This is a story of faith and trust in the Lord about two young missionaries who met God in His vineyard. Benjamin Patana and Russell Daniel come from a small village in the Markham Valley of Morobe Province.

After graduating from Sonoma Adventist College with a diploma in Theology in 2021, they were not successful in acquiring a job as expected, which landed them both back in their village at Wankun.

Back in their village, they met their church pastor Enepo Umba, who played a very important role in helping them to utilize their skills and serve in their local church back at home.

While serving as volunteers in the church there have been countless challenges that both Russell and Benjamin had to encounter back at their village church. “We have to support our work financially which is one of our biggest challenges,” recalled Benjamin. “Apart from that, we also face other challenges too as well, but we thank God that He has strengthened us through the support of our church leaders and congregations,” he added.

After a year of serving voluntarily, they received news from the local mission that they had been accepted into the mission to work as volunteer missionaries under the Volunteer in Action (VIA) program. It was a big relief for Benjamin and Russell to finally make it into the mission workforce at last. Not long after, within a month, they were both promoted to full-time employment.

Recalling all the struggles that they both had to endure just to serve even without pay, they thank God and the executive committee for choosing them to join the mission workforce, added Russell.

Upon receiving their postings, Benjamin Patana was called to serve in the Marawaka District as the church pastor of the Marawaka Seventh-Day Adventist Church, while Russell Daniel was called to serve in the neighboring village church of Banabin as their church pastor. On May 12th, Benjamin was finally flown into Marawaka to begin his ministry career.

Russell, the last remaining missionary of the two back in Wankun, joined them one final time on Sunday for their Adventurer Fun Day trip to the Rainforest Habitat in Lae. He will now begin his ministry career as a full-time church pastor at Banabin.

Upon farewelling the duo at their farewell gathering, the church thanked them saying, “We praise God and thank Him for all that He has done through Russell and Benjamin and their work here at Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church. With the same spirit that they started their journey as missionaries here, we believe that it will continue to flourish wherever they set their feet and we wish them God’s blessings,” they added.

Wankun is now focusing on grooming its young generations to become good citizens and disciple makers in the community. 

Wankun Church Embraces Practical Love during Youth Week of Prayer. "The program is a blessing to us to have all these new faces come join us and we look forward to continuing to embrace them in the faith as part of our church family here at Wankun," said Minister Benjamin Patana, the week's main speaker.

The Youth Week of Prayer program at Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church ended today with many positive outcomes. On Sabbath morning, the church was filled with new faces, including many small children who came to fellowship with us.

The highlight of the day was the welcome parade put up by our youth and children for our guests as they entered the church for the Sabbath service.

Wankun Church Embraces Practical Love during Youth Week of Prayer. "The program is a blessing to us to have all these new faces come join us and we look forward to continuing to embrace them in the faith as part of our church family here at Wankun," said Minister Benjamin Patana, the week's main speaker.

The Youth Week of Prayer program at Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church ended today with many positive outcomes. On Sabbath morning, the church was filled with new faces, including many small children who came to fellowship with us.

The highlight of the day was the welcome parade put up by our youth and children for our guests as they entered the church for the Sabbath service.

Today, the Adventist Community Services and Women's Ministry of the Wankun and Bumpuap Seventh-day Adventist church came together for a visitation program to support Deacon Erisha Rigi, who has been ill for some time. The program was a beautiful display of love and care for our brother in need.

The Bible teaches us to care for the sick and show compassion towards others. In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, "I was sick and you looked after me... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:36, 40). Through this program, the Adventist Community Services and Women's Ministry embodied this teaching, providing practical assistance and emotional support to Deacon Erisha Rigi and his family.

In addition to providing spiritual and emotional support, the Adventist Community Services and Women's Ministry also recognized the practical needs of Deacon Erisha Rigi and his family. By providing food supplies and firewood, they showed their willingness to meet the physical needs of their brother in need.

As Christians, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, showing love and care to those around us. Today's visitation program is an excellent example of how we can fulfill this calling. Let us continue to care for and support one another in times of need, following the example of Christ and embodying his teachings in our actions.

A week-long revival meeting that took place at the Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church this Sabbath has just come to an end. The outgoing pastor, Enepo Umba, who has long served the Wankun community, presided over the revival meeting. The community has been greatly impacted by Pastor Enepo's leadership and direction, and the church has suffered greatly as a result of his departure. 

Enepo will now be assigned to the Nawaeb District of the Morobe Mission where he will be in charge of the recently established district after being promoted to the position of district director. Enepo will be departing from Wankun Church, but this is a fantastic opportunity for him to continue serving the Seventh-Day Adventist community. The congregation's goodbye to Pastor Enepo and expression of appreciation for his years of service to the community took place during the revival meeting as a result. 

The Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church is happy for Enepo and his new position despite the sadness of his departure. In his new position, the church has faith that he will carry on serving the Lord and sharing the gospel with even more people. The church is grateful for their time with Pastor Enepo and optimistic about the future because they know he will leave a positive impression wherever he goes. The farewell revival meeting was an appropriate send-off for such a committed and inspirational leader, and the Wankun community will always be proud of his accomplishments and his legacy.

Today, the Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church held a special ceremony to consecrate and ordain new leaders for the congregation. The service was conducted by Local Mission Secretary Pastor Enosh Enopa and was attended by members of the church community.

During the ceremony, several individuals were consecrated as deacons and deaconesses, while others were ordained as elders and pastors. The new leaders will play an important role in the spiritual growth and development of the congregation, providing guidance and support to church members.

The consecration and ordination service is a significant event for the Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church, as it marks the beginning of a new chapter for the congregation. The new leaders will work closely with Pastor Enopa and other members of the church community to continue to spread the message of the Seventh-Day Adventist faith and to serve the spiritual needs of the community.

The Adventist Community Services of Wankun expressed their gratitude to two of its outgoing members, Mrs. Winjan and Mrs. Duen, during a special ceremony held yesterday evening. The event was organized to show appreciation for the contributions that the two women have made to the church throughout its programs.

Mrs. Winjan and Mrs. Duen have been active members of the Adventist Community Services of Wankun for some years now. They have dedicated their time and energy to helping the church in various ways, such as volunteering at events and participating in community outreach programs.

The ceremony was witnessed by members of the church, including the leaders. During the event, a word of appreciation was given by the leader of the department, highlighting the impact that Mrs. Winjan and Mrs. Duen have had on the department. They were also presented with bilums as a token of appreciation for their service.

In a statement, the leader of the Adventist Community Services of Wankun said, "We are deeply grateful for all that Mrs. Winjan and Mrs. Duen have done for our church. They have been an inspiration to us all, and their contributions will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors."

Mrs. Winjan and Mrs. Duen both expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to serve the church and the community. They said they will miss the church and its members but they look forward to continuing to serve God and the community wherever their paths may lead.

The Adventist Community Services of Wankun will continue to be a vital part of the community and will continue to serve the community with the help of its active members.

Today, the End Time Voice singers of the Wankun Seventh-Day Adventist Church reached out to the Potsie Seventh-Day Adventist Church to support their fellowship meeting in the lead-up to their church dedication service. The program was led by the district director of Huon Gulf, Pastor Joel Philip, and coordinated by Minister Kelyne John, the pastor of the Potsie church.

The week-long fellowship meeting was an opportunity for members of both churches to come together and strengthen their spiritual bonds. The End Time Voice singers, known for their powerful and moving performances, added an extra element of excitement and inspiration to the proceedings.

The dedication service of the Potsie Seventh-day Adventist Church was a momentous occasion, marking the completion of construction on the church building. Members of the community gathered to celebrate the event and give thanks for the new space in which they can worship.

Pastor Philip and Minister John both spoke at the dedication service, sharing words of wisdom and encouragement with the gathered congregation. The service was also attended by representatives of the wider Seventh-day Adventist community, who came to show their support and solidarity.

The Potsie Seventh-day Adventist Church is now open for regular services and activities, providing a much-needed spiritual home for members of the community. The support of the Wankun Seventh-day Adventist Church and the End Time Voice singers will be remembered for years to come.