Pastor Apa’s Story

Shortly after arriving at Kudjip station last August, we met Pastor Apa who was working on the elementary school renovation at the time. His warm welcome and fluent English made for an instant friendship. Recently, we had the privilege to hear his story over lunch.

Born with deformed hands, Apa grew up in a family with four older sisters down the road near Minj. His parents were poor and could not afford to pay the fees to send him to school. Instead, he stayed at home where his parents taught him to work the “old ways of making life”. Later as a child, his older sister invited him to Madang on the north coast of PNG to go to school. Again, because of lack of money to pay school fees, he was in and out of school, and finally gave up after the 8^th grade.

He returned home where he became wrapped up with the community boys. He became a “bully boy” – with bad thoughts, and bad ideas. He began drinking and smoking marijuana, and even his parents became afraid of him. Later, he married and his wife gave birth to their first born son whom they named Bon. In order to provide for his family, Apa and his fellow raskols (criminals) would take their guns down to the road, stop vehicles, and rob passengers. His uncle came to him three times and told him he must stop or the family would call the police and have him arrested.

Apa came to the realization that he needed to start over, and he told his wife they were leaving the area. Apa moved his family up into the mountains, where he built a home, and planted a garden. His wife gave birth to two more sons, Bentolio and Bobby. At the age of 3, Bentolio became very sick, so Apa carried him down the mountain back to Minj for medical care. It was the rainy season, and heavy rains fell day and night. Finally, Apa reached the medical clinic. While Bentolio was recovering, Apa visited his mama, and began gambling with his old friends to pass the time. Finally, the day came when Bentolio was released. Apa planned to stay with his mama that night, but Bentolio was anxious to return home to see his mama. As darkness fell, Apa began the walk back up into the mountains. Without a light, Apa walked on in the darkness, the rains pouring down, little Bentolio asleep on his shoulders. No one else was on the road that night, and Apa had no way of knowing that ahead of him, a landslide had taken out the bridge across the river. Feeling along the road with his feet, Apa began to pray for the first time in his life. Finally in the blackness, he reached the river.  

Stepping onto the bridge that was no longer there, Apa and Bentolio plunged over the edge into the deep water of the flooding river. For 20 minutes Apa was pulled downstream, struggling to come up for air. During that time, he clearly heard a voice saying to him three times, “Apa you must go to lotu (church).” He found himself washed up on the edge of the flooding river, soaking wet and sweating profusely, calling out to Bentolio, who never answered. Helpless in the darkness, Apa was completely broken in body and in spirit.

In the tradition of the people of the highlands, neighbors came to a haus krai (place of mourning) at Apa’s home, bringing food, and wailing with the family over the loss of Bentolio. Apa prayed that he would find his Bentolio so he could give him a proper burial. God answered that prayer. Another landslide occurred damming up the river, and Bentolio’s body was found floating in a pool.

Shortly after that, Apa’s wife left him and his two boy’s never to return. With no work other than his garden, Apa struggled to provide for his sons Bon and one year old Bobby. His only other family member left was his mother. Soon Apa received word that the community boys he used to run with became jealous of his family’s land. They murdered his mother and took over the land.

Apa had lost his son, he had lost his wife, he had lost his mother. He came to the point where he would say, “I am yours Lord, I am broken, I will constantly be worshipping you the rest of my life.”

Apa found a job as a security guard at the Kudjip hospital station. He learned to read and speak English by picking books out of the trash that people threw away. He married Betty, who had two daughters of her own. He attended Melanesia Nazarene Bible College for three years, and received a certificate in pastoral studies.

Pastor Apa started a preaching point on land at his wife’s place. It became the Kawil Church of the Nazarene where he is currently the pastor. God has given him a heart to love all children. In addition to pastoring the Kawil church, Pastor Apa works on special construction projects around the station. He is very appreciative of the construction skills he has learned on station from project leaders Randy and Jordan. Pastor Apa and Betty (who is also a pastor) have started a home for disabled people at their church.

“I have felt the pain in my life, and I see the pain in others. I am confident in facing problems with Jesus. I want people to see me as an example of not giving up. You need to forgive, forget, and keep moving forward with Jesus.”  - Pastor Apa