Plans for two mobile medical clinics, Hope TV and radio studios, and an animated children’s series have got the green light after the South Pacific Division (SPD) received funds through a 2019 world Church offering.
The SPD received $A1,329,580 from the third quarter 13th Sabbath offering for projects put forward by the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) and the Australian Union Conference (AUC).
In TPUM, funds will go to the “Medical Ministry on the Move—Save 10,000 Toes” project, helping to establish mobile medical clinics in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. This will add to the fleet of mobile clinics already operating in Fiji, American Samoa and Tonga. The clinics enable Adventist Health teams to visit and treat people in remote and isolated areas. They can also be used for health expos, screening programs and to stage seminars for communities in partnership with local government health staff. A portion of the funds will also help to equip local churches with health tools and the skills to do community health assessments, and to train and resource lifestyle coaches to help prevent, arrest and reverse type 2 diabetes.
TPUM was also successful in its funding application for the construction of Hope TV and radio studios in Tonga, where almost no local content is being produced due to lack of facilities and the high cost of renting production space. Tonga Mission plans to convert an old disused office, previously used as the Mission headquarters, into studios where local programs can be produced.
TPUM president Pastor Maveni Kaufononga said he is very happy with the success of their applications. “I am so thankful for our world Church—that is able to help small countries like ours to be able to do big projects that we can’t do on our own,” he said.
“These projects will help us to achieve our vision to transform the Pacific and will address some of the major needs in our community.”
The Australian Union Conference’s project will see the production of a 13-part animated children’s series about the adventures of Daniel and his three friends from the fall of Jerusalem through to the end of Daniel 4.
AUC president Pastor Jorge Munoz said the series would help to fill a void in high quality, educational and engaging biblical programming for kids.
“Distributing and promoting a series like this on digital media can potentially reach millions of children around the world with the Advent message and create bridges to local churches running children’s ministries themed around the characters in the animations,” he said.
