Nuku’alofa, Tonga, June 16, 2025
Photo: mailchi.mp
An Orthodox Christian missionary family from Eagle River, Alaska, is preparing to conclude their three-and-a-half-year mission in the South Pacific after helping to bring the construction of St. George Orthodox Church in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, to near completion.
Michael and Meghan Jones, along with their four children, initially traveled to Tonga in 2022 after hearing about the missionary work of the Metropolis of New Zealand of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Michael, a building contractor, was specifically invited to help finish the seaside church that had been under construction for several years.
“During his initial visits, Michael sensed intuitively that the church couldn’t be finished unless someone came and stayed to host and coordinate local and overseas workers,” the family explained in their recent announcement.
The church in 2024. Photo: mailchi.mp
The Jones family’s efforts have yielded significant results across the mission property. They oversaw the completion of the St. George Church’s exterior, which is expected to have its structural work finished by mid-July with help from three Greek workers currently on site. The small chapel of Saints Peter and Paul was completely frescoed and fitted with a new iconostasis, while the parish house was renovated, painted, and furnished.
Infrastructure improvements included installing a rainwater catchment system with pressure pump service, completing a six-foot retaining wall around the property, and establishing landscaping with gardens and fruit trees. The family also assembled a complete collection of construction tools and equipment for ongoing church maintenance.
Beyond construction, the mission work included significant cultural outreach. A Tongan catechumen worked with Michael to translate the Divine Liturgy into the Tongan language and has already completed translations of Orthodox morning and evening prayers, making Orthodox worship more accessible to local people.
Photo: mailchi.mp
The family’s work was supported by nearly 200 families, parishes, and individuals who contributed through the Orthodox Christian Mission Center. After much prayer and consideration about their family’s future and the children’s education, the Jones family decided not to pursue the long-term community building phase of the mission.
“We don’t see ourselves as long-term community builders, a calling that requires a strong determination to stay for many years and do the slow-paced work of tending the new spiritual garden,” they stated.
The Metropolis continues to seek a permanent priest to establish a stable congregation in Tonga.
Learn more about the Orthodox Christian Missionary Center’s various service projects and consider making a donation here.
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