Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Once again this year the Mosman Music Academy held their Annual Music of Love and Abundance Concert on December 12th, 2009 at The Star of the Sea Theatre in Manly.  There were over 150 people in attendance and over 40 acts showcasing various talents from singing to dancing. The Compassion partner of Manly Manado was invited once again this year to speak on the Child Survival Program. Manly Manado would like to thank Susie Wang, Music Director and all the participants for their generous financial contributions. 

All funds raised on the day will go directly to support the Child Survival Program.

 

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Year 9 commerce class (40 students) from Oxford Falls Grammar School recently held a 'stalls day' to teach them about running a business. The purpose was to gain as much profit as possible. The students raised a massive $500 and have decided to donate the money to the Bridge of Hope Sumompo Rubbish Dump Project.  The overall aim of this project is to improve the standard of living for families living on Manado's Rubbish dump, many of whom, including children, earn their living by scavenging for recycable items, 8-10 hours a day, six days a week.
Well done to all the students involve who as their teachers, Emma Conroy & Zoe Pearcy, said the students truly believe in the idea of "think globally - act locally".

 

Monday, November 02, 2009

And the psalmist said:

What better way to achieve that than with the exuberant voices of Café of the Gate of Salvation raised in beautiful St. Matthews Church in the heart of multi-cultural Manly on Saturday 17 October. This award-winning, a capella gospel choir of Sydney musicians joined with Manly-Manado to support the work of Compassion and Bridge of Hope. Playing before a packed house of over 300 people, the event successfully raised awareness, funds about $5,000 and the roof!!

There were cheers, tears and goose-bumps as ‘Café’ sang and people clapped along, proving an irresistible lure to the youngest children who just wanted to get on stage and sing along.

Local singer/songwriter Ed Worland with Jake Farriss, set a perfect opening with a bracket of 3 original songs. The Rev. Graham Perry, as MC, welcomed Manly Mayor Jean Hay who spoke of the wonderful community inter-action to help those in need. In between 2 sets by Café, a hushed and attentive audience listened as Vikki Howorth spoke of Compassion’s Child Survival Program and Will Wrathall gave a moving description of the work of Bridge of Hope on the Sumompo Rubbish Dump.

With the sanctuary hung with Sandy Chockman’s ‘story-boards, the tables of hand-crafted Manadonese jewellery, Stu Harris’s exquisite photo-book ‘Love in Action’ on display and the faces of Indonesian children throughout the hall, another ripple of knowledge and awareness was added to those already spreading through our community from such events.  It was a joyous and moving afternoon in Manly – a big thank you to all who worked to make this such a success. Well done!

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What a blessing it was to host Sarah Rahardja from the Compassion office in Manado on Sunday 11 October. It is normally Sarah who hosts and welcomes Insight Trip visitors from Manly to Manado, but this time it was our honour and privilege to host her in our home town of Manly.

Sarah spoke at two services at Seaforth Baptist Church with members from Balgowlah Uniting, St Pauls, St Matts, St Pauls and Ruach churches also attending.  Sarah talked about some of the issues the families of Manado face as well as the Compassion Child Sponsorship Program in Manado (there are now 20 projects in Manado and Manly-Manado has sponsored 215 children from these projects!).  Many of the people attending the services were Compassion sponsors who learnt more about the daily activities of the Compassion children at the projects.  It was inspiring to hear about the transformation of the lives of children who have been sponsored, especially little Rivaldy and the hope he now provides to his family.

Sarah also provided an update on the Child Survival Program that Manly-Manado supports and how the program has impacted the lives of mothers and babies in Manado, including Revalina and baby Iwene who now receive regular health support, nutritious food and medicines and vitamins as well as spiritual growth in their lives.

Thank you Sarah for your visit - we look forward to the next time!  May God continue to bless you and the Compassion team in Manado as you continue to bless the poor of Manado.

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Something fishy was stirring in St Matts on Saturday night, 10th October. The Cinema4Life team again offered their community-building evening as a fundraiser for Manly-Manado and this time the film was truely eye-opening for all who watched!

Sharkwater is filmaker Rob Stewart's underwater adventure to explore the infamous fish - the shark. Driven by a lifelong fascination with sharks, Steward uses this film to show sharks in a light very different to the usual, negative 'man-eater' wrap they normally recieve. Filmed in stunning locations, with breathtaking cinemtography, this film proclaims a valuble lesson that applies not just to sharks, but to everything - that the first impression isnt always true.

It was great to see the Manly community come together again and share a night of choc-tops, lollies, hot chocolate, good converstion and sharks - all in all raising over $200 for Manly-Manado's development partner in Manado, Bridge of Hope!

Great effort everyone!

 

Thursday, October 01, 2009

In the chic and intimate surrounds of Henry Afrikas on the beachfront at Manly, on Sunday 27 September people gathered to view and bid for the top ten photos in the Our Manly Light and Water Photography competition with money raised going to Bridge Of Hope's Sumompo Rubbish Dump project in Manado.  On the night people were transported into world after world. The ten finalist photographs captured the natural beauty of Manly in both a very familiar yet very different, unique way.

Local resident Will Wrathall shared his experience of working with the people of the Sumompo Rubbish Dump community in Manado.  His powerful words took everyone on a journey imagining they were in Manado scooting in and out of the busy traffic on the back of a motor bike, past lush green palm trees and the huge mounds of rubbish, the dump, that is Sumompo. Local musician, Zoe Elliot,  with her beautiful song 'A Life Well Spent', caused everyone to reflect on the importance of the bond being built between the people of Manly and the people of Manado and the lessons we can both learn from this partnership. Then Andrew from Cunninghams Property did a great job at auctioning all ten photographs with just over $5,500 being raised for the Sumompo Rubbish Dump Project in Manado. 

Thanks to Our Manly for organising the event, to Henry Afrikas for hosting and Cunninghams Property for cracking the auctioneers whip so well!  Thanks also to all the supporting businesses who helped to make the evening such a success!

 

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

On Saturday 26 September, over 300 walkers braved the dust and wind and took part in the 10km Manly-Manado Walk, raising $26,000 for Compassion's Child Survival Programme in Manado, Indonesia.  This will go such a long way in making a difference to the lives of the mothers and babies from the Pengharapan Child Survival Program in Manado.

It is great to see the Manly community taking action that supports our Government's commitment to the UN Millennium Goal 4 (Improving Child Health) and Goal 5 (Improving Maternal Health).

It was a wonderful community day with young and old alike uniting to take action against poverty.  Thank you to all the local businesses and organisations who supported the event. Well done Seaforth Baptist Church for organising the event, and thank you to everyone who took part!

 

Monday, September 28, 2009

On the eve of 24 September, women from the Manly community flooded St Matts Church on the Corso to swap books and in turn help families in Manado lift themselves out of poverty. Helen Allchurch and her team did a great job coordinating the event, attracting a 130-strong crowd of book lovers. 

Award-winning author, Melina Marchetta (Saving Francesca, Looking for Alibrandi, Jellicoe Road and her newest one, Finnikin of the Rock) spoke at the event and local photographer Stu Harris spoke about his time in Manado and his Love in Action book, reminding everyone why they were gathered at the event. Everyone left the evening, tummies full, mouths sore from chatting, a new book in tow, and perhaps a little flicker of a dream inside about how they too could all be authors, just like Melina.

Well done to all involved - five families will now be given the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty and set up their own business in Manado through Manly-Manado's micro enterprise development partner, Bridge of Hope.  "Most of the loan recipients happen to be women as they are passionate about educating and feeding their children," said Helen. "That's why the book swap was (mostly) women helping women to get their families out of poverty."

 

Monday, September 21, 2009

Not many Australians have the chance to walk the Nation’s corridors of power, but Sandy Chockman, Vikki Howorth and Jim Goddard from Manly-Manado met with MPs in Parliament House Canberra last week to share their concerns about global poverty.

They were in Canberra as part of ‘Voices for Justice’, a gathering of supporters of the Micah Challenge campaign.  The event brought together hundreds of campaigners of all ages, from around Australia, who want to see the Australian Government act on issues of extreme poverty, in particular to fulfil its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The group with other member of the Warringah electorate met with Federal Member for Warringah, The Hon Tony Abbott MP, who expressed interest in the issues: "As Australians we are often thought of as the lucky country but we have also worked hard to achieve what we have.  It is important however that Australia is a good international citizen and that we do the right thing to reach out to others in need.”


It’s great that we have the opportunity to have an impact on politics.  The group got to speak out for those who never usually have their voices heard.  They also talked to Mr Abbott about Manly-Manado, the community partnership that is enabling people in his very own electorate to take action against poverty.  Tony was encouraged to hear how local schools, churches, residents and businesses in Manly have engaged with this movement which has benefited some 6,000 people in Manado.

 

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Alive at the Chapel, held on Friday 28 August at Balgowlah Uniting Church, showcased eight talented performers who sang and danced the night away, raising an amazing $2,300 for Bridge of Hope in Manado. The performers came from all areas of Sydney to unite to fight against poverty! Thanks to Rubix, Sophie and Ellie, Over Flow, Ella Freestone, Zoey Elliot, Mail Contemporary Dancers, The Joey Mawson Band and Counter Culture.

"It was such a positive and energetic night," said Karina Guerrero, event organiser.  "Over 200 people attended the event, with the majority being youth from the Manly area.  It was such a wonderful way to spent a Friday night, listening to great music and at the same time raising money to provide micro loans for families in Manado."

Big thanks to all volunteers, performers, Coles Balgowlah, Barefoot Cafe, Balgowlah Butchers, Bakers Delight, Humphreys Newsagency, Malouf Chemist, Angus and Robertson Manly, ABC Shop Brookvale and Balgowlah Uniting Church.
 
Cant wait for Alive at the Chapel 2010!!!