Seventh-day Adventist programming is now available through the only cable television provider in Papua New Guinea's second largest city, Lae.

The "Hope Channel", an initiative of Adventist Television Network (ATN), is one of 16 channels included in the basic package from Tolec Electronics.

"The only cost to us has been the receiver we bought from the company," says Benson ToPatiliu Diave, the satellite ministries coordinator for the church in Papua New Guinea. "Tolec even installed the receiver for free."

The church also bought a receiver for the University of Technology in Lae, which includes "Hope Channel" on the cable television stations it provides to staff members and in recreational facilities.

"Dr Fifaia Matainaho, an Adventist who lectures at the university, says everybody on campus has been watching "Hope Channel," says Mr ToPatiliu.

CCTV, the cable television provider in the Northern Provincial capital of Popondetta, has included Hope Channel in its package of stations since the beginning of the year and at no cost to the church.

"Staff members at the local Adventist mission office last year asked the owner of the company to provide Adventist programs on Saturdays," says Mr ToPatiliu. "He did and said he would be keen to provide more if the church ever produced 24/7 programming. I gave him a call when the Adventist church launched Hope Channel."

Mr ToPatiliu encourages Adventists to show the same initiative as the staff at the mission office did. "Hope Channel is reaching people we have not reached through evangelistic programs." (Editor: Brenton Stacey for ANN-Australia and APD)