Okapa faithful witness church opening

Faith, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday July 18th, 2013

 HUNDREDS of followers of the Good News Christian church and people from surrounding villages flocked into Hanifi village in the Moke-Keiyagana LLG, Okapa district, Eastern Highlands, to celebrate the opening of a new church building.

The opening attracted pastors, leaders and church workers from around the country, including Nipa, in the Southern Highlands, where the church started operations in the 1950s.

Church leader and spokesman Pr Rex Epi said they had come a long way with the aim of establishing churches in rural areas, and helping with the development of human resources.

“We not only establish churches and preach good news, but assist with human resource development as well, especially in literacy teaching, so that not only members of the church can be taught the basics of literacy, but locals of rural villages will participate and benefit from the literacy teaching,” Epi said.

He said after the opening of the church at Hanafi, the Good News Christian church, a registered member of the Evangelical Alliance of PNG (EA), had 152 churches with more than 72,000 followers around PNG.

Church elder and general secretary Norman Ba’abi, who officiated at the opening ceremony, praised the locals for their support in establishing the church in their village.

He urged the villagers to work in partnership and take ownership of the church and support its operation in Hanafi village.