Kolonia, Pohnpei
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
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Christmas in Pohnpei
Sitting here in the Pacific islands with 85 degree weather and 90 percent humidity on the day that much of the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ is pretty trippy. All around Kolonia town buildings are strewn with Christmas lights and filled with Christmas music. The town seems to have tripled in population as school is out and many from the other municipalities have traveled in to celebrate with family and take part in things like the "madness sale," Pohnpei's version of "Black Friday." Church bells rang last night and this morning and as in American culture, people flocked to church services or mass, perhaps the only time during the year that some of them do so. Yet underneath the veneer of this celebration (that only began after 300 AD with Constantine when the Roman Catholic Church deemed that winter solstice was the day to observe the birth of Christ) there seems to be an unusual mix of the materialism that Western society has brought to this island as families go into debt in order to give extravagant gifts to one another and the underlying spiritism that is rooted deep within the Pohnpeian culture. Maybe I am being too bleak, but I am trying to paint an honest picture. As 97 percent of Pohnpeians claim to be Christian, it is truly difficult to see authentic Holy Spirit transformation in the Pohnpeian culture on any kind of large scale. Religion, when it is not pure and undefiled but is covered with man's fingerprints has become yet another tool in the hand of the enemy to keep people in bondage. Yet even in this reality, we believe there to be hope...
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A revival is looming on the horizon here in Pohnpei and in the Pacific islands. Many have felt it. Some are experiencing it. Others have outright prophesied it. My hope is that while people gather together in families and in churches this Christmas season here in Pohnpei, the Holy Spirit is brooding over the face of the deep and stirring a holy discontentment with the mediocrity that has become a reality. I believe that there is a shift about to take place on this island. I could feel the shift starting to happen this afternoon as my son and I gathered together with our Pohnpeian family to share the story of Yeshua Hamashiach from Isaiah 9:6 and Isaiah 53:3-6 and then described His birth as the direct fulfillment of prophecy. I felt as though the truth of the weightiness of YHWH's love for us poured from my heart as I spoke of Yeshua's birth, life, death, resurrection and second return. We all sat in silence for a while as the challenge came to invite the Prince of Peace to lead us in every way and to surrender ourselves to Him utterly and completely as the New Year approaches. I was in tears as I began to recollect the events of this past year and how patient and loving Papa God has been with me. I know that in some small way, myself, my son and our Pohnpeian family have a part to play in the coming revival in Micronesia. It was a beautiful moment together, even though we sat on the the floor of our living room rather in the large halls of a church building. We then enjoyed a meal together of barbecued chicken, hotdogs, rice, panset and potato salad.
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Other family members came over and we finished the day going to their home and dedicated their taxi business and taxi car to Yeshua (after one of my Pohnpeian sisters saw an evil spirit in the back of their taxi over a week ago). As my son has had the past week of school off, it has been fun for him and I to spend our time together as well. We are truly blessed beyond measure. May the Prince of Peace, Yeshua Hamashiach lead and guide each of us as we surrender ourselves to Him this season.
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Christian Young
Drinking cappuccinos at Arnold's restaurant
Spreading gravel on our driveway
Spreading gravel on our driveway
Dedicating a taxi business to Jesus
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