New chapel for Kiki Barracks

THE Papua New Guinea Defence Force Air Transport Wing’s Kiki Barracks opened a new chapel at Eight-Mile, National Capital District, on Monday.
Air Transport Wing (ATW) commanding officer Lt Col Nancy Wii said the construction of the chapel took two years, and there were many challenges faced along the way.
“It is a great achievement in terms of human development,” she said.
“This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for God.
“To every servicemen, women and residents of this barracks, put God first in everything you do.”
Wii said the chapel is temporary; it was built through the unit’s initiative and from funding that they secured.
“The Defence Force has plans to build a bigger chapel with land allocated for that purpose,” she said.
“It will be constructed adjacent to the new chapel and will look like what the other units in the force have.”
Wii said they employed casual workers to help with the construction and paid them with funds that they raised.
She told The National that while in command at the ATW, they had achieved a lot of projects, however, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) was an obstacle and funding was always an issue.
“With the help of the Australian Defence Force, one of the projects was the renovation of the regimental aid post and beds put inside to cater for emergencies,” she said.
“That was an improvement to provide service to the surrounding communities.
“Another was the installation of street lights which the barracks didn’t have for many years.”
Acting Chief of Defence Commodore Philip Polewara said Murray Barracks wanted the chapel to be the same as the other units and had put aside the project’s plan because of the design.
Polewara said despite that, they had worked hard to have it built and it was not easy because to build a House of God, you are working against the devil.”
He said the chapel was a reminder of the great things God and Moses did together “because it is through such partnerships that we will build a society, a family and a country”.