DIOCESE OF AITAPE CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAM

	News report No. 24 March 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 third report for 2004.
This is the twenty fourth report on the Church Building program for the month of March.
In 2002, we established agreements with all sub parishes, started at Amu.
In 2003, we collected gravel for Arop1, Arop2 and Pou; began site work at Arop1 and Pou, and the welding of the steel frames for Arop2; at Amu we completed the roof and the concrete floor; at Barapu completed the ground works; and began the design of Barapu and Sissano.

This month the walls and sanctuary at the Amu church were completed. Photo 1 below shows the reinforced concrete side walls with brick and pipe patterns for ventilation.
The sanctuary is raised three steps above the nave level, and another step again for the tabernacle above the rear of the sanctuary. Behind the sanctuary work began on the concrete floor for the priest's flat, garage and tank stands.

Photo 2 at Arop1 with the roofing iron sheets that were started this month. There were problems delivering materials due to the road conditions, but eventually the roofing go through. There was a bad accident this month when one of the local workman attaching the roofing fell from the roof and broke his leg. He was transported by boat through the waterways to the Yalingi River where he was met by a car to take him to the hospital. He was cared for at the hospital and is making a good recovery.

Photo 3 New road to Arop2. This photo shows the first works to form the new road. The crops in the road reserve have been cut, to allow the area to start to dry out. Agreement was needed first with the local landowners to reach a reasonable settlement on the amount of compensation for the trees that were felled within the road reserve.