Worked as a seafarer until age 50, then felt called to conversion.
• Finally became a missionary at age 60, heading to Honolulu.
• Reached Asia at age 66 (1888) and did canvassing work.
• Continued labor until old age; died in 1903 shortly after official missionaries were sent to China.

Ellen White's Contributions

• Ellen White: A significant figure and urban missionary.
• Mission in Australia (1891-1900) with a focus on Asia.
• Urged mission board to send workers to:
  • Polynesia
  • Malaysia
  • India
  • China
  • Japan
• Emphasized the need for practical workers over highly educated yet inefficient candidates.
• Advocated for education in printing for locals to translate and print literature in their languages.

R.W. Munson's Missionary Work

• Background: Former Methodist pastor who converted and became a missionary.
• Worked in India, Burma, then Singapore.
• Established a school in Batakland, converting locals including a Chinese man.
• Worked under challenging conditions, establishing a clinic and translating Malay books.
• His notable converts included Emmanuel Sirigar, who sought deeper understanding of the faith.

Challenges and Developments in Indonesia

• Petra Tunheim: A Norwegian missionary who led significant efforts in Indonesia.
• Established schools but faced health challenges; eventually died on her way back to Java.
• Munson and Tunheim faced various obstacles including diseases and local government restrictions.

Philippines Mission

• George Irwin’s initial efforts to gauge prospects for missionary work in the Philippines.
• Robert Caldwell: A young missionary who responded, committing to the work in Southeast Asia.
• Caldwell and his team faced language barriers and logistical challenges upon arrival.
• The proposal for eight workers to cover major languages in the Philippines initiated.

Conclusion

• The presentation aims to highlight the historical significance of the Seventh-day Adventist mission work in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Upcoming video to provide visual history and insights into the mission efforts in Manila and Indonesia.