Our Stories
Counting Computers?

Pastor Nick receiving his certificate from Brian and Lina.
While the rest of Eastern Highlands Province were focused on the Nation Sports Institute (NSI) for the counting process and its results, a local Lutheran Renewal Church (LRC) were busy preparing for a basic computer course. When communicating with Pastor Nick Hoebapa to determine if it was a good time to conduct the workshop in the middle of the counting period, he affirmed that his participants are more keen to have the computer training even though the hustle of the counting process and its results.
Due to the period and season of the National Elections this year, we have less number of workshops to conduct and it seems like by the end of the year we may have delivered only seven which is less than our average of nine to ten.

Bryan thanking the church for the partnership and the opportunity to train the workers for ministry.
The Lutheran Renewal Church at Fimito is about 15 minutes drive from our Communications Center and our route to the training venue would take us pass a security check point.
The first day was filled with drama. We had two boxes loaded with laptops for the training. while traveling down to Fimito – the training venue, I stopped at the check point expecting a thumbs up to drive on but the security officer signaled us to pull over.
He says to me, “We need to check your boxes.” I realized at that moment that this was election period and “any box” must be checked!
Hijacking of ballot papers continues to be a major concern in Papua New Guinea and so our box of laptops were checked and cleared by the security.
This little incident also gave me an opportunity to make a one minute awareness to the police officer that we were preparing to conduct a basic computer course for the pastors and ministry leaders and the officer says to me, “Sori boss, mipela bihainim policy” (My apologies boss, we are just following orders).
I drove away satisfied that the officer was committed to his task, (a little delay though) but we were also committed to ours. Pastor Nick was also committed to his part by making sure that his participants received basic computer training. We can truly make a difference when everyone is committed to doing what is expected of them.

Amamo Taima doing her presentation.
The eighteen participants who attended, successfully completed their training. Three of the graduands did power point presentations showing the church and the community of the skills that they have gained during the graduation day.
One of the speakers representing the National President of Lutheran Renewal Church of PNG highlighted a need for technology when he shared about a Papua New Guinean missionary
serving overseas who had difficulty using social media to communicate back home. Speaking to the graduands and the community he stressed the importance of basic training like computer training skills for use in overseas ministry.
As facilitators involved in a ministry that is assisting the Churches in Papua New Guinea with technology, we learnt about this need of contributing computer skills towards our national missionaries who were sent overseas.

Julie Manime challenging the church and community with her presentation on Noah’s flood.
Meanwhile we are committed to pastors and ministry leaders like Pastor Nick.
He and his team were prepared to invest time and make it a priority for the computer training that will make an everlasting impact in the lives of people than over seasonal happenings like the National Elections.
Thank you again for your commitment in praying and supporting MAF Technologies (formerly CRMF) Ministry as we continue to assist churches with the use of technology.
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