3 March 2009

Adventist Church in PNG destroyed by floods

Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea
Wako Napasu/Melody Tan

The Lower Tuman Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea, has been destroyed by floodwaters that have ravaged the Western Highlands province and left hundreds homeless.

Three months of continuous rains have caused a river to change its course, and is now heading straight into the Lower Tuman Adventist church building.

"This is the worst downpour ever recorded in the history of the highlands of Papua New Guinea," says Wako Napasu. "We also have a company church in Kindeng and it is on the verge of collapsing. Church members are watching helplessly as their beautiful church is washed away."

Floodwaters have also destroyed the church pastor's garden, designed to support his family of nine.

According to Mr Napasu, children have resorted to swimming to school as roads have been covered by floodwaters. The community is also unable to harvest any of the coffee crops to pay for essentials.

"Banana, coffee, other trees crops and greens, vegetables and fruits trees have been covered by water for two months now," says Mr Napasu. "Residents are hoping that the water will dry out soon but more and more water keeps on coming in and adds up each day. This is real disaster."

Mr Yura Meck, elder of the Lower Tuman Adventist Church has been appointed the chairman of the community's disaster committee. On 22 February 2009, church members tried to divert the floodwaters away from the Lower Tuman Adventist Church but failed due to strong currents.