DIOCESE OF AITAPE CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAM

	News report No. 22 January 2004 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 first report for 2004. This January 2004 report is the twenty second report in the Church Building program. In the first year 2002, we established agreements with all of the sub parishes, and began work at Amu. During 2003, we collected gravel for Arop1, Arop2, and Pou and began work on site at Arop1, and Pou, and started the steel frames for Arop2 in the Aitape workshop. Just before Christmas there was a stop work notice issued by the local court at Arop1, ceasing work at Arop1 and Pou until a dispute with the gravel was resolved.

We were able to restart the walkabout saw at Pou on the 6th of January. Soon after, we restarted the Youth groups to shift the planks to the church, with the help of a local car.

Photo 1:Walkabout saw back in operation at Pou, unaffected by the gravel dispute.

It was not until after the court case was heard in Aitape on January 23, that work at the Arop and Pou sites was allowed to restart. All of the local landowners in the Arop and Pou area, needed to travel in to Aitape for the hearing. Two loads came with me in my 4WD.

Work also restarted at Amu church soon in the New Year. The concrete work continued, and during January, the sanctuary area was completed. A new diesel concrete mixer was purchased for all of the heavy concrete slab works. The mixer was purchased from Jayapura.

Just prior to Christmas, we received quotes for a new large concrete mixer. The best deal was in the neighbouring Jayapura, Indonesia. A group was despatched on the weekend before Christmas, however they had trouble changing currency at Vanimo, and although they got Jayapura they didn't succeed in bringing it back. The second trip went better, and it was dismantled and safely stowed in the speedboat for the trip to Aitape.

During the Christmas break, there were several floods that changed the course of the major river the Yalingi. The ford crossing was cut off, and all traffic was forced to travel over another road through the Malol area. This photo shows one of the worst parts of this road, where there is no road gravel whatever, and cars have to find their own way over the mud, with the help of plenty of people to push you through.

Work on other churches:

During January, quite some effort was made on the design of the Barupu and Sissano churches. By the end of January with the help of a structural consultant in Lae, the main member sizes and most of the connections were verified for both churches. Plans were made to begin constructing a shelter at Sissano, and the first boatload of materials, left for Sissano at the end of the month. Negotiations were held with a walkabout saw operator, so that we can use two saws, one at Arop/Pou, and another at Malol. A contract was accepted at the end of the month, and plans are in progress to start at Teles soon.