Focus set on building rehab centre

THE Christian Outreach Centre church in Lae is building a youth development and rehabilitation centre on its land along Jawani Street.
The centre will include a technical school, hospital and community-orientated projects.
Pastor John Garu said the plan to build the centre began when he was working and got involved in the prison ministry two times a week by visiting the Buimo Prison in Lae.
“The inmates told me three things which they do not have: a shelter over their heads, three meals a day and security,” he said.
“Then the idea came to me to build a youth development and rehabilitation centre for them.
“I said: God, we don’t have a land.
“I’m not a pastor and I don’t have anything.
“I resigned in 1989 and we applied for the land – 6.6 hectares.
“We started the rehabilitation ministry in the church.”
Garu said the church would resolve unemployment, law and order issues and other problems.
“It a big relief to finally be doing the ground-breaking but completing the project is another thing,” he said.
“We bring young people here and rehabilitate them, change their mindsets and give them the second chance in education.
“We will have a technical school to provide a two-year diploma course.”
The building materials are being supplied from China.
“This is to rehabilitate young people, address offenders and dropout issues”, so that the youths become better citizens, he said.