An Adventist schools’ “I will go to my neighbour” initiative involved a three-week media evangelism series at Tagibagara commmunity hall in Choiseul Province, Solomon Islands.
About 100 villagers gathered each night to watch the live downlink from Hope Channel. The success of the initiative was bolstered by the support of ICT consultant Tony Manson, who travelled from overseas to facilitate the downlink. Mr Manson provided training to the church pastor, school principal and other key community members to ensure their capacity to host future downlinks.
It was a historic and powerful experience for the villagers to study God’s Word live with influential evangelists Irving Vagha, Eddie Richardson and Mockson Wale. For several attendees, it was their first time feeling a strong sense of belonging to the larger Adventist community.
Choiseul Province, with a population of more than 25,000, is experiencing rapid growth, surpassing the national growth rate by almost 0.5 per cent. At the current rate, it is estimated that the population in Choiseul will double by the mid-2030s, making the media evangelism series a timely and strategic effort to reach and engage the community.
Beyond the media evangelism series, Adventist schools in northeast Choiseul have also been working collaboratively to align themselves with the Quality Adventist Schools Framework. A needs assessment conducted at Tagibagara Adventist Primary School in January identified key priority teaching and learning development areas, and these were added to the school improvement plan. Notably, one of the crucial areas identified was the need for improved teacher quality, leading to the establishment of an internet disc connecting teachers to ongoing professional development conducted via Zoom by education consultant Dr Elisapesi Manson based in Tonga.
Another significant priority was to promote Adventist ethos within the school by fostering stronger partnerships with local Adventist church members and communities. As a result, several initiatives were accomplished this year, including a series of seminars on Adventist education within the local communities.
Looking ahead, the Adventist schools’ “I will go to my neighbour” initiative is gearing up for the #weRtheCHURCH downlink, scheduled for August 4 at the Tagibagara community hall.
