PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH MY LORD AND SAVIOUR
1. Life before my conversion (1960s 1983)
I was born into a Christian family of seven that include 3 boys and 4 girls of which I am the eldest. My parents served as pastors and cross-cultural workers with the then London Missionary Society (LMS) planted church Papua Ekalesia now merged into the United Church of Papua New Guinea. As was the practice of the church, I received my infant baptism in 1962 after a year I was born. My early and high school years of life were spent in the activities and life of the church. Hence I observed all the church traditions that were required of a clergys son. Yet I lived a lukewarm Christian life. I was religious. The evidence of this was seen in the aftermath of my school years and when I started working in a secular job. I got involved with the things of this world that was opposed to what the Bible taught.[1]
My fathers death in 1978 prompted my search for truth and life. With the church being nominal I decided to look elsewhere thus resulting in being enticed into joining an occult group of mediums who practiced divination.[2] Despite being with the group, I was restless and eventually began to seriously question the practices of the group. This led me further in my search for truth and life.
2. Personal encounter with my Lord Jesus Christ (1984)
It was in 1984 that I reluctantly accepted an invitation from my late adopted brother (older then me) to attend a Youth Easter Camp of the Church he worshipped with. My brother and his family had given their hearts to the Lord a year earlier. It was at this camp that I not only found the answers to the errors of the occult group I was involved with, but the solution to my long search for truth and life.
For the first time I realized how far I was from God. I had rejected Gods rule over my life and chosen to go on my own. I had not only broken Gods laws but also broken Gods heart. I was in deep trouble and under judgement. I realized my problem SIN. Sin had separated me from God. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23). My good deeds were like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Hence I recognized my need for a Saviour JESUS CHRIST. For God has shown us how much He loves us, for it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us (Rom.5:8).
On 21st of April 1984 at that camp saw me surrender my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I invited Jesus Christ by faith into my heart and made Him my personal Lord and Saviour. But many has received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name (John 1:12). I became born-again.
3. Life after my conversion
I became actively involved in the ministries of my local church more particularly in Bible studies, prayer and evangelism. I served as a Youth Leader and eventually become the founding Coordinator for the Churchs missions mobilisers and the establishment of the Churchs Missions Board. My seriousness in the Lord eventually made me leave my work and take up theological studies in PNG and thereafter Australia to equip me for future ministry work in the world. I now serve as a missionary with the Indigenous people of Australia.