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A Papua New Guinea Evening |
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Written by Colleen Coughlin
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Friday, 23 July 2010 |
Colleen is a staff member at the Mission Office. She is the Website Editor and the Coordinator for the Holy Childhood Association.
 What an amazing night of food, fun, and fellowship we had last night! The Mission Office was invited to spend an evening with representatives of the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga in Papua New Guinea, whom we support through the Missionary Plan of Cooperation. We had the pleasure of seeing our good friend, Fr. Jose, again – and meeting Bishop Cote, Fr. Andrew, Jo Ann, and Pearl for the first time. It was a wonderful opportunity to have a delicious dinner and to learn more about the work that is going on in Papua New Guinea.
Fr. Jose, Bishop Cote, and Fr. Andrew are an amazing group of priests. It was an honor to spend time with them, who do so much for the missions and so much for the people of Papua New Guinea. They were so kind and welcoming, and answered all sorts of questions that we had. What type of craft is found Papua New Guinea? Carving, painting, and weaving. What types of food do the people eat? A lot of sweet potatoes. What are the church celebrations like? Festive and colorful. It was neat to get a glimpse of this country halfway around the world, all the way from the United States to Papua New Guinea.
At one point during the evening, we realized that we had people from four different backgrounds at the dinner table! Fr. Jose is from India, Bishop Cote is from Canada, Fr. Andrew is from Papua New Guinea, and the rest of us are from the United States. How awesome to be part of such a table, and to all come together in one place and at one time! It truly makes the work that we do at the Mission Office worthwhile … to be surrounded by such a diverse group of people, while still being completely connected and working for the same cause – the work of the mission Church.
There’s something special about missionaries that makes you feel totally at-home and welcome. You can walk in the door, enjoy a meal together, and really feel like you belong. I think the same goes for the mission Church. These missionaries welcome people into the Church every day, making them feel the same way. Everyone is welcome; everyone belongs – no matter who we are, what we do, or where we live. We are all one Church.
Thank you to Fr. Jose, Bishop Cote, Fr. Andrew, Jo Ann, and Pearl – for welcoming us, for showing us such kindness, for preparing a delicious meal, and for sharing Papua New Guinea with us. We at the Mission Office are so blessed to know you and to be a part of this wonderful work. Thank you!
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