Students surrender cult items

MALE students at the Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School surrendered cult materials in front of education authorities, church elders, school administration, students and the public on Friday.
Cult practices in the school had led to students’ fights, destruction of properties, loss of lives and disruption to classes since 2006.
During the reconciliation ceremony, male students surrendered a book and other cult materials which they had been using in their cult practices over the years.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea Bishop Rev Dr Jack Urame, provincial education adviser Keith Jiram, school board of management, teachers, students and the public braved the rain to witness the occasion.
After the burning of the materials, Urame blessed the school and later unvailed a monument built to signify the end of cult practices at the Bumayong Lutheran secondary school.
Urame told the students: “You have gone the wrong way, now come back and move forward, focus in God and take your education seriously for yourself, family and your community.”
He urged the students to be good citizens in Christ to make the programme succeed for the future generations to come to that school.
“This reconciliation must not happen only on the surface but it must be something that comes from deep within your hearts,” he told the students.
Board of Governors chairman Jacob Sawanga told the students that the occasion signifies the renewed Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School for a better future.
“Make use of the golden opportunity that you have to set goals and work for in your lives,” Sawanga said.