Tokarara Christian Fellowship (TCF) during Sunday’s Service, just three days before Christmas was led by Peter Pyambaru, speaking on the significance of Christmas as the birthday of Jesus the Son of God as well as our counselor. Referencing Isaiah 9:6, he emphasized the importance of Jesus not just during Christmas season but also in our everyday lives. Mr. Pyambaru urged the congregation and especially the youths to seek out Jesus during times of crisis as the Bible refers to him as a wonderful counselor ["For to us a child is born, ... And he will be called Wonderful Counselor...” Isaiah 9:6]. “If we are facing problems in our lives, we must seek God; come to Jesus who will counsel us from God’s perspective, not man’s.” “God has given our youths a purpose, but young people still stray away from the right path because we neglect the wise teachings of our Saviour.” “Jesus will show us the way because he knows the mind of God.” He further gave examples from the Bible itself from figures like Nicodemus and the apostle Peter. “Jesus counseled Nicodemus, a pharisee, and gave him God's perspective – he was confused about God’s word but Jesus helped him.” “Peter was also counseled by Jesus, despite being an expert fisherman, and Jesus made a him a fisher of men.” Mr. Pyambaru further stated that too often we seek out solutions from human teaching and philosophies which leads to unfruitful results and a distorted view of God. He further thanked the youths and Sunday school children who put up a wonderful Christian drama during the church’s carol's night depicting the birth of Christ. A presentation which he commented was well done, amazing and inspiring. The church will also have a Christmas Day service at 9:30 am Wednesday (25/12/2024).

Thanks to recent improvements made possible by the Incentive Fund Project, the Kapuna Rural Hospital in Gulf Province has been officially acknowledged by The National Department of Health (NDOH) as a Level 4 Health Facility on November 8, 2024, after approving the Certificate of Accreditation. Following a general health assessment of the facilities in September 2023, the NDOH National Standards and Clinician Team recommended that the facility be certified as a Level 4 Health facility, serving a catchment area of 15,000 people in the Baimuru LLG as well as the eastern regions of Kikori and Ihu LLG. The rural hospital is now able to satisfy the expanding demands of its community thanks to its renovated facilities, which include a new emergency centre, dental clinic, birthing suites, operating rooms, and 24-hour solar power, among other amenities. These facilities are a vital part of public health services for these areas. In her remarks about the achievement, Kapuna Medical Superintendent Dr. Valerie Archer cited Nehemiah Chapter 6:16 in the Bible, which describes how our God has enabled this task to be completed. Throughout the years of physical labour, she also praised the dedication of the volunteers from the Netherlands, Brazil, the United States, and New Zealand, as well as the local employees. “Looking back, it was a big undertaking for us but I believe that God gave us the right time to rebuild. A time when Curtain Brothers had a spare pontoon, a time when TotalEnergies were able to help with regular logistics. A time when we had the right people willing and able to help us.” “May the people of Gulf benefit from this new status, may we all benefit, and may it point in the direction to a brighter future for the people of Gulf.” As the Papua LNG project operator, TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited assisted the Kapuna Rural Hospital team with land title, logistics for transporting building supplies from Port Moresby to Kapuna, and logistics for transporting the National Department of Health Assessment team to Kapuna. As of right now, the project has helped Kapuna by training 200 volunteers to combat tuberculosis and installing a new TB ward and sanitary mess for 60 community health workers. The renovation of Kapuna Rural Hospital, which ushers in a new era in healthcare delivery for the area, is the result of the combined efforts of several stakeholders, including Gulf Christian Services, the Incentive Fund of the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership, and other partners. The recognition as a Level 4 health facility, highlight’s the hospital's commitment to providing high-quality healthcare and its preparedness to handle more complex medical cases, benefiting the entire population it serves.

Title: Red One (2024) Director: Jake Kasdan Rating: PG Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy Duration: 2hr 4mins Stars: Dwayne Johnson • Chris Evans • Lucy Liu • J.K Simmons After Santa Claus (J.K Simmons) gets kidnapped, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), commander of Santa’s Security Team must join forces with independent hacker and bounty hunter, Jack O’ Malley (Chris Evans) to find him before Christmas Day. At its core the film, is about bringing Christmas cheer back to the world, helping people during the hard times. Red One with its action-adventure packed scenes and cheesy Christmas dialogue could easily be a heartwarming holiday addition, if it did not contain suggestive themes. The film does not seem to know its audience. Initially, Red One has what you would typically expect from a Christmas movie, consisting of themes of hope, faith, love and as well as the duality of life. But as the story progresses, there are certain scenes that are unsuitable for children. For instance, in a resort scene, Jack O’ Malley is inappropriately checking out a woman wearing a bikini. Then there’s a scene cut of profane words. Very uncharacteristic for a Christmas movie. When it comes to acting, Dwayne Johnson does not seem to have a lot of range when it comes to playing characters. A lot of films he stars in, he is casted as the stereotypical action hero and Red One is no different. On the positive side, Red One does bring an action-packed twist to a traditional Christmas story. The concept of the North Pole being a technologically advanced society with supernatural creatures is refreshing from the usual setting of a magical village. Overall, Red One isn’t bad but it’s not necessarily good either and I would definitely not recommend it for children.

Port Moresby Nature Park is no stranger to having fun activities for families and this festive season is no different as the park is holding a Jingle Bell Family Fun Day on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd. Activities will include mini-races, puzzles and even a visit from Santa. Port Moresby Nature Park stated that they wanted kids residing within the city to have fun during this festive period. "These programs were designed for kids who are unable to travel out and enjoy their holidays elsewhere." “By participating in our park events, you will not only have a great time at our Jingle Bell Family Fun Day but also support our ongoing conservation efforts.” The event will take place on the park’s Central Lawn. Normal Park admission fees apply. Apart from the Family Fun Day, Nature Park is also having Santa’s Workshop, a holiday program designed for children between the ages of 6 –16. This program helps children develop their arts and craft skills by creating their own Christmas decorations from recycled materials.

Four children enrolled in BbP’s Early Childhood Education program have been photographed in action with their role models by Photographer Roan Paul this week. This year's themes include jobs in construction, law enforcement, hospitality in restaurants, and auto repair and maintenance. Professional role models and BbP partners collaborated to create the series. To find out what the job involves, kids spend a day with their role model. Additionally, the kids are given a little version of a professional uniform so they can feel and look just like their role models. 5-year-olds Quinten Tonny Robie had the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a Mechanic with role model Greg Koyou at Ela Motors training program, Billy Garu Kuri went to the market to source produce and got cooking in the kitchen of The Locker Room Café & Bar with Chef Julz Henao (who is also Ambassador for Trukai), Gracelyn Patrick went to see a construction site with Ruth Dee Guma, QA & Control Engineer for Hebou Constructions and Sandrian Paul took the Water Police boat for a spin in the Port Moresby Habor with Police Chief Inspector, Sylvia Reu, to learn all about policing. Priscilla Kamene will learn what it takes to produce concrete water pipes for civil engineering projects with Peter Auru, Precast Manager at Monier Ltd. Buk bilong Pikinini is very grateful for the amazing welcome the children have received by their role models and teams, making it a memorable and fantastic life-changing Experience. BbP has worked with role models from Brian Bell, CPL, Nasfund, Steamships, Niunet, St John Ambulance, Hastings Deering, BSP Financial Group Limited, PNGAir, Pacific Palms Properties, NAQIA, RSPCA, 9 Mile Farm / Ilimo Dairy Farm, TotalEnergies, Dentons, Theodist, Airways Hotel, ExxonMobil PNG, Ase Boas / Gurias, Pacific Towing and Port Moresby Nature Park to publish 25 reader books already. In addition to giving kids an idea of the kinds of jobs they might like to pursue, the When I Grow Up (WIGU) series teaches pupils about various themes, subjects, and concepts. These are usually explained with plenty of visual cues and interactive exercises that help with comprehension and learning. Favored by both educators and learners, these books depict professions that are both necessary and reachable in Papua New Guinea. These books give a lot of kids a great chance to learn about careers they might not otherwise know about. Besides being a great reading resource, the WIGU series includes lessons in science, design, health awareness, financial literacy, PNG culture, history, environmental science and agriculture, animal welfare, and wildlife conservation. All of these subjects enhance students' general knowledge. The financial investment in creating, producing, editing and printing the WIGU series, is in the hundreds of thousands of Kina, most of which has been sponsored by the Sir Brian Bell Foundation over the past 4 years. The aim of the readers is to inspire the children to value education and think about what they want to be in the future. The WIGU series of readers has also received editing and design support from Wild Dog Books (Australia). Photography is done by Roan Paul Photography and Richard Bridger of Buk bilong Pikinini. Production and scripts by BbP and all written and compiled by BbP Founder Anne-Sophie Hermann. The readers are available for purchase from Theodist , City Pharmacy Limited, SVS Mart or directly from Buk bilong Pikinini’s office and webshop: https://bukbilongpikinini.charity/

Following a four-day Financial Literacy Retail Training held last week at Pimaga Station in the Kutubu Local Level Government (LLG), Nipa-Kutubu District, Southern Highlands Province (SHP), 71 participants received certification. As a component of its "Going Rural" campaign, the Department for Community Development and Religion collaborated with the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) to offer the training. More than 500 individuals, including public workers, community leaders, youth groups, women's organizations, and other local stakeholders, attended the official opening ceremony on December 9 at Pimaga Station. Haotex Kurao, president of the Kutubu Community Development Association, praised the Department's Secretary, Jerry Ubase, and his staff for working with the association to provide the training, which was designed to give the community financial literacy skills. Enoch Kaiyabe, the Manager of Kutubu LLG, expressed gratitude to the Department for coming to this isolated portion of the district, which is known for producing oil, and for bringing financial literacy instruction to the center of the neighborhood. On behalf of Secretary Ubase, Rex Hibuya the Assistant Secretary for the Church-State Partnership Program, expressed gratitude to the attendees and residents for their warmth and excitement. “Education is the foundation for any community transformation, and financial education is a basic skill that enables us to manage and grow our incomes.” “According to the national informal economy audit report for 2018, approximately K12 billion circulates in the informal sector without being banked and this training aims to transition participants from the informal economy into the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.” Assistant Director for Informal Economy, Cecelia Wrondimi, congratulated the participants. “Kutubu is the first area in the country to host Financial Literacy Retail Training.” “As part of this effort to transition informal economy participants into SMEs, we have partnered with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and Commercial Banks to facilitate business registration and help participants open bank accounts.” Under the guidance of CEFI representative Paul Tamate, trainers delivered sessions on budgeting and savings using customized training modules. One of the participants, Kambo Junior Vege, spoke on his experience. “We’ve always struggled with budgeting and saving.” “After this training, we can now use our money wisely and create clear budgets.” Primary school teacher Mary Pumuye, speaking on behalf of the women participants, expressed her appreciation. “As a public servant, I’ve realized the importance of budgeting. I encourage my colleagues to take budgeting and saving seriously.” Most participants thanked the Department for providing the training free of charge and promised to make meaningful changes in their financial habits.

East Gate Karate Academy held its 4th Kyu Grading Ceremony on Sunday 15th, Dec 2024 - an event which graduates karatekas (karate practitioners) to the next color level belt. This day witnessed 27 students from various age groups get certified and advance to their new respective karate levels after demonstrating techniques of kihon (基本) - basics or fundamentals; kata (型) - form; and kumite (組手) - sparring. - White to Yellow Belt - Yellow to Orange Belt - Orange to Green Belt - Green to Blue Belt - Blue to Purple Belt - Purple to Brown Belt Speaking at the ceremony Sensei Julius Piku, described Karate as more than just a sport. "Apart from learning karate, martial arts training helps the children develop their confidence." Additionally, he stated that by 2025, the academy should be sending its students to competitions overseas. East Gate Karate Academy is located at Stratos Building, Level 1, Ekere, Savannah Heights, Waigani.

Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP), which offers a free Early Childhood Education program and library services to children throughout Papua New Guinea, raised money for the organization on Friday, December 6, 2024, by hosting an exciting Christmas Charity Golf Tournament with the kind sponsorship of Ela Motors. The Lane Lawyers team emerged victorious following an incredible round of golf, which featured an incredible Hole-in-One on the fifth hole by Greg Downer of ExxonMobil. The NWTL/Fonehaus donated a 75-inch Smart TV to the winning team. Two 50-inch flatscreen TVs sponsored by the Brian Bell/Sir Brain Bell foundation were awarded to MVIL, the "runner up" team that took second place. The 3rd prize was won by the Rotary Club of Boroko, who each won a Callaway Golf bag donated by Ela Motors. 13 additional prizes, went for categories like ‘closest to the pin’, ‘longest drive’, ‘the Tarzan’ (shooting the ball into the trees), ‘best shot’, ‘worst shot’ as well as the ‘water hazard’ (shooting the ball into the pond to unsuspecting resident crocodiles) was great fun for all. Support for additional prizes came from BNBM, CHM, Theodist, Hannah’s Beauty Box, BNG Trading, Kumul Golf Gear, Hilton Hotel, Trukai, Puma Energies, Panamex Pacific Ltd and Budget-Rent-A-Car. With sponsorship support from 9 Mile Farm, SVS Sweetheart Bakery, Waterfront Foodworld, CPL, and Alibi Bar & Grill, the participating teams had a healthy dinner prepared by the BbP team after meeting the BbP children and enjoying a delicious breakfast provided by SVS Sweetheart Bakery, Waterfront Foodworld, and Sanitarium. They also enjoyed "on-the-course" snacks from Lae Biscuit Company and Paradise Foods, bottled water, and drinks from CPL, Alibi Bar & Grill, Ilimo, and Sanitarium. Many participants praised the charity event as the "best organized" and "most enjoyable" they had ever attended, and BbP is thankful to Ela Motors for the opportunity to host it. BbP Founder and Chairperson, Anne-Sophie Hermann expressed her gratitude to their Diamond sponsor, Ela Motors. “We are so grateful to our Diamond sponsor Ela Motors for the amazing opportunity for us to host a second Golf Tournament in support of our programs and services for children’s education.” Thanks to a great “BbP family of donors”; Brian Bell Group of Companies, Sir Brian Bell Foundation, NWTL, Budget Rent A Car, Trukai, Supreme Industries Ltd, Sanitarium, Australian Export Consortia and Market 2000, Ilimo, 9 Mile Farm and Ela Motors coming together to support the event, players had a great time and were able to support BbP to welcome more children to attend its free Early Childhood Education program in 2024.

The Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) collaborated to train officers from the PNGFA and representatives from ten forestry companies in Madang and Morobe provinces, on the updated PNG logging code of practice (LCOP) and planning, monitoring, and control procedures (PMCPs) for sustainable forest management. This training was finished as part of USAID's PNG Sustainable Landscapes project, a five-year, $15 million initiative aimed at lowering the factors that contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. The director of the USAID/PNG Environment and Energy Office, David Sean Burt, reaffirmed the US government's pledge to support PNG. “The United States is committed to helping the government and people of PNG to develop climate resilient livelihoods, to support the sustainable development of PNG's forestry sector and to protect Papua New Guinea’s unmatched biodiversity." Trainees included timber industry surveyors, planners, and supervisors. The training is part of PNGFA’s work to increase the environmental sustainability of the forest industry. The revised LCOP includes greater protections for forests and new tools to address climate change. Acknowledging USAID’s support to PNGFA, Alois Jenkihau, PNGFA Manager of Policy and Aid Coordination Branch of the Forestry Policy and Planning Directorate, stated that the training of the revised PNG’s Logging Code of Practice and the Planning, Monitoring and Control Procedures, will help to protect the environment, support the sustainable harvesting of timber and reducing impact of logging on PNG’s forest. “This is a milestone achievement with funding support from both USAID and JICA for the timber industry and the government to part-take in this significant event.” Masato Okabayashi, Chief Advisor JICA-PNGFA Forest Project commended this initiative. “JICA applauds the initiative taken by USAID-PNGSL to partner with JICA to co-fund and support the training of the revised logging code of practice to the Forest Industry Participants in Madang and Morobe.” “JICA intends to ensure PNG’s forest be sustainably managed to meet PNG’s sustainable development goals.” “JICA is hoping for continued partnership with USAID PNGSL and other development partners to support the capacity building of PNGFA and the forest industry in PNG.”

Title: Heretic (2024) Director(s): Scott Beck & Bryan Woods Rating: R Genre(s): Psychological Horror, Thriller Duration: 1hr 5Omins Stars: Hugh Grant Sophie Thatcher Chloe East When two sister missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton from The Church of Latter-Day Saints respond to the inquiry of a gentleman, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), it soon becomes evident that Mr. Reed has something much more sinister in mind than just a discussion about religion. Heretic's characters' Sister Paxton, Sister Barnes and Mr. Reed are individuals with intriguing backgrounds upon closer inspection. Each person depicts reflects states of a person in their spiritual journey. Sister Paxton comes from a typical Mormon family; one of 8 daughters born and raised in a Mormon household in Utah (an American state that is the center of Mormon culture and influence). Paxton has very little experience of the outside world and her naivety is evident in her overenthusiasm in sharing the Good News with Mr. Reed. Her judgment is clouded by her passion in sharing her faith that she doesn't notice his unusual behaviors until it was too late. Paxton is the embodiment of a sheltered believer, one who hasn't encountered circumstances that challenge her faith. A polar opposite to Sister Barnes. Sister Barnes on the other hand is a convert originally from Philadelphia. She, an outsider who has seen the harsh realities of life and is more observant and mature. She immediately senses that something is wrong after Mr. Reed does not bring his wife out to meet them. Additionally, she asks questions and make statements that bring Mr. Reed's attention away from his engrossing conversation about religion. Sister Barnes is a grounded believer - one who believes in God but does not disregard facts. Her alertness to her surroundings is in direct conflict with Mr. Reed's manipulative tactics. Mr. Reed is one who is disillusioned by organized religion and zealous in proving his newfound philosophies to followers of any faith even if those methods go against moral values. Despite studying various religions overtime, he has since deconstructed his beliefs and is now focused on proving that all religions are controlling. Heretic may be offensive to religious groups as it portrays difficult discussions about faith, in particular about The Church of Latter-Day Saints. Additionally, it may trigger individuals who have suffered from religious trauma. Otherwise, for fans of psychological horrors and thrillers, Heretic could be a new addition to your favorites list.

To aid with disaster response, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) received humanitarian relief supplies from the US government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The relief goods will be utilized to enhance the national response readiness of the Government of Papua New Guinea and will be pre-positioned at IOM's warehouse in Lae. In the case of a natural or man-made disaster, the relief supplies are enough to give over 10,000 individuals basic household necessities and life-saving emergency shelter. United States Ambassador Ann Marie Yastishock stressed on the United States commitment to supporting PNG when disasters strike. “The United States is committed to partnering with Papua New Guinea to ensure that communities are prepared when disasters strike and that affected individuals receive the emergency supplies and relief they need as quickly as possible.” “These supplies are pre-positioned in Lae so we can quickly deliver life-saving assistance to those who need it most.” In response to the Mount Ulawun eruption in West New Britain, the earthquake in East Sepik, the flooding in the Highlands, and the landslide in Enga province, USAID has contributed about 10 million Kina ($2.4 million) over the past 12 months. The handover builds on the United States’ commitment to strengthen national and local capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters. The United States pledged to preposition USAID-funded disaster relief and humanitarian assistance supplies in PNG, and specifically in Lae, to enable prompt deployment during emergencies during a July 2024 visit by a U.S. interagency delegation made up of the Departments of State and Defense, the National Security Council, USAID, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The United States has given Papua New Guinea over 140 million Kina ($35 million) for disaster preparedness and relief since 2012. Throughout the year, USAID helps communities get ready for and deal with the growing frequency and severity of natural disasters. Eleven Provincial Disaster Centers nationwide get disaster risk reduction and preparedness assistance from USAID in collaboration with IOM.

Alex Rimbao, one of the pioneer Grade 10 students from the recently upgraded New Erima Junior High School in Port Moresby city was the proud recipient of the Dux award during the school’s 27th graduation held today. The 19-year-old, who hails from the Wapenamanda district of Enga province, scored 3rd placing in Mathematics, 2nd placing in English and 1st placing in Personal Development, Science, Social Science, Business Studies and Agriculture. The youngster expressed great satisfaction over his performance. “After working hard, I’m very happy with the result.” He also shared challenging moments during his studies, much of which involved the difficulty in finances. “I live with my mother who is unemployed, and occasionally it was tough to find bus fare and also lunch money.” Yet in spite of this, the young man defied all odds and performed outstandingly in both Grade 9 and 10. Meanwhile, the external Dux award for Grade 8s was received by Jordan Bayu. Speaking at the graduation, New Erima’s Principal for the Junior High division, Dorothy Lapun, acknowledged the efforts of parents and educators in bringing the students this far in their academic life. “Achievement does not come through individual efforts, it is of, through and with collaboration from a team.” “No teacher alone can make a student become somebody in the future, it takes input from parents, from stakeholders and from students themselves; contributing one way or another to help a school or a student achieve something.” A total of 309 Grade 8s graduated alongside 98 Grade 10s.