​Retired Pastor Prays and God Answers in Papua New Guinea

One day, a pastor from another Christian church knocked on the door.

By Andrew McChesney

Many elderly Seventh-day Adventist pastors return to their native villages when they retire in Papua New Guinea and spend their last years at home and with family.

Not Okanama Kevi, a veteran pastor from Ura village in the highlands of the South Pacific country.

His life became even more busy in retirement as he felt called by God to start a full-time prayer ministry.

Pastor Okanama’s name became known across Papua New Guinea as word spread that God answered his prayers in a special way. Adventists and others began calling him on his cell phone and knocking on the door of his family hut in a mountainous forest. He compiled a long prayer list to raise to God every morning and evening.

One day, a business owner and pastor from another Christian denomination came to Pastor Okanama’s house. The visitor, Ricky, lived in another province and had heard about Pastor Okanama’s prayer ministry while visiting the area on church business. Ricky arrived at the house with his heavily pregnant wife.

“Please, can you pray for my wife?” Ricky asked. “She is past her due date, and we are very worried.”

Pastor Okanama anointed the woman with olive oil and prayed for her. Two days later, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The next Sabbath, Ricky showed up in the Adventist church with his wife and all six of their children, including the newborn girl.

Pastor Okanama, who oversaw the church’s baptismal class, immediately enrolled Ricky and his wife. Their five older children, ages 8 to 12, also began to study the Bible. After several months of study, the couple and their five children were baptized in August 2017.

“Now Ricky has left his church and his work as a pastor,” Pastor Okanama said in an interview at his home. “He is a faithful member in our church.”

Following Ricky’s baptism, a senior pastor from his former church visited the Adventist church in the village. He was given time to speak after the Sabbath worship service. He stood up and, weeping, gave an emotional speech.

“I invested a lot in Ricky,” he said. “Now he has left me and gone to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. You guys take good care of him and look after him well, just as I looked after him.”

With that, he gave his blessing to Ricky’s decision.

Ricky, who owns stationary and rental car businesses, called Pastor Okanama to his place and asked him to dedicate his work to the Lord. The pastor did with joy.

“He is a fruit of my ministry,” said Pastor Okanama, 66. “Through this ministry I have prayed for many Sunday pastors.”