Nurse pastors

Nazarene College of Nursing (NCON) at Kudjip enrolls about 75 students in a three year diploma program.  Over the past couple of years, the NCON has been partnering with our Bible college to train these student nurses as lay-pastors.  In fact, they receive a certificate of lay ministry in addition to their nursing diploma.  The hope is that our graduates will become missionaries in their own country as they take health care and the good news of the Gospel to some of the remote areas of PNG, places where foreign missionaries will never go.

As the school has increasingly focused on spiritual development, the Holy Spirit has moved and a revival is taking place among the students.  Many have made new or re-commitments to Christ.  Some have answered the call to full time ministry.

Sunday, September 16th was a very special day.  Sure it was PNG Independence Day.  But that wasn't the best part... 9 of the NCON students were baptized!  After a special church service, the musicians led a large group of witnesses down the cow banis hill, through gardens, steep and muddy slopes, and across small tributaries to a pool in the river.  (I'm not kidding about the steep and muddy slope.  I really thought I was going to fall and kill myself!)  Each young person gave his or her testimony of God's amazing grace.  They were baptized by Pastor Philip and Chaplain Moses.  And we were all baptized by the light rain that was falling, but that did nothing to dampen our spirits.  What a day of celebration!

Susan is one of the students who was baptized.  She is "little sister" to Becky and me.  We are so excited about what God is doing in her life!

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."

~ Romans 6:4