Hela church leaders vow to work with government

By MALUM NALU
CHURCH leaders in Hela have vowed to work together with the political leadership to address the serious crime problem in the province.
They made the promise during a breakfast meeting with Tari-Pori MP James Marape, pictured, in Tari, Hela, on Monday.
Following the meeting, the leaders joined hands and prayed for peace to prevail in Hela  over the festive period and beyond.
Hela Council of Churches chairman Rev Olene Yawai said God’s hand was needed in Hela at this time.
He told The National that the all council members were united in the fight against evil.
“The Hela Council of Churches sees the law-and-order problem in the province as a spiritual problem,” he said.
“All the ongoing tribal fights in different areas are signs and symptoms of a much-bigger warfare going on between two kingdoms: God’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom.”
Yawai said the Hela churches remained confident that the evil would soon be defeated.
“We are positive that Hela will regain normalcy with the help of God,” he said.
“One day there will be peace in Hela. It will happen not because of the military strength but by the power of the Spirit of God.
“When the heart and the mindset is changed by the spirit and power of God, normalcy and peace will come to Hela.”