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You are here: Home -> Current Fields -> Papua New Guinea -> Bible School Development - July-August 2010
Development at the Bible SchoolJuly-August 2010Uploaded: 5 September 2010
Story by Richard J. Carver
The first stage of the Bible School construction is the building of a Bible School Residence. This is to enable a missionary to live on the Bible School compound and care for the students and property, and to provide extra accommodation for AIM workers and teachers coming to teach in the Bible School. Along with this, we will shortly be turning our attention toward dormitories to house boarding students. Since many of the students will be coming from the far corners of this remote country, it is very important to get this facet of the Bible School up and running. For that very reason we were privileged to have my Dad and brother-in-law Rick arrive... to begin the construction work at the Bible School. Dad and Rick arrived near the end of June, laden down with heavy excess baggage full of tools for the work ahead. It was Rick's first time up to the Highlands of Papua New Guinea; he had been previously to Port Moresby down on the coast, but never up to the centre of the country where the Headquarters and Bible School are.
Just before they arrived, we called a workday, and about 50 young men from Chimbu and the Eastern Highlands came to the Bible School grounds and dug like mad. We had staked out the areas where the septic tanks and soak pits would go. Within the day, they had dug out the trenches and hole so neatly that when Rick arrived he said it was the neatest job he had ever seen... neater than any backhoe could do. The kit for the residence arrived just afterwards, and we all got very busy working on cementing in the posts. This was the first time that any of us had attempted to construct a project like this on our own without a qualified construction supervisor overseeing the work - however, we had gained valuable knowledge through the construction of the large Fiji Bible College project in the late 1990s, and both Rick & Dad had experience in working in the trades, so it was a challenge that, although daunting, was something that we strongly felt "we are more than able". It was a very special time for both Rick and the people of PNG. They consider Rick as their "brother-in-law", because my sister Rachel grew up in PNG. The relationship is more than just talk - it is a true familial bond. Everyone who met him called him "Tambu" (in-law), and he was the hero of the worksite. The people were so happy and grateful to have him come to help the Church in PNG, and it was so heartwarming to be a part of such a wonderful meeting between Rick and the dear saints of New Guinea. Over the next four weeks we worked long hours to accomplish as much as possible in the time that Dad was here. Rick's plumbing knowledge was invaluable, and before he left we managed to get all of the main plumbing work done. The roof and walls went up quickly too, because many of the timbers were pre-cut and wall panels pre-made. The part which amazed me is how all this has come together. This is not just a last-minute idea, but a result of plans and visions over the last few years. Most of the equipment, power tools, etc that we are using to build the residence were purchased by Dad over two years ago and shipped up to PNG with this project in mind. Only just now are the results becoming visible to the eyes of people... but the preparations were started and envisioned many months ago. Without all this forward planning and preparation by our General Superintendent, completing the construction would have been nigh impossible. Thank you Dad for all the effort you put in! Thanks for your vision for the work in PNG! The other exciting thing that we have purchased for the project is a block-making machine, which will enable us to make our own concrete blocks, reducing costs substantially for the rest of the project.
By the end of Dad and Rick's time here, the house was looking complete from the outside, with all the major work finished. It is now left up to me and Bro Gration to finish off the internals. We had a very moving farewell lunch the day before Rick & Dad left, and many tears were shed. We finished with a bow-and-arrow shooting session, with Rick for the first time trying to shoot a native PNG bow, and some of the men displaying their marksmanship. We all laughed together, cried together, built together, and made life-long memories. The building work is wonderful, but the main thing that impressed us even more was the spirit of the people. This is the first building project that the church in PNG has undertaken on their own initiative, and provided the majority of funds for. That in itself is spectacular. It really moved us to see a workforce of as many as 20 men turn up to the worksite each day, ready to get the job done. They came of their own accord - no one specifically asked them to - it was of their own free will. Many of them sent their wives off to the market to sell vegetables so that the husbands could give 100% of their time to the building work. What's even more remarkable is that when offered a small 'remuneration' or reward for their work, all of the workers refused to take any money for their work. Their response was "we cannot receive any payment for our work - we are doing this for our children and our grandchildren, and that our country may hear the Good News through the thousands of students who will come through this Bible College". The workers gave of their labours freely; landowners who live by rivers gave of their sand and gravel at no charge; the ladies from the local churches freely came and cooked lunch for them every day. Not only did they ladies come to cook lunch, but while they were waiting for the lunch to cook, they loaded up wheelbarrows and bags with stones to carry to dump in the Soak Pit, and carried sheets of plywood and timber up to the building site. The whole church in PNG is extremely excited about the major development happening at the Bible School, and also about the major change in attitude they feel in the church here that is enabling this project to become a reality. But this is only the first stage... as soon as the Residence is finished (hopefully by September 2010), we want to begin on the student dormitories. After this will be dining halls, classrooms, and other things which are needed to transform the Bible School here into the sized operation which is needed for this large country. PNG, through its "Thanksgiving Day" fundraising, has raised a large amount of money for this project, but to continue developing beyond this point, we need financial help now (read more). If you can do anything to help, many souls in PNG will be eternally grateful. Please follow this link to see how you can be an eternal part of the work in Papua New Guinea. May God bless you. - Richard J. Carver
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Prayer Requests Ongoing request - Uphold our National Leaders, missionaries and Aimers Ongoing request - Pray for churches in outlying islands and areas of the country. We NeedNeed 1 - School fees are needed for the two children of our AIMER Richard and Andrea Carver. Need 2 - PNG needs your help to continue the Bible School development. Click here to see how you can be a part of this exciting development program. Assist us with our needs |
Come for a visit to Papua New Guinea and it won't take long to sense that the biggest need in the Church is Bible School. This has been one battlefront where the Enemy has fought particularly hard... and the one area in which the whole future of PNG rests. Because of its vital importance, the Church in PNG has made this its priority (see 
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