Sir Silas Atopare, Governor General of Papua New Guinea, visited with Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders and members during his recent visit to the Philippines.

Speaking August 18 at the Southern Asia-Pacific headquarters of the Adventist Church, in Cavite, Philippines, Atopare thanked leaders for their part in mobilizing Adventists in the region to “unite their forces to expand the membership of the church” and to “make their quality of life real.”

Atopare, an Adventist, has been Papua New Guinea’s head of state for the past four years. He believes the appointment was God-inspired. “It was in 1984 when an Adventist pastor told me that someday I would be at the helm of governance for my country,” said Atopare. “That vision became a reality when I was elected on November 15, 1997.”

Atopare was accompanied to the August 18 meeting by Bien Tejano, the Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, who is also an Adventist Church member.

Earlier in the day, Atopare spoke at the Adventist University of the Philippines. He was welcomed by Violeto Bocala, president of the Adventist Church in the region, which includes Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.