Church to celebrate event

THE Evangelical Bible Mission of Papua New Guinea will celebrate its 70th anniversary this month.
President of the Evangelical Bible Mission Inc of Papua New Guinea and Asia-Pacific region, Giideon Gamaliel Kandelopi, said the celebrations would start with crusades from Aug 24 to Oct 2 in different provinces.
Kandelopi said they would hosts crusade at Kalowi and Pangia in Southern Highlands, Pabrabuk in Western Highlands, Jiwaka, Goroka, and Port Moresby.
He said it would be a long celebration and needed support from the people touched by the church to make the anniversary a memorable one.
He said pioneer missionary late Reverend Green Talbot Bustin arrived in the country on Aug 24, 1948, after the World War II.
He started the church in Pabrabuk, where the current headquarter stand.
It spread to other parts of the province and the neighbouring highlands provinces.
Kandelopi said late Bustin was later joined by missionaries from America and Australia.
He said the Harvey family from Australia also joined the early missionary and served in Pabrabuk and Ialibu in Southern Highland.
Kandelopi said with the support from the locals, the church spread to many places in Southern and Western Highlands like Topopul, Piambil, Pulupatu, Ialibu, Kaupena, Tambul, Gomi.
He said the church had produced many high profile people in the country such as the 5th Governor General of the country, Sir Wiwa Korowi, first premier of Western Highlands, Sir Numbuga Mara, former MP for Imbonggu Open Sir Peter Peipul