Joel smiling despite family’s loss

By MICHELLE AUAMOROMORO
JOEL Paulus was wearing a borrowed school uniform when he went to receive his Grade 12 certificate at the Port Moresby National High School yesterday.
Joel, 19, and his family had lost all their properties when their homes were burnt during the ethnic clash at Eight-Mile in the National Capital District last weekend.
Joel, from the Ialibu-Pangia district of Southern Highlands, lost his school uniforms and his clothes for the formal night.
The family lost everything including the pigs his family had been raising for his graduation party.
“I was ready to graduate. I was so happy about the graduation that I even posted on Facebook continuously about it. But my happiness was taken away from me just a few days before my big day. We had a plan to have a big feast with families and friends. We planned to kill pigs and chicken for the feast but now I can’t go home to celebrate.”
His school mates who heard of his plight pitched in to help. He was a given a pair of school uniforms to wear yesterday for the end-of-year ceremony every student looks forward to.
Despite being homeless at the moment, Joel was beaming with happiness yesterday when he received his Grade 12 certificate, qualifying him to move on to the next stage of his education.

“ My happiness was taken away from me just a few days before my big day. We had a plan to have a big feast with families and friends. But now I can’t go home and celebrate.”

After the fire last weekend, his family had to separate to live with various relatives.
“Right now, I am living with my uncle at Erima. My mum is at Eight-Mile. Dad is living at Sabama. Some of my siblings are at Wildlife. And the others are at Morata. We are not living together. I don’t know how they are doing at this time.”
Joel is saddened that most of his neighbors who also lost their homes and everything else were not able to finish their academic year after losing their books, stationery and uniforms.
He hopes the Government will assist all of them.
“Education is very important as it is our future.”
Joel is happy that he graduated although he thought he would lose everything.
He now looks forward to continuing further studies at a tertiary institution that he will be selected to.
He is yet to decide on a career to pursue.
Only his dad Paulus Roldopali, a pastor of the Reform Christian Church, was at the school yesterday to witness Joel receiving his certificate.
His dad’s church building and all the instruments inside were all destroyed in the fire.
“I’ve been wearing the same clothes that I had on when I fled as my three houses and the church were burnt.”
He has been praying that God will take care of his eight children including Joel who are living in different homes.
He is praying that one day soon his family will be reunited again.
Joel, smiling yesterday despite the family’s misfortune, hopes so too.