Papua New Guinea Union Mission

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VOP visit to Guruf

Posted on Sept 02, 2010

This is a story of how a Adventist Church was build at Guruf (Markham, Lae) only thru the Bible Studies given out by the VOP department. Story told my Jochabed G Pomaleu.  

We had a recent visit to a little pilot church that was nurtured through our Discover Centre department. 

Guruf church is located in the Markham District.  To travel to this village and our little church, it will take you 2 hours drive to where we have to drop off, 30 min walk to the side of the river, 45 minute to cross the river and 30 min from the river to the little pilot church.  And it is dominated by Lutheran.  There is no Adventist there and to attend a nearest church on Sabbath, they will have to walk 3 hours.

In 2007 Rauwa went around looking for a true church. During his search one day in 2005 he decided to come to town and look for a book that will help him in his search.  He handed up in the Adventist Book Centre in Lae.  And this is when the Lord directed him to buy “Desire of Ages” book which he took home and began to read.  In his reading he came across Sabbath. He was inspired that the Sabbath keepers were keeping the right day which the lord blessed.  So he told his wife and children that they will have to keep the Sabbath because the lord blessed this day and that it is the lord’s day. Though the wife wasn’t too happy for the husband’s sudden decision she just followed her husband.

One day he came across Independent Ministry which he thought this is it.  But after for couple of weeks he was inspired that this is not the church he was looking for.  So his search continue until one Sabbath he decided to walk to a nearest church which will take him 3 hours walk to Intuap church.  He would get up on Sabbath morning and pretend to go somewhere and would end up at intuap church to worship.  He was doing that and began to arouse curiosity from some of the young boys.  When they asked him where he was going every Sabbaths he admitted to them that he was attending a Church on Sabbath.  Few young man decided to go with him until one Sabbath when he saw that they were already 10 young youths going with him.  He told them that we will no longer walk 3 hours to go to church. We will worship in our own village. 

The decision for them to worship in the village for the first time was a great battle to Rauwa.  Because this is when this 10 young boys will come out clear to the Lutheran village that there are already some Sabbath keepers in this village.  He thought of the disagreement and critics that he will have to face, but this thought didn’t stop him. 

One Sabbath morning his family got ready and they rang the bell for the first time to worship on Sabbath in their own village.  He was so trouble that may be the people will not come.  To his surprise this 10 young man with the children all came.  This was a great relief to Rauwa he just praise God for leading this people and children on the first Sabbath. They started worshiping in his little kitchen.And so from that time on they started worshiping in their own village. Then one day he arranged that the nearest church (Intuap) must go and run some meetings in his own village.

They did arrange that and towards the end of 2005 with the help of Pr Sani they ran a evangelistic program in Guruf village.  At the end of the evangelist program He decided to be baptized and testify to his people that he has accepted into an SDA family.

After his baptism some of the youths in Guruf were shocked to see that their leader was being baptized and they wanted to know why he decided to join the Adventist family.  After relating to them his sort story this young people decided that they too will join him.  After his baptism he decided to change his name to Michael Apa.

In 2006 Kayson Lovuru followed her sister to this particular village.  And on Sabbath he asked his sister for the nearest SDA church.  She told him that it’s quit a distance from where they were.  He went looking and found out that there was a little group right in the middle of the village who were worshiping in a little kitchen so he joined them..  Kayson said that the first Sabbath with them he was so touch that this people were new to the way SDA worship and that they desperately in need of someone to lead them.  He said he couldn’t hold back his tears when he found out that this people were in love with Jesus but no one to guide or lead them.  So he decided to stay with them.  God directed this young boy to go up to guruf village at a right time to help them out.

Because the number was increasing from 2005 ten members 2006 more than 20 they then decided that the kitchen was too small to accommodate them so they started building a new church for them.  In November 2006 they had a new building for worship. They received criticisms from the mother church (Lutheran church) but this didn’t stop these young people who are enthusiastic in their new belief. 

In March 12, 2007 Kayson walked in our Discover Centre office in the Union and shared with us what he has been doing and said we don’t have an experience person who can lead us and we’re facing the challenge on the Sabbath truth.  After sharing with him I encourage him and gave him few books and pamphlets on Sabbath and how it was change.  I also gave him the first lessons on Discover Jesus.  Then I prayed with him and assured him that we will be right beside him in prayer and also provide Bible study material to you to help this young people.

Kayson continued faithfully bringing in their lessons to mark and getting new ones until in April 2007 I was invited to attend the first presentation for their awards.  At the time I went there were 37 who were on study and I award them with their certificates and 37 requested bibles.

The number has grown from 2006 to 2010 to 115 church memberships.  From my recent visit to this church, I had a privilege to bring my boss Pr Greg Evans who is a Associate Director of Media Ministries in South Pacific to this little church.  It was a touching moment for him to visit this remote area and see for himself what we’re silently doing in this department in Papua New Guinea. 

It was also a touching moment for me as well as I had visited this area in April 27 2007.  It took me awhile because of the distance.  But the number had grown and to hear that they had the desire of spreading the good news behind the mountains.  It is a great news to me because though they’re new in faith, they have the burning desire to witness to their neighbouring villages behind the mountains which we’re giving Bible study to them and targeting that we raise a church there again.  I am planning another trip to visit these five members and see that the number will grow through God’s leading. 

There are swelling rivers and mountains to cross but this won’t stop us from moving on with our God because there is always a great joy in bringing people closer to God. You may not come with me but I know you will uphold us in your prayer.  Our little pilot project church in Gurup asks us to pray for them because they sense there are other brothers and sisters in the Lutheran church who have come to realize that Sabbath is a true church.  But they are frightened to join them. 

There are greater challenges but this are the stepping stones our greater challenge now is a need of bibles but we know nothing is impossible for our great God.  We’re still praying and planning for a Discover Bible concert to raise money for bibles to go to remote areas in PNG. 

Why not join our Discover team in PNG Unions Mission to pray for us or join us in giving out discover materials that people will come to discover Christ themselves and make solid decision to follow him. 

God Bless us all as we minister in our own way in whatever office we hold.