International Students Welcomed by Houma Church Family

GRAY, LA. – Students on Scholarship from Papua New Guinea contacted the Houma Seventh-day Adventist Church about transportation to church from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., and have been attending church since their initial contact. The students were awarded government STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) scholarships to Nicholls State University. There is a very large population of Seventh-day Adventists in Papua New Guinea and the attending students, mostly raised in the church and some already baptized, have made themselves right at home with the church family. The Houma church is located about 10 minutes from Nicholls State University and has welcomed the students and are enjoying sharing the Word of God and cultural exchange with the first-semester freshmen. “We have enjoyed fellowship lunches with the students and recently brought some of the group to the New Orleans Zoo and to a Thanksgiving lunch in New Orleans,” according to Cliff Fenton, head elder.

The STEM Scholarship is funded by the Papua New Guinea government through their Education Department. This is the first group of students sent to the United States and all were top students in national grade 12 examinations that they sat for in 2022. The Papua New Guinea government is covering the scholarships which pay for travel expenses, boarding, tuition fees and living allowance for the recipients.

By Tidy Fenton