Since the 1950s Nigel Cooper has been associated with Moral Re-Armament (MRA), the former name of Initiatives of Change , having been introduced to the organisation through his parents. At 21 Nigel had a personal transformative experience after seeing a MRA play in New Zealand, ‘The Ladder’ by Peter Howard. After completing a B.Sc. in Maths and Physics Nigel felt called to work with MRA, which he did for 26 years. He was responding to an inner prompt from God that: ‘The world needs more bridge-builders rather than one more computer programmer.'
Nigel was invited to Papua New Guinea from 1967 to 1970 to bring that transformative experience to people. Before PNG’s Independence, there was a lot of preparatory development, new growing leadership and seeking how to build sustainability towards independence. In this context, PNG gave an answer to the world on how to resolve a seemingly impossible situation when a land crisis in 1969 was resolved peacefully. The role played by MRA in this resolution is explained in Nigel’s booklet, The Bougainville Land Crisis of 1969: The Role of Moral Re-Armament.
In 1990 Nigel, Alan Weeks and Mohan Bhagwandas were invited by the first PNG Prime MinisterSir Michael Somare and Minister of Justice Bernard Narokobi to represent MRA as peace mediators on board the HMNZS Endeavour. They helped the Bougainville negotiators and PNG Government come to an agreement known as The Endeavour Accord.
This year in June/July Nigel felt it was time to visit PNG and renew connections. He writes:
Over three intensive weeks in Papua New Guinea, I renewed long-standing friendships and found a small but resilient Initiatives of Change community still holding hope for the future. In Alotau, I was warmly welcomed by old friends, church leaders and younger members of the Kwato community. I spoke in churches, shared the recording of the session Living History: Peacemaking in the Pacific film, revisited memories of the Bougainville peace work, and had many personal conversations that showed how deeply people valued renewed fellowship and honest sharing of life experiences.
The future of an IofC training centre in Milne Bay was a central concern. Margot Doilegu, now 90, remains a determined advocate for a new generation to take responsibility. The team has commitment, legal foundations and some financial support, but faces difficult questions about land, ownership, leadership, project management and its relationship with Kwato Church and KB Development. The need is clear; so is the need for a shared vision and people willing to carry it forward.
Heavy rain and cancelled flights unexpectedly gave me four extra days in Alotau. They became some of the most fruitful days of the journey: more visits, hospitality, family meetings and conversations despite limited access to computers, phones, transport and reliable internet. Several people have expressed interest to join the Life Matters in the Indo- Pacific workshop to be held in Queensland in October this year which is a wonderful re-establishment of connections in the region.
A brief return to Port Moresby brought further meetings and another church presentation. I returned to Auckland exhausted but grateful. The visit lifted spirits and rekindled relationships, while leaving searching questions for the future: who will be the next generation to serve and sustain this work in PNG? And who will be the next generation of young to middle-aged Papua New Guineans to take responsibility for IofC in their own country?
