Youth conference site cleared, commissioned

THE Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) National Youth Conference site was commissioned over the weekend by Jabem president Rev Yasam Aiwara in Lababia, Salamaua, Morobe.
Aiwara in a short liturgy, commissioned three main areas, the tower, conference hall and the land that would be used for the conference which will be from Sept 22-29.
The surrounding villages within the Malalo circuit of ELC’s Jabem worked together to build more than 50 delegate and VIP houses, the mass, conference hall and the tower.
The people had to clear the area as it was a new site.
ELCPNG national youth director Robert Martin said the conference, the church’s 19th gathering of this type, would be different from previous ones as the facilities were being built specifically for the event.
Martin said they were expecting the youths of Zaya and Lababia to take the lead in the organisation of the event.
Lutheran Shipping’s MV Ialibu was expected to ferry the youths from the 17 districts of ELCPNG from Lae to Lababia for the conference.
Aiwara, with delegates from his district along with the national youth adviser, were there to witness the commissioning.
“During the conference, the youths will cover social and environmental impacts of mining as an issue affecting the communities,” he said.