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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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August 2006 |
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Reaching further – GFS visit to Papua New GuineaIn June 2006 Leonie Stitz from Burnie was privileged to return to PNG with three other GFS leaders. Leonie tells the story. I went to help conduct some training with GFS leaders in Popondetta. It was my first time staying at the GFS Family Centre in Popondetta, a GFS world project realised with the help of Rotary teams from Victoria and Queensland. The centre has data projectors and VCRs (electricity!) The training for everyone else was held at the Cathedral, and young GFS supporters transported our whiteboard, equipment and musical instruments (including a keyboard) across a rickety footbridge to the main venue. Some 300 books had been donated with more to come, so one of my objectives was to organise a ‘library’ with simple borrowing procedures so that GFS members could use and maintain it. With some sadness we held a memorial service for Alison Baworo, the first GFS Diocesan Secretary/Treasurer, who died last year from breast cancer. A photograph, plaque and ten hymn and prayer books now commemorate Alison’s contribution to GFS. A little unrest is often due to lack of communication and transport and some of the training had not been taken back to the villages: PNG has very difficult circumstances. Visit www.popondota.anglican.org for some idea of the problems faced by the diocese. During the training, the original goals were revisited. Some wording was changed – English is not the language of the area (Orokaiva is). We covered basic program planning and basic bookkeeping, which we pray will be implemented. I led a session showing how games can convey ideas, such as Jesus/Moses Says for Simon Says.. For Pentecost we were invited to Pongani, a village down the coast, where there is a large children’s ministry. They had had no white visitors since Independence (1975), so the welcome was tremendous, with warriors in traditional dress. (Top R. Young village child) A special privilege was to be ‘married’ into a clan: each of us was dressed as a ‘bride’ (no bare breast though), shown how to dance and introduced to the village. We were given everything we wore, including the Otahus, pig tusk necklaces that chiefs and VIP’s wear. A sad side of our visit to Pongani is that a previous archbishop (Bishop George Ambo) has started a strange ministry seeking money in return for seeing one’s ancestors. This village seemed to be one of his strongholds and there was some confusion as to whether we should go – the current Bishop of Popondetta, Bishop Kopapa gave his blessing asking us to give him a report. Again the time spent with these people is always a very sobering experience – their sacrificial giving, their love and so many material things we take for granted that they can’t get; but in other ways they are richer that we are.
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