Oceania is not a continent but a vast collection of islands shared by fourteen countries. There are differences of opinion as to the boundaries of this particular area of the world, but for the most part, it is south of the equator in the central and southern Pacific between the two Americas and Asia. Oceania is divided into three regions: Melanesia (“black islands”), Micronesia (“small islands”), and Polynesia (“many islands”). Australia, the only islandcontinent, is the largest island in land mass. Papua New Guinea, the world’s second-largest island, is the most populated with six million people speaking eight hundred different languages. It is divided between Asia and Oceania, with Indonesia administering the western side, and the independent country of Papua New Guinea occupying the eastern portion. Although the island nations of Japan, Philippines, Guam, and Indonesia are in great geographical proximity to the Oceanic nations, they are not included because of their cultural link with Asia.
The most famous missionary in this region was John Gibson Paton, born May 24, 1824, the eldest of eleven children. He was ordained to the ministry in March of 1858, and fourteen days later married his first wife, Mary Ann. They immediately sailed for the South Pacific, landing in the country of Vanuatu on the island of Tanna, where the people were very primitive and cannibalistic. After Mary’s death, John married Maggie Whitecross on June 17, 1864. He died on January 28, 1907, outliving Maggie by two years. Even though Paton lived in constant danger, he believed strongly in the sovereignty of God to build the church. As a missionary, Paton was a Bible translator, church planter, and effective recruiter of other men for the mission field. Several good biographies of John Paton’s life have been written, an especially good one by his son David. Paton also wrote an autobiography. These books can be located through a Google search.
One particularly well-known missionary to Oceania was Don Richardson, who served in New Guinea and authored several books, the best known of which are Eternity in Their Hearts and The Peace Child. Currently, Jason and Cherith Ottosen serve in Papua New Guinea, translating the Bible for the Kemia people, who have no written language at this time.
First Baptist Church of Milford has supported church-planting missionaries in Oceania for many years. Our member missionaries, Hershel and Juanita Case and Bob and Vinnie Bartlett, all served in Australia. John Gray presently serves in Papua New Guinea, and Joel and Brooke Daku serve in Kiribati. Bearing Precious Seed Milford has provided Scriptures for these missionaries and the people of Oceania on numerous occasions.
