"That You May Have Fullness of Life"

(cf John 10:10)

This past week 43 people from across the Pacific gathered in the Marshall Islands for the 2023 Pacific Churches Leaders Development Conference. It was hosted by the United Church of Christ Marshall Islands and facilitated by the Pacific Conference of Churches. For the first time in many years the leaders gathered in the North Pacific to listen to the experience of people in that region. We met with people dislocated from Bikini Atoll due to the impact of nuclear testing. They told of the struggles they face being isolated from their home island because of the continuing levels of radiation. 

The setting, Majuro, is part of an atoll, and in several places the island is little wider than the only main road.

People from the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Micronesia all shared stories of the impact of climate change including the increasing salinity of the soil. The risk imposed by the rising level of the sea is real and was more comprehendible being in such a setting.

Other matters focussed on included, the impact of the Pacific Australia Labour Migration Scheme and the increasing trans-national drug trade with its growing impact in the Pacific. We concluded on a Thursday, dressed in black, and hearing of the impact of domestic violence in the region and what the churches are doing.

There was a lot of listening and much learning. 

The theme of the week was: That they may have fullness of life, (John 10:10). We were reminded through our time that fullness of life embraces the whole of the environment of a community – spiritual, physical, relational, connection to land and family. 

As we listened to the voices of those who gathered we realised how little we actually knew of their experience and how much more listening was needed. 

Jesus’ words ‘fullness of life’ invites us to imagine a new reality of justice, compassion and joy. We heard stories of hope and left with a commitment to do what we can, step by step, to make the this happen.    

Rev John Gilmore 

NCCA President 

Representatives from member churches and organisations in Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, West Papua, Australia, New Caledonia, Nauru and Maohi Nui. Photo by Ms Kinisimere Saratibau, PCC staff