Miss Pacific contestants begin programme with church service

By OLIVE SUKUN
THE 12 contestants for the Miss Pacific crown began the week-long programme yesterday at their Vabukori village church.
The Sunday service coincided with the commemoration of the arrival of the London Missionary Society (LMS) missionaries to the country 150 years ago.
LMS evangelist Pamela Amini said during the sermon the pageant “is not only a competition but also a blessing for Pacific islanders to unite and share the many issues of our region”.
“You are representing your countries and you have a powerful platform that God will allow you to use to speak up for the issues that are affecting us and our communities.”
Reigning Miss Pacific Leoshina Kariha who won last year when the pageant was held in Tonga, welcomed the 12 queens to Papua New Guinea.
They introduced themselves to the public for the first time and thanked God for the event which not only brought them together but also united the Pacific islands.
The Toarip people from Vabukori village presented gifts to Miss Tuvalu Tapua Pasua whose ancestors in the late 1800 and early 1900 brought the gospel to Toarip.
Kariha thanked the villagers for hosting them.
“Thank you Vabukori for welcoming and hosting our sisters from the Pacific. I am humbled and honoured to hand over the crown on my home soil PNG.”
Miss Solomon Islands Gladys Habu was not able to attend the service as she was still travelling.