Albertis_Photography
Coming from a broken home, a little I can remember were the struggles my Mother had faced while playing the roles of both mother & father.
My education journey begins in 2005 at Buyabi in Imbonggu District of Southern Highlands Province where I did Grade one to Grade four at Buyabi Primary school.
My dad was a Lutheran church pastor & a chaplain at Buyabi CIS. Hence, for four years, we reside there in Buyabi.
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| Albert Moses |
However, at one time, because of the church politics, they removed my dad from the church and asked him to leave. They actually gave my dad two weeks to pack up and leave. They didn't say goodbye, whatsoever because it was all about church politics.
Within that two weeks period, my dad was looking for means & ways to leave the place but he didn't get a chance. One afternoon, the elder of the church came and confronted my dad again & asked us to leave immediately. At that time, I was around the age of 15 and I was in Grade 3.
My dad was very worried because he was unable to find a way to leave the church area within that two weeks.
So one afternoon, I finished from school & I came home. To my surprise, I saw all our belongings on the side of the main road. My mum & dad with few other people were standing there so I went and asked my dad, "what happened?"
Dad replied & said, "This is the last day of the two weeks they have given us. So while your mom & I were in the house, the Church's elder came to the house and asked us to pack our things & leave. And to our surprise, a group of people came to the house to carry our belongings. They said, "They wanted to take me as their pastor to one of the Lutheran church in their village so here we are on the road."
My heart settled & I was little bit happy. However, the village of the people that came to take my dad where no way near to the main road where there is vehicle transportation. The village is situated in a very remote area. And mum & dad were very much concern about my school so they have decided to leave me with one of my mom's sister who lives in Buyabi.
With painful tears, I stayed back with Jenny (my mom's sister) who came to get me upon my mom's request.
Mom said, "We are going to a new place with a new people. We can't take you with us because your dad & I are very much concern about your school. Therefore, we will let you go & stay with Jenny so you could successfully complete your Grade 3 & next year, you could go to our place & continue your Grade 4."
"And I believe, Jenny will take a good care of you. But no matter how far I would be from you, I will always come & visit you." she added.
A kid at a age of 15, seeing my parents turning their back on me was so painful. Tears were running down and I wanted to follow them.
However, from a far distance, mom was very worried about me so she ran & came back to me & huged me with tears running down on her face.
She said, "Son, even though it breaks my heart to leave you like this & go but I think this is the right thing to do so be at peace & focus on your school. "
She hugged me again & with tears she left.
Hence, I took my belongings & I went & stayed with Jenny. Jenny had four sons & two daughters. While I was there, the kids were not behaving. My clothes & school materials were all of the place & I felt mistreated.
After staying there for three months, I sent a message to mom & dad to come & get me because I was feeling uncomfortable.
One Friday afternoon, my parents came. They took my belongings and we left. And that place (where my dad was called to pastor the Lutheran church) was located in a very remote area. If you want to come to the main high way, you would climb several mountains and cross three rivers to reach a place where there is vehicle transportation. The Place is called Kana, neighbouring Ome & Asasa villages in Imbonggu district of SHP.
So on that Friday, we went and reached home around 8pm, late in the night.
On Sunday, I told my mom to wake me up early around 5am, while the place is still dark so I could go to school. And mom waked me up & I went to school but because of the distance, I was late & I also came home late that night.
During the night, a guy came to our house & said to dad, "I saw your son taking the main road to go to school so I just came to let you know that there's a short cut road that leads to the main highway. I suggest your son could access that road to walk back & forth from school."
Thus, during the weekend, I went & fixed the road. It was a bush track in the thick jungle where you will cross several rivers. And you would follow a small creek up and then climb a steep mountain and at the top of the mountain, you would walk few kilometres where you would locate the main road. There you would walk few more kilometres to the school.
Besides, in terms of food, we were new there. My parents were only expecting the Christians for food. I have four siblings with mom & dad. So many times, when Christians didn't give us any food, I used to go to school with an empty stomach.
Thus, the first one week, because of the distance and the road condition, I went late to school. So during the weekend, I had decided to clean up and fix the bush track.
Early in the morning, while going to school, I used to carry my clothes in my bag so I can get dressed, near the main road.
I did this because I used to walk on the bush track where the condition of the road was so bad. I used to walk on several muddy roads, heading down to a river, climbing up a mountain & then down to the river again, then follow a creek up to the top, then climb up a steep mountain, then walk few kilometres to the main road and then walk few more kilometres to the school.
While walking on the bush road, I used to wear rough clothes. From that village, I was the only one attending Buyabi Primary school.
Some of the young people in that particular village didn't feel like going to school because of the distance.
In 2008, I was in Grade 4 and for one and half years, that bush track has known me. The very important thing I used that keep me and my schooling materials safe while walking back and forth from that distance place is "Umbrella".
During the rainy seasons, the muddy waters that runs on the road, used to flow down like a water fall from that steep roads on that hill mountain road. When I used to climb up the mountains, that muddy waters used to run down on my faces and spoil my clothes and my school materials.
So in order to protect myself, I used to put up my umbrella so the muddy waters can come & bounce back on the umbrella while I try to climb the steep mountain.
In primary school, teaches often tell us to bring certain bush materials to school, so as for me, (during the weekends), I used to go and get those materials and hide them somewhere near the main road so it would be easy for me to take them to school without being late.
At one time, I finished from school and I came home on that bush track. At that time, it was a rainy season and the Rivers were overflow so I was unable to cross the rivers. The rivers are located at the centre of that bush track. The place is so mountainous and it was very hard for me to call out for help because I was in the middle of the jungle.
I had waited for the rivers to at least go down, so i would cross. Unfortunately, the rain continued and the place was getting dark.
So I went ahead and cross the river. Unfortunately, the force of the river was very strong & while I was at the centre of the river, it shaked my legs and tickled me & dragged me in. I was carrying one of my "Superman Hand Bag" with my umbrella & other school materials. When I fell into the river, everything that hanged on me, goes with me.
The force of the river bumped me into several stones, it carried me away for few metres & thank God, my hands reached out to a stone and that saved me.
All my school materials were washed away by the river.
Despite, all that challenges, I didn't give up. I kept on going to school and from Grade one up to Grade four, I was the top student. I never had a vision or a dream, meaning to say that, after completing my school I would study this & that or become any of such. I just developed a desire to go to school and that's all.
So in 2009, my dad had retired from being a Pastor and we came home to Lipite (a village near Walume Junction) in Imbonggu district of SHP.
When we came home, I was shocked to realize that my dad was the rejected one. These were what my dad's people used to say to him, "He is a street Vendor, who doesn't settle at home. He doesn't have a land or a house here."
Well, after all these criticism, we had no way to go, that was our place, even if it meant for us to sleep under the tree, that would be fine with us, that's what we taught.
Fortunately, one of my dad's brother had left his home and went to Lae and the house has been there for some years, without anyone using it.
But the house was not in a good condition. However, we had no choice so we went & reside there.
There, I continued my Grade 5, 6, 7, &, 8, at Kero Primary School.
Coming home and settle there was also a huge challenge; Food, house, land and you can name the rest.
The only thing my dad lacks is that, he doesn't know how to build house. He has never built any house before, he never does.
So when I was doing my Grade 9 in Kaupen high school in 2013, I first built a house. It was my first time experience to build a house. And my mom, dad & my siblings moved to that house.
When I was doing Grade 10 in 2014, I built another house. During the term breaks and long weekends, I used to go and help my mom & dad, cultivate very bad places to make gardens just to secure a land.
Every Sunday, I used to go and help my Pastor (Ps Joe Kumuma) from Koutoli Baptist Church, with church activities such a Song leading and so forth.
When we came home after the retirement of my dad, life in the village was so tough. But I had never, at one time, gave up on my education. Education was the only thing I kept so dearly in my heart and it was through the Grace of God.
In 2015 & 16, I went to Ialibu Secondary school and did my Grade 11 & 12 there. After the Gr12 National Examination, I was accepted to study Journalism & Public Relations at the University of Papua New Guinea.
Now, when I got the offer, my dad's people back in the village were making all sorts of comments.
Some of them where saying, "It's good that Albert is getting an Offer to study at UPNG but his parents don't have the money or pig to pay for the school fees. It seems like Albert will stay at home."
Even though they were in a better position to contribute something towards my school fees, but they were full of hatred and jealousy, hence, they had contributed nothing.
And by the Grace of God, I came to Port Moresby in 2017, successfully registered myself as a UPNG Student and for 4 years, I was the residential student.
My parents didn't pay any single toea for my school fees. I used to tell them, God will provide, God will still make a way.
I used to tell my parents, whatever little money you find, use them to take care of my little siblings.
And for four years, non of my dad's relatives have supported me with any of my school fees. But from the bottom of my heart, I don't have any taught with them, I love them as much as I Iove my parents.
While I was still studying at UPNG, God opened a doors for me. Thus, I had put my learning into practical application for 3 years.
In 2028, I had engaged with 2018 APEC Media & Communication Division.
In 2019, 2020 and half of 2021, I had engaged with TVwan/Loop PNG as Political News Reporter.
In 2020, I had successfully completed my studies & just recently, I have graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism & Public Relations.
And just after the Graduation, I got a Job & currently, I am working with the Department of Justice, Under Registry in a Division called National Judicial Staff Services.
To conclude, I would say that, it was God that made a way for me. Even when there seems to be no way, I can tell from experience that God never fails.
God walks in ways, Man cannot see, He will make a Way, He will still make a Way.
And to those particular people who are so close to my heart, who have tirelessly contributed so much in my life, bring me this far, you know who you are, I may not be able to repay all of that you have invested on me but I pray that may the Lord (God) bless you Accordingly.
All Glory To God
Picture By: Jonathan Yandi
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