Intercession: The Republic of Vanuatu
(Originally written October 22, 2021)
Yesterday during a time of worship and intercession for unreached people groups, we were asked to wait on the Lord for Him to put a nation or people group on our heart and then to pray for that nation or group. As I waited on the Lord, the nation of Vanuatu came to mind, and I remembered something I’d read earlier this year about Vanuatu. Back in April of this year (2021) when Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh passed away, many people in Vanuatu mourned heavily, because they considered the Duke to be a god.
For those unfamiliar with The Republic of Vanuatu, which gained independence from Britain and France in 1980, it is an island nation in the South Pacific approximately 1000 miles east of Northern Australia and west of Fiji. It is an archipelago of volcanic origin with 13 principal islands and many smaller islands totaling about 80. As with other Melanesian nations, tradition and tribalism drive many of their religious practices and guide their daily lives. When seeking guidance or performing religious ceremonies it is common that the natives will gather to drink kava, consult magic stones, and sometimes these practices are mixed with other Christian doctrines.
On the island of Tanna, the Yakel and Yaohnanen tribes believe Prince Philip was a god. These people cherish pictures of him, throw extravagant celebrations in his honor, and insist he was not simply a man, but is in fact a deity.
This story may seem unfathomable to some, but this is a common in large portions of the world. They believe in spirits, yes, but not the Holy Spirit. They believe in gods, but not the Living God. They tap into the spiritual, but call upon the wrong name. As I think about these people, I am greatly saddened. Every individual is made in the image of God. They are deeply loved. Yet, these dear ones in Vanuatu are clearly seeking something to call “right” and “true” - but instead they are misled; deceived into practices that ultimately won’t bring ever-lasting life.
Scripture has a lot to say about who the one true God is; Jeremiah 10:10-11 and John 14:6 are top of mind, but despite Vanuatu being a "reached" nation, there is still a lot of confusion. This is not condemnation, just an expression of sorrow. It highlights even more to me the need to intercede for those who are still lost. For me, this involves prayers for the nations. At other times it is more close to home as I pray for unbelieving friends or family.
Whatever the case, I just felt the need to share this. If you feel led, please, join me in intercession for Vanuatu. I also encourage you to start including the nations in your own prayer time. Ask the Lord to highlight a country to you, spend a week, a month (your whole life, if need be), to spend time praying that a bountiful harvest would come from the nations.
