The Church Agency Network Disaster Operations (CANDO) has successfully rolled out its third Theology of Disaster Resilience in a Changing Climate (TDRCC) Training in partnership with the United Church of Solomon Islands (UCSI) in Munda, Western Province.
TDRCC Training equips churches and faith leaders with a biblical understanding of disasters and climate change, enabling them to preach, teach, and share these messages with their congregations while also building practical skills to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters in their communities.
The TDRCC training was held at Kekehe United Church Hall in Munda, from Tuesday 9 December to Friday 12 December.
The training was organised by CANDO and implemented by the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA), with support from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and CANDO volunteer.
The workshop was funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), with coordination support from CANDO and implemented by SICA.
The training was facilitated by Reverend Hilary Bero, Director of Mission and Theology of the United Church of Solomon Island Assembly Office at Kokegolo, Munda, and Kendrick Kasa, Minister of Wesley United Church in Honiara. Mr Dominic Baona, CANDO Coordinator and Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) Project Officer through SICA coordinated the training and supported by ADRA Solomon Islands Communication and MEL Officer, Denver Newter, and CANDO Volunteer, Mr James Ofo.
Speaking during the official opening of the TDRCC Training, CANDO Coordinator and Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) Project Officer, Mr Dominic Baona, said the training was the third TDRCC training organised by CANDO for its members this year.
“We recently conducted similar TDRCC trainings with SSEC congregations in West Gizo and Noro, and the Kekehe UCSI Congregation is the third location where this training has been rolled out,” Mr Baona said.
He added that the TDRCC training has been conducted across all five main denominational sites where CANDO is currently implementing its project and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to conduct the training with the UCSI congregation at Kekehe.
Four UCSI congregation in Munda namely Kindu, Kokeqolo, Dunde, and Kekehe were gathered at Kekehe Church Hall participated in the training.
UCSI Reverend Hillary Bero, who facilitated the training, spoke on behalf of the United Church Assembly Office at Kokeqolo and expressed appreciation to CANDO, through SICA, for implementing the TDRCC training for their congregation.
“We have been announcing this training to our congregation members for some time, informing them that CANDO and SICA would come to conduct the TDRCC training, and our congregation has been waiting patiently,” Rev Bero said.
“Today, it has finally happened, and we sincerely acknowledge CANDO, SICA, and the support from ADRA as a CANDO member for coming to implement this TDRCC training for our congregation here in Munda,” he added.
One of the Kekehe Congregation members, Mekara Sunga, shared during the training that it was very important and helped her reflect on and share her personal experiences of spiritual disasters she has faced in life.
“I am very happy with this training conducted here in our church. I am grateful to learn from disaster stories in the Bible and to share my own personal disaster story that I went through in life, which God has used to change me,” she said.
She added that the training has enabled her to become a role model in her community. “This training has helped me to face real-life challenges caused by spiritual disasters and to overcome them through my faith in God.”
Dicky Alemia from Kokeqolo Congregation in Munda said he was happy to be selected to participate in the training.
“I am a youth leader at Kokeqolo, and I am thankful to be selected to join this training. It will help me as a leader to share disaster stories with our youths and explain how God intervenes to help people overcome spiritual disasters,” he said.
Mr Alemia added that he will return to his church and share what he has learned with youth and congregation members, highlighting the importance of the training.
Georgina Alenge, Youth Leader of Kekehe Congregation, also shared that the training has equipped her with valuable knowledge to pass on to her youth members.
“We have many youths in our church facing challenges, especially in their spiritual lives, and many struggle to overcome them,” she said. “This training has helped me understand how we can overcome spiritual disasters in our lives. I would like to thank CANDO and SICA for facilitating this training for us.”
Justin Karovo, Congregation Leader of Kekehe Church, also expressed his appreciation to CANDO and SICA for implementing the training in the community.
“I would like to acknowledge CANDO and SICA for implementing this very important training, which helps our leaders understand the significance of spiritual disasters in life and how we can overcome these challenges,” he said.
Source: ADRA Press Release
