A new office complex for the Eastern Highlands Simbu Mission (EHSM) was opened in Goroka, Papua New Guinea, on November 10.
The two-level building, located just a few metres away from the former office, houses the administration, departmental directors, treasury and Adventist Book Centre. Facilities include two conference rooms, a kitchen and a spacious car park.
Among the hundreds who gathered to celebrate the event were retired pastors who had dreamt and worked towards ensuring this dream came true.
Former EHSM president Pastor Benny Soga and retired pastors Jessley Farugaso, John Hamura, Steven Kamae and Wai To said they were thrilled and praised God for seeing them through.
According to Pastor Soga, building a new office for the local mission was one of the goals of a development plan launched in 2010.
Leaders and workers from the Madang Manus, Morobe and Western Highlands missions and the Papua New Guinea Union Mission (PNGUM) joined the celebrations.
The opening ceremony included worship songs, words of encouragement from lay members, a sermonette and speeches from the administrators of local missions and PNGUM, a ribbon-cutting, a tour of the new office and a celebration meal.
ESHM secretary Pastor James Kiangua thanked God for His providence, “To God be the glory. We need to celebrate His goodness all the time. We thank God because through Him we have it all.”
Meanwhile, the former office, which was the third one for the local mission, was decommissioned earlier in the day before the new facilities were opened. The retired pastors led the decommissioning of the third office building which was opened in 1993.
The first office for the local mission was set up in 1949 in the president’s home. The second office was built in 1953 and used until 1992.
