Global Mission Committee

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2004 PNG Trip

Seven from VA Synod visited Papua New Guinea in July 2004

 

Rev. Chip Gunsten and Kris Gunsten, Rev. Dick Giessler and Diane Giessler, Karen Mayer, Ann Mitchell and Judy Wagner St. Pierre spent two weeks in Papua New Guinea. They had a quick tour of the capitol city, Port Moresby, during a short layover waiting for a flight to Lae. On the left is the parliament building and on the right is a view of Port Moresby.

 

 

In Lae, where the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG headquarters is located, within that compound, they saw the two school buildings that were built with funds raised by the Virginia Synod Youth and toured the Martin Luther Seminary.

 

They also participated in the annual anniversary celebration of when the Lutheran Church was formed in PNG at a nearby soccer stadium. Dr. Noko, Gen. Sec’y, of the Lutheran World Federation spoke to the assembly. There was a variety of entertainment with tambourine girls, a conch shell band and bamboo band.

 

 

The Rev. Hynna Motec, president of the New Guinea Islands District accompanied us throughout our visit to that region. Mary Tankulu, an international student from PNG, who graduated from Roanoke College, traveled with our group to her home and family in Bialla.

 

 

First stop was in Kimbe, West New Britain.  Meetings were held at Bethel Lutheran Church where we were warmly greeted by women dancing. Ann Mitchell’s congregation, Holy Trinity in Lynchburg is partnered with Bethel and she brought special greetings to them.

 

 

The Giesslers visited with the Nahavio Parish who is partnered with the Floyd-Willis Parish in Floyd, VA where they are members and are given a royal welcome.

 

 

They are shown the Nahavio church building and were presented a banner to Nahavio that Floyd-Willis youth made for them

 

 

The PNG visitors enjoyed many other things: