Mothers' Union responds to Papua New Guinea cyclone

Mothers' Union members in Britain have sent £2,500 worth of emergency relief to Papua New Guinea after Oro Province was hit by cyclone Guba in November.

In the summer, Mother's Union members in Papua New Guinea sent aid to the UK following the floods in the summer.

An estimated 250 people were killed by the cyclone, which left thousands of people stranded and homeless after rivers flooded.

The Mothers' Union Communication Officer, Fiona Thomas, said, "Members in Papua New Guinea were moved by the plight of people in the UK affected by flooding, and donated over £1700 to the UK to aid flood-assistance. Now, in their 'hour of need', the hope is that the global fellowship Mothers' Union will unite in reciprocating this wonderful gesture," reports Church Times.

Cyclone Guba hit when Mothers' Union members were holding their annual conference in Popondota. Mothers' Union our now working with the Anglican Church to help get supplies to 33,000 families affected by the cyclone.

According to Church Times, Jeanette Oala, a Mothers' Union worker, lost her mother in the cyclone. Oala is now working with Bishop Dennys Ririka to take supplies to the worst hit areas.

In addition to this, the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is flying supplies to villages and has been advising the Australian Defence Force on the condition of airstrips in the region, according to the newspaper.

Pilots of the MAF are bringing supplies to affected areas, which are distributed by the church on a daily basis. On their return flights, the pilots are flying the sick to a hospital in Lae, where the Anglican Church is headquartered.

Chris Luxton, the secretary of London-based Papua New Guinea Church Partnership (PNGCP) said that the Diocese of Norwich, which is linked to the church in Papa New Guinea has given £5,000 of the £10,700 given to the Anglican Church in Papua New Guinea as the first part of the PNGCP response to the crisis, reports Church Times.

PNGCP will be holding a fundraising event on 15 December which will be attended by the Papua New Guinea High Commissioner Jean Kekedo. The event will feature film of helicopter rescues of people affected by the floods.