What animals live in Micronesia?

Micronesia is a scatter of tiny islands in the Pacific Ocean, and the animals there are built for island life. The seas around those islands are full of sea turtles, reef sharks, manta rays, and hundreds of kinds of colorful fish. On land and in the air, you will find fruit bats — called flying foxes — that have wingspans as wide as your outstretched arms. Many of the birds in Micronesia are found nowhere else on earth, like the Micronesian kingfisher, a small bright bird with a bold orange chest. The forests also shelter geckos, skinks, and hermit crabs that drag their shell-homes across the sand. God packed a lot of variety into those little islands, and the people who live there have fished and eaten from those waters for thousands of years.

What do kids eat in Micronesia?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Micronesia grow up eating a lot of fresh fish, since islands are surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and fishing is a big part of daily life. They also eat taro, which is a starchy root that gets boiled or pounded into a thick paste, and breadfruit, a large green fruit that can be roasted right over a fire. Rusty wants to add that coconut shows up in almost every meal — the milk, the meat, even the oil. Some families also eat rice, sweet potatoes, and tropical fruits like papaya and banana that grow right on the islands. It is simple, fresh food that comes mostly from the ocean and the land around them, and families often share meals together in a way that feels a lot like the generous hospitality you read about in the Bible.

How do people say hello in Micronesia?

Great question to start with — greetings are one of the first things explorers learn! Micronesia is made up of hundreds of small islands spread across the Pacific Ocean, and people there speak several different languages. In Chuukese, one of the main languages, you might hear 'Ran annim' as a friendly greeting. In the Marshallese language, people say 'Iokwe' — it means both hello and love, which tells you something warm about the culture. In Pohnpeian, another island language, 'Kaselehlie' is how you greet someone with respect. Each of these languages is a reminder that God made people wonderfully different, and missionaries have worked hard to learn these languages so they can share the good news about Jesus in words people truly understand.

What sports or games do kids play in Micronesia?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Micronesia love soccer and volleyball — you'll find them playing on beaches and in open fields, often barefoot with the ocean breeze coming in. Basketball is huge too, especially in places like Chuuk and Pohnpei, where courts pop up right next to the water. Rusty wants to add that traditional games matter a lot out here too. Some kids learn to sail small outrigger canoes, which takes real skill and balance — it's something their grandparents and great-grandparents did for hundreds of years. Spearfishing in the lagoons is part of life for many boys, half sport and half putting dinner on the table. Games and skills like these connect kids to their islands and their families in deep ways.

What's the weather like in Micronesia?

Micronesia sits right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, close to the equator, so it stays warm and humid almost every single day of the year. Temperatures usually hover around 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and rain showers can pop up quickly even on a sunny day. The islands do have a wetter season and a drier season, but honestly, 'drier' still means a fair amount of rain. The biggest weather event to watch for is typhoons — that's what hurricanes are called in this part of the world. These powerful storms can roll in between June and December and bring very strong winds and heavy flooding to the islands.

Tell me a fun fact about Micronesia.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Micronesia is made up of more than 600 islands scattered across the western Pacific Ocean — and if you laid them all out flat, the total land would fit inside the state of Rhode Island, yet the ocean surrounding them stretches across an area bigger than the continental United States. That is a whole lot of blue water for a little bit of land! Rusty loves this part: some of those islands are so tiny and low that you can walk across them in just a few minutes, and fishermen have been navigating between them for thousands of years using only the stars, wave patterns, and wind. Today, people on these scattered islands speak many different languages, and some of those languages still do not have a complete Bible translation — which means missionaries and Bible translators have a big, important job still ahead of them out on that great wide ocean.

What is school like for kids in Micronesia?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! School in Micronesia is a real adventure in itself. Many kids attend small schools on tiny islands, sometimes with just one or two classrooms for all the grades together. English is the official language of instruction in places like the Federated States of Micronesia, so kids often learn in two languages — their home language and English. Rusty wants you to picture this: instead of a school bus, some kids arrive by small boat, paddling or motoring from a nearby island just to get to class. Resources like books and computers can be hard to come by on remote islands, so teachers work extra hard to give their students a solid education. Some missionary organizations have helped build schools and train teachers in these islands, which is one of the quiet and steady ways followers of Jesus have served these communities for generations.

Who are the unreached people in Micronesia?

Great question! Micronesia is a region of tiny islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean, and most people there have at least heard the name of Jesus. But one group that is still largely unreached is the Chuukese people — sometimes called the Trukese — who live on the Chuuk islands. Many have a mix of folk beliefs blended with Christianity, which means they may know religious words but haven't truly trusted Jesus as their only Savior. There are also smaller island communities across Micronesia where the gospel hasn't gone deep — where churches exist in name but people still turn to spirits, ancestors, or old island magic instead of the living God. Herman always says it's not enough to have a church building on the island; what matters is whether the people inside know Jesus personally. Rusty adds that missionaries and local believers are working hard to share the real gospel in these places, and that's worth praying for.

How can I pray for the people of Micronesia?

What a great thing to bring before God! Micronesia is made up of hundreds of small islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean, and many people there have heard the name of Jesus — but hearing a name and truly trusting Him as Savior are two different things. You can pray that the gospel goes deep into people's hearts, not just their traditions. Here are some specific things to pray: that Micronesian children and families would come to know Jesus personally, that local churches would grow strong and teach the Bible faithfully, and that Christian leaders from the islands themselves would rise up to lead their own people. Some island communities have very little solid teaching about who Jesus really is, so pray that God sends workers — both from outside and from within Micronesia — to share the truth clearly and boldly.

What is a holiday or celebration in Micronesia?

One of the biggest celebrations in Micronesia is Constitution Day, marked on May 10th in the Federated States of Micronesia. People gather with music, traditional dancing, and feasting to honor the day their nation's constitution was signed. You might see dancers wearing woven skirts and flower garlands, moving to the beat of log drums. Traditional island feasts are a big part of any celebration in Micronesia. Families prepare foods like taro, breadfruit, and fresh fish caught right from the surrounding ocean. These gatherings are really about community — people sitting together, sharing stories, and honoring their island heritage. Some Micronesian Christians use celebrations like these as a time to also give thanks to God, who they say provides the sea, the harvest, and their families.

What language do people speak in Micronesia?

Micronesia is made up of hundreds of small islands spread across a huge stretch of the Pacific Ocean, and the languages there are just as spread out! Each island group has its own local language — like Chuukese, Pohnpeian, Marshallese, and Chamorro — and many people also speak English because of the region's history. What makes this really interesting for missionaries is that some of these island languages are spoken by only a few thousand people. That means some groups may not yet have the whole Bible in their own tongue. Translating God's Word into every language is important work, because Jesus said His good news is for every nation and people — and that includes every island in the Pacific.

What's a famous place to visit in Micronesia?

Herman here, with Rusty peering over my shoulder at the map! One of the most striking places in Micronesia is Nan Madol, a ancient city built on a coral reef near the island of Pohnpei. It's made up of nearly 100 small artificial islands connected by canals, all constructed from huge basalt stone logs stacked like giant Lincoln Logs — without any modern machines. Rusty likes to call it 'the Venice of the Pacific' because you travel between the ruins by water. Nobody knows exactly how the builders moved those enormous stones, some weighing up to 50 tons, and that mystery has kept historians guessing for centuries. It's a good reminder that people all over the world, even on tiny Pacific islands long ago, were creative and capable — made in the image of a very inventive God.

Micronesia — Kids Missions Explorer

Coconut Crab

The largest land-dwelling arthropod on Earth, the coconut crab can crack open a coconut with its powerful claws and is found on many islands across Micronesia.

Pohnpei Lorikeet

This bright red parrot lives only on the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia, sipping nectar from flowering trees in the lush mountain forests.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hawksbill sea turtles glide through Micronesia's warm reef waters and have been swimming in these oceans for more than 100 million years.

Taro

Taro is a starchy root that has been grown and eaten across Micronesia for thousands of years, and islanders prepare it boiled, pounded, or baked in an underground oven called an uhmw.

Breadfruit

Breadfruit is a round, green fruit that tastes something like freshly baked bread when roasted, and it has fed Pacific island communities for generations.

Coconut Rice

Rice cooked in rich coconut milk is a common everyday dish across Micronesia, carrying a slightly sweet, creamy flavor that pairs with nearly any fish or vegetable.

Micronesia

Things you should know about Micronesia

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

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Life in Micronesia

Missions in Micronesia

Pray for Micronesia