A two-day awareness program for the Southern Regional Church Leaders on COVID-19 Vaccines started on Wednesday 3rd November and ends today, Thursday 4th at Saroa Village, Rigo District in Central Province.
About 30 representatives from different churches in Port Moresby, Central, Milne Bay, Oro, Western and Gulf provinces participated in the first day of the discussions.
The purpose of this dialogue is raising awareness on COVID-19 vaccines, to ensure that church leaders are sensitized on information regarding the vaccine.
Making sure Church leaders are resourced with updated information and they obtain correct and evidence-based information, help reduce the severity and mortality of COVID-19 and reduce pressure on the PNG health care system.
The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches (PNGCC) coordinated the dialogue between the church leaders.
The PNGCC is the coordinating body of the seven mainline churches in the country, mandated to be the Prophetic Voice of the Churches to the nation on social, political, religious, and economical issues.
In a foreword message by Reverend Arua Morea of the United Church PNG, presented by Reverend Roger Joseph, the key message was based on a resilient community.
Rev. Morea wrote that the theology of disaster resilience response core statement is: Preparedness is an element of discipleship for a resilient community’.
Rev. Morea said: “Which to me is a key answer to the queries about life in times of crisis such as in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Resilient community practice is a way out. It can drive out fear and embrace hope built up by the practice for survival and living on thereafter.
“Many experiences we have gone through already in life up to now so far, the issue on Corona Virus (COVID-19) should remind us that whilst we take care, we must live with the virus. It is by living and monitoring it that we experience the full knowledge of the virus impact and learn how to respond and prevent ourselves from being infected or infecting others.”
Rev Morea encourage that: “We must embrace each other and live by rules and regulations set down by the government through well informed health advise.
“I am in support of the Handbook produced by the PNG Council of Churches which includes technical messages, theological messages on the vaccine and other information of relevance and encourage all churches to use this as a handbook to use in addressing the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out program.”
Meantime, PNGCC Chairman, Sir John Cardinal Ribat said he is happy to be one of the first Church Leaders to receive the first and second COVID-19 vaccine shot.
He added: “Because I believe it is our Christian duty to show love for one another and to do our part in the current global effort to saving lives during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our Great God in his wisdom has blessed the world’s leading scientists with amazing knowledge that has advanced scientific research and development of vaccine to protect the lives of men, women, and children from COVID-19 viral infections that have caused great misery and death all around the world in recent times.”
Cardinal Ribat encouraged that all church leaders and members support the COVID-19 vaccination rollout program in PNG to protect and save lives of others.
PNGCC’s response to the COVID-19 virus and vaccines compiled into a handbook titled “Churches Perspective on COVID-19 vaccine.” The theme – “I am my brother’s/sister’s keeper.”
The booklet is in line with the directive from the SOE Controller and the National Department of Health for citizens to be vaccinated
The PNGCC has declared its support for COVID-19 vaccines as a safe, effective and lifesaving tool to protect people. They also commit members to supporting the national vaccination rollout program as a way to protect others from sickness and death due to COVID-19.
In the following weeks, PNGCC will be holding similar COVID-19 awareness dialogues for provincial centres across PNG.
