Navigating the terrain to the health clinic in Wafa Village was arduous. Jordan and his three national employees drove through rivers and hiked several miles before reaching the Wafa River. Five locals met them there lifting the 60-pound box of equipment as they carefully waded through waist-high water. It was another mile or more before arriving at this rural clinic in the Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
As project manager for the Nazarene General Hospital in PNG, Jordan and his team understood the potential for the Solar Media Center in places that are “way off the grid,” and they wanted to test these devices at three of their rural health clinics.
At this particular clinic, Jordan’s goal was to finish its construction, install solar equipment for reliable electricity, and install a Solar Media Center to power ministry outreach tools. These tools included cell-phone charging stations, an outdoor loudspeaker, several LED lights, an audio amplifier, and a media content player loaded with the Jesus Film and an audio Bible in two languages.
The wireless media content was an instant hit. Jordan remarks, “Probably half a day later, every teenager from the community had their smart phone. They were standing on the porch in front of the clinic, and the officer in charge was teaching them how to use it.”
Lukas, a fellow missionary, traveled to another remote clinic by small airplane. There he also installed a Solar Media Center. Before Lukas left the site, patients were listening to an audio Bible over the speakers while they waited to be seen.
If this tool continues to meet their expectations, Jordan and his team would like to install Solar Media Centers at all eight of their rural clinics as an evangelistic outreach. He sees the ministry potential for other off-the-grid locations such as rural church plants.
Jordan was grateful, “All in all, a great product that will have real ministry impact.”
By Erica Simone, January 2023