The Faith of Fais Island

Fais is a remote island in Yap State, Micronesia. This small island, home to about 294 residents,[*] is rich in traditional culture, relying on fishing, coconuts, gardening, and other local resources. Until recently its residents were traditionally clothed with lava lavas (hand-woven wraparound sarongs) on bare-breasted women and thu’u-wrapped men. Communication with neighboring islands is via walkie-talkie since there are neither cellular nor internet services. There is also no running water in the homes, and cooking is done over an open fire.

Through the years several Adventist medical missionaries have visited Fais, beginning with Dr. Wayne Ward, a dentist from the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic, and Dr. Wes Youngberg, a lifestyle medicine specialist and nutritionist and wellness, in 1995. During their visit they met a young man named Alphonso, who was the sole medical provider in Fais at the time, but was also alcohol-dependent. Dr. Youngberg recalls sitting around the fire one night, talking with the chief and other island leaders, when he noticed Alphonso was asking many questions about the health consequences of common lifestyle choices on the island. After returning to Guam, Dr. Youngberg wrote a letter to Alphonso that Alphonso says changed his life. In the letter Dr. Youngberg suggested that as a health professional on the island, Alphonso was looked up to and respected, and as such he should abstain from alcohol and become a better role model for health and spiritual leadership. Alphonso came to be convicted of this truth and surrendered the alcohol habit completely. 

Alphonso eventually started a nondenominational church on the small island, which had been predominantly Catholic for generations. The growing group would meet daily for morning Bible study and then go out and provide community service where needed. Faith in action was the catalyst that grew the original Bible study group into the small church that Alphonso pastors today. 

In 2008-2009 a missionary couple, Dmitry and Grace Lossev, traveled to Fais multiple times, and presented the Sabbath message. According to Dmitry, Alphonso and several elders seemed to be under the conviction to accept the Sabbath message, but most of the women and the rest of the church members were not sure, and ultimately decided not to start worshipping on Saturday.

In October 2024, after several years of no contact, a team of health-care providers from the Guam Seventh-day Adventist Clinic finally returned to the island of Fais, working together with Pastor Wanes of the Yap Seventh-day Adventist Church and their women’s ministry team to reconnect and serve the people of Fais. Together they assembled a team consisting of a pastor, a medical doctor, an optometrist, a dentist, physician assistants, women from the women’s ministry, and missionary teachers from Yap Seventh-day Adventist School.

A Customs Crisis

Less than a day before the clinic team was scheduled to depart for Fais, their medical equipment was still being held by Yap customs. The island’s customs division is known for sometimes holding on to shipped items for prolonged periods—even up to several months! The team began to question whether the plans they had made several months before needed to be canceled because of this unexpected turn of events. As doubts began to surface, the team quickly remembered the miracles God had already orchestrated to establish their faith and increase their understanding of the importance of this visit.

Remembering how the Lord has led in the past truly motivates faith for future plans.

In preparation for the visit, the island chief had given his much-needed permission and blessing to the clinic team to hold spiritual meetings for the first time. The importance of this type of permission should not be understated. In tribal island culture no meetings, and especially spiritual meetings, may be held without the chief’s permission. Not only is this permission important and required for any visiting group, but it is equally required in order for the local people to participate. Having the chief’s blessing was vital to the success of the clinic’s planned outreach. Remembering how the Lord has led in the past truly motivates faith for future plans.

After reflecting on the miracles God had worked during the preparation for the mission trip, the team made it a priority to spend time in diligent prayer, exercising patience and calling upon God’s grace to solve the crisis at customs. God answered their prayers, and the medical equipment and medications were finally released—just in the nick of time!

Sealing Decisions

When we finally arrived at Fais, the islanders were excited to see our group, and among them was Pastor Alphonso. They greeted us with traditional fresh flower leis, and took the medical equipment, supplies, and luggage in wheelbarrows, transporting them to the worksite as fast as they could while the team prepared for the clinics. Preparations were made for medical, dental, and optometry clinics, and home visits were also arranged for those unable to physically come to the erected clinic sites. 

The team also focused on lifestyle education since medications are scarce because of infrequent shipments to the island. Healthy cooking classes, using lentils and local vegetables, which were planned for the women of the island, also saw men attending as well! In the evenings health presentations, children’s programs, and evangelistic meetings were held. Each night the meetings drew more attendees, especially children, thanks to engaging programs led by the missionary teachers.

The blessing of the Sabbath was addressed on the fourth night of the evangelistic meetings, receiving an unexpectedly positive response from the nondenominational church members. Before the final meeting, Pastor Alphonso shared that his church’s core members had discussed and decided to keep the Sabbath on Saturday rather than on Sunday and asked for prayers in their commitment to follow biblical truth.

The familiar words of the song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” cut through the darkness, and the Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable.

Despite a power outage midway through the final night of the evangelistic meetings, many affirmed their commitment to serve and follow Jesus. The familiar words of the song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” cut through the darkness and the Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable. Tears flowed as people stood in response to the appeal concluding the series of evangelistic meetings and the culmination of the mission to Fais.

Over the course of more than three decades, the Holy Spirit had been working in the hearts of Fais Island residents leading up to the decisions to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy. Pastor Alphonso later wrote: “I have been serving the Lord with all my heart these past years, and now He is going to do more when we surrender all to Him. He used you to touch my heart and lead me to His Word, to follow it and not people. We have been observing the Sabbath on Saturday instead of Sunday. Praise God, and may God bless you.” 

Pastor Alphonso and his church continued to study the Bible with sincere hearts, and through the loving guidance and repeated visits from the Yap Adventist Church pastor, a beautiful transformation took place. In July 2025 Pastor Alphonso, along with many of his church members, joyfully gave their lives to Jesus in baptism—a powerful testimony to the quiet yet mighty work of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord is indeed working to draw people closer to Him and He works through us to reach these precious souls. The gospel commission calls us to go to the ends of the earth, and Fais is but one island of many in need of the gospel. A tiny little-known island that may appear insignificant by human estimation has not missed the notice of the omnipotent God. On Fais, medical ministry provided an opening wedge to minister to spiritual needs that the Holy Spirit was ripening for years in advance. There are many more unreached islands such as Fais, and we need more workers, support, and prayers for discernment. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37, 38). Will you not answer the call?

[*]FSM National Government, Department of Resources and Development, Statistics Division, Yap-Basic-Tabulation-2010-Census-of-Population-and-Housing. https://stats.gov.fm/states/yap/. Accessed July 30, 2025.