Goroka hosts orientation course for missionaries

THE Melanesian Institute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, hosted the 56th Melanesian Cultural Orientation Course (COC) for missionaries from Jan 8-20.
The Cultural Orientation Course was organised by Br Martin Tnines, SVD, MI executive director together with staff and invited guest speakers.
The theme of the two-week course was ‘Land of the unexpected, cultures to be respected and faith to be uplifted’ which dwelt on culture related topics to support missionary work in PNG and the Solomon Islands.
There were 26 participants included one from the Solomon Islands, six were from the Christian churches (Summer Institute of Linguistics – SIL International), while the rest were the local Catholics.
The course started with mission and contextualisation that dwelt on the missionary work from its distant past and the impact of the colonial contact up to the challenges of Christianity at present.
The focus of the course was to help missionaries understand and better help the people.
The sessions were thematically arranged into three parts.
The first group of presentations dealt with mission, manpower, multi-culturalisation, mercy and money.
The second group dealt with social institutions and integration – it helped the participants understand the social web of relations and the social institutions, systems, struggles and difficulties present in Melanesia.
The final group dealt with social mobility and sustainability. They touched on education, employment, development, the forces of the global market and the opportunity for the grassroots to build on genuine sustainability.
The presenters were experts in their own fields who were from different corners of PNG and shared examples as they explained their presentations, held discussions, and showed films on the different topics.
A cultural visit to the Asaro community gave the participants an opportunity to engage with the famous mudmen and learn from the people, eager to share a brief insight into their culture.
An atmosphere of learning, reflection and openness prevailed as participants engaged in sharing and discussion.
“I realised that I am living in a country that is extremely complex with a mystical culture,” said Sister Yen Hoai.
“Yet it is a country that is hungry for a good educational system and thirsty for the values of the Gospel.
“I realise that God is calling me to understand, accept, adapt, integrate, and journey with the local people patiently and courageously. It’s a big challenge but also an opportunity to collaborate as a good missionary ad gentes,” she said.
The participants were able to share their own experience, clarify doubts, and were given pointers to deal with the situations they encountered.
They were filled with diligence, energy, enthusiastic and involved in every aspect of the course.
Fr Ambrose Pereira SDB, who has spent 15 years in Solomon Islands and eight years in PNG, stated that the course had given him the opportunity to reflect on experiences in Solomon Islands and PNG.
“It has made me realise that we are to sow the seeds of the Gospel and in God’s own time it will bear fruit,” he said.