Youth leadership

Youth leadership is thel latest course I am now attending. It is interesting because we are looking at contextual approach to youth leadership. This means blending the old and new ways and coming up with something that will be helpful to the youths today. These days we have so many changes and one of that revolutionary change is the mobile change. Mobile phones have changed the ways of our young people. They can send SMS after SMS and text their friends. Life is changing so rapidly but we still have to maintain the good traditions that we have. That is what contextualisation is all about.

Making Men's organisations work

After completing a 5,000 word essay, I found that men in Melanesia need to get together to learn some new trades. For people who are always in the office, it is good to learn about plumbing, animal husbandry, basic motor mechanic, agriculture and family planning. These are some of my suggestions. Sometimes men only watch games on TV or at the field and do nothing else. Some men want to learn basic carpentary. I learnt practical skills in High School many years ago and I only used my hammer once in a while. Some enterprising author in PNG could write about some of the suggestions made in this post so that other men may benefit. I do not know in future if PNG may come up with online technical colleges and  vocational centres. Such a move could benefit men in PNG. It may be expensive but doing a few courses online or exporting courses from overseas and rewriting them for PNG audiences. I am just thinking about what was taught in the hausman. However some of the things that young men learnt were from their parents and their peers. Nowadays our children may never know how to husk a coconut, scrape coconut and even plant some of the garden food like banana and even dig tapioks out from the ground or make rope from coconut leaves etc. Life has really changed and the society has really changed. It's up to the men folk to come up with a Melanesian version of passing knowledge to the next generation or our good cultures may be lost forever.

Why do men's organisations often fail

Somewhere in 2001, we started a men's group to unite the men from different departments and backgrounds. In those days our favourite programs were fun nights. These days it is men's retreat that are fun and exciting. At times our programs come on once in a while. Therefore I am doing a research paper why men's programs do not run well on campus. On the other hand the lady's group is so successful.
I am starting to read and will look for comments and write my findings and come up with suggested improvements. I find that in the nearby villages where I live and work, very few men attend church. There could be a connection somewhere.

The purpose of the haus man

It was the place of meeting, getting instructions and to learn about cultural laws. Infact it was the place where everybody united to support their clansmen. However many have pulled down their ceremonial houses. Others have destroyed them so that old ways have to be forgotten. In Jiwaka people still keep their hausman o haus paia to keep themselves warm. The haus paia is the place for visitors to sleep. It is also a prayer house, a place for fellowship. So an old institution is replaced by the new one.

Youth Centre for Bung Bible Study Group

On Saturday I witnessed the opening of a small youth centre at Bung village. About 60 young people and their relatives all gathered to witness something that was so important to the people who felt that they were left out for a long time.
The opening of the centre was so unique for the people and it was a milestone for the local community. For a long time the people especially the young generation were so involved in drugs that they were seen as trouble makers.
A community leader who spoke at the opening said that the new youth centre reminded them of the hausman in the olden days were people were given guidance and comforted. The haus man was the nerve centre of the community. It was the place where the younger generations were taught and equipped for the future.
Jeff Graf, a faculty member of CLTC said that the house will be the place for sinners to come and be prayed for. The house built of bush materials will be like a light for the community where the young people can come and find the truth.
Helen Scarlett, a visiting Librarian said that the people must teach their young people about the Bible so that they can live to become good citizens.
Timothy Kwara, representing the Distance Theological Education (DTE) department told the people to study the Bible more so that they can become good Christians. When Christians change their mind and their world view they become good citizens and their lives will be a witness to the people. As a result the community will be changed for the better.

Church to start their own hausman

Last Sunday I went to Bung, which is about 20-30 minutes walk from Banz. I went to give certificates to two of our students.

As I was about to leave, I saw a friend of mine standing nearby. I decided to go to his church- Bung Lutheran Revival. On the way back, he told me that they were going to build a men's house for their local church.

Once the building is completed they will bring all the men together. There will be programs planned for the men. It will be good to see fathers and sons sit down together and discuss and plan community programs together.

Bung is well known for troubles caused by youths. I believe that by having the men folk gather, they can find solutions to problems affecting the community.

I will keep you posted when the building is constructed.

Melanesians need to write more