DIOCESE OF AITAPE CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAM

	News report No. 17 August 2003 Diocese of Aitape P O Box 179 Aitape Sandaun Province Papua New Guinea Ph +675 8572046 fax +675 8572056
Aitape Haus Lotu Projects

Introduction:

Welcome to the eighth report for 2003. This is the fifteenth report in the Church Building program for the month of August 2003. Progress throughout 2002 established agreements with all of the sub parishes, and saw work started at Amu, and plans in progress for the other nine buildings to be built. This year we collected gravel for Arop1, Arop2, and Pou and began work at Arop1. At Amu this month, we started work on the next stage, erecting the church frames.

Photo 1 Amu, lifting the first frame.

In the photo, you can see the steel apex section bolted to the double 200 x 50 Kwila rafters. The rafters are bolted to the plates on top of the 6 metre long steel posts. This section is then lifted, by hand with many local helpers. We needed about thirty assistants. It is lifted a small amount each time, then propped with timbers. This operation is repeated until the frame is high enough to rope to the car and swing up. Once up, it is tied down, and later located on top of the holding down bolts, and rafters extended to the outside posts.

This is a scene from a singsing at the Mass at Arop on the feast of the Assumption. There was a big gathering of all the women from Arop and Malol to meet together for discussions and workshops over three days. On the Sunday, there was a big open air Mass at the school to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Holy Mother, and also to honour and support all of the mothers who had gathered here for this Mass.

Photo 2 Sing-sing for the entrance procession at the Mass of the Assumption in Arop.

Photo 3 Amu Church, first frame is up!

This is just after the first frame was lifted up. It was tied down. The next day the ropes securing the steel post base to the holding down bolts were slackened off, and the posts raised and located on top of the holding down bolts. On the edges of the frame, there are other kwila rafters to be attached that extend down to the outside posts five metres away. The central span is 10 metres, and there are five metres between the internal and external posts. The roof has a two to one slope, and is 8.5 metres above ground at the midpoint. There is a contractor based in Aitape (Brendan), who with his three helpers is the main carpenter for this stage of the work. He is assisted with three workers from Amu, and many other short-term workers when it comes time to lift the frames. Timber cutting is continuing at Arop for the church there.