WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS . . . ON A SUNDAY

This week we have been on the island of Sulawesi in a city called Manado to help with a project called the Pacific Partnership 2012.  Manado is beautiful with lush green jungle, tall mountains and a beautiful harbor with lovely sunsets and friendly people.  On our flight up here we sat on the second row of the plane.  It was fun to watch people board and notice our missionary name tags.  They would see the church's name with "Jesus Christ" emphasized and then give us a huge smile.  Unlike where we have been previously, Manado is definitely Christian. As our plane landed we could see Christian churches everywhere, definitely a change from Java where mosques abound.  Foreigners are not as common here. Everywhere we go, people stop us and ask for a picture with us.  English isn’t spoken much here, but if we try and speak Indonesian it is easy to get asked why we are here, which has been delightful.

We have been here in association with the arrival of the USS Mercy. The Mercy is a hospital ship that carries close to 1,000 medical personnel.  This year there are approximately 100 members of our church on board participating in one capacity or another.  The ship make stops in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam delivering supplies for NGOs, and performing surgeries on locals.

Today, Sunday, we went to church in the Manado branch.  Church attendance was twice the size it usually is due to an announcement the previous week of an eye clinic that would be held after today's meetings.  The clinic was conducted by medical personnel from the Mercy ship on their one day off.  We brought 350 pair of glasses from the U.S. which had been primarily collected by the Lions Club and scripted by Shopko.  These glasses in addition to what were brought off the ship were used to fit those found needing them.  Approximately 200 people were screened and 180 received glasses.  Eileen was especially touched by one lady in the branch who was very well educated who refers to herself as being “66 years young” and is almost blind.  She was so happy  to find some glasses that would help her. 

NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR MANADO DURING RAINSTORM

USS MERCY IN MANADO HARBOR

MADISON BURR MARCHING IN PARADE-RETURNED MISSIONARY FROM MANADO-INTERPRETOR FOR COMMANDER-WAS IN OUR DAUGHTER'S PRESCHOOL CLASS YEARS AGO

STANDING AT ATTENTION DURING OPENING CEREMONIES IN 98 DEGREE HEAT

MEMBER OF THE BRANCH SELECTED TO HAVE EYE SURGERY ABOARD MERCY SHIP

DR. JARSTAD EXAMINING PATIENT

LOADS OF GLASSSES TO GIVE OUT

66 YEARS YOUNG, AND HAPPY TO HAVE GLASSES

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

MEMBER OF THE BRANCH

BROTHER AND SISTER MONGAN ( HE SERVED AS BRANCH PRESIDENT FOR 26 YEARS)

SISTER WITH NEW GLASSEs AND BRACELET MADE BY OUR FAMILY AT RENUNION