Ex-army man Mai now a soldier of God

By LORRAINE JIMAL
THE 1988 Bougainville crisis convinced soldier Waymin James Mai to become a preacher and hopefully change people’s lives. He then became Reverend Mai.
Born on Jan 1, 1951 in Mt Hagen, he is the second eldest in a family of five – three brothers and two sisters – born to Goro and Unis Mai.
His father died when Mai was into the final year in an electrical engineering course at the University of Technology in Lae.
Mai began his education at the Monono Primary School in Southern Highlands in 1962.
“We were taught by Americans and Canadians at that time.”
He later attended the Mt Hagen Primary School where he received in 1966 a high performance award in English.
He completed grades seven to nine at the Mt Hagen High School before enrolling at the Lae Technical College to pursue an electrical engineer programme in 1970, sponsored by Elecom PNG (now PNG Power Limited).
But he gave it up when his dad died.
“I studied for three years and was in my final year when my father passed away. I was unable to complete the course. I went back to the village to help my mother.”
Mai was in the village in 1976 when the defence force advertised vacancies for recruits. He was accepted and joined a six-month training programme at the Goldie barracks near Port Moresby in 1977.
“I did very well in the training and was awarded prizes at Goldie.”
He was posted to the Moem Barracks in Wewak in 1979. Because of his commitment, effort and leadership qualities, he was promoted in 1982, and sent to Igam Barracks to attend the officer cadet training programme there.
He was promoted to Second-Lieutenant after completing the programme and posted to Taurama as a platoon commander. While there, he married Unis, his late wife, from Kabwum in Morobe.
“In the force, we need to be legally married to be provided accommodation.”
They have six children – four daughters and two sons – who are all working, except for the youngest who is in Grade 11.
He was among the soldiers posted to Buka during the Bougainville crisis where he witnessed traumatic scenes that convinced him to resign in 1997.
He wanted to change people’s lives and the best way to do that was to become a pastor. So he attended the Melanesian Nazarene Bible College in Kugip, Mt Hagen.
“I want to be an evangelist, a servant of God to preach the Gospel and to change the lives of the people.”
He studied Theology for five years and graduated in 2010.
Because of his good command of English, he was selected to teach English at the Bible College. But he resigned after three years and went back to his village to start a church there.
“This is my calling from God, to teach the gospel in PNG and the world – a gift of healing and preaching, the message of salvation of God.”
He celebrated his 71st birthday on Jan 1 two weeks ago, thanking God for his life. Rev Mai plans to build a church when he has have enough money.
He hopes that people will acknowledge God’s work, reach to Him in prayer and obey his commandments.
“I’m happy because I still have the strength to do his work and help people.”
He urges people to put God first in everything.
“Anything that you want will fall in line. Never lose hope. Do not lose focus in God because he is the source of everything.”