By Bradley Mariori
The Boana District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea marked its 100th anniversary of receiving God’s word this month.
The week-long celebration took place at Sintogura village, nestled in the mountains of Erap, and saw the participation of over 1,000 believers.
Attendees came from the 20 parishes of ELC Boana, including Nabak, Wain and Erap in Morobe.
They gathered to partake in thanksgiving, bible study, and to witness the unveiling of the ‘Gospel 100 Years’ monument on Mt Nayasong.
The event also saw the launch of the ELC Boana District history books.
Reverend Hans Giegere, Head of the ELCPNG Evangelism Department, reminded the attendees to keep the gospel vibrant in their daily lives by adhering to God’s word and evangelizing to others.
Rev Giegere recounted the challenges faced by early missionaries in bringing God’s word to the people of ELC Boana and said their journey was fought with challenges, navigating high mountains, deep valleys, swift rivers, dense jungles, rugged terrains, and slippery paths.
He emphasized the importance of reflecting on the history of how the gospel reached their villages and the individuals who introduced and preached it to them.