Churches are still recovering following the traumatic effects of a 7.3 magnitude earthquake striking 30 kilometers west of the capital Port Vila on the south western Pacific island of Vanuatu, taking multiple lives and causing damage to buildings, including churches, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
The Assistant Rector at Tagabe Parish, Diocese of Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Rev; Crimson Lilip, suffered a heart attack as the earthquake struck and passed away, according to the Anglican Board of Mission (ABM).
A public tribute from the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, Most Rev. Leonard Dawea and the Council of Bishops, general secretary, and staff of the [Anglican] Provincial Office in both Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, expressed their sympathies with the family of Lilip.
“The tragic earthquake that struck Port Vila and its surrounding areas has brought immeasurable pain and loss to many families, including the late Reverend Lilip’s beloved family,” stated the tribute. “We mourn with you in this time of grief and extend our prayers to you all - especially to his dear wife, Berth Lilip, children, and extended family.”
“Reverend Lilip was a devoted servant of God, whose faith and ministry touched many lives. His sudden departure is a profound loss not only to his family and parish but also to the entire Anglican Church of Melanesia.”
Prayer and deep sympathies were also expressed to all those who lost loved ones, as a result of the earthquake.
“It is in times like these that we lean on the unshakable hope found in our Lord Jesus Christ,” added the tribute.
In response to the immediate needs, the Anglican Church of Melanesia in Vanuatu had focused on providing clean water and food to those affected, according to the ABM.
Some 91 percent of the population ascribe to the Christian faith, according to data from the Joshua Project, with 41 percent belonging to evangelical churches.
