26 October 2009

First baptisms for Saibai Island

Saibai Island, Torres Strait
Adele Nash/Sharon Grey

On October 3, five people were baptised on Saibai Island, which is on the northernmost tip of Australia and has a population of 338 people. Another was accepted into church membership on profession of faith. The baptisms of Terry and Molly Waia, Jehmes Waia, and Grace and Bessie Dau were the first to be conducted on the island.

Pastor Chester Stanley, president of the Australian Union Conference (AUC) of Seventh-day Adventists, conducted the baptisms and confirmed Millicent Aniba's profession of faith. The baptisms were held at Mr and Mrs Waia's home, where studies had been held.

They cut an old tank in half to make a font and decorated it in a traditional fashion, according to Steve Piez, director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries (ATSIM) for the AUC. "Quite a number of people from the community participated in the program we held on the Saturday morning," he says.

As well as conducting the baptisms, Pastor Stanley and Mr Piez dedicated 14 children. This was followed by a visit to Hammond Island, where Tony Garnier and Brancis Baira were married in a ceremony performed by Pastor Stanley and Pastor Glenn Grey, who is based on ThursdayIsland and ministers to Torres Strait. Mr Piez says, "Brancis has been wanting to be baptised for quite a while. Following the vows on the beach, we baptised her in her wedding dress."

She shared her testimony with those who had gathered for the ceremony and encouraged them to follow her. Mrs Garnier has also made a commitment to help Pastor Grey with outreach to her local community.

In February this year, Pastor Don Fehlberg, associate director of ATSIM, conducted an outreach campaign in Torres Strait. The baptisms are a result of this. Mr Waia is the former commissioner for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in Torres Strait and was involved in the campaign.

Pastor Fehlberg says of Mr Waia, "It was good to have a man of his standing supporting us. He got up every night and welcomed the people. He had the last word at the end
of the meeting and encouraged them to come again, bring their friends and listen to the messages. He told them it was the coming of Christianity that brought peace to the islands and this was following on in that tradition."

Pastor Fehlberg conducted the week-long campaign in Kubin village on Moa Island. Following this, 28 people requested Bible studies and, according to Pastor Fehlberg, a further six people have expressed an interest in being baptised. Pastor Grey has studied with the people and regularly visits them to encourage them. Pacific Yacht Ministries (PYM) has also been involved in providing spiritual mentoring. The Northern Australia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has worked to provide a Bible worker for the area and Sigila Paleso, a fourth-year Avondale College student, will fill this role.

Pastor Fehlberg says, "It's all happened because of our folk on Moa Island sharing their faith with friends and family on Saibai. They asked us to come to the island to run the program."

There are further plans for outreach campaigns to be run in the region. Pastor Fehlberg says, "I'm going back to Saibai in March next year. Then I'll be going to Boigu Island, which is close to Papua New Guinea. Right opposite that is a treaty village and we have an Adventist presence there, apparently. We hope our Adventist folk can come across and follow things up."

Mr Piez estimates that there are 5000 people in the region who could be introduced to the Adventist message. PYM has been working with local councils in the area and have arranged for 3ABN downlinks to be established on Saibai with Pastor Grey. Licences have also been obtained to broadcast 3ABN radio.

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