A team of eight Australians will set off next week on a 700 kilometre cycle through some of the toughest terrain Papua New Guinea has to offer in a bid to raise funds for the construction of a women’s domestic violence refuge in the town of Lae.
The ride, which will be followed by a 100 kilometre trek on the Kokoda Trail, is being sponsored by Christian Outreach Churches and was the idea of Pastor Ross Abraham, Oceania chairman of Christian Outreach Centres and lead pastor of the multi-campus Elevation Church in Queensland.
Pastor Abraham, who has hiked the Kokoda Trail five times previously and last year took part in a 1,000 kilometre cycling, kitesurfing and hiking odyssey from Cooktown to the Kokoda Trail, is hoping to raise $150,000 for the new building which will also be used as a community centre.
“Every day, women in PNG are raped and beaten, often by members of their own family,” he says. “We want to build a “safe mary house” on land the church owns in Lae, doing what we can to combat the horrific epidemic of domestic violence there.”
He says it is envisaged will also be used by youth, for a school and Bible college, and for church services on Sundays.
While raising funds is the main reason for the ride, Pastor Abraham admits “I enjoy the adventure and being able to bond with a group of like-minded men”. All riders have had to raise money to cover their own expenses and time off work.
The event, titled ‘PNG800 Bike & Hike’, will see a group of eight cyclists ride 700 kilometres from Wewak to Lae after which a group of 14 – including three cyclists – will hike the Kokoda Trail. They kick off on Tuesday and are looking to have it completed by 19th July.
For more information, see www.png800.org.au
