News from Search For One, Inc.

Volume 1- Issue 2                                                                                                                                                

Spring/Summer 2008

ADVENTIST SINGLES DO MISSION

                  Last February, four Adventist singles volunteered for a Search for One (SFO) mission to the island of Abemama, a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean and one of 21 inhabited islands that make up the Republic of Kiribati near the Equator and International Dateline. Search for One’s mission is to bring desperately needed medical, dental, and public health care to the island as an opening wedge to share with them the gospel message. Our team was led by Gary Morgan, head of SFO. 

Figure 1 left to right:  Toue (SFO native base camp keeper), Gary Morgan, Sara Becker, Drue & Joy Wagner, Patti Hare, Tom Lovins

                  Our adventure began with an eleven-hour flight from Los Angeles to Fiji, a second three-hour plane ride to Tarawa, and then loading our luggage onto the back of a truck-turned-taxi to go to the Kiribati Mission.  While we waited a couple of days for the “Super Cat,” the weekly boat to Abemama, we visited Red Beach, so named because during the Battle of Tarawa in WWII the beach was literally red with blood. A partially submerged American tank is there as a reminder of the price of freedom. We saw sections of B-24 wings on Abemama, and I even brought home a shell casing and Coke bottle from WWII. 

                  The “Super Cat” was loaded with people, their luggage, and 40-lb. sacks of sugar, rice, flour, etc. filling all the aisles and between the rows. We soon were delighted to see four dolphins “leading” our boat for several minutes. Fourteen hours later we arrived at base camp! By the light of the school truck’s headlights we were able to unload our luggage filled with food, tools, and medical and VBS supplies into a small boat and go ashore. What a thrill it was to see the sky filled with stars and to pick out the Southern Cross.

                  Kauma (pronounced Cow-ma) Adventist High School has about 300 students, 97 percent of whom are non-Adventists. They come from several islands and religious persuasions, and last year 100 Kauma students were baptized!

                  The school is located beside an azure blue lagoon with coconut palms and other tropical trees. The SFO camp was on the ocean side of the campus about a third of a mile away. Wonderful ocean breezes made sleeping comfortable and dried our clothes wrinkle free on the line. However, the islanders had not had any significant rain for nine months and were boiling contaminated well water for drinking. There was certainly no water to grow gardens or take showers. They had been praying for help when the SFO team arrived in February.

                  Dr. Drue Wagner and his nurse wife Joy from Pennsylvania held several clinics throughout the island. They believe that 40 percent of the sickness and disease they saw is caused by lack of water or by contaminated water. Our SFO team’s goal is to provide not only more water for irrigation and washing but to also provide pure drinking water for the school, the faculty, and the clinic. Imagine trying to operate a clinic without water! It has only the very basic medicines and in limited supply. Much more is needed to enable it to serve the school and the community.

                  Tom Lovins, a retired contractor from Arkansas who went

over to make repairs, tackled the water problem. Five large tanks

were on top of a platform that needs reinforcing, but with only one

 electric pump and one solar pump they were not able to pump

Sufficient water from the well. Tom flew to neighboring Tarawa and

Purchased an electric pump and fittings at his own expense, and

Installed them. Four tanks filled to overflowing! There was great

rejoicing. Principal Harold Panda said it was the first time he had

seen water in his bathtub for three months! Students and staff can

now take showers. Some boys were planting banana trees because

Now they have water.  

 

                  Tom learned about SFO at the 2006 Adventist Single Adult Ministries retreat at Camp MiVoden, Idaho. He endeared himself to the Kauma students by not only getting them water but also working alongside them, telling them stories, and playing games with them.

                  Sara Becker of Washington State held vacation Bible schools in the villages and learned from Doctor Drue how to treat most sicknesses on the island. She is there until June caring for people in the clinic and teaching the children, students, and adults good health principles. They love and appreciate her, and she loves them.

                  The people are friendly, happy, fun-loving, and appreciative of what the SFO teams are doing under the leadership of Gary, a businessman from Washington State. And can the students ever sing! Listening to them sing “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder” brought tears to my eyes. At present their average life span is only in the fifties. What a difference it will make for them to have a reliable supply of good water, fruits and vegetables.

 

 

                  The team is committed to getting the school nine tanks full of water instead of four, one of them to hold pure drinking water. It means strengthening the underlying support and installing another solar pump with solar panels. This arrangement will provide good drinking water and water for irrigation. A heavy-duty mulcher is also needed to help enrich the crushed coral/sand soil

                  Transportation on the island is by truck or motorbike. If we all were going somewhere, we bounced along in the back of the school truck. One or two could ride a Honda-110 motorbike. The team is hoping someone will be inspired to replace their truck. The school wants to add another classroom block. They make their own concrete blocks that look just like the ones here. We are dreaming big to help this school. I wish each one of you could drop into church and hear the students sing.

I heard about this challenge from Gary at the NAD

Adventist Single Adult Ministries convention in Orlando in 2007 and

accepted Keynote Speaker Dick Duerksen’s challenge to “pursue

your passion” and “step into the water” as the priests did at the

Jordan. I volunteered to cook for the team and help some in the

office and with the children. Gary was greeted with the news that

the propane tanks were empty, but a two-burner kerosene hotplate

and solar oven worked fine. On the Internet I found freeze-dried

blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and peas that were excellent. 

The freeze-dried carrots, celery, and eggs were helpful but not as good. 

                  These Adventist singles are on the move and committed to helping not only in the South Seas but also closer to home and in their own communities. They paid their own way and donated their time. Adventist Singles is about mission and reaching out to help others. It was the most rewarding experience of my life!

                  If you would like to “step into the water” and share this joy by going with a Search for One team, or if you would like to help this wonderful school get water, go to www.searchforone.org and learn how you can help. You will never regret it. Being out there helped me realize what is really important. I praise God for the opportunity to go and for a safe return. God protected us in many ways.

Patti Hare

p2hare@aol.com

[I am a retired secretary and academic advisor living in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida]

 

3425 S Atlantic Ave, No. 2001

Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

386-322-0855