Vanuatu

Ministry Description

Word of Life Vanuatu is just beginning, though in many ways has been in progress for about 8 years! The field coordinator, Asher Thompson, along with missionary couple Casper and Sara Lorenzen, all first visited Vanuatu in 2016 where they fell in love with the native people and culture. Since then, their desire has been to return to reach the people of Vanuatu for Christ, and are grateful to now be doing so through the guidance and support of Word of Life Fellowship. The ministry in Vanuatu is focused on reaching the children and teens of Vanuatu with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and does so by working alongside local churches and schools to train leaders and young people to be “gospel fluent” and to create a culture of excitement and celebration around gospel advancement and discipleship. Over 57% of Vanuatu’s population is currently under 25 years old, presenting an incredible opportunity for us as a youth-focused organization to reach the next generation. Our ultimate goal is for every teenager in Vanuatu to hear the gospel from a friend!

Country Description

The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific and is made up of 83 islands, 65 of which are inhabited. Vanuatu has a tropical climate with a rainy and dry season, and the temperatures average between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The spiritual climate is more difficult to define because the country faces the many difficulties of nominal Christianity. Because many Christian traditions have been engrained into their culture today, around 85% of the population identifies as Christian, but many do not truly know Christ or understand the truth of the Gospel. The indigenous people, referred to as Ni-Vans, speak over 100 local languages, but most also speak the national language Bislama, an English-based Melanesian pidgin. Vanuatu is known for its dense rainforests, beautiful blue waters, WWII shipwrecks, active volcanos, and friendly island people. It is also where bungee jumping was first ever recorded!

Contact Information

Career Missionaries

Casper & Sara Lorenzen

Asher & Kaylee Thompson