WANT TO BE PART OF THE CHAPEL EFFORT IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA? by Pastor Jim Buckman
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I pray you and yours are well
I will be with the Air Force, in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from Mar 7-19. I am going there with a group of officers and senior enlisted from the WI Air Guard; the purpose of our trip is to build relationships with the PNG military. This is necessitated by the public statements of China re Taiwan; which include a timeline or “window of opportunity” from 2027-2031.
So, all of the countries in the region are preparing for a possible problem. Australia is taking the lead in helping PNG modernize it’s military; there is also a decent contingent from New Zealand (I flew out of Christ Chapel in NZ, on the way to the South Pole about five and a half years ago.
I will be meeting with the Senior Chaplain for the PNG military and the Australian/NZ chaplain as well. We will share how we do ministry in the military; what our constraints/philosophies are (for example, the US chaplains are guided by a “perform/provide” principle; which means simply, that since the 1st Amendment right is guaranteed for everyone in uniform; then we must make sure that everyone’s religious needs are either performed by us personally, or that we provide for them as best as possible.
Did you notice the nerf football in the picture with the PNG children? I have been asked to collect deflated soccer balls, softballs or nerf footballs. Our Airmen (two in this pic) are doing community building among the tribes and the kids love sports.
We have a military plane going to PNG at the beginning of April. We are collecting these items for the PNG
children at church and will be driving them up to base. Want to be part of the Chapel effort in PNG?
V/r,
Pastor Jim