Our Stories
The Participants
I started to write this article on the final day of the basic computing course for Madang Evangelical Brotherhood Church (EBC). This particular training brings the total number of BCTs offered this year to nine. Four were cancelled or delayed due to conflicting dates of various churches with the 2015 Tek Ministri’s ministry plan. As a result we found ourselves in a situation of ongoing travel and training with a week and a couple of days in the office.
Women participants during night session.
At this point in my typing I pause to thank God for all your faithful prayers which keep us going; phone calls and text messages from families and individual MAF Technologies(formerly CRMF) staff members. The Lord bless your heart for supporting the team while out in the field.
Thank you for all your moral support via the waves of technology. The continuous delivery has brought us to a point where the only strength to go on can only come from God.
I reflect on the meaning of the words of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
We are in no way like what Paul was going through when he inked this popular verse but the truth of this Scripture has helped us on many occasions to keep delivering.
These courses have broaden my knowledge of the colossal need for basic computing skills for the faithful church workers in Papua New Guinea. Offering them within Goroka area and other Provinces like East Sepik, Madang and Enga paints a picture of the many that will need basic computing skills.
Participants working on their own projects on the third day of training.
A scenario that has focused into view as we continue to conduct more and more courses is a term called “Technical Orphans”. The secular world has taped into this situation and is making money because it knows that computing skills is now a requirement for white collar employment. Our technical orphans who participate in this course we offer are experienced church pastors and ministry leaders who are fruits of the spread of the Gospel here in our country.
I believe many people will go to heaven because of these faithful workers who have walked the remote places of our country’s rugged terrain to preach the good news.
The churches that Tek Ministri deals with, know that the basic computing skill is now a needed tool for evangelism in today’s church. It is not a white or a blue collared job but a much higher employment known as “blessed feet”: As it is written in Romans 10:15b
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
A participant figuring out a comfortable way to use the mouse pad.
Localization of church leadership in PNG has been the major contributing factor for “breeding” technical orphans (my observation). I am pretty sure that if a survey was to be conducted, my observation would be accurate to some extent.
The second contributing factor is that our country is experiencing a rapid growth of gadgets that are necessary for fast
and efficient way of doing business. We thank God that he has allowed us to handle His business in the same stride as the rest of the global village. Because PNG has become a global village overnight, the urgency to train and equip pastors and ministry leaders is ever pressing.
The focus then is to make sure that all participants involved have a common goal and that is, to see the Gospel of our Lord Jesus preached to everyone. You can be a participant to impact the ministry of the faithful pastors that attend the courses through prayer, giving, training and supporting in various ways.
Rapid typing Tutor program is also taught to help with typing skills.
Our mission is to keep on praying and giving as we train and equip “the participant” who will make an impact for the soul that needs saving.