VANUATU, September 20, 2004 — Millions of TV viewers across North America were introduced to the South Pacific archipelago nation of Vanuatu this month, when the ninth edition of the reality TV series, Survivor, kicked off their fall season.
"It is a land with a fascinating history of cannibalism," said the show's host as he described the 83-island country during the opening episode, "where rituals like sorcery and black magic are still a part of daily life."
"The tribes of Vanuatu take their spirituality very seriously," he added later.
British Columbia resident Dave Dever, has experienced first hand just how seriously the locals of Vanuatu take their spirituality.
For years, Dever has made it his personal mission to raise the money to purchase and deliver Bislama-language Bibles to the people of Vanuatu. (Bislama is a form of Melanesian Pidgin, declared by the country's constitution to be their national language.)
Inspired by the story of Scottish-born missionary, John Paton -- who went to
the island of Tanna (now part of the independent republic of Vanuatu) to preach the gospel in 1858, Dever and his wife Abby, took their first trip there in June of 2001.
Bought Bislama Bible from the Bible Society of Vanuatu
"I bought a Bislama Bible at the Bible Society of Vanuatu [in order to learn] the language better," says Dever. "I took it with me and I showed some of the natives my Bislama Bible."
Dever says they kept meeting people who were in awe of their Bible - the largest single document ever written in Bislama - and they left with the overwhelming impression that most of the islanders had never seen the Scriptures in their own language before.
"It kept impressing on our hearts that there was a need there," Dever says.
Just how much of a need would soon become evident, for as Dever was to learn, Vanuatu is home to a thriving religion known as Jon Frum, an active cargo cult whose devotees strive to accumulate Western consumer goods through magic.
Returning home to Canada, the Devers remembered the people of Vanuatu who needed Bibles of their own, and began a Bislama Bible fund. Soon, they were planning a second trip; this time, to deliver 705 Bislama-language Bibles, purchased through the Bible Society of the South Pacific.
A special Bible for a special person
In September, 2002, Dever personally handed out the Bibles he and his wife had saved to purchase. But he had set one Bible aside - as a special gift for a friend he had met on a previous trip. When he learned of that man's death, Dever says he believed that God intended for the Bible to be gifted to someone else.
In a written account of his experience, Dever recalls, "It became clear to me that it should be given to the cargo cult chief, Isaac Wan. This was a challenging prospect, as Wan lived at the base of the volcano -- where ash continually fell, and the ground shook violently.
"I was told that it was impossible to meet the chief, as he was completely closed to the things of God. But I went to the volcano, and God opened a door. I was able to meet with Wan; he received my gift with joy, and a new friendship was born.
"I have recently learned that one of his sons is reading him this Bislama Bible."
When the Devers returned to Vanuatu in July, 2003, they purchased and distributed 229 Bibles. They hope to deliver another 571 in December. "That would give us a total of 1,500 [Bibles distributed] for the three trips," Dever says.
Dever is not a wealthy man. A labourer all his life, he insists he is an "ordinary person" who happens to believe he has been called by God to give out Bibles to those too poor to purchase them on their own.
"The word of God brings hope; eternal hope to those who are thirsty," says Dever. "We want to share this hope that we have been given with the world."
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