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Bro Pai teaching the ministry and me translating

Rev. Paitadra's tour of PNG

April 20 - May 24, 2009

Uploaded: 9 July 2009

• Be sure to view more photos from this story
• Read the "story behind this story" in my AIM Newsletter

Story by Richard Carver (Jnr)

Papua New Guinea was blessed greatly during the month of May. The reason was because we had a month-long visit from an old friend and man of God, Rev. Selome Paitadra from Fiji.

Bro. Pai had previously been to PNG with his wife for the National Ladies Conference last year. At that time, he voiced his desire to return to conduct Ministers Seminars around the country.

We gave Bro Pai the option of either staying in one place for the month and teaching, or travelling to each major centre and conducting seminars. He elected to do the latter, and so we planned an intense travelling schedule for him, with one week in each of the five main centres. We knew this would be a major blessing to the church in PNG, because the outlying regions have not had the same amount of input as Goroka. The ministers in the other areas (Port Moresby, Lae, Kundiawa and Hagen), were very excited at the prospect of an overseas Guest Speaker trekking through the backbone of the country to come and minister in their Regions.

He started in Port Moresby, with our General Secretary Digi Sinakadi joining him, for a week of night-time Ministers Seminars. Having blessed the Port Moresby ministers, he then took the plane up to meet me in the Highlands, and that's when our journeys really begun.

Ministers, Leaders and saints at Kundiawa

Our first destination was the coastal city of Lae. The Northern Presbyter, Bro James Hasu, had organised a good venue for the seminars, and we were very suprised to see a large number of ministers and leaders already gathered when we arrived. We had an absolutely wonderful time with them, and Bro Pai ministered to the heart and needs of the ministers and leaders. I translated for him, and after the very first session, there was a great deal of exictment buzzing in the hall as the ministers digested the spiritual food that Bro Pai was serving up. It was like this in every place we went too.

But while the spiritual side was wonderful, on the physical side there were battles. Firstly, our accommodation which we had pre-booked, was given away to someone else when we arrived. We had to madly rush around looking for alternatives - not many in Lae. Bro Pai had money stolen from his bag, the power went off, and we sweltered in the unrelenting heat. To make it worse, during our time in Lae I had to get the car brake repairs (because Lae is the only place that can grind rotors). We dropped it into the repair shop, and because we had no transport and were a long way from home, we sat down in an air-conditioned cafe and waited a full 8 hours for the car to be ready. But when we picked it up, the brakes were worse that before! So then next day we were back to the repair shop... and, another patient 8 hour wait in the same cafe... and after two days and two attempts, the car was fixed.

After Lae, we went to Kundiawa, then Mt. Hagen, then Goroka, and Bro Pai's travels were finished. But in each location, he ministered powerfully and taught the ministry vital principles. Many ministers came to me afterward, saying what a huge blessing he had been, and how they want him to come back and teach more.

Bro Pai opened a new church outside Mt. Hagen

The seminar at Kundiawa was a great blessing, with over 500 people coming along. It was intended just for ministry and leadership, but many saints and church members begged to be allowed to join in since it had been such a long time since they had had something like this happen in their region.

Our time and Mt. Hagen too was a great blessing, and we felt a wonderful unity of the spirit amongst the ministry. While we were there, we were invited to open a new church building. We drove out into a small village, alongside a small creek, and saw a newly-constructed grass-hut church building. Tears came to Bro Pai's eyes as he walked down the rows of saints throwing flowers to cut the ribbon. He told me afterward that it reminded him of his early ministry in Fiji, when the church was young and unsophisticated, and he travelled around the country starting churches and constructing church buildings similar to the one he was know opening. It touched his heart greatly.

For our time in Mt. Hagen, we were joined by Bro Nathan Henderson, a friend from Australia who came up to PNG to spend some time with us. Bro Nathan travelled with us and ministered with Bro Pai in both Mt. Hagen and Goroka, and also was a great blessing to the ministry. It was his first time to preach with a translator, but he fitted in naturally and ministered from his heart, and was great benefit to the series of seminars.

Bro Pai left, and Bro Nathan finished off the series of seminars by preaching in the last region, Eastern Highlands. It was a great time and a blessing.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the seminars, and have begged for more in the near future. There are more photos of our travels so be sure to view them. Also, in my AIM Newsletter, I share "the story behind the story" - some very diverse experiences that we went through during Bro Pai's visit. I'm sure you'll enjoy reading them too. (read more)

- Richard Carver Jnr

• Be sure to view more photos of our PNG Tour with Bro Pai & Bro Nathan
• Read the "story behind the story" in my AIM Newsletter

Bro Nathan Henderson receiving a gift	Ministers, Leaders and wives at Mt. Hagen

- 12 July 2010

• Carver's 2nd Qtr PIM Newsletter [more]
• Richard & Andrea's May Newsletter [more]
• Carver's 1st Qtr PIM Newsletter [more]
• Inspirational Story: A Handful of Grain [more]

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June-July 2010 - Pray for Fiji Bible Teacher and Evangelist Rev Paitradra as he ministers and travels the country

June-July 2010 - Strength and wisdom to all those doing the construction on the building complex at the Bible School

Ongoing request - Uphold our National Leaders, missionaries and Aimers

Ongoing request - Pray for churches in outlying islands and areas of the country.

Need 1 - School fees are needed for the two children of our AIMER Richard and Andrea Carver.
Can you assist with this in any way? Please send your offerings to AIM account # 707

Assist us with our needs

November 2009 - The Peter Gration family have completed their fundraising in the USA and are on their return journey to PNG. We thank the Lord and those that have supported them. It will be wonderful for PNG to have another missionary family again.

October 2009 - The Richard Carver jnr. family have also returned to PNG after the birth of our grandaughter, Hannah born in July 2009.