Papua New Guinea

Oct 30 2010

Technology

What do we think of when hearing the word technology?

I think I heard the term best described as “stuff that has been invented in my lifetime”. For me I grew up with television, it was no big deal. But getting a colour TV was massive. It arrived the week that the Olympic games in Montreal began. I still remember the opening ceremony. I remember my last year of high school the school bought a video recorder – a huge device capable of recording things off tv.

For my kids who have grown up with these things…………………….and, internet, mobile phones, mobile internet, digital video, pens that record video etc etc I am interested in the things they will call technology.

Technology is really anything that we use to get something done. God used the technology of some stone tablets to communicate some laws to man. The apostle Paul used the technology of letters when he wrote to the churches he visited and couldnt return in person to. Neil Armstrong used the technology of video and long distance comms to transmit tv pictures of man stepping on the moon’s surface for the first time.

A man was carried for three days on the stretcher in the photo below to reach a remote airstrip in Papua New Guinea. While most likely not the most comfortable three days he’s ever had I guarantee he was thankful for the technology of that stretcher. Was he aware of the radio technology used to communicate with the MAF aircraft? How much did he appreciate the technology of the aircraft itself? The technology used by doctors in treating him?

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Jun 22 2010

MAF Learning Technologies – Papua New Guinea

Last month I spent two weeks in Papua New Guinea. My time was split with MAF IT tasks, MAF LT tasks and three days as acting Program Manager for MAF.

While in PNG I met with:

  • PNG Bible Society
  • Leaders from the Baptist Union of PNG
  • Staff from the Christian Leaders Training Centre (CLTC)
  • Staff from New Tribes Mission
  • Staff and management committee of CRMF (Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship)
  • MAF Papua New Guinea Board
  • John Kupp, Senior Pastor PNG Christian Centres
  • Staff from MAF Papua New Guinea

The MAF LT component of my visit was to share with various groups of people the ministry of MAF Learning Technologies. It is important at this stage of the ministry in Asia Pacific for our staff and those connected closely to us, that it is clear what MAF Learning Technologies ministry looks like so they can communicate to others and potential partners the ministry services and vision.

The most common need described to me was for resources. Learning materials (printed or digital), Bible studies, courses. When I talked about audio resources such as sermons, books, Bibles there was a great amount of interest. The barrier here appears to be access. For example, many of the MAF national staff can afford an MP3 player, but cant access audio Bibles or teachings – and want to! Internet accessible resources are not an option to them dial-up is slow and unreliable, broadband is new and very expensive, VSAT remains the best option for the near future although Telikom now provides a 3G/CDMA USB modem wireless service which is providing good speeds, but still an expensive option for people in PNG, internet cafes where the public can get online are as rare as a coconut in Antarctica. Christian bookshops have music CDs but not teaching. Digital audio players called the Proclaimer are being distributed by the PNG Bible Society (on behalf of Faith Comes by Hearing), but no-one I talked to had heard of them or seen any such device around Goroka or Mt Hagen. Feeding resources for ministry is certainly a service being sought by the Church there.

Philip Bungo, CLTC TEE coordinator, was very interested in DEScribe/DEViewer to put some of his TEE material into a digital format. He gave me some of his learning material so that it could be put into DEViewer as a demonstration of concept this may become a project for the CRMF Learning technologies position holder. CLTC have over 1000 students doing their TEE courses (each under K40 in cost) and believe they would have many more if others in remote, poor communities could afford the fees.

I gave Richard Wali from Papua New Guinea Bible Society a GoBible (audio NIV NT in English, with scripture, stories, key verses available from the menu) which I bought while in the USA. I was prompted by their desire to reach out to the youth of PNG with audio New Testaments, and to develop audio NT in Tok Ples (mother tongue languages) for people in remote areas.

The church leaders I met host conferences annually for their pastors and typically cannot have all pastors come into the conference both groups of church leaders I met with showed interest in the concept of recording conference speakers and distributing via MP3 or CD. Again their need was for resources audio or written. John Kupp is running a Bible College in Mt Hagen for a small number of students, but the college lacks formal structure, course curriculum planning and material, and is probably typical of many small Bible Colleges being run by churches in PNG.

Nikolai Ballin (wife of MAF pilot Brad) attended an STS Workshop in 2009 in the USA and has since run a brief introduction to orality teaching technique with her home group. She is very keen to co-ordinate an STS Workshop in Mt Hagen once suitable dates for the program are advised by program management. Other MAF staff were also interested in learning oral teaching strategies.

MAF learning technologies can certainly meet some of the needs in Papua New Guinea. Whether by equipping the isolated church or equipping our staff in order that they may provide spiritual leadership within their communities. CRMF have budgetted for a Learning Technologies position on their staff and I believe this person will assume responsibility for co-ordinating MAF Learning Technologies ministry projects within PNG.

Please give thanks and pray with me:

  • For continued contact with people we can serve and minister to in Papua New Guinea
  • For the future MAF LT country co-ordinator for Papua New Guinea
  • For the enthusiasm and excitement showed by many who heard of the various MAF LT ministry services
  • That we can connect people in PNG to other ministries willing to serve the people in PNG

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Jun 22 2010

MAF Learning Technologies – Papua New Guinea

Last month I spent two weeks in Papua New Guinea. My time was split with MAF IT tasks, MAF LT tasks and three days as acting Program Manager for MAF.

While in PNG I met with:

  • PNG Bible Society
  • Leaders from the Baptist Union of PNG
  • Staff from the Christian Leaders Training Centre (CLTC)
  • Staff from New Tribes Mission
  • Staff and management committee of CRMF (Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship)
  • MAF Papua New Guinea Board
  • John Kupp, Senior Pastor PNG Christian Centres
  • Staff from MAF Papua New Guinea

The MAF LT component of my visit was to share with various groups of people the ministry of MAF Learning Technologies. read more…

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May 28 2010

Bible Training – Papua New Guinea

On Friday I visited the Christian Leaders Training College (CLTC) in Banz, Papua New Guinea.

I met with Mr Philip Bungo who is the co-ordinator for the TEE (Theological Education by Extension) program being run by CLTC.
CLTC has designed this program to cater for lay workers, elders, pastors, local Bible school teachers, and church leaders to study towards their “Certificate of Christian Foundations”.

“The need for sound Biblical teaching and training of Christian leadership is one of the most urgent issues in our country and the South Pacific Islands today” says Mr Bungo. Mr Bungo came to Christ through studying a TEE course when in prison many years ago.

The Certificate of Christian Foundations is a course which is designed to integrate Biblical knowledge to equip and enable a student to become a true disciple of Christ. The courses also equip a student to minister to their churches and families. Students are able to learn in their home community and not leave home or travel across PNG to study. This also allows students to remain active in ministry while they study.

There are three main components of TEE study:

  1. Home Study – a goal set of one unit per week (approx. 4 hours) with students studying at home using learning material provided by CLTC. Workbooks contain learning notes, questions and revision tasks
  2. Practical Assignments – Each unit of study has a project or practical assignment to be done i order to put their learning into practice.
  3. Regular Small Group Seminars – these provide opportunity for students to share together what they have been learning. Led by a tutor, these groups are occasions of mutual encouragement, fellowship and spiritual growth.

He currently has over 1000 students across the country studying various courses on topics including:

  • Discipleship
  • Worship
  • Marriage and Family Life
  • Life of Christ
  • Childrens Ministry
  • and 11 other topics

Each of these courses costs less than PGK40 (40 Kina is about AUD$17) and yet despite the low costs many Papua New Guineans in remote areas simply cant afford to take the courses. If you are prompted to help support the training of isolated PNG church leaders by covering their costs for some or all of their TEE courses contact me. The courses are made available in both English and Tok Pisin and can be studied in a group of 7 – 12 led by a tutor or in isolated student mode.

As these students grow spiritually, the Church in Papua New Guinea becomes more spiritually mature and better equipped to be used by God to reveal Himself to others.

Pray that all those wanting to study, learn and grow will be able to with the removal of whatever barriers they face.

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