DIOCESE OF AITAPE CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAM

	News report No. 3 June 2002 Diocese of Aitape P O Box 179 Aitape Sandaun Province Papua New Guinea Ph +675 857 2046 fax +675 857 2056
Aitape Haus Lotu Projects

Introduction:
This is the third report from the Diocese of Aitape for the month of June about the project to build eleven new permanent churches to replace those destroyed by the Aitape Tsunami disaster of July 1998. Our previous reports looked at the sub-Parishes in the Malol and the Arop areas and this report looks at parishes in Barupu and Sissano. These areas were the worst affected in the Tsunami disaster.

1. Parish leaders at the remains of the old church at Sissano		2. Looking towards the new site at Olbrum

Old and New Church Sites:
At the coast at Sissano, the concrete and brick foundations (in photo 1) are now all that remains of the former mission station in the wake of the Tsunami disaster. The people still gather there for commemorative services on 17 July, or for large celebrations such as an ordination to the priesthood, however the area has been condemned for any future permanent dwellings. The school, aid post and village housing have all been relocated onto high country in the hills behind the Sissano Lagoon. The proposed Sissano church at Olbrum is also located in the hills on a prominent site with beautiful views to the lagoon on three sides (see the background of photo 3). The other new sites for Barupu and Wuipom were visited on the same trip.

Planning for new Churches:
Although thousands lost their lives from the densely packed coastal hamlets of Barupu and Sissano, the faith of the people is still strong. There are large congregations attending church each Sunday, many of them travelling long distances on foot or by canoe through the lagoons to get there. On large feast days there can be as many as 1400 people at the each sub parish of Sissano and Barupu. The parish of Wuipom is smaller and can have between 300 and 700 in attendance. All three sub parishes are located within a maze of shallow and winding estuarine waterways that are reached by speedboat or canoe. There is a rough road that has reached Barupu, although the condition makes it impassable during most months of the year. The road has not yet been extended through the swamps to the other communities of Olbrum and Wuipom.

Olbrum Temporary Church and new site

1. Temporary church in the hills		2. New church site with Parish priest		3. Across the Lagoon to new site

Barupu Temporary Church and new site

1. Damaged crucifix saved from the old church		2,3. Views of vacant land for proposed church

Wuipom Church

1. Temporary church from side. The new church will be built in its place		2. Temporary church from rear.

The three new churches proposed for Olbrum, Barupu and Wuipom present the most challenges out of all of the new churches planned for the Diocese of Aitape.
Access is very difficult, and during the school rebuilding program, builders resorted to the use of heavy lift helicopters to bring in the supplies of gravel and materials. The availability of gravel is also a factor, and needs to be carted by canoe from remote areas to the new site then carried up the hill to Olbrum. Options are being investigated for the most suitable church building designs which are large enough for the big congregations, are easy to construct and practical to be able to transport the component materials, and are also affordable. The local communities are keen to assist by donating free their land, gravels and timber for the building programs. It is the challenge of the Diocese to bring together these and other resources to be able to provide a suitable replacement church for the people of Barupu and Sissano.