FAITH

Preparing the crib for Christmas

By Rev SEIK PITOI
IT will happen all over again next week Friday, Dec 25.
On that day, the whole world will celebrate the birth of the saviour. Now, that is putting it nicely! You and I know that half of the folk out there don’t really care whose birthday it is. They are just happy to have the holiday from work.
Even in the Christian family, there are those who will protest against anything to do with what is considered a pagan day to celebrate the Saviour’s birth, which they strongly believe did not occur on the said date. Then of course, there are those Christians who would rather leave the debate to the scholars. They simply know that the Saviour was born on earth and they feel it is important to acknowledge and honour Him in this season, and make Him the centre of their celebrations!
But it’s that time of the year some call ‘the silly season’. People do get a bit silly then, especially when the bubbly amber gets flowing, but really it’s a time of being happy, of giving gifts to loved ones, of parties and the unbridled revelry that goes with it! It’s the season weight-watchers dread and shopkeepers love, where doctors and policemen are kept busy on their toes.
Indeed, it’s the time to make those plans to go back to the village, away from the hustle and bustle of the urban nightmare, and get some well-earned rest! However, in the whole process, one can lose sight of the real ‘reason for the season’! With just a week to go, as we are busy preparing for our special time with loved ones, I thought I should throw in some things to think about during this Christmas.
Some years ago I read the story about a small boy and his dad going on a camping trip. They set up their tent by the banks of the river and made a huge bonfire. As they sat ready to have their dinner, the boy noticed something interesting.
He saw a column of little black ants running up and down the log that was partly in the fire. They seemed to be heading straight for the flames. The boy put a piece of wood across their path to stop them but they took no notice, easily running across it and straight into the fire. The lad looked quizzically up at his father. “Dad, why didn’t they stop when I was trying to block their way? How come they couldn’t tell that they were heading for danger, even though I tried to stop them?”
His father replied, “Son, they didn’t understand because they don’t speak your language, nor can you speak ant language”. “But how can I help them, dad”, the boy cried. “In order to help them”, the father explained, “You would have to be born an ant, learn to speak ant language, and go and live among them. Then, you can warn them about the danger of the fire and turn them away to follow you along another path!”
That little story illustrates the real reason for Christmas. It’s about a God who looked down on His creation and was heartbroken at what He saw. Like the little black ants frantically running up and down the log, only He from His vantage point up yonder could see the impending danger ahead for the people He had created. He made His point known through the prophets over time to speak to an obstinate people who seemed hard of hearing.
His message was, “turn away from the path that leads to destruction. I have a better way!” However, that message didn’t seem to be understood. Drastic situations need drastic action so, a plan was hatched – the Son must come down to live among the people. He must become one of them. Then, at the right time, He must come out and tell them: “I am the Way. Come, follow Me”!
The plan was executed on that very first Christmas. The Son was born, helpless and vulnerable as any human infant can be, in a feeding trough for animals. While not having the fanfare such as when human royalty on earth is born, this humble entrance of the One who created the universe was witnessed initially by a simple guard of honour made up of sheep and cattle – plus a loving mother and a doting ‘adoptive’ father!
The Child grew in wisdom and stature and soon, it was time to begin His mission. He began to speak the words of His Father, the Almighty God in heaven. This time the words were not merely conveyed by a prophet – the Word was live, in the flesh before them. The people had no excuse. Many chose to obey His words, while others chose to reject them. He made it clear that every human being on the planet has the right to choose – to accept or to reject Him. That was their right, as long as they were also aware that the consequence was like what the lad saw that night – a walk straight into the flames of eternal destruction.
Like the ants, we too are being warned. Unlike the ants, though, we hear His voice compelling us to follow Him and we also have His words printed on paper so we can read and understand that He is beckoning us away from the fire. And unlike the ants, we have a royal invitation from the Son of God to follow Him into His heavenly home, to be with Him forever! That is an invitation we should never turn down.
So as we prepare for our times of celebration with those we love, getting ready for the joyful activities we will be having in our villages or with family, I believe it is important to remind ourselves of the real meaning of the season. Next week in our churches, we will be seeing re-enactments of the nativity story, of a baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, nursed by His young mother, as His earthly dad and the animals stand by.
We will see the wise men kneeling with their gifts all arrayed before Him. And we will sing those lovely Christmas carols, tokples hymns or perovetas that talk about that great event. But amidst all that, will we still hear His invitation? If we haven’t yet, will we respond positively to Him? It would be nice to think about these things as we get into a celebratory mood. Let us not forget about the real reason for the season!
Next week, I will bring the last part of this discussion by looking at the prophetic aspect of the Messiah’s coming, and its impact upon mankind in the light of what is coming up ahead. In the meantime, as the Holy couple prepared a crib in the stable for their soon-to-be-born baby , let’s do likewise, preparing our hearts this week so we can allow Christ to be at the centre of our Christmas programmes next week!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a freelance writer.

God’s calling not a mistake

By JASMINE IRU
UPNG Journalism student
AS much as you want to plan your life, it has a way of surprising you with unexpected things that will make you happier than you originally planned. And that’s what you call God’s will.
God’s will for Rev Seik Pitoi’s life wasn’t what he expected it to be. God’s calling definitely changed him into something he never thought he would become.
UPNG United Church chaplain Rev Seik Pitoi hails from Gabagaba Village in Central. He is married to Marama Avie who is from Isapeape Village in Gulf. They have three children and his home congregation is Rev Sione Kami Memorial Church (RSKMC) where his late parents were leaders and where his Christian foundations were laid.
Meanwhile, Marama Avie grew up in the Assemblies of God (AOG)Church, Gerehu.
Rev Seik was a public servant who joined as a school leaver. He worked his way from trainee computer operator to computer operations manager in the Department of Finance – Information Technology Division. Coming from a Christian family, Rev Seik faced the struggles every young person faces and went off the path a few times after getting caught up with drinking and other unpleasant things in life.
After a period away from God, Rev Seik rededicated his life to God and ended up with his cousins at the AOG Church in Gerehu, for a season. There, he met and married his wife, Avie Maifoa. After a time in ministry in that church, they felt the Lord call them back to ‘base’ – RSKMC.
As a Christian public servant, Rev Seik shared Christ with those around him. He was a leader in the Public Service Christian Fellowship and led 12 of his workmates to Christ. He ran discipleship courses for them in the office after work. He also preached in Singapore and Israel while on business trips there for computer training.
Israel ministry
Rev Seik was also a pioneer in the Prayer for Israel movement in PNG. He taught the theology of Israel and the Church around PNG. He went to Israel five times and is associated with Messianic ministers in Israel. In 2003 he spent a week studying Biblical Hebrew and the Hebraic roots of Christianity at Mt Carmel, Israel under Messianic Rabbi Moshe Cohen. In 2018 the year of Jubilee for the United Church, he organised and led a group tour to Israel made up of United Church leaders including the moderator and bishops.
Rev Seik was convicted by the Holy Spirit to go into full time ministry while praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in year 2000. He was on an Israeli government scholarship for a month, studying “Computerisation for Social Systems” at Ramat Rachel Hotel between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. One day when visiting the Western Wall for prayer, the Lord spoke to him about full-time ministry. He talked with his wife and parents then resigned from the public service in 2002. He did evangelism work with his father, late bureaucrat and evangelist Sir Sere Pitoi in the village (Gabagaba Circuit) and around PNG.
In 2006, he took his family and went to Bible school at Christian Leaders Training College (CLTC) in Banz, Jiwaka where he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree. He did his preordination certificate at Rarongo Theological College, Rabaul, in 2011, and served at his home church, RSKMC.
In 2013, he was ordained a minister. While at RSKMC, he was seconded to serve for a year as chaplain of Bomana Police College. After his term at RSKMC ended, he served a term at Gordon United Church before being appointed UC chaplain at UPNG where he has served from 2018 to 2020.
Chaplain at UPNG
Rev Seik was inducted by Rev Arua Morea at UPNG on April 15, 2018. He was heavily involved in the work at UPNG. In 2019, he organised two sets of crusades at Games Village that got the chaplains to work together for the first time. The crusades were run with TSCF (Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship) who led worship and did counselling. Different chaplains took the pulpit each night and around 30 students gave their lives to Christ!
Chaplain Pitoi also served as Secretary of the Chaplaincy Committee in the Student Services division in 2019. In his three year term at UPNG, he conducted for the staff of UPNG (not just for UC members one wedding, three funerals, lunch hour prayer meetings, a dedicatory prayer for 2019 graduation ceremony, Pharmacy students’ graduation, and dedicated the new School of Law building. He also shared the Word of God one night at the TSCF students’ fellowship, and conducted baptism service at March Girls Resort, Gaire.
He was also invited to preach many times outside of UPNG. Rev Seik is a singer and musician, worship leader, Bible teacher and evangelist. He is also a freelance writer for the The National’s Weekender.
Chaplain Pitoi’s three-year term ends on Dec 31, 2020. On Sunday Nov 8, the students and Elder Dr Goru Hane-Nou organised a close-up service and barbeque to farewell the family. They gave gifts and expressed thanks to Chaplain and Marama Pitoi for their service among them.
The family will move on in 2021 to their next posting.