Dancing with tears of joy
09 December 2019
ALPHONSE MEK
Alphonse Mek is minister of Mt Kora Adventist Church in Jiwaka Province. He graduated with an advanced diploma in theology from Sonoma Adventist College on Sunday 24 November
ENGA - We all have our own dreams and plans, but to realise those aspirations takes a lot of time, determination and perseverance.
I have seen and felt and tasted the pain of trying to get a good education.
In Papua New Guinea there’s no easy road. Success requires time and money, support and comfort, hard work and courage – and the willingness to accept that it will be a struggle.
Since I begin my education in 2004, the entire journey has been a challenge.
I never lived in a good house, faced school fees problems many times and often felt like giving up my studies.
Sometimes I dreamed of becoming a doctor or a lawyer. Other times I imagined forming a gang to target wealthy people who in my small mind were corrupting our country.
Becoming a minister of the gospel – which I eventually became - was not part of me.
What made me think deeply and see life in a new way was the hardship. Hardship defines who you are and persuades you that you are meant to struggle in this world.
That’s when I started to commit my life to Jesus and surrender my life to him so God could reveal what plan he had for me.
So I started to study God’s work and by the time I finished my schooling I marked my three career choices as theology and, regardless of coming from a non-Adventist family, headed in that direction.
In 2017, I was selected to study theology at Sonoma Adventist College and through God I danced with tears when I received my advanced diploma in theology studies.
Most things on this earth are possible if your mindset is right.
So now I am more than happy to join the team of gospel workers of the Seventh Day Adventist church and believe there is no greater job on this earth than the one that I am engaged in.
Theologically speaking, mine is a holy calling and therefore sacred and sanctified by God. The blessings given to me are also blessings for the future generation.
Prime minister James Marape is a son of an Adventist minister and opposition leader Belden Namah and other MPs are sons of Adventist ministers as are many other high profile people in our nation.
These people’s parents went through many hardship to lay a solid foundation for their offspring.
And so I advise the young people of this nation that, to change our lives, we need to ask God to reveal his plan because God has a special plan for you.
Therefore, if you are struggling alone in this journey of life, I recommend Jesus to you so you can find a new meaning in your life. In your hardship invite Jesus into your journey.
As the scripture says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me”.
Dreams and hopes, are some of the fruit for young brains to picture and pick and place and plan.
Most readers of PNG Attitude will be with Alphonse about his sharing the hopes of a nation, that the younger people find learning that works best for them, but also for the PNG nation.
Many will know well the great sense of relief (and tears too) that suddenly bubbles up in the brain when a goal is achieved, by certificates, by blessings, by smiles from admirers.
Two years ago, I visited Katuna village northwest along the coast from Gona.
A 'school leaver' youngster came to me and asked for a 'scholarship'. I had none to give to him, but my thoughts keep returning to his request. My hope is that his trying will find a way.
Last year I asked students at Bareji Secondary (a school a long tough road away from Popondetta) to use my camera to photograph a building (as part of my project).
Most students giggled and looked away, only one came forward, a teenage girl and did a good photo too. I saw her face was set for making dreams and hopes into positive plans.
Posted by: Lindsay F Bond | 10 December 2019 at 06:44 AM