‘PACIFIC Light Baptist Church (PLBC) has their worship place burnt down during the riot last week in Chinatown.
Despite the loss, head of the church, Pastor Michael Deatrick in an interview with the Solomon Star said those things that were burnt were not their things.
“They were God’s things, and no fire can consume our relationship with Christ.”
He said they have lost all Bible study material, over a thousand Bibles, gospel literature, and other church belongings.
“My family and I also stored all of our personal belongings and household things there while we are in the United States. With all that, we have only our properties,” he said.
Despite losing their church building, Pastor Deatrick said the church is not a building.
“The church is the people. The church is not our church, it’s God’s church. Those things were not our things, they were God’s things. Earthly possessions can be replaced,” he said.
He said what the church has focused on now is how they can help those who are hurting in the Solomon Islands.
“Jesus is our hope and we want to share that hope with everyone. True peace only comes from a relationship with our Creator through His Son, Jesus Christ,” he said.
He said he praised God that none of the church people were harmed and their prayers are with those who were greatly impacted by this tragedy.
Currently he said they are looking for a new temporary place to meet while they wait on God to provide land and a permanent church building.
“My family and I are waiting on permission from the government to return and look forward to being reunited with our church and back home with our friends.
“God is good all the time and we are excited to see what He will do in the future,” he said.
The PLBC was renting part of the HM Long building, upstairs, which was burnt down during the riots last Thursday, along with most of their belongings.
By FOLLET JOHN
Newsroom, Honiara
