I give thanks and praise to our loving Father for safe travels to Unity College, Murray Bridge to attend the 19th Convention of Lutheran Women of Australia. The time to reconnect, share, laugh, rejoice, and praise “down under” with our LWA sisters in Christ under the theme of How Great Thou Art was truly a […]

I give thanks and praise to our loving Father for safe travels to Unity College, Murray Bridge to attend the 19th Convention of Lutheran Women of Australia. The time to reconnect, share, laugh, rejoice, and praise “down under” with our LWA sisters in Christ under the theme of How Great Thou Art was truly a blessing, as was the donation which I brought back to PNG of $6290 from the Convention offering, which was used to assist with purchasing sewing materials and supplies from the Women’s Program sewing classes. On my return to PNG, it has been a privilege to share memories of this joyful time with the women at Senior Flierl Seminary.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC PNG) has four theological training institutions: Martin Luther Seminary (Lae), Senior Flierl Seminary (Logaweng), Lutheran Highlands Seminary (Ogelbeng), and National Evangelist Training Centre (Amron, Madang). At each of these institutions, a Women’s (Meri) Program is run for the wives of theological students to attend classes and receive valuable tuition in areas that will prepare them for ministry as the wife of a pastor. The women graduate from the program with a “Certificate of Completion”.

At Senior Flierl Seminary (SFS) some areas covered in the Women’s Program include preparing/running Bible studies, embroidery/sewing, preparing Church/worship space, Old and New Testament studies, relationship studies, looking after children (kindergarten), and recycle class (weaving pouches/bags).

There are three year groups on campus and one year group on practical placement (husband’s vicarage). The class sizes average ten women per year group. Classes are held for five mornings per week, 8:30-10:00 am, during term time. Kindergarten (average of fifty children) operates during class times, allowing the mothers to participate in the Women’s Classes. The year groups are scheduled to assist with supervising, playing with and teaching the three age groups of children that make up the kindergarten program.

One of the main focus areas of the Women’s Program is the sewing (samap) classes. During the three years of classes, they progressively learn basic embroidery stitches and to sew meri blouses, skirts, and children’s clothes, bowl carriers, alter/table laplaps, and stoles (for their husband’s ordination). For some women this is a first-time opportunity to learn valuable new skills for themselves and to share with other girls/women when they return to their villages. This has future potential to generate a source of income, giving hope to be able to contribute to their family needs.

Like any program, the Women’s Program at SFS isn’t without its fair share of challenges that greatly impact the smooth running of the program and the morale of the women.

A few of the current challenges to successfully complete the sewing classes are extended power outages and poor condition of the sewing machines. The sewing room is equipped with one electric sewing machine and ten hand operated sewing machines. Thankfully the hand operated machines don’t need power. After extensive attempts to maintain the machines, it was brought to attention in mid-2023 that all the sewing machines need replacing. Unfortunately, the continuous humid weather conditions shorten the lifetime of the machines and create maintenance challenges, especially when the parts get rusty. As we all would have experienced when things get “rusty”, they don’t operate so well and the result is reduced quality, which creates frustration and disappointment. This has been the experiences of the 2024 final year sewing class, as they have attempted to use machines in poor condition and hand sewing to complete their graduation clothes (meri blouse and skirt) and their husband’s stole in time for marking and Graduation Day.

It is our prayer that the Women’s Program will be strengthened, allowing these women to thrive in their ministry and service to God’s kingdom. As they continue to walk in faith and love, they empower others along the way. The need for new sewing machines (10 hand operated, two electric, one overlocker), along with essential materials and supplies (cotton/threads, pins, needles, scissors), is critical for the ongoing success of this program. These women are not only acquiring valuable skills for their families but also preparing for roles of leadership and service within their communities. Your support will transform frustration into hope, equipping them with the tools they need to serve God and their communities with confidence and skill. We pray that, with your help, these women will continue to grow in faith, ministry, and craftsmanship, making a lasting impact in the ELC PNG, their villages, homes and beyond.

If you would like to consider the opportunity to donate to Murray Smith, who is serving as a lecturer at Martin Luther Seminary in Papua New Guinea, you are invited to go to https://lcamission.org.au/donations/index.php/png.html and select ‘Pastor Murray Smith – Seminary Lecturer’ from the list of projects.