THE EVANGELICAL Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea has conducted a confirmation blessing for 42 inmates at Buimo Correctional Service in Lae, Morobe province.
The event took place last month in May 18, 2025 following a similar sort of event in 2023 where 82 inmates received their confirmation.
The event took place in the prison premises after Buimo Prison Chaplain Reverend Martin Moel guide the faithfuls through confirmation lessons. Amongst the prisoners were 12 family members of warders serving at the Buimo Prison.
Reverend Moel said many of the inmates at Buimo jail are Lutheran members and when he was installed as Chaplin there, he did a lot of research to find out how he can work with inmates.
He said apart from his pastoral duties of preaching during Sunday fellowships and conducting other related church activities in the prison, he also personally visited inmates in their cell blocks and share God’s Word with them.
Moel pointed out that it was very challenging to work with discipline forces and institution like Buimo prison as they have their daily schedules to strictly follow.
However, it took him a while to slowly get to know the inmates and God did it all by touching the lives of many inmates who were gang leaders in each cell blocks who changed and accepted the role as spiritual leaders.
He said these spiritual leaders played an important role in the prison and he has schedules into each cellblocks conducting fellowships, do counselling and even give communion to those inmates who already recieved their confirmation.
He said the first confirmation class took nine months to be completed while the second confirmation class is one year and three months due to security issues.
Rev Moel said 105 names were confirmed for confirmation class and along the way 93 inmates left because they got transferred to another prisons, some complete their jail or were allowed bail leaving only 40 inmates recieving their confirmation blessing.
ELCPNG Head Bishop Reverend Dr. Jack Urame was part of the confirmation service.
Rev Urame said God loves us all and send Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so we have the duty to love and do good to everyone.
He also told those receiving their confirmation blessing that they have renewed their relationship with God and decided to walk the journey of Christian faith so despite being in prison, they must have faith, wait on God and love others which is the greatest commandment from God.
Buimo CS commander Superintendent Michael Wundia thanked ELCPNG and Rev Moel for the work he has been doing at Buimo.
