Iowara Parish, Kiunga: Twenty couples across three couples, helping them prepare and ensuring they different camps West Papuan Refugee camps had their unions blessed by Fr Andrew Moses recently. Originally from the North Fly region of Western Province, Fr Andrew hails from a small village called Bolivip. He blessed the couples’ unions from the three camps of Komopkin, Terakbits, and Yogidome on different dates throughout the year —5 in Komopkin on 7th July 2024, 10 in Terakbits on 21st July 2024, and 5 in Yogidome on 10th November 2024.
(Fr Andrew Moses takes a group photo with the couples from Tarakbits after administering the Sacarament of Holy Matrimony to them)
To reach each camp, Father Andrew walked long distances: two hours to Komopkin, one and a half hours to Terakbits, and one hour to Yogidome.
Reflecting on this meaningful milestone, Father Andrew shared: "I am a proud priest. It gives me great joy to be able to witness and administer this sacrament. It's encouraging to see how deeply people want to live out their faith, commitment, and love." He continued, "I also enjoyed spending time with the were ready to face the commitment they made. As a pastor, seeing them take this important step is fulfilling and motivating for me.”
Father Andrew is also preparing additional couples.However, serving the refugee communities presents unique challenges. One of the main difficulties is the continuous movement of refugees, which affects their stability. Many cross borders to visit family or to join their "wantoks" (relatives).
Additionally, refugees often have diverse political views and concerns regarding their defense.
Despite these many challenges, Father Andrew has learned to adapt to the needs of his parishioners and remains committed to being there for them when needed.
As a priest, Father Andrew’s goal is to continue supporting the spiritual well-being of the community.
"I want to help them stay connected to the sacraments, share the Gospel to give them hope, and liaise with organizations to ensure they have access to clean water, food, schools, and health facilities," he explained.
“These are some of the ways I can help them live their faith and stay hopeful."
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