01 March 2018
‘Offer comfort and support to one another’ calls the United Church Bishop of Hela in the wake of Monday’s earthquake
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"People are shocked and traumatized by the serious events of early Monday morning and households continue to sleep outside for fear of aftershocks going on," said the bishop of Hela Region, Bishop Wai Tege.
Bishop Tege was reaching out to provide comfort and support during this difficult time. "The people of the highlands are not used to the impact of natural disasters, and this earthquake of magnitude 7.5 took everyone by surprise," he said.
"The last major earthquake hit the highlands region, according to Geo Risks Management Division of the Department of mineral policy and Geo Risks Management, was in 1922 -. Almost a century ago "
"Now is the time to comfort one another and build each other," continued the bishop Tege, quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
"Many people seek spiritual guidance in this time of great sorrow and uncertainty, and we must all remain calm and work together to offer support."
Bishop Tege was speaking after a first meeting with the Office and representatives of the United Church, Hela Region, stranded in Port Moresby, after closing Tari Airport United Church after Monday's earthquake.
The United Church in Papua New Guinea is establishing church-led response centres in Tari, Hela Province and Mendi, Southern Highlands, to coordinate initial needs assessments and, with the assistance of the six other member churches of the Church Partnership Program, to collaboratively share church actions and to plan for the coordinated response and recovery efforts.
“As one united body for Christ, we come together to offer prayers and practical actions. We must give time to listen to one another, to share each other’s pain and provide help where we can.
Our faith offers us hope at this difficult and challenging time. ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed’ 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9.”
I membri della Chiesa programma di partenariato sono la Chiesa Anglicana di Papua Nuova Guinea, Unione Battista di Papua Nuova Guinea, Chiesa cattolica, Chiesa Luterana, Esercito della Salvezza, Avventisti del Settimo Giorno e Stati Chiesa in Papua Nuova Guinea.
