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 Mission Eine Welt (One World Mission) Neuendettelsau
Germany
The Lutheran University of Papua New Guinea Delegation was warmly met at
the airport in Nuremberg by Rev. Paulsteiner and Rev. Stahl late in the evening of April 29th and then transported to Neuendettelsau. The delegation immediately felt at home with
the kind hospitality, good meals, PNG artifacts, and communication in Pidgin by most of the pastors and their wives at the
centre.
Mission Eine Welt has an impressive mission centre and a long history
of significant involvement in Papua New Guinea. Over its history more than 1080
Missionaries have been sent from Germany to USA, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Latin America, Africa and China.
The Mission Eine Welt has sent over 130 missionaries to Papua New Guinea and currently has over 60 missionaries throughout
the world.
Rev. Dr. Traugott Farnbacher the Director
for Papua New Guinea/Pacific/East Asia kindly welcomed the delegation and voiced several concerns regarding mission work in
Papua New Guinea. Two major concerns included:
- Concerns over law and
order issues in Lae, Moresby and Mount Hagen
- Concerns regarding the difficulties and delays
in getting work permits for missionaries indicating that the process can take six months or more.
On April 30th the PNG Delegation Met with Rev. Peter Weigald
the Director of Mission One World and Mr. Jochen Kronester the Head Financial Officer for One World.
Rev. Dr. Traugott Farnbacher again welcomed and introduced the delegation. He emphasized that One World is an official
partner that can only second ELC-PNG and work strictly within ELC-PNG policies.
Mr. Rimbink Pato made a presentation
that began with a word of prayer from Rev. Wenge. Mr. Pato presented two gifts of Papua New Guinean Art to the One World
Mission.
Mr. Pato extended a sincere word of thanks
for the extensive work done by the German partner churches in Papua New Guinea and especially in the area of training and
infrastructure development.
Secondly he indicated that it is now Papua New Guinea’s obligation to
assume the responsibility for these resources and to care for these well-established assets. It is now the right time
to go one step further and make a firm commitment to improve existing infrastructure especially at Balob Teacher’s College
and Martin Luther Seminary. Moreover, Mr. Pato stated that we must now add to what has already been done by the churches
partners and at the same time remain committed to keeping the fine Lutheran traditions, policies and practices of the Church.
Mr. Pato expressed his desire to do what is right and good for the church
and the country of Papua New Guinea.
Mr. Pato explained that he felt a God-given responsibility to
serve the Church by establishing a new university and noted that in 2005 the ELC- PNG Synod reaffirmed approval and himself
as chairman to continue the churches work toward the development of the Lutheran University.
Mr. Pato made
it clear that the university project would work closely with all the churches partners and especially with the Lutheran Church
Australia, as it was the closest geographical partner. In particular the University will be working with the Australian Lutheran College in Adelaide on curriculum development in for Theological Education and is working with Murdoch regarding the development and expansion of
the Primary Education program.
The university would focus on programs that would best serve grassroots and
rural area needs in Papua New Guinea with a special emphasis on Early Childhood
programs and agribusiness and nursing. Agribusiness would assist rural
areas with sustainability farming and cash crops such as coffee, sugar, and cocoa. Nursing programs would focus on issues that are of concern in rural areas such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
A Secondary Education After Degree with an emphasis on Literacy is also being planned.
He indicated that the
government of Papua New Guinea has done its work to properly prepare Papua New Guinea to receive its seventh University.
The Government is fully aware of the demand for this university with 12,000 grade twelve leavers and only 6000 university
and college spaces available. Current demographics indicated that the number of grade twelve leavers would increase
in coming years as the PNG population is growing. Legislation has been passed and 3,000,000 kina has been allocated
and dispersed for training and capacity building. These funds would be used to set up broadband facilities and postgraduate
work online.
Additional funding would be sourced from China, The European Union, AusAid, etc and would be
needed to build classrooms, libraries, lecture theatres and for Repair and Maintenance of existing facilities. The Government
has indicated a strong willingness to support LUPNG donor funding efforts.
Mr. Pato reported that land and
asset ownership issues are resolved and remain firmly with the church. Assets will remain in place and will be built upon
and improved.
Mr. Pato reported on the issue of sustainability for the University project. He made
the following four points
Lutheran University of PNG will
focus on quality and high standards and therefore will be able to set fees at a premium. The demand for quality education
will generate recurrent cash flow through school fees.
Donor agencies are always means of ongoing support.
The Lutheran University is part of the National Public Investment
Program as the paper work is right and checks and balances are in place. Good documentation, credibility, integrity,
and transparency will allow the University to remain part of the Government’s Investment program and therefore annual
government budgetary support will be available.
A Charity
Trust provision is part of the LUPNG statute passed by the Parliament of Papua New Guinea that enables approaches to
individuals and corporations to make tax-deductible donations to the University.
Finally Mr. Pato reported
that the time is right for the establishment of a Lutheran University as
provincial support and parliamentary support is firmly in place.
He stated, “We can see a lot of benefits
with little down side”. There is a need for technical assistance, input, and for skills from the church’s
overseas partners.
Open Forum Later Pastors and educators from the One World Mission raised the following questions and concerns in an open forum.
- There is an Ecumenical movement in Europe and the partner church looks for projects
to be ecumenical in nature.
- What would the total cost to operate the University be for a year?
Would the education be affordable for the average Papua New Guinean or would the University add burden to the church?
- How many other Universities are in PNG? Is there a need for another university?
- How
many Students would the University serve?
- In consideration of the ten years to needed to establish
Divine Word… how can LUPNG be established in only a few years?
- Concerns where raised
as to if government funding would be able to support operating costs for theological education and pastoral training.
- Concern was raised that schools and churches in the Morobe province are in desperate need for renovations and for
teachers.
- What are the job opportunities for graduates of the new university? What motivation
would there be for graduates to return to the village after receiving a university education?
Both
Governor Wenge and Mr. Pato responded to raised questions and concerns from either the government’s point of view and
that as promoters of the LUPNG Project.
In the early years the Church built, supplied and maintained the
primary schools, secondary schools and high schools. At that time there was plenty of assistance from overseas partners.
After many of the missionaries returned home and after sometime people did not keep up the work “all went to sleep and
the schools suffered”.
Now the leaders of Papua New
Guinea must take charge. Morobe is a Lutheran Province where more 90% of its population is Lutheran. The
Lutheran primary schools are the property of the government. As such the government provides a 60% subsidy to the schools.
Over 8,000,000 Kina is being spent on infrastructure with significant funds additionally being spent on roads, bridges and
health care.
Governor Wenge indicated that Law and Order would be a priority with additional funding is being
set aside for policing by the Morobe Province.
Pastor Wenge concluded that in the end this is a PNG project for the People of PNG and by the people of PNG. It was stated that the relationship
between missions unlike the past is a two-way relationship. Now the PNG Lutheran Churches are able to contribute in
a meaningful way to world missions.
Other highlights
included:
- Visit of the One World exhibition centre with interactive display of its mission work in PNG and around the world.
- Visit to the Daconic institution in Neuendettelsau, which is an institution of social service with an emphasis on
employing the handicapped in the trade industries.
- Visit to the gravesite of the many missionaries
to pay respect to those who had served in PNG including foundation missionary Rev. John Flierl.
- Visit
to a hospital to pass on well wishes to Pastor Manase from the Morobe Province serving as a missionary in Germany.
- Attended Church service in St. Nikolai
- Excursion to Rothenburg
- Farewell Barbeque
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