Papua New Guinea: On Wednesday, July 16th, the Church in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Asia-Pacific Region celebrated the life of a true pioneer and hero of the faith.
Rev. Taime Dirye, the first National District Superintendent in Papua New Guinea, was called home to his Savior on July 9th. Remembered as one of the very first graduates of Melanesia Bible College, and one of the first group of six national pastors to be ordained, Rev. Taime was truly considered a father of the faith in PNG.
In addition to serving as District Superintendent, Rev. Taime served in many other roles over his more than 30 years of ministry. He pastored several churches including the mission station church at Kudjip, and also served as the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital Chaplain for more than 20 years.
“He had a burning passion for church planting and for evangelism,” shares longtime Kudjip Nazarene Hospital surgeon Dr. Jim Radcliffe. “He was a gifted, inspirational and anointed speaker of God’s word. He has been used of the Lord to help open many new Nazarene churches and to win many souls to Jesus. As people accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior at the hospital we referred them back to the nearest church that they could attend. Sometimes when there was no evangelical church in their area they wanted Chaplain Taime to help them start one so that they could continue in the faith in their local village. Each year Chaplain Taime started several new churches in this manner and we have had the privilege as doctors to then go and speak at these church plants.”
“He was one of our finest church doctrine protectors and holiness message preachers,” said Rev. Yambe Sike, Chairman of the National Board in PNG. “He was the most dynamic servant of Jesus Christ in our time. His life and ministry has greatly impacted the growth and development of the Church of Nazarene in PNG.”
Please continue to pray for the family of Rev. Taime and for the continued growth of the Church of the Nazarene in Papua New Guinea and across the Melanesia South Pacific Field.
