Martha Taumata Faavae
The Patamea village congregation of the EFKS Church is determined to build a new church that is budgeted to cost at least one million tala.
The church burnt down about a week ago last Friday from a suspected faulty electrical wiring.
The proposed new church will be the third for the congregation since they replaced their old one that lasted more than 40 years.
The new church destroyed by fire was dedicated about 5 years ago and it left the congregation heavily in debt.
“We had a fairly substantial debt load to pay off and thankfully we did,’ church Secretary Mr. Semau Neemia told Newsline Samoa but did not say how much.
The congregation members were able to save the pews and tables to cut down on some of the costs of the damages still to finalized, according to the church secretary.
The church was uninsured and it is taken seriously as a future lesson by congregation members when they rebuild their new house of prayer and worship.
The congregation membership comprises 40 families not including the ‘faifeau’s’ family.
The congregation organised a radiothon during the weekend at the start of what is expected to be an ongoing series of organised fundraising for their new church.