Corporate donors, religious congregations and laypeople are drawing their resources together to pack shipping containers of much-needed goods and send them to missionaries and communities in Papua New Guinea.
The project is an initiative of the St Michael Mission Society, established in Sydney more than 20 years ago in support of the Michaelite Fathers who have been missionaries in PNG for about 40 years. In recent times, the Divine Word Missionaries have also been involved in the project, sending requested goods to SVD missionaries in PNG.
Jason Hodges of the St Michael Mission Society, said that since the initiative began, about eight shipping containers have been filled with donated goods and sent.
“Most of what we send is medical equipment, books, educational supplies,” Michael says. “We send them to Lae, where they are unpacked and the goods are sent on to Mount Hagen.”
Jason, who works in the maritime industry, says shipping companies have responded generously to the missions initiative, donating not only the shipping containers themselves, but also freight costs.
“And we’ve had great support from companies,” he says. “There is so much waste in the corporate world that you don’t realise. When new models of equipment come out, often previous models are discarded, or even if a company changes its logo, it might have hundreds of polo shirts with the old logo that they would normally get rid of.
“With the relationships we’ve developed, companies will now donate that material to us to send to PNG.”
Jason says he’s delighted that the St Michael Mission Society is now working with the Divine Word Missionaries to facilitate more goods being sent to those in need.
Mission Secretary for the AUS Province, Fr Truc Quoc Phan SVD, says the Province regularly receives requests from missionaries in PNG for goods and other support.
“For instance, we have just sent a motor bike in one of these shipping containers,” he says. “One of our missionaries in PNG was in desperate need of a new motorbike and this is one way that we can support missionaries in PNG in a practical sense. We have also sent books for Divine Word University and medical goods for Madang Hospital.”
Fr Truc says the collaborative nature of the shipping container initiative is a wonderful example of people working together for mission.
“We have been looking at new ways of responding to mission and to the needs of missionaries, especially where there is great need, as part of the relationship our Province has had with missionaries in PNG for many years,” he says.
“We believe there’s a potential within the Church that is much bigger than our Mission Office. There are so many people, who either wish to get involved, or, like Jason, are already doing wonderful work in supporting mission.”
Jason says he enjoys working with companies, religious congregations and individuals to fill and send the shipping containers.
“You do get a lot of satisfaction out of it,” he says. “I’ve been up to PNG on a few occasions and seen first-hand the difference these goods make. They are so poorly equipped up there. The schools and hospitals are always in need of supplies. So it’s very rewarding to be able to help in some way.”
The Divine Word Missionaries and the St Michael Mission Society are always looking for new corporate sponsors or donors, especially in the fields of medical or educational supplies.
Anyone who feels they can help should contact Fr Truc at the SVD Mission Office on 02 9868 2666 or email Jason Hodges at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
PHOTOS
Top: A container of donated goods is ready to be shipped to Papua New Guinea
Bottom: School children in PNG overjoyed to receive new stationery supplies for school.