***aCe***
FELIX Kawagle left school at the end of grade eight in the mid 1980s due to school fee problems.
After he discovered that he could not continue to grade nine at Muaina High School, he retired back to his Mogl Kakai village near Kundiawa, Chimbu Province.
A growing young man filled with energy, with nothing to do in the village, Felix engaged in committing minor criminal offences.
After committing series of break and enter and stealing, the law finally caught up with him in 1989 and landed him at Barawagi jail some 20 kilometers west of Kundiawa.
Felix was sentenced to one-year imprisonment with hard labor for charges of stealing and break and enter.
One year behind the barb wired fence was not an easy life; he joined other prison inmates for worship with visiting Seventh Day Pastors.
In December 1989, Felix was among four other prisoners fortunate to be allowed to attend a one week church baptism gathering at Kerowagi a five kilometers north of Barawagi.
Visiting Evangelist Waine Francis from Australia baptized Felix among several other Christians.In 1990, after his release from Prison he constructed a SDA church building at his Moglkakai village.
Without any formal training he took up the bible and began to preach on adhoc basis as a lay missionary.
Felix said he helped spread the word of God as a layman preacher through out the Chimbu Province for the pasty 13 years.
He said the option of returning to Barawagi prison this time as a Layman to help convert prisoners has always been my desire.
Early this year, Felix was allowed to re-enter the barricades of Barawagi to teach prisoners about God.
“I started the laymen class on January 16 this year and they are graduating today, October 9,” Felix said.
He said the Laymen classes in the prison are a unique program to meaningfully help to rehabilitate prisoners.
“We realized the need to help convert the prisoners and started from nothing and have successfully brought the prisoners to this stage to graduate with certificates as laymen,” Felix proudly told The National at Barawagi last Saturday.
The 32 year old self taught SDA Layman thanked God for the success in converting some 50 prisoners in his Laymen program.
“We return all the glory and praises back to God because through his blessings we have brought the prisoners this far to graduate,” Felix said.
He used four main strategies for the program;- They were to train the prisoners to be prisoners after their time in prison. –Church Administration teaching the prisoners the basics on how the church is administered. –Biblical back ground, they prisoners learnt how the bible is centered. –And Evangelism, the graduands would become like disciples to help spread the word of God to other people.
“The Layman program at Barawagi would be an on going program to rehabilitate the prisoners,” Felix said.
He commended Mr Gunua Kamane and Steven Yakali from Kundiawa who assisted him in different ways to conduct the program.
Felix thanked his wife Merilyn and his four children for all the support and encouragements.
Governor of Chimbu Peter Launa who officiated the graduation ceremony at Barawagi last Saturday commended the good efforts of Mr Felix.
Mr Launa said, God’s words would immensely contribute to compliment rehabilitating lives of prisoners in jails through out the country.
He told prisoners that it was God’s plan for them to come to prison and learn about God, stressing upon their return they would help spread the words of God to others.
“You come here to learn about God so ten others out there know God through you upon your return,” he said.
Acting Barawagi jail commander Inspector Joe Kua thanked Lay Missionary Felix Kawagle for devoting time and efforts to prepare the prisoners for the event for the first tine to be held at Barawagi.
He commended the involvement of churches in prisoner’s rehabilitation programs, adding that Barawagi jail will always work in cooperation with organizations to properly rehabilitate inmates.
Meanwhile, President of the Eastern Highlands/Chimbu Mission Pastor Jesery Aparagaso said the approach at Barawagi relevant to the vision of the churches.
He said SDA church set target to baptize certain number of Christians this year, adding that the prisoner’s baptism would add to the tally.
Pr Aparagaso applauded efforts of layman Felix and the Barawagi Prison staff who helped to make the graduation and baptism a success.
Word & picture by James Kila
Ends…
Felix (left) with inmates..
After he discovered that he could not continue to grade nine at Muaina High School, he retired back to his Mogl Kakai village near Kundiawa, Chimbu Province.
A growing young man filled with energy, with nothing to do in the village, Felix engaged in committing minor criminal offences.
After committing series of break and enter and stealing, the law finally caught up with him in 1989 and landed him at Barawagi jail some 20 kilometers west of Kundiawa.
Felix was sentenced to one-year imprisonment with hard labor for charges of stealing and break and enter.
One year behind the barb wired fence was not an easy life; he joined other prison inmates for worship with visiting Seventh Day Pastors.
In December 1989, Felix was among four other prisoners fortunate to be allowed to attend a one week church baptism gathering at Kerowagi a five kilometers north of Barawagi.
Visiting Evangelist Waine Francis from Australia baptized Felix among several other Christians.In 1990, after his release from Prison he constructed a SDA church building at his Moglkakai village.
Without any formal training he took up the bible and began to preach on adhoc basis as a lay missionary.
Felix said he helped spread the word of God as a layman preacher through out the Chimbu Province for the pasty 13 years.
He said the option of returning to Barawagi prison this time as a Layman to help convert prisoners has always been my desire.
Early this year, Felix was allowed to re-enter the barricades of Barawagi to teach prisoners about God.
“I started the laymen class on January 16 this year and they are graduating today, October 9,” Felix said.
He said the Laymen classes in the prison are a unique program to meaningfully help to rehabilitate prisoners.
“We realized the need to help convert the prisoners and started from nothing and have successfully brought the prisoners to this stage to graduate with certificates as laymen,” Felix proudly told The National at Barawagi last Saturday.
The 32 year old self taught SDA Layman thanked God for the success in converting some 50 prisoners in his Laymen program.
“We return all the glory and praises back to God because through his blessings we have brought the prisoners this far to graduate,” Felix said.
He used four main strategies for the program;- They were to train the prisoners to be prisoners after their time in prison. –Church Administration teaching the prisoners the basics on how the church is administered. –Biblical back ground, they prisoners learnt how the bible is centered. –And Evangelism, the graduands would become like disciples to help spread the word of God to other people.
“The Layman program at Barawagi would be an on going program to rehabilitate the prisoners,” Felix said.
He commended Mr Gunua Kamane and Steven Yakali from Kundiawa who assisted him in different ways to conduct the program.
Felix thanked his wife Merilyn and his four children for all the support and encouragements.
Governor of Chimbu Peter Launa who officiated the graduation ceremony at Barawagi last Saturday commended the good efforts of Mr Felix.
Mr Launa said, God’s words would immensely contribute to compliment rehabilitating lives of prisoners in jails through out the country.
He told prisoners that it was God’s plan for them to come to prison and learn about God, stressing upon their return they would help spread the words of God to others.
“You come here to learn about God so ten others out there know God through you upon your return,” he said.
Acting Barawagi jail commander Inspector Joe Kua thanked Lay Missionary Felix Kawagle for devoting time and efforts to prepare the prisoners for the event for the first tine to be held at Barawagi.
He commended the involvement of churches in prisoner’s rehabilitation programs, adding that Barawagi jail will always work in cooperation with organizations to properly rehabilitate inmates.
Meanwhile, President of the Eastern Highlands/Chimbu Mission Pastor Jesery Aparagaso said the approach at Barawagi relevant to the vision of the churches.
He said SDA church set target to baptize certain number of Christians this year, adding that the prisoner’s baptism would add to the tally.
Pr Aparagaso applauded efforts of layman Felix and the Barawagi Prison staff who helped to make the graduation and baptism a success.
Word & picture by James Kila
Ends…
Felix (left) with inmates..