Commissioner Linda Bond, territorial commander, recently returned from visiting the Western Territory's outermost corps in the islands of Micronesia, where she met with Salvationists, viewed programs, and enrolled Salvation Army soldiers.

"During my recent visit to Majuro, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Guam, the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans came to my mind several times," said Bond. "In it, he explained that God's invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what he created.

"No one could have prepared me for the pristine beauty of these Pacific Islands. There was such a strong sense of his presence. But the Scripture verse doesn't limit his creation to sparkling waters, glorious sunsets, waving palm trees. The people of the islands, in their generosity, gentleness and sensitivity reminded me of his nature. His power was not just in the rolling tide or even in the typhoons experienced in Guam. I saw his power in the love of Salvationists and in their transformed lives."

 

	Point 4 Cast a global vision

More than 50 Salvationists warmly welcomed Bond--with Salvation Army and country flags waving proudly--as she arrived at Amata Kabua International Airport in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Bond was accompanied by Majors Victor and Joan Doughty, who represented Divisional Leaders Majors Ralph and Ivy Hood.

On Sunday, the commissioner attended the Rita Corps' holiness meeting, which was also the concluding meeting for the Marshall Island's Men's Fellowship Camp. Her message of "Victorious Christian Living" focused on being filled by the Holy Spirit.

In the evening, a united youth meeting was held at the Rita Corps featuring the youth of the Rita and Laura Corps. The meeting culminated with a "stick" dance by eight teenage boys of the Rita Corps. In this united service Bond once again brought the message, focusing on the transformation of Simon Peter and asking the congregation if they, too, would give their lives completely to God.

Monday evening marked the commencement of the Marshall Islands' leadership retreat, which included the leaders of all five corps in the Marshall Islands and key staff of the Marshall Islands coordinator's office.

This keynote session was highlighted by Bond's presentation outlining the development and description of the Strategic Priorities recently shared with the entire territory. She challenged these leaders to give thoughtful consideration to the priorities and how they could be given "priority" in their own ministries. Bond remarked that in her short visit to the Marshall Islands she could already see how many of the priorities were already being emphasized, noting in particular the great emphasis given to training and developing local leaders.

--reported by Captain Charles Fowler

Micronesia welcomes Bond

Members of the Guam and Chuuk corps welcomed Commissioner Linda Bond with smiles, leis and lots of Pacific sunshine. Corps Sgt. Maj. Karuo Oster escorted her through customs, where she was met by Captains David and Linda Harmon, Guam Corps officers; Envoy Hermes Otis, envoy in charge of the Chuuk Corps; and Rufina Otis, Hermes' wife and the Chuuk Corps program assistant.

While in Chuuk, Bond toured a possible new location for a permanent center for the Chuuk Corps, enrolled new soldiers, and met with the acting governor of Chuuk State.

She also visited the office of the Chuuk Corps, where she gave an impromptu lesson to Envoy Hermes Otis on PowerPoint presentations. Then she met with the acting governor of Chuuk State, who treated the entourage to lunch and presented the state's master development plan, called "2020 Vision," of which he hopes The Salvation Army will play a significant role.

She also met with Linda Mori Hartman, a local businesswoman and chair of the Chuuk Corps Advisory Board. At the evening worship service, Bond gave the sermon to about 80 people. The Chuuk Corps enrolled 21 new soldiers that day, all of whom received personal greetings and blessings from the commissioner.

The young people of Chuuk had a special effect on the commissioner, and she left the archipelago with hope that The Salvation Army could help provide more opportunities for these children in the future.

About 12 young people from the Guam Corps were on hand to greet the commissioner on Guam, including Chrissy Swanson, the spiritual ministries director.

Guam, a territory of the United States, has a population of 155,000. It lies in the Western Pacific, about three quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines, and is about three times the size of Washington, D.C.

On Sunday, Bond led worship services at the Lighthouse Outpost and at the Guam Corps Community Center. The Lighthouse Outpost is associated with the Lighthouse Recovery Center, a residential treatment facility for homeless men with substance abuse problems.

The Guam Corps Advisory Board met with the commissioner during a special meeting, and then hosted a reception for her that included all of the Guam Corps staff and many of its donors and volunteers. During the reception, the Guam Board of Realtors presented the Guam Corps with a check for $10,000 for typhoon relief. The island has yet to fully recover from last December's super typhoon Pongsona.

Captain Linda Harmon said it was critical for the commissioner to see this part of the world, and this part of The Salvation Army, firsthand, for this region to develop. "You really have to see it for yourself to get a good understanding of the work we do out here," she said. "Commissioner Bond is personable and really easy to be with, but at the same time she has a unique way of commanding your respect. It was our good fortune to spend so much time with her here in our island homes."

 

MAJORS VICTOR AND Joan Doughty, Commissioner Linda Bond and Captain Linda Harmon are shown at the site of the future Chuuk corps center.

A look at Chuuk

The Chuuk Corps operates under the direction of the Guam Corps in Micronesia. The Guam Corps, which began operations in Micronesia almost 10 years ago, employs about 30 people, while three work full time on Chuuk. Their combined congregations total about 160 people. The island of Pohnpei, also in Micronesia, has a separate corps that operates independently of those on Guam and Chuuk.

Located about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Guam, Chuuk State consists of 11 high mangrove-fringed islands in the Chuuk lagoon, and a series of 14 outlying atolls and low islands surrounding the lagoon. It is part of the Federated States of Micronesia and receives economic aid through the U.S. Compact of Free Association. The main islands, Weno, Tonoas, Uman and Fefan are located in Chuuk Lagoon. Of Chuuk State's population of about 53,000, more than 40,000 live on islands in the lagoon. The main island of Weno has a population of about 15,000. The lagoon, still referred to as "Truk Lagoon" is one of the largest enclosed lagoons in the world, circled by a 225 kilometer long barrier reef, and covering an area of 2,129 square kilometers.