Friday, January 30, 2009

Study opportunities in the USA for PNG students

I have received numerous emails about study opportunities in the United States since I started writing up this blog. Therefore, I don't have much time to reply emails individually so I had to write the following information to share some light to those who are interested in seeking information to pursue study opportunities here or elsewhere. The information is mostly for Lutherans but it doesn't hurt for other church members to apply. Furthermore, you can always check with the government of PNG as well as various embassies in PNG where they offer numerous scholarships. My intention is help any fellow Papua New Guinean to excel no matter where you come from in PNG. If you've any questions, please; do not hesitate to contact me.

I am happy to share some information (rarely given out by any PNGean, unless you offer some form of compensation, even to this day) regarding your interests in studying aboard. As long as I am here, I'll try my best to help you in ways I can to seek a scholarship for you to study here ( the main concept of Kange Nga Kona). For now, I want you to look at different American universities and colleges which offer bachelors, masters, and other degrees.
Click here and you'll find all the information you needed. Email directly and explain your interest to them.

Ask also for international student scholarships. I am sure that they offer alot of scholarships too and they will also give you the procedures to follow to be qualified for the scholarship. The above link also has all the colleges and universities from different states. Send an email to all the different colleges/universities directly for more information.

The next thing is; if you're a Lutheran, go to the Lutheran Chruch where you worship and ask the pastor for a Lutheran International Student Scholarship application form. (For non-Lutherans, you might want to ask your local pastor for more information). For Bible Church members (PNGBC); you might want to go to Pabaruk and get a scholarship application there and ask pastors to recommend you. A lot of PNGBC members are studying here through this process. Most of us who are studying/working here came through the churches one way or the other and I strongly recommend you to seek help from the churches. Our government is not friendly and as such scholarships will not come easily unless you have connections from the bottom or top down with the government of the day. Otherwise, church is your best bet.

For Lutherans, when you fill the application, send it to Lutheran Church head office in Ampo Lae. P. O. Box 80 Morobe Province. Ask them to recommend you to a scholarship in the US. I am from the Melpa Lutheran Church in PNG (MLC-PNG). As such, Melpa Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea (MLC-PNG) is not a Lutheran World Federation member so we don't offer scholarships because it was formed in 2000 and still in it's infancy.

Even though, I struck a deal straight through the churches in Germany to come here, I hope ELC-PNG, other churches, and your company/employer might cheap in to help you. There are tons and tons of scholarships offered by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and other church bodies here but the problem is that your application should be endorsed by a Lutheran World Federation member church in PNG...either the ELC-PNG, Gutnius Lutheran Church in Wabag, PNGBC, Baptist, United Church, Four Square, Angelican, SDA, Methodist, Nazerene, Assemblies of God, or the Catholic Church before the American Lutheran Church headquarters in Chicago gives you a full scholarship that covers everything.

Fellow Papua New Guineans, the problem we have with the churches in PNG is that there are a lot of politics within the churches that hinders the spread of the gospel of our Lord. You might have seen a lot of times that either pastors', bishops,' or a clergies' children getting scholarships from the church. You might wonder how these children get scholarships but you know our system better than I do that some of these children do not deserve a scholarship.

Though, a committed Lutheran, I was overlooked not once but six times by my very own Lutheran church (ELC-PNG) - the church I grew up to love. As you know, my application was at the bottom of the pile while those who call themselves God's servants' had their kids' applications on the top. (This is a scary situation that is happening not in the Lutheran Church alone but nearly all the churches in our country). I hope and pray that our church leaders in PNG put their differences aside to win souls for the Lord. I am praying each day that God will continue to give me the strength and the opportunity to help other members of God's family to come this far to gain the skills and knowledge to enhance His kingdom.

God's immense blessings and continue to have HOPE.

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