Solomon Islands minister Cowley Ngatulu says his volunteer work with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has shown him that ministry is about more than preaching—it is also about serving people in practical ways during times of crisis.
The 40-year-old district director for Central Kolombangara in the Western Province has served in ministry for more than six years. Recently, he worked alongside ADRA Solomon Islands during the distribution of relief food and non-food items (NFIs) to communities devastated by Tropical Cyclone Maila.
“This is my first time working in a disaster response, serving people with relief food and NFIs, as I am a minister who usually serves people with the Word of God,” he said.
“It is truly a blessing for me to serve people during these difficult times. I am happy to represent the Seventh-day Adventist Church—not only in sharing the Word of God, but also in providing practical relief assistance.”
The minister partnered with the ADRA team and World Vision Solomon Islands (WVSI) to distribute relief supplies, hygiene kits and blankets to the heavily impacted communities of Poporo, Ghatere and Vavanga in Central Kolombangara district.
The villages were among those severely affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila, which intensified into a Category 5 system and caused widespread destruction across Western and Choiseul Provinces. Approximately 120,000 people were impacted, prompting the Solomon Islands Government to declare a State of Disaster.
Despite the devastation, Minister Ngatulu said the experience had broadened his understanding of ministry.
“I now see that ministry is not only about preaching, but also about volunteering and helping people during difficult times as part of the gospel work,” he said.
ADRA’s response forms part of its Disaster Ready Church (DRC) Project, which includes a Memorandum of Understanding between ADRA and the Solomon Islands Mission. The agreement enables pastors and church ministers to work closely with ADRA in disaster preparedness and response initiatives across Seventh-day Adventist churches and surrounding communities.
