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 8th 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
