Hydro Church of the Nazarene

Yes, it's a strange name for a church. The "Hydro" part, I mean. Just like most Nazarene churches, it's named after the community it serves, in this case the area surrounding the diversion dam for the station's hydroelectric system. There are actually 3 Nazarene churches that meet on the station, Emmanuel and Knox Memorial share the building owned by the Knox church just opposite the station gate. Hydro meets in a haus kunai (thatched bush material building) at the far end of the station. This is the area that has been subject of a land ownership conflict in recent months. Ironically, some members of the church there are actually contesting the legitimacy of the mission's lease of the land, and have been opposing construction of much-needed staff housing, and the rebuilding of the diversion dam.

Our friend Dr. Larry Hull is staying with for a few days and doing some consulting at the hospital while in PNG to deal with some business matters. He went to church with us. On the way, Dr. Becky Wallace (who is on call) caught sight of him, and called him into the hospital to see a patient with a compound arm fracture. He caught up with us at the church later.

The pastor at the Hydro church is Pastor Lapa, who was the pastor of Knox Memorial when we first came to PNG. His son Philip is now attending Nazarene College of Nursing. Sadly, Pastor Lapa's wife died while we were on furlough in the US.

After church, we returned to our house for a lunch of French toast, strawberries and Canadian bacon.

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