Public mourning begin for late Joseph Kingal

By ELLEN TIAMU and JASON GIMA WURI

PAPUA New Guineans and overseas friends who have waited for permission from the Ministers Fraternal in Lae, who were holding prayer vigils for the late evangelist Joseph Kingal, can now publicly mourn his death, The National reports.

A public haus krai was finally put up at the Joseph Kingal Ministries headquarters at Omili yesterday to allow the public to attend and pay their last respects.

On Sunday, there will be a public viewing of the late Kingal at the Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium starting at 10am.

In Port Moresby, funeral arrangement committee member and Dei MP Puri Ruing said they had received news that three funeral services would be held in Lae, Port Moresby and Mt Hagen.

Ruing also told reporters yesterday that the condition of the late pastor’s wife, Susan, had improved and she regained consciousness on Monday.

“After the funeral service in Lae on Saturday, the remains of the late tele-evangelist will be flown to Port Moresby for another funeral service next Tuesday at the AOG Conner Stone church.

“Next Wednesday, the casket will leave for Mt Hagen for the final funeral service at the Queen Elizabeth Park before burial at Gumanch in Dei, Western Highlands,” Ruing said.

Fellow evangelist Pr Joseph Walters described the late Kingal as “a passionate patriot” who showed his true nationalistic colours when preaching in Russia, China, Australia and other countries “by wearing the PNG colours while on stage”.

Organisers said a mourning house in Port Moresby would start this evening at the Servant Heart Ministry grounds near the Gerehu roundabout.