Building Capacity and Sustainability in PNG

The churches that we are in partnership with in Papua New Guinea are all in settings where people survive on what they grow and sell. It is a subsistence economy and resources are therefore limited. Pastors grow vegetables and generate their own basic support.

 

Rather than rely on outside sources to fully fund the cost of the life for the churches in the Ramu, Sogeram and Keram River systems, a project has been initiated to generate income through an affiliation fee based on a per member annual fee. This is new initiative for these churches. This week John Kitimun, the chairman of the Board for the Melanesian Evangelical Churches of Christ (MECOC), is in the East Sepik area introducing this model of operation to the local churches. Leaders will be taught, treasurers will receive a receipt book, and funds will be collected and brought back to Madang.

 

This project has flowed on from the work of the MECOC Revival Harvest Ministry Team in PNG. The next two retreats are planned for the Ramu region from 18-21 March at Tsumba followed by the Sepik/Keram Retreat planned for 20-26 April at Anngisi.

 

People travel on foot or by canoes and stay together for 4 to 6 days for encouragement and training. The program sometimes includes whole nights spent singing, praying and sharing testimonies. It draws people from across church traditions.

 

The Revival Harvest Ministry team value your prayers as they plan, lead and evaluate these retreats.