American Samoa's Governor, Togiola Tulafono, has paid tribute to the early Samoan missionaries who ventured out to spread the Gospel.
Speaking at the opening of the Samoa for Missions conference, the governor said many of them did not return home and are buried in the countries where they ministered.
"Mission work in every church is the way our churches carry the wounds and be the carriers of the body of Christ to those who have not able to share it yet."
The conference is an effort by Samoan Christian churches in partnership with Youth with a Mission to reawaken the missionary spirit of Samoans.
