Education is never ending for Pastor George

By ELIAS LARI
COMPLETING Grade 12, for father-of-four George Kerenga, is a victory for his family.
The pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Chimbu is just ahead in school of his two sons in Grade Five, another son in Grade Two and only daughter in Grade One. They all attend the Golke Primary School at Tiki in Dei, Western Highlands.
George, 26, is married to Penny from Jiwaka. He left school after Grade 10 at the Togoba Secondary School in 2013 because no school offered him a place in Grade 11.
So he returned to his Gena village in Kerowagi, Chimbu and decided to become a pastor. He was trained and ordained in 2014.
His first posting was to Tiki in the Western Highlands. In 2017, he asked the board of the Tiki High School to allow him to go back to school. So they allowed him to start at Grade Nine.
He divided his time between his school work and continuing his pastoral duties. He held fundraising events to pay for his school fees and those of his children.
In 2018, he completed Grade 10 and moved to Grade 11 at the Kombolopa Secondary School. This year, he received his Grade 12 certificate. Mission accomplished.
He does not regret returning to school and sitting in the classroom with students way much younger than him.
“I was the only parent inside the classroom. But it was what I wanted to do. I believe in education and my advice to those who have left school is to continue your education. Seeing my children grow up, I felt that I had to complete my education to support my wife and children. God helps those who help themselves.”

“ I was the only parent inside the classroom. But it was what I wanted to do. I believe in education.”

George attributes his success so far to his faith in God who he believes “makes all things possible”.
He has now sent applications to teacher colleges and tertiary institutions in his bid to further his education.
And if he secures other employment on top of his pastoral duties, he will apportion his earnings to his family and the church.
“Whatever I earn will be used to support my family and to spread the Good News. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and it was God who brought me this far. If I did not accept God into my life, I would have messed up my future.”
He decided to return to school because he realised the importance of education.
“Education was created for us and we have the right to have. In the meantime I’m still doing my pastoral work to serve God’s people and the church.”
George believes that education is a never ending process. While we still can breathe, we should never stop learning.