Papua New Guinea Island Celebrates 100 Years of the Adventist Message
The gospel torch arrives at Inivus, Inus District, from Sirovai, Buin District, in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. [Photo: Adventist Record]
First missionaries to the country arrived in Bougainville in 1924.
January 21, 2025 | Papua New Guinea | Reeves Papaol, Adventist Record, and Adventist Review
From December 18 to 31, 2024, more than 4,000 attendees, including church leaders, government officials, and church members from across Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, gathered to commemorate the Bougainville Seventh-day Adventist Mission centennial celebrations. The regional church celebrated 100 years of faith, service, and community impact. Bougainville belongs to Papua New Guinea (PNG), but its landmass is part of the Solomon Islands archipelago.
Attendees to the celebration ranged from a 4-month-old infant to a 94-year-old great-great-grandmother under the theme “Celebrating 100 Years of God’s Story on Bougainville.”
The centennial celebrations unfolded across three historic sites, including Lavelai, where the first missionaries arrived in 1924. It also included Kastorita, where missionaries traveled to by boat and on foot in 1927, and Rumba, Arawa, where the mission office was established in 1929. Each site hosted dedications, unveiling of monuments, three days of revival, historical accounts from pioneering family representatives, and cultural performances, including reenactments of the missionaries’ arrival. Across the sites more than 200 people were baptized.
Leadership and Vision
Government and church leaders attended the celebrations and shared messages of inspiration and vision for the future. Among them was Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape. He shared his personal connection to the legacy of Adventist Mission.
Monument commemorating the 1924 mission beginnings at Lavelai. [Photo: Adventist Record]
The prime minister emphasized, “All mainline churches in PNG should continue to make inroads into communities, villages, and societies to promote peace, education, health, and wholistic living. This is the real mission work of churches.”
Rumba mission baptismal ceremony in Awara. [Photo: Adventist Record]
Francesca Semoso, Papua New Guinea parliament member for North Bougainville, highlighted the crucial role of women and children in missionary work, stating, “Discipline starts at home, and our kids become the society we want it to become.”
Malachi Yani dedicatory prayer at the monument unveiling at Rumba mission in Awara. [Photo: Adventist Record]
From the church, Malachi Yani, president of Papua New Guinea Union Mission, encouraged Bougainvilleans to amplify their voices and take ownership of their spiritual journey. Likewise, Danny Philip, South Pacific Division discipleship strategy director, challenged the Adventist Church in the Pacific region to lead in driving transformative change wherever they serve, particularly in Bougainville.
Buin District choir at the opening ceremony at Lavelai. [Photo: Adventist Record]
Spiritual and Community Impact
The centennial celebrated the church’s spiritual significance and its enduring impact on the community, regional church leaders explained. “The church reaffirmed its commitment to serving Bougainville and beyond, ensuring that the legacy of faith and service continues for generations,” they said.
The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.