Felix’s rise from despair, poverty

By LORRAINE JIMAL
W HEN Felix Ario used to sell newspapers earning K20 a day, he allocated half to his family and kept half for his church offering.
Before that, he was involved in petty crimes to survive in Port Moresby, also selling betel-nuts and cigarettes.
Today he has a full-time job at a hotel, owns a permanent home where he lives with wife Jenet, daughter Melody, 6, and son Joshua, 3.
“With so many problems I encountered, I believe that God is real. You can try your best (but) you will only be successful (when you trust) God. He will help you. Just have faith, courage, commitment and patience. You will see good things will come.”
Felix, 32, from Okapa district in Eastern Highlands, arrived in Port Moresby in 2012. He lived with his family until 2015 when he married Jenet Samson who hails from the same village.
His family did not approve of his marriage and told him to move out of the house.
Felix loved his wife so much that he refused to leave her. They moved to her uncle’s home which had a leaking roof. They had to sleep under a canvas cover when it rained.
“I applied to many companies for a job but was unsuccessful.”
He started selling betel-nuts and cigarettes at the Gordon market. He also got roped into petty crimes to survive.
The pressure and frustrations started to affect his marriage. He even told his wife to leave him if she thought he could not look after her.
“I told that if she feels that I cannot provide for her needs, she can go back to her family. I’m not stopping her.”
But Jenet chose to stay and was willing to share their burden as a couple.
“She is patient and always faithful to me.”
They were living with her uncle when they had daughter Melody.
“But then, I still could not provide for my family. My wife told me so many times to stop all the illegal activities that I was doing and get a formal job.”
Felix then started selling newspapers.
He earned K20 for selling 100 copies a day. He allocated half of his pay to the church and half to buy rice and fish for the family, plus catering for his daughter’s needs. He did this for three years.
One morning, he was doing his normal newspaper sale when a lady stopped to buy the papers. She gave him K10 and told him to keep the change.
“I was very happy. The extra money would make a big difference in the afternoon to buy extra food. I remembered her plate number very well. Every morning I look forward to serving her.”
The lady used to give him K5 or K10 every day. Then one day in 2019, she stopped again, bought the newspaper and asked Felix if he wanted a job.
Felix, with no job experience nor academic qualification was taken aback. He was only a Grade 8 dropout. But he blurted out: “Yes, boss! Any work – cleaner or security. Any work that is available I will do.”
The lady, he found out, was the manager of a hotel in Port Moresby. Felix started working at the front office, assisting guests and serving customers.
“I was very happy and I gave my best to the company. Today the company has given me a house. I’m living a luxury life with a toilet, shower and everything inside.”
Daughter Melody, 6, is doing her prep at Herima Christian Academy.
“Now my children’s future is bright. I can provide for them.”
And Felix never forgets his church offerings. He knows it has its blessings.