Mine workers turn to preaching in Rai Coast

By JAMES G KILA
THERE is no physical weapon that can exterminate uncertainty, sicknesses, misery, pain, confusion and depression apart from the Word of God.
God’s Word is a powerful weapon of defence and destruction to any woes and demonic forces people in the world face today.
These were some of the encouraging and inspiring words uttered by a market preacher I encountered recently.
This particular preacher was actively sharing the Word of God to vendors and customers at the Basamuk ‘marmar’ roadside market in Rai Coast district, Madang.
In fact, I was quite astounded on that particular Friday morning as I was making my way to the roadside market when from a good distance I could hear someone speaking using a microphone and preaching to the vendors. It was rather unusual because such does not happen ever since I’ve been visiting and spending time at Basamuk occasionally for almost a decade.
As soon as I reached the market area I was shocked upon noticing that the preacher was none other than someone I know fairly well named Daniel Karly Kavoung, an employee of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) at the Basamuk Processing Plant. His colleague Habib Bnwan was sitting nearby.
Daniel is not your ordinary ‘street’ or market preacher. He works as a laboratory analyst and his companion Habib works at the acid plant laboratory at the Basamuk Processing Plant.
However, both had decided to utilise their time off duty-roster to share the Word of God to the rural people to reinforce their Christian faith.
“We preach because it’s God’s will for us to do so, for the good of his people. But preaching at the market places began soon after I heard a voice in a vision saying, ‘Daniel, get up and go, stand at the market places or in the streets and preach to save the lost souls’.
“That’s when I told my brother Habib Bnwan and other colleagues to start the outreach mission at the market places in the Rai Coast area.
Their unique deeds had somewhat inspired their colleagues to also join in the Christian outreach in the far corner of Rai Coast.
“During our outreach at the market places, one of the members, Noel Luke is now starting to preach due to the power of the Holy Spirit.
“I am optimistic God will inspire many more young people to speak about the Gospel here in Rai Coast district. We started outreach at market places in November last year soon after I heard a voice calling me to preach to save the lost souls.
“God’s Word is living and is active and is also spirit and is life,” Daniel said.
Daniel is a Catholic, while his ‘brother in Christ’ Habib worships with the Four Square Church.
It was fascinating how vendors from nearby local villages including Mindre, Jangag, Dein, Yaganon, Baded all tuning in to his preaching while selling their produce. Other MCC night shift workers stood and listened attentively as their colleague cum-market preacher continued drumming home the spiritual messages.
I knew Daniel fairly well because I once wrote about him as a ‘karate kid’ from Basamuk who represented Madang in the code of kick boxing during one of the PNG Games’ some years back. He is soft-spoken with a reserved character, however, the way I noticed him that morning was totally different. He was that morning classically used as a vessel displaying that the Holy Spirit was in certainly in motion.
The way Daniel was going about in sharing the Word of God was so uplifting that I somewhat forgot the ‘favourite nut’ I had gone to purchase because the message delivered was so enlightening that it literally started off my day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Daniel hails from Kieta in Autonomous Region of Bougainville and works as a laboratory analyst with the Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) at the Basamuk Processing Plant.
Members of outreach group are from different church denominations, Daniel, a Catholic, Habib of Four Square Church and Noel of Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church.
Two other Ramu NiCo (MCC) employees who sometimes assist in the outreach are Robert John from the Mobile Plant Department, who is from the Lutheran Church and Wendong Maningne from Site Services Department, from Power in the Word Ministry (former Lutheran).
A good number of Ramu NiCo (MCC) Refinery workers from different church denominations who work with different processing departments have shown interest to join the mission by providing support.
The group had so far visited five market places in the Basamuk area including the township market, Dein market, Tugyak, Rai Coast secondary school market and Lamtub.
“During our outreach we always encourage people to continue to pray to God, hold onto their faith in Christ. (Mt 24: 13), (Gal 6: 9), (Rev 2: 25), (Rev 3: 11).”
“We tell people during our outreach that our denomination or churches does not matter, these are just the shadow. The reality is Christ.  (Col 3: 16-17).”
“Therefore we are not preaching denominations or churches but we are preaching Christ, the good news, who died on cross for us sinners.
“Telling people about the revealing or fulfilment of the prophecies which are happening today; troubles, problems, disaster killing people; decease, earthquake, fire, hailstorm, flood, etc… These are the punishments for turning away from God. (Deu 28),” he said.
Daniel said during this time of global health crisis when many people the world over feel uncertain and isolated over the Corona Virus or Covid-19, it is prime time for educated elites to disseminate accurate public health information and spiritual guidance and assurances that there shall be light and the end of this dark period to rural or remote communities. That light is God.
Daniel joined Ramu NiCo (MCC) in August 2012 after completing his tertiary education at the Lae Polytech Institute. He resigned in 2016 but was re-employed later that same year.
“Being recruited again was not in vain. I think God has a plan for me to do his will here in Rai Coast which he (God) has already established which is now seeing me and my brothers in Christ are in his mission today” Daniel said.
“Before I came here I attended several schools and finachlly came to Polytech institute and complete my studies. In my early education life I came across a lot of personal problems which were burden to me and caused me in state of misery,
“Most of the time I go without food or attend classes with empty stomach. But I never gave up, I just acted as if everything was okay,” Daniel said.
“I always prayed to God to provide me the strength to complete my education. Finally I found that, though I was abandoned and rejected by people God rejected person but God has never abandon me.
“You may be someone who is rejected by your own family, your community, from your church or from the company but always remember that God will never abandon you, he will take care of you (Psalm 27:10).”
“My brother in Christ, Habib had also gone through similar miseries and struggles life like myself but he found God as his real Father.
Therefore today we encourage young people to turn back to God and find safety in his arms.

•  James G. Kila works as supervisor with Ramu NiCo Management’s (MCC) Corporate Affairs Department Public Relations Section in Madang.