EASTER, of course, reminds Christians of Christ who sacrificed himself to redeem mankind of our inequities.
For the poor, struggling settlers of the Erima community where I live in Port Moresby, it is hoped this period will usher in some salvation from the daily bondage of searching for water. Water. It is so basic. A life fundamental.
Yet water in this settlement is a big problem and has been so since water authority Eda Ranu (Our Water), citing problems associated with illegal water connections and unpaid bills, several years ago decided to significantly reduce water pressure into this community.
However, a recent development could indicate there is light at the end of the tunnel. A couple of days ago Eda Ranu sent its workers with a backhoe to dig up roadside ditches to install water pipes.
Mothers shouted in jubilation at seeing the men and equipment hard at work. Our neighbour could not hold back her joy and bought betel nut and cigarettes for the Eda Ranu workers.
The whole community was excited and the workers were asked questions about how the water was to be channeled into the settlement.
Some speculated that several common taps will be placed close to the settlement while others even suggested that water would be reticulated to individual houses.
In any event, this provides me with an opportunity to directly connect water to my house given I have formal title.
The jubilation and curiosity among my community was a clear sign of the long period of hardship and desperation for water we have been going through all these years.
Coming from work the following day I could not hold back my joy when I asked my family if Eda Ranu had come back to work on the water pipes.
I was told that they had not but the sound of the backhoe digging could be heard a kilometer or so from where we live.
Later we found they were searching for existing pipes in the other neighbouring streets to determine their usability before water is allowed to flow through them.
From my memory this is the first time such an exercise has been undertaken by Eda Ranu since the water was disconnected.
One weekend, a couple of weeks after we moved into Erima, my uncle, my father and I joined the rest of the men in the community to dig a ditch along the road that led to our street in the hope of connecting water.
Each member of the community contributed money to acquire poly-pipes for water. Yet we soon came to realise that the money did not yield anything. Instead of fresh hope all we got were rumours and complaints of the money being misused by so-called community leaders.
This time we are more hopeful because Eda Ranu is doing it.
The days to come look exciting as we are optimistic Eda Ranu will re-connect water to the community. If it happens this weekend, it will certainly be an Easter worth remembering for the residents of the Erima settlements.
Yet deep down I remain concerned that problems which led to the reduction in water pressure in the first place could resurface. Problems such as illegal water connections and unpaid bills are prone to occur here due to the poor economic status and volatile law and order situation.
For the people in my community, the idea of having water connected to their houses is remote from their memory. In fact, most of them refused to entertain these thoughts given that they have been victimised with unfulfilled promises of water time and again by their elected leaders
Even the visible presence of Eda Ranu in the community has done little to remove skepticism from their minds. They will only believe when they see the water flowing.
As Christian pilgrimages gather at various locations around Port Moresby to pay homage to Christ Jesus for his act of unselfish love for us, settlers in my community are hoping that the days of searching for water are nearly over.
During this Easter, we hope that the redemption, salvation and restoration offered by Christ through His crucifixion on the cross can be practically realised through the efforts of Eda Ranu in reconnecting the water.
If it happens then it will become an Easter full of hope because of its significance to an impoverished settlement.
In a community lacking serious commitment to the word of God, such a development coinciding with one of the most significant events in the Christian calendar could reignite faith.
Perhaps it will set in motion transformative effects to change the community permanently for the better.
However, a recent development could indicate there is light at the end of the tunnel. A couple of days ago Eda Ranu sent its workers with a backhoe to dig up roadside ditches to install water pipes.
Mothers shouted in jubilation at seeing the men and equipment hard at work. Our neighbour could not hold back her joy and bought betel nut and cigarettes for the Eda Ranu workers.
The whole community was excited and the workers were asked questions about how the water was to be channeled into the settlement.
Some speculated that several common taps will be placed close to the settlement while others even suggested that water would be reticulated to individual houses.
In any event, this provides me with an opportunity to directly connect water to my house given I have formal title.
The jubilation and curiosity among my community was a clear sign of the long period of hardship and desperation for water we have been going through all these years.
Coming from work the following day I could not hold back my joy when I asked my family if Eda Ranu had come back to work on the water pipes.
I was told that they had not but the sound of the backhoe digging could be heard a kilometer or so from where we live.
Later we found they were searching for existing pipes in the other neighbouring streets to determine their usability before water is allowed to flow through them.
From my memory this is the first time such an exercise has been undertaken by Eda Ranu since the water was disconnected.
One weekend, a couple of weeks after we moved into Erima, my uncle, my father and I joined the rest of the men in the community to dig a ditch along the road that led to our street in the hope of connecting water.
Each member of the community contributed money to acquire poly-pipes for water. Yet we soon came to realise that the money did not yield anything. Instead of fresh hope all we got were rumours and complaints of the money being misused by so-called community leaders.
This time we are more hopeful because Eda Ranu is doing it.
The days to come look exciting as we are optimistic Eda Ranu will re-connect water to the community. If it happens this weekend, it will certainly be an Easter worth remembering for the residents of the Erima settlements.
Yet deep down I remain concerned that problems which led to the reduction in water pressure in the first place could resurface. Problems such as illegal water connections and unpaid bills are prone to occur here due to the poor economic status and volatile law and order situation.
For the people in my community, the idea of having water connected to their houses is remote from their memory. In fact, most of them refused to entertain these thoughts given that they have been victimised with unfulfilled promises of water time and again by their elected leaders
Even the visible presence of Eda Ranu in the community has done little to remove skepticism from their minds. They will only believe when they see the water flowing.
As Christian pilgrimages gather at various locations around Port Moresby to pay homage to Christ Jesus for his act of unselfish love for us, settlers in my community are hoping that the days of searching for water are nearly over.
During this Easter, we hope that the redemption, salvation and restoration offered by Christ through His crucifixion on the cross can be practically realised through the efforts of Eda Ranu in reconnecting the water.
If it happens then it will become an Easter full of hope because of its significance to an impoverished settlement.
In a community lacking serious commitment to the word of God, such a development coinciding with one of the most significant events in the Christian calendar could reignite faith.
Perhaps it will set in motion transformative effects to change the community permanently for the better.
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