For children finishing elementary school on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, the future doesn’t appear bright. Less than one out of every ten will go on to complete secondary school or receive some sort of vocational training. Everyone else will live much the way their parents do, scratching a living from the earth and the sea. As Western goods such as mobile phones become more available and common, the pressure to have a job which earns money comes up hard against the reality of poor prospects.

The Evangelical Church of Manus (ECOM) has look been committed to training young people and offering them more in education and opportunities. The church operates a Christian high school and the Maria Molnár Bible Training Centre. Now they are beginning a new endeavor: to encourage young people spiritually and musically. A music school – a branch of the Bible school – will provide music-loving young people access to musical instruction and training. Although the new branch will operate independently of the one-to four-year Bible training program, music students will be taught Bible courses as well. It is hoped that this will improve the musical quality in the churches. In Melanesia, there is no worship without singing and instrumental accompaniment.

Field leader Bernd Mortsiefer says the new building is just about ready and the school has already received a a small number of used musical instruments. A local couple will begin instruction soon – but Liebenzell is still seeking someone with musical instruction experience heeding God’s call to serve as a missionary teacher (see "Opportunities").