Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY190082A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:08 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:35 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Hello, friends, welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:11 My name is John Lomacang. 01:13 Thank you for taking the time to pause your day 01:15 and tune into our network. 01:17 We welcome you back. 01:19 If you are a part of our 3ABN family, 01:21 if not, remember this network we believe that God ordained it 01:24 as we continue going and growing, 01:26 getting other people ready 01:28 for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 01:30 We have a very interesting program today. 01:32 You may never have been to a place called Palau. 01:36 You might say, "Ha, where's that?" 01:38 You'll find out today. 01:39 And why this program is vitally important. 01:42 It's about missions, it's about health, 01:44 it's about medicine, it's about dentistry, 01:47 it's about ophthalmology, 01:49 but it's also about changing lives 01:51 and bringing people to a knowledge 01:52 of who Jesus Christ is. 01:54 So before we meet our guest, 01:55 I want to thank you for your prayers, 01:57 your financial support, 01:59 and if you have become a volunteer coming to 3ABN, 02:01 thank you for hands on. 02:03 We appreciate everything you do for the cause of Christ. 02:07 And also for us here in Thompsonville, Illinois, 02:10 and West Frankfort, where 3ABN Studios are located. 02:14 We have three guests today that are going to talk about 02:17 how the Lord is leading into mission 02:19 that they have united together on 02:22 in a small island in the Pacific called Palau, 02:26 but they are involved in a great mission. 02:28 So first, let's meet our guest today, 02:30 I believe to my immediate right is Dr. Steve Chang. 02:33 Good to have you here. 02:35 Nice to meet you. Yes. 02:36 And before I go to our other guests, 02:38 in a nutshell, tell us 02:40 what you do and where you're from? 02:42 I'm a dentist from Monterey, California. 02:44 Okay. And I love missions. 02:46 Okay. 02:47 And you like Palau? 02:49 Oh, I love Palau. 02:50 Okay, good to have you here today. 02:51 And also Dr. Jeffery Ing. 02:53 Good to have you here. Thank you. 02:55 Same thing, introduce yourself to our listening 02:57 and viewing audience. 02:58 I'm an ophthalmologist, who grew up in a mission family 03:02 and I practice right now in Stockton, California. 03:06 And I love missions. 03:07 I've known Steve for 20, 30 years now. 03:11 Okay. 03:12 Wow, good to have you both here. 03:14 And, Eric, I know you. 03:15 We met in the Philippines. Yes. 03:16 Yes. Good to have you here. 03:18 Eric Whipps, kind of let our audience know who you are? 03:20 Yes. 03:22 I work for my family business back home in Palau, 03:24 and I'm also the treasurer 03:27 of the Palau Adventist Wellness Center. 03:28 Okay. 03:29 And before I go to these two highly qualified doctors, 03:34 ophthalmologist, and dentist, tell us about Palau 03:36 because the program focuses on 03:39 the Palau Adventist Wellness Center 03:41 in the island or the country of Palau. 03:44 Tell us about Palau, before we go any further? 03:46 Well, it's, we're 25 years, 03:48 we've been independent from United States 03:50 'cause we used to be on the United States 03:51 and we're a tiny island to the east of the Philippines 03:55 with a population of about 20,000 people. 03:57 And we have about 400 islands which six are inhabited. 04:01 Wow. Wow. 04:02 And you have... 04:04 We were talking about this before the program, 04:05 you have the political structure. 04:07 If I could use the word, that phrase loosely. 04:10 Tell us what makes it different 'cause I'm, 04:12 you know, I was born and raised in New York City. 04:14 We have mayor and then we have governor 04:16 and in America, they have President. 04:17 Talk about that hierarchical structure there in Palau? 04:20 Well, Palau has copied the United States. 04:22 We have the same, we have the President, 04:24 we have a Congress. 04:25 But besides that, 04:26 we have the traditional or cultural chiefs. 04:29 So each state has a chief and there are 16 states. 04:32 Okay. Yeah. 04:33 There are 16 high chiefs, 04:34 and then there are chiefs under them. 04:36 So we still have the traditional system. 04:37 Okay. And the chiefs... 04:39 Tell us a little bit about that. 04:41 When you say chief, they are like the leader 04:43 in that community or in that village, 04:46 if I'm using the right terminology. 04:48 Yeah, within each state, there are clans 04:51 and the chiefs are the head of the clans. 04:52 Okay. 04:54 And then there's rankings of the clans. 04:56 So the high chief is the highest ranking member 04:59 of the clan but also of the state. 05:02 Okay. Of the clans in that state. 05:04 So if I moved to Palau 05:05 and I moved into one of those communities 05:07 to get anything done, I say, 05:09 I think they know who the high chief 05:10 and who the leaders in this community are? 05:12 Yes, it will be good to know the high chiefs, 05:14 but also Palau's a matrilineal society. 05:17 So it's nice to also know the women 05:19 'cause the chief has a counterpart. 05:21 And the counterpart chooses who becomes chief. 05:25 Wow! 05:27 So am I hearing you say the women 05:29 choose who becomes chief? 05:30 Yes. Okay, well, that's cool. 05:32 And you can only become a chief through your mother. 05:35 Okay, so there is lineage connected to that? 05:37 Yes. 05:38 So I can't just come from Brooklyn 05:39 and become a chief in Palau. 05:41 That's correct. Okay. 05:42 So I'm gonna just scratch that occupational idea. 05:46 Good to have you here today. Thank you. 05:48 And we got to work out. 05:50 I'll be glad to come to Palau and not be a chief. 05:52 And I understand it's a beautiful island 05:54 in the Pacific. 05:56 You have a lot of good diving there and scuba and all that? 05:59 Yes, get your certificate before you come. 06:00 I will do that for sure. I don't wanna go out there. 06:03 Even though the water is clear, I wanna know that 06:04 what I'm doing when I go in there. 06:06 And don't be afraid of sharks. 06:08 Okay, well then I need to rethink that. 06:12 Now the people are friendly, and the sharks are friendly. 06:14 Even friendlier. Friendlier. 06:16 The sharks are friendlier, they like to get close. 06:19 Well, Dr. Steve, tell us about your connection with Palau 06:22 and how this wellness center all came about 06:26 since you are the President of the Palau 06:28 Adventist Wellness Center? 06:31 I was interested in serving overseas 06:34 and helping the people of the islands 06:35 because they don't have access to care. 06:37 And I also was interested in encouraging my classmates 06:40 and other dentists to do that too. 06:42 So we plan to go to another small island called Ebeye. 06:45 But things didn't work out. 06:47 So I ended up talking 06:48 with the President of Guam Micronesia, 06:51 and that was Pastor Louis Torres. 06:52 And I asked him... Yes. 06:54 "Is there a place you want us to go?" 06:55 And he asked me, "Where would you like to go?" 06:58 In my mind, the first thing was Palau 07:00 because I've been there many times. 07:01 Okay. 07:02 And I love Palau, but I want to go... 07:04 Now tell us why you've been there many times? 07:05 Because I was going to other islands around it 07:07 and doing the mission trips around there. 07:09 Okay. 07:10 And so I knew that was like the best spot for, 07:12 you know, the nature and the people 07:13 are so kind and the beauty of it all, 07:16 I mean, it's like paradise on earth. 07:17 And you were also involved in cruising at one time? 07:20 Yes, I was a director 07:21 of the Holland America Cruise line 07:22 as a dentist. 07:24 Okay. 07:25 So that at least gave you access to places that... 07:26 All over the world. All over the world. 07:28 All seven continents. 07:29 Wow, I love that. I love cruising. 07:31 Okay, and get back to so... 07:33 So I want to go where God want us to go. 07:36 So I told him you choose. 07:38 So a few weeks later, he said, "We want you to go to Palau." 07:41 And I was just, 07:42 that's how we ended up going there 07:44 and subsequently kept coming back 07:45 with more mission trips. 07:47 In one of the mission trips 07:49 Thai Chief Ibidu approached me at church. 07:52 And he said, "Steve, I need to talk to you." 07:55 And he never said that before. 07:56 So I thought it was something important. 07:57 And he sat me down and goes, "I want to give you my house." 08:01 And I thought, "Oh." 08:02 I'm not too sure about these houses 08:03 are kind of small usually. 08:05 Okay. 08:06 And so I was hesitant, but he's like, 08:07 "I want to help my people." 08:09 So after church, we went and looked at it. 08:10 And I was quite shocked how beautiful and large it was. 08:13 Matter of fact, we have a picture of that house. 08:15 I wanna show the viewing audience right now. 08:18 That's not a little house. 08:19 No, no, it's about probably close to 4000 square feet. 08:22 Wow. 08:23 And that's what he wanted to gift you. 08:24 Yes. 08:26 Wow, and then. 08:27 So he split the property in half 08:28 and gave me that house to help the people there. 08:30 Okay. Yeah. 08:31 And we have a picture of also the chief. 08:33 I want you to kind of see that 08:34 him standing in front of that house there, 08:36 that's him in the center. 08:38 What was his name again? Ibidu. 08:40 Ibidu, I won't even ask you what that means. 08:41 But I know there's some meaning to it because... 08:43 Unique means chief. 08:45 Just means chief. Okay. 08:47 And he approached you, 08:48 and you know what amazing thing about 08:50 that in your heart you wanted to go to Palau. 08:52 You didn't tell that to Pastor Louis Torres, 08:55 but that was in the back of your mind. 08:57 And you remind me of that scripture 08:58 "Commit your way to the Lord, 09:00 and He will give you the desires of your heart." 09:01 Absolutely. Amen. 09:02 And so, so now you get this building. 09:05 And all of a sudden now you're wondering, okay, 09:07 what do I do next? 09:08 Well, thank God, His hand was in all phases of it 09:12 from the people who were involved 09:14 from the Serengal family 09:15 and the donations from the church 09:17 and from stateside, we all donated, 09:19 and even the shipping. 09:21 And all came together, and we were able to remodel 09:23 and put four dental chairs in there and put a OR 09:26 for the medical side with exam rooms 09:29 and lecture room and six apartments. 09:31 Wow! 09:33 So I wanna bring Dr. Ing in here 09:35 because he's a dentist but you're an ophthalmologist. 09:38 That's correct. What makes that... 09:40 Tell us what... 09:41 Somebody may say what is an ophthalmologist? 09:43 An ophthalmologist is an eye care professional, 09:46 medical doctor, 09:48 and we do comprehensive eye care 09:51 and we do surgery. 09:52 Okay. That's part of it. 09:54 How did you get connected into this mission? 09:57 You know, I have to say that it's through my friendship 09:59 with Steve. 10:00 Okay. 10:02 I love doing eye mission trips, 10:03 there's nothing more satisfying to me 10:05 than to be able to help the blind see. 10:09 And, of course, when we do our mission trips 10:10 you want them to not just see physically, 10:13 we want them to see Jesus. 10:14 Okay. 10:15 And so we want to do not just eye mission trips, 10:20 but eye medical missionary trips. 10:23 And... The difference? 10:25 Well, you know, there's humanitarian work. 10:27 That's right. 10:28 And there's mission works 10:30 where we can pray with our patients. 10:31 Yes. 10:32 Give them literature when we're done. 10:34 And point them to Jesus as the one who healed them. 10:36 Okay. So... 10:37 Because the Bible, you know, 10:38 there's a parody in the Bible where the Bible, the Lord says, 10:42 you know, if you could see, 10:44 then I could do something for you. 10:46 But since you say, you see, your sins remain, 10:49 they didn't have that vision that the Lord wants. 10:51 So you're not talking about just the physical side, 10:54 you're talking about you want to help people 10:56 in the spiritual side also. 10:57 Amen. Amen. 10:58 And typically, we like to bring an evangelist with us 11:01 and do these mission trips that way. 11:03 Well, the unique situation with Palau is Steve told me is, 11:07 "Hey, Jeff, the chief is going to give us this property, 11:12 lease it to us in a long term basis." 11:13 Right. 11:15 And the thing that was so appealing to me was, 11:17 I could go back over and over again to the same place 11:21 and there would be continuity, 11:24 follow-up, relationships developing. 11:27 And that was the beauty of this unique situation. 11:31 'Cause usually when we go on an eye mission trip, 11:33 you go there, you help people, 11:35 you make sure that things went well, 11:37 and that there's before you leave, 11:39 there are no problems. 11:40 But you may never go back again. 11:43 Here was a unique situation. 11:45 So you were able to go back on more than one occasion. 11:47 That's right. Good, good. 11:49 And, Eric, you talked about, there's aboard that this... 11:53 We're gonna look at some more pictures 11:55 in just a moment here. 11:56 But tell us your function. 11:57 You're not just a Palauan, 11:59 but your functioning in this mission also? 12:02 Yes. Dr. Chang... 12:04 I met Dr. Chang in 2012. Okay. 12:07 And he was doing some mission trips 12:09 with some teams that he came down with. 12:11 And I think maybe the next year he brought up the idea 12:13 after he met with Ibidu and he asked me 12:16 if I wanted to join this group to found the clinic. 12:20 And you can see the need in Palau for the specialties 12:23 that we would offer. 12:25 And I agreed to join and I became the treasurer 12:27 of the Palau Adventist Wellness Center. 12:29 Okay. 12:30 And now getting this equipment over there 12:32 because we talked about that. 12:34 I wanna show a couple more pictures 12:35 of just like that, 12:37 the foyer and some of the other aesthetics 12:40 of what the center looks like from the inside. 12:42 And we'll explain. 12:43 This is the entryway? 12:45 Okay. 12:46 And...? Reception. 12:47 Reception area. 12:49 What's the size of the facility there? 12:51 Okay, that's another. 12:52 I think the footprint is about probably 60 by 40 12:55 on the downstairs. 12:56 Okay. 12:58 And that's a lecture room there. 12:59 Okay. 13:01 Looking out over, you can see the ocean out there too, 13:02 as well. 13:03 I don't mind having my teeth pulled 13:05 with that beautiful scenery in the background, 13:06 or having your eyes worked on 13:07 so that you can appreciate the scenery. 13:10 Amen. Amen. 13:11 You know, John, I think one thing 13:12 that's really important is that, 13:14 you know, without Eric and his family, 13:17 we would not have been able to do this. 13:20 They're being there and being involved 13:24 so heavily in the project 13:26 has just been a tremendous blessing, 13:29 a tremendous blessing. 13:30 Because when you talk about getting the equipment down 13:33 there that this center needs, I'm assuming that since 13:37 there wasn't a center like this, 13:40 then some of that equipment 13:41 had to come down like dental chairs, 13:44 all the things that is needed 13:45 for the ophthalmology equipment. 13:48 Don't have me say that all program long. 13:50 But... 13:52 It was that something that your family was instrumental 13:54 in getting all that into that island. 13:55 Absolutely. 13:57 We help with some of the arrangements 13:59 for that after Dr. Ing and Dr. Chang 14:02 found the equipment that we needed for the facility. 14:04 Okay. 14:06 And then putting it together like segmenting 14:08 where it's gonna go, what office is gonna be what? 14:11 How did you... Was that a collective effort? 14:14 Pretty much. 14:15 We had to bring the container to my office 14:17 because most of the equipment came from my office 14:19 and we stuffed it full as much as 14:22 we could with all the equipment. 14:23 There's a lot of legwork where it had to be done 14:25 to fill it driving all over the California 14:27 to pick up the equipment and put it in. 14:29 And luckily everything worked out 14:31 and God provide all the needs and the means. 14:33 That's good. 14:35 So when you think about putting together a center like this, 14:37 what makes it unique 14:39 'cause we talked about it's located in Palau. 14:43 So is this something that you were inspired 14:46 by because it's on other islands or is this the first? 14:50 Well, we have a heart for people who are suffering. 14:52 And in these islands, there's lack of medical care. 14:55 And if you need help, you need to go off island. 14:58 There's a lot of cost involved going off island 15:00 to the Philippines, or to Guam, 15:02 or to United States for medical field, 15:04 even dental help. 15:06 So we saw the need and we thought, 15:09 if we can provide that. 15:10 We believe the medical arm 15:11 is the right hand of the gospel. 15:13 And so we felt we could be there to help the people. 15:17 The people who can't even afford to get off the island. 15:19 And so it's a nonprofit center 15:21 that meets the needs of the people spiritually, 15:24 and mentally, and physically. 15:26 Okay. 15:27 But getting back to one of your questions, 15:29 how do we do this? 15:31 The building was fairly empty when we first got it. 15:34 And thanks to Eric's family, 15:37 we were up to remodel everything. 15:38 And so Steve designed the dental side. 15:41 Okay. 15:42 Me and my wife designed the ophthalmology side. 15:44 We got to design the operating room suite. 15:47 And I brought in the same microscope 15:49 that I used at my center in the United States, 15:52 I brought in the same gurneys. 15:54 The same operative room chair, 15:56 we use some of the same equipment 15:59 that we use. 16:00 So we are providing, you know, first class, 16:03 you know, first world quality of care in ophthalmology. 16:08 Just like in United States. 16:09 I like that. Just like the United States. 16:11 That's important because a lot of times I've been... 16:14 My wife and I've gone to lot of countries 16:15 and in some of the countries, we've said, 16:19 "I don't wanna get sick here." 16:21 Because you think, whoa, we met people that said, 16:24 "I own a hospital." Yeah. 16:25 And we said, "Well, then are you a doctor?" 16:27 No, I'm just involved in shipping and receiving, 16:31 but I own a hospital, I've pharmaceuticals 16:33 and I remember getting some medication once 16:36 and I brought it back home to America. 16:37 They said, "That's only by prescription in America, 16:40 where did you get that from?" 16:41 Oh, there's a doctor I met in this particular country. 16:43 So you guys are bringing professional care, 16:46 understanding the parameters of how it operates. 16:49 And you're taking to the people. 16:51 When a person comes to the center, 16:53 let's talk about the process. 16:55 So how do the people pay 16:59 for this or is it a free service? 17:01 Well, Eric, you might wanna describe the medical system. 17:05 Yeah, we have two full-time dentists 17:07 and an optometrist at the facility. 17:10 So there is some, 17:11 we made it a sustainable clinic. 17:13 Okay. 17:14 So there are fees. 17:16 But there are specialists who come in like when Dr. Ing 17:20 and Dr. Chang come in, 17:21 there's additional work that's done. 17:23 Some of it is done free. 17:25 And, yeah, we were fortunate to have them come in. 17:28 Wow. 17:29 With the organization that I'm involved 17:31 with the sponsors and supply, 17:32 gives us the medical supplies, intraocular lenses, 17:35 it's called surgical eye expeditions. 17:37 And we do not charge anything for eye surgeries 17:41 when we go there because everything is donated. 17:43 Wow. 17:44 That's good because eye surgery could be pretty pricey. 17:47 That's right. I mean... 17:49 But, Eric, maybe you can talk a little bit about the... 17:51 There's a healthcare system in Palau, 17:53 that's actually quite more advanced 17:55 than many of the other islands. 17:57 Okay, yeah, go ahead. 17:58 We have a medical savings account, 18:01 part of the healthcare insurance 18:03 that each person that works contributes to the fund 18:07 that they can use to charge at the clinic. 18:10 It's a government run program 18:12 similar to what they have in Singapore. 18:14 That's interesting. 18:16 So people that are employed locally 18:18 or just on the island itself, 18:20 there's a contribution toward that. 18:22 Yes, the employers and employee contribution to that, 18:24 so there's a fund that they can use. 18:26 That's good. 18:27 So they're not coming in there completely incapacitated 18:30 to not be able to afford it at all. 18:31 Yes. 18:33 There's some kind of contribution. 18:34 And we do a lot of free things as well. 18:35 We bring mission groups in as well and do service 18:39 there as well as go out to the other islands as well 18:42 to help them there. 18:43 And it is a model of a sustainable 18:46 so we charge enough to cover our expenses. 18:48 Okay. 18:49 So if we come to Palau, 18:51 after the people have eye surgery... 18:55 Name some of the eye surgeries, you do cataracts? 18:58 Yeah, that's correct. 19:01 In Palau right now, the main surgery 19:03 that we're doing is cataract surgery. 19:04 Cataract is still the leading cause of blindness worldwide. 19:07 We also do pterygium surgery. 19:10 That's a fleshy growth that grows over the cornea 19:13 and can block the vision, 19:15 cause large amounts of a stigmatism. 19:18 And it's very common in the equatorial climates 19:21 where there's a lot of ultraviolet light. 19:24 And people that are fishermen or farmers, 19:26 you know, it's very common for them to get these growths. 19:29 And that's probably the most 19:31 common surgery that we do there. 19:34 Okay, and what about on the dentist side. 19:37 What are some of the challenges? 19:39 Well, like I said, 19:41 they don't have multiple services, 19:42 so they don't do any root canals 19:43 and they don't do difficult, 19:46 even moderate extractions, definitely, don't do implants 19:51 or ortho or TMD treatment, migraine headaches. 19:54 So we're able to rotate doctors through from the United States 19:57 every two months to work on those specialties. 20:00 So we provide implants, orthodontics, TMD, 20:04 root canal service, complex, full-bony extractions, 20:07 the full gambit of that. 20:08 Yeah. 20:10 Have you seen the impact, Eric, on this clinic existing? 20:12 And how long has it been in it? 20:15 How long has it been opened? 20:16 The clinic opened in April 26, 2017. 20:19 And... Okay. 20:20 It's been a wonderful service for people who can't afford 20:22 or don't have time to go off island 20:24 to for the convenience to have, 20:26 you know, a local facility 20:27 that they can get these complicated procedures done. 20:29 Wow. It's been a great service. 20:31 That's really good to have something 20:33 to that effect 'cause when you go to countries, 20:37 people always wanna know if I settle here, 20:39 do I have access to this kind of care? 20:41 What about a hospital? 20:43 Does it have a general hospital on the island? 20:44 Yeah, there's a government hospital. 20:46 It's Belau National Hospital 20:47 and there's also two other private clinics. 20:49 Okay. 20:50 So I wanna look at some of the pictures here, 20:53 so as we go through them, 20:54 I want you to explain what we're seeing 20:55 'cause it's good to see some of those, 20:58 the equipment that you use 21:00 and find out what some of those needs 21:02 because if you're gonna be continually growing, 21:04 then let's look at what... This is. 21:05 Okay, explain who we're seeing here. 21:07 This is the first student missionaries that came 21:10 as well as the board and the staff 21:12 that's there full-time. 21:14 All right. 21:15 Let's go to the next one. 21:16 And that's one of the dental rooms. 21:19 Now that equipment that she has on her hand... 21:21 That's a portable X-ray. 21:22 Okay. 21:23 And is that one of the other doctors doing the surgery? 21:27 I believe that's either Dr. Omar or Dr. Gabe 21:31 who's was there for almost a year, each one of them. 21:35 Okay. 21:36 And let's see, what's the next one here? 21:38 That is, that's Dr. Ing right there. 21:40 Yeah. 21:42 So this is a picture of Dr. Reyes, 21:46 he is the optometrist that we hired from the Philippines 21:50 to come and work there. 21:51 And Loma Leah, 21:53 she is the optician 21:55 and the ophthalmic assistant there. 21:57 And Dr. Reyes is a wonderful man. 22:00 He has a heart for ministry, not just doing optometry, 22:05 but doing medical missionary work, 22:07 teaching people about healthy lifestyle 22:10 and that connection with the gospel. 22:12 Okay, so this looks like a surgical room? 22:15 That's right. 22:16 And so in the foreground is my wife, Helen. 22:19 Okay. 22:20 She's a scrubbed in, 22:23 passing instruments setting up stuff. 22:25 That's me in the green 22:27 shirt working with a microscope. 22:28 And I believe that is Matthew Chang, 22:30 who is Steve's son, 22:33 who's actually interested in going in ophthalmology. 22:35 We're really excited about that. 22:37 That's interesting because, 22:39 so it's not only are you guys involved, 22:42 but your family is getting involved too. 22:44 That's right. That's right. That's good. 22:45 It's a wonderful experiences to do it with your family. 22:48 Now when you think of the population 22:51 of the other islands, 22:53 how do people in the... 22:54 'Cause you mentioned about... 22:56 How many islands did you say? 22:57 It's about 400, but six, about six inhabited. 23:01 So would Palau be the larger of all the islands? 23:03 It's one of the larger ones in Micronesia. 23:06 Yeah. 23:07 So I'm not assuming this but I know you have an airport. 23:10 Yes. Okay. 23:12 One international airport. 23:13 Okay, that's good. 23:14 So people that are on other islands, 23:17 you put that whole schedule together, 23:20 people are scheduled in advance. 23:21 So you know that on this particular day, 23:24 so the clinic is opened every day? 23:27 Not every day. 23:29 We're open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. 23:31 Okay. 23:32 Wednesday is what we call a missionary outreach day 23:34 where they go to the old age center, 23:37 and they do exercises and worship with the elderly. 23:40 And then sometimes they also go to the prison. 23:43 They do prison ministries. 23:44 And now Dr. Ing, you talked about 23:46 the spiritual side of this, 23:48 not only making the difference in their physical side, 23:52 but you talked about the medical missionary side. 23:55 Amplify that a little bit 23:56 because a lot of times people say, 23:58 "Okay, great." 23:59 You know, we're doing something for them. 24:01 Hopefully they'll find out about the gospel. 24:03 You guys are pretty intentional about that. 24:05 Tell us how you do that? 24:07 That's right, John, thank you 24:08 so much for asking that question. 24:10 So what we do is when patients come in to the clinic, 24:15 we'll talk to them about not just their eye health, 24:18 but their physical health. 24:20 In the islands, unfortunately, lifestyle diseases are rampant. 24:25 Diabetes, obesity, hypertension, 24:30 a whole gamut of lifestyle diseases. 24:34 And so what our goal is 24:35 at the Palau Adventist Wellness Center 24:38 is through the use of student missionaries 24:42 who have an understanding 24:43 of the health message of our church, 24:45 we offer to the patient an opportunity 24:50 for somebody to come to their house, 24:54 to their home, and teach them about health. 24:57 Health coaching, maybe teaching them how to set up 25:00 an exercise program, 25:02 how to meal plan, 25:04 and how to maybe even cook simple 25:06 dishes in their home, using the foods and stuff 25:09 that are available there on the island. 25:11 Okay. 25:12 In that way, I believe friendships and relationships 25:16 can be formed that may lead 25:18 to Bible study or perhaps 25:20 when an evangelist 25:21 like yourself comes to the island, 25:23 they can be invited to the series 25:26 and are more likely to come 25:28 because of the help they've received, 25:30 not only in the acute medical or dental care setting, 25:34 but also in the relationship 25:36 that is formed through this friendship. 25:38 That's good. 25:39 So you're literally doing the... 25:41 I think it's in the Book of James, 25:43 if a person, 25:44 if you see a person that's hungry and destitute, 25:46 don't have clothing, 25:48 and you don't take care of their needs, 25:50 then you're really road blocking that individual 25:53 from knowing about the gospel. 25:54 But if you take care of their needs, 25:57 and they begin to see and I like that whole ideology, 25:59 it's not just them coming to the clinic, 26:02 but you can, they'll allow you to come to their homes 26:05 and set these programs up. 26:06 You know, Pastor, 26:08 you're reemphasizing the point so beautifully. 26:11 You see there's humanitarian work, 26:14 and I can go overseas and do cataract surgery 26:16 or pterygium surgery or whatever, 26:19 and not say a word about Jesus. 26:22 But the way that we do things, we want to be very intentional. 26:26 And I'm thankful for Steve and his work the way 26:29 that he does it and for inviting me 26:31 to be able to become involved in it. 26:33 Okay. 26:34 Are there days in the week 26:36 that the center has a different function? 26:38 'Cause as you mentioned, there are days it's open, 26:39 there are days it is not. 26:42 Yeah, Wednesday is just for mission 26:43 so that center is not open. 26:45 They go on outreach 26:47 and they also visit shut-ins like 26:49 Dr. Ing was saying. 26:50 Okay, amplify that because missions, 26:53 Wednesday's mission day. 26:54 Yes. And what does that entail? 26:58 The clinic works in coordination with the church. 27:00 Okay. 27:02 And they find elderly that are shut-ins. 27:05 And they go out to visit them 27:06 and they try to also do some health 27:08 and wellness at the elderly center, 27:11 old age center. 27:13 And then they go to the prison 27:14 and they do Bible studies with the inmates. 27:16 Okay. 27:17 So it's not just people coming to you, 27:19 but you're going to people? 27:21 And they've had some good results. 27:23 I've had some baptisms from those as well. 27:25 Okay. 27:26 And if you think about... 27:28 If you would put this in the category of importance, 27:30 how would you say the community is responding to it? 27:37 What kind of input you're getting? 27:38 I think it's been very positive. 27:40 They like the visitations. 27:42 So we've had very good feedback, yeah. 27:44 And, in the size of the island, let me give an example. 27:47 Would it be a long period of time 27:49 if somebody is on Palau, they said, 27:50 "Well, this is too far for me to get to." 27:52 Is it's centrally located? 27:54 It's in Koror. 27:55 It's near the downtown so it's maybe five minutes 27:58 from the middle of town. 27:59 Okay. If that. 28:01 Now medical missionary students, 28:02 you talked about 28:04 when we showed one of the pictures there, 28:05 you had missionary students, 28:06 how do they get to be involved in that project? 28:10 Well, you know, you could be a student missionary 28:12 go around the world and teach in schools. 28:15 Ours is the only place 28:16 that you could get medical dental experience, 28:18 firsthand 28:19 and learned experience 28:21 for a period of one semester or two semesters as a student 28:24 missionary. 28:26 So it's a great opportunity for anyone 28:27 who's interested in the healthcare field, 28:29 even not that they could come and experience that 28:31 and get firsthand knowledge of what we're doing. 28:34 So in other words, you're saying 28:35 they could do interning 28:37 and that'll count towards their experience. 28:40 You know, Eric, I believe is visiting 28:42 the different colleges, 28:44 the Adventist Colleges throughout the United States, 28:47 and we want to 28:50 recruit student missionaries. 28:52 These are people in college 28:53 and that are interested in either dentistry, 28:57 dental hygiene, medicine. 28:59 Nursing. 29:00 Probably ophthalmology, nursing, 29:02 and they can come and get some hands on experience. 29:06 Okay, so are you on your college tour now 29:09 or that's gonna be something coming up later? 29:12 Well, the clinic started with getting student missionaries 29:14 from Weimar. 29:16 And I was able to talk to a student missionary 29:19 who came to Palau to teach 29:20 and we were able to get the connection for Southern. 29:22 So Southern University has been sending student missionaries. 29:25 And since my son is going to Walla Walla, 29:28 I went there and I also 29:29 talk with the student mission's team, 29:31 and they're very interested to send missionaries down. 29:34 And then later on, I'll be going to visit PUC, 29:38 to see if they can send some people our way. 29:40 Pacific Union College? Yes. 29:42 Pacific Union College. 29:43 Yes, 'cause I know PUC years ago 29:44 used to mean Philippine Union College 29:46 until they changed it AUP. 29:47 You know, 'cause that is... 29:49 Yeah, I think we would be accepting missionaries 29:51 in Philippines as well too, win-win. 29:52 Yes. Yeah. We could do that. 29:54 That's good there. 29:55 So if you would look down the road at the center, 29:58 what do you think you would like to add to it? 30:02 If you decide what the future of the center is? 30:05 Right now we're at full capacity 30:06 with the optical coming in. 30:08 All the six apartments are pretty much full. 30:11 And if we want to grow 30:14 and we look like we're gonna grow more, 30:16 we're looking into expanding getting dormitories 30:18 for the student missionaries. 30:19 And we also have visiting doctors, 30:21 not just an eye and dental, 30:22 but we also have dermatologists and other specialists 30:26 who are coming and interested in coming. 30:28 So we need housing. 30:30 So we need housing to, you know, support the clinic. 30:34 And we also have calls from other places. 30:36 I do missions around other islands 30:38 and other places in South America, 30:39 places like that, Africa, 30:41 and they hear about what we're doing there. 30:44 And they said, "We want that too." 30:46 So I've had offers from even a Mormon person 30:49 in Fiji says, "I wanna give you my land, 30:52 you could build a clinic there." 30:53 And I have had offers in Tanga. 30:54 So there are places that we could go, 30:57 but we just, you know, 30:59 God's timing, we will make it happen. 31:01 You know what I'm hearing 31:03 and I'm pulling all this together in my head. 31:04 I'm hearing that 31:06 when you enter with something that benefits everyone, 31:09 it makes room for the gospel. 31:11 Amen. 31:12 'Cause you talked about that, 31:13 health is not a denominational issue. 31:15 No. 31:16 If a person has bad eyesight 31:18 or, you know, their teeth, 31:19 they need a root canal or whatever the case may be 31:21 dentistry wise or ophthalmological, 31:23 is that the word? 31:25 That's right. 31:26 Hey, I did that, give myself a checkmark. 31:27 Good job. 31:29 Then they are not going to, you're not gonna say, 31:30 "Well, what church do you belong to?" 31:33 What is your beliefs? 31:35 That's the real health message 31:37 and that's following the method of Jesus. 31:39 Amen. 31:40 He took care of the needs of the people, thereby, 31:42 when the multitudes heard, where is He gonna be next? 31:45 They were there waiting for Him. 31:47 So you're actually planting seeds 31:50 that will produce as God's 31:51 in God's time harvest for the future. 31:54 And we believe that God's love does not have borders, 31:57 it doesn't have denominations. 31:59 You want to say something. 32:01 Well, you know, I want to segue on what Steve said 32:04 and emphasize that, you know, 32:05 this is a model, a unique model 32:08 that we think can be used 32:10 in other islands in the Pacific, 32:12 where they don't have good dental or eye care. 32:16 And one of the unique things that, 32:19 I think we'll see a picture later on 32:20 is that we actually believe 32:22 that we have one of the first full service optical, 32:27 first service optical in one of these islands. 32:30 And that is we have an optician that can actually, 32:33 you know, we get lens blanks, we grind them, 32:36 fit them, put them in frames... 32:37 Oh, wow. 32:38 We can actually do this within a few hours... 32:40 On the island? 32:41 Yeah, like LensCrafters on the island. 32:43 Okay, now that's huge. 32:45 That is huge. 32:46 And again, you know, we do this, 32:48 the glasses will be sold at a reasonable price 32:52 that's affordable by the people of the island, 32:56 but that helps to support the clinic, 32:58 so that it can be self-supporting. 33:00 You know what, 33:02 what I'm excited about when you hear that 33:03 because a lot of times in America 33:05 will have missionaries come from Palau 33:07 or any one of the islands and they'll say, 33:09 do you have any eyeglasses you're not using, you know, 33:14 have you had upgrade on your prescription 33:16 that you no longer need that strength. 33:18 So they'll collect like, you know, 33:20 300 pairs of glasses for two months 33:22 and they take a whole box of glasses back 33:24 to one of these islands in the Pacific. 33:26 And people come by and say, "Well, does that work for me?" 33:28 But you're talking about the revolutionizing 33:31 of we can get glasses that are for you particularly. 33:35 That's right. 33:36 These are prescription glasses with brand new frames 33:39 and brand new lenses. 33:41 That would be equivalent to what you could get back 33:43 in the United States going to, 33:45 you know, any ophthalmologists, optometrists, or optical chain. 33:50 You might wanna call this Palau vision center. 33:54 There you go. 33:56 First out a chain of those in the islands. 33:57 That's an amazing thing. 33:59 That's a huge feat 34:00 when you think of where Palau is located 34:02 because the Philippines to the west, 34:04 Guam to the northeast, that's a long way to go. 34:08 And then if you got glasses, even if you got tested, 34:11 how long it's gonna take before it gets there. 34:13 Right. That's another thing. 34:14 Now when you go out into the community, 34:17 are you guys involved 34:18 with any of the local officials, 34:21 to the people of community come in, 34:23 come to the center? 34:24 Do they connect with you on any other programs inside, 34:26 in the community? 34:28 Yes. 34:29 I think everyone has access, 34:30 and I've met several of the chiefs 34:32 who come to the clinic 34:33 and get their healthcare done there. 34:35 So government officiates, 34:37 is the place to be to get your medical care. 34:40 The mother-in-law of the president 34:42 is a patient of ours, 34:44 and she comes to the clinic 34:45 and we helped her with a very complex, 34:48 difficult eye infection problem. 34:51 And now she loves coming to the clinic. 34:53 And the day that I left Palau a few months ago, 34:58 she arranged to meet with our optometrist 35:02 who is gonna go over the health message 35:05 and healthy lifestyle with our optometrists there. 35:09 Now, Eric, do you ever transport any other patients 35:11 by boat between the islands or? 35:15 We have not done, what we have done is 35:16 we worked with teams that have come in, 35:18 like the clinic has worked with Loma Linda this summer. 35:22 And we help with transportation to Peleliu. 35:25 Yeah. So... 35:26 So the nearest island to Palau 35:28 that's habited would be that one you mentioned? 35:32 Well, yeah, to Koror 35:33 because there are two main islands 35:35 that you can drive within, there are Babeldaob and Koror. 35:38 But then we have islands like Peleliu to the south 35:40 and Angaur in the southwest 35:42 that you need a boat and then to the north, 35:44 you need a boat to go to Kayangel. 35:46 And when Loma Linda came down with their team of around 30, 35:49 they needed to have transportation out 35:51 so we help them get them out there. 35:53 Do you ever do public evangelism 35:55 out in the community? 35:57 Like when I say public evangelism 35:59 like a tent or a major location 36:02 where everybody in town will know. 36:04 There's a cultural center. 36:05 Now my own cultural center where we do have... 36:08 Sometimes we have evangelistic meetings. 36:11 Now, there's a reason I'm asking that 36:12 because if I came and did an evangelistic series, 36:14 we could flow that whole, you know, 36:16 get people that are already signed up as patients, 36:19 send out invitations to all the patients 36:21 that have gone through the center, 36:23 publicly advertise it. 36:25 And make room for the Lord to continue His work. 36:28 Amen. 36:29 And then after we could do a snorkeling expedition. 36:33 I'll leave the deep sea diving for later on. 36:36 Now let's see some more pictures 36:38 and tell us what we're seeing here 36:39 because you talked about some of the medical equipment. 36:40 This is the closer team or just missionary? 36:43 That's the dental team 36:44 that was there at the first when we opened. 36:48 Okay. All right. 36:49 What do we have next? 36:51 That's the prison ministry with doctor, 36:54 the dermatologist who came to visit Dr. Kelly. 36:57 Okay, and that's you there in the bluish green shirt. 37:00 And my son on the right, 37:02 but I have two sons and two daughters. 37:03 Okay. 37:04 And we went to the prison and help out there. 37:06 Now that's amazing. 37:08 You know, you think of, I think the two things 37:11 that almost every place in the world has, 37:13 they have some place where people are incarcerated 37:15 and some place where people are getting healed. 37:18 How do you blend the two? 37:20 And do you do any of that kind of work 37:22 that you're talking about? 37:24 Are you allowed to do any of that in the facility, 37:26 the prison facilities? 37:28 Yes, the dentist actually goes to the facility 37:31 and does hygiene and takes care of their dental needs as well. 37:35 Okay. 37:36 So we're also providing care for free to the prisoners 37:38 and let them know that we care about them. 37:40 What's the average cost for something like this? 37:43 If you talk about, if I came to get my eye care, 37:47 by the way is the US dollars there 37:48 or is a different kind of currency? 37:50 US dollars. 37:51 US dollars. Okay. 37:53 So what is something like that around 37:54 if you think about...? 37:56 I think right now an eye exam is like $29. 38:00 Is that what it is? 38:02 And then if they want to buy glasses, of course, 38:03 it depends on what kind of frames they want 38:06 and there's a limited supply, 38:08 but we had a really nice optical display, 38:11 you know, so, you know, 38:12 they can get some fairly modern looking glasses. 38:15 And as a dentist, 38:16 do you also do implants 38:21 or any types of dentures and all that? 38:24 Oh, yeah, 38:26 everything that could be done here, 38:27 we do it there. 38:28 So we just provide implants, dentures, 38:31 implant-supported dentures as well. 38:33 So full mouth reconstruction, and orthodontics, 38:36 which is very difficult to do overseas, 38:37 but we do it there too. 38:39 Wow. 38:40 So now looking at the future development 38:41 of this as the financial, 38:43 as the person that's involved in the treasury work 38:46 of the Palau Adventist Wellness Center. 38:49 How do you see the future 38:51 as it comes to expanding the facility? 38:54 What are some of the visions you have for that? 38:55 Yeah, the clinic is doing well. 38:58 We have funds to sustain it. 39:00 But we also have a vision 39:02 of upgrading some of the equipment 39:04 and maybe adding some other equipment. 39:06 Maybe Dr. Ing and Dr. Chang can go into more detail 39:09 on what specific equipment we would be looking at. 39:12 Okay, well, let's talk about that 39:13 because you wanna make sure that. 39:15 Right. 39:16 To a location, it's difficult 39:18 to get quality crowns in specifically, 39:20 that has to come from outside the country. 39:24 And so, we're looking to try and get equipment 39:27 that we can make the crowns in the clinic itself. 39:30 So you could do a one day service crown. 39:32 Really? 39:33 Yeah, so those equipment costs money, 39:34 and it sustains itself, 39:36 but we don't have big funds 39:37 for the bigger equipment that we need. 39:39 So ballpark? 39:41 Well, brand new, they're around $100,000. 39:43 Wow. 39:44 But then what's the benefit of it would be... 39:46 Benefit is that you get quality crowns in one day. 39:51 And that's huge pursuit. 39:52 Just like root canal then or...? 39:55 See, the crowns are necessary 39:57 when the tooth is compromised structurally, 39:59 so you need to protect that. 40:00 So that's when we do a crown 40:02 on a root canal tooth or other teeth 40:03 that they crushed or broken due to other factors. 40:07 Because I know watching the program 40:09 and listening to the program, 40:10 there are people that are, 40:12 "Hey, you know, I'm able, 40:13 I'm willing to be able to participate 40:16 in that kind of ministry." 40:18 When we talk about the health ministry, 40:21 and when we talk about the missionary aspect of it 40:26 because you talked about the entering of the... 40:29 the entering wedge of the message 40:32 or the three angels' messages. 40:35 Do you talk to your patients? Do they feel comfortable? 40:38 If you talk to them about the spiritual side, 40:41 do you pray with them before you head to surgeries? 40:44 Oh, absolutely, Pastor. 40:47 The way that I deal with patients 40:50 even here in my practice in the United States 40:52 is I talked to them 40:54 as if God were an active part of my life. 40:57 Amen. 40:58 And, you know, talking to my patients 41:01 about God is as natural as talking to them 41:03 about the health of their eyes. 41:05 And so, we connect those very closely. 41:09 Absolutely. Yeah. 41:11 And for the church services. 41:14 You have a church there. 41:15 What size congregation do you have in Palau? 41:17 I think it's about 500. 41:19 Well, we have several churches, 41:20 but the main church in Koror is about 500 members. 41:23 Wow, that's wonderful. 41:25 And so I'm going into the... 41:27 I'm diving back into the health aspects of it. 41:29 Do you have a health feature 41:31 since that's a big part of the ministry? 41:32 Yeah, when we first opened a clinic, 41:34 Palau was the most obese country in the world, 41:38 ranked number one in the world. 41:40 And now they're ranked number eight, 41:42 and we like to think that 41:43 we might have had some part of that. 41:44 Wow. Yeah. 41:46 Now what's the main diet of the people on the island? 41:50 What contributes to that? 41:52 Is it to their sugar cane there, 41:53 I don't know? 41:54 Well, before they ate natural foods, 41:57 but once that Western style foods came in, 42:02 they just became overweight. 42:03 And it just, diabetes is rampant. 42:06 Obesity is rampant. 42:07 And the disease that go along with the, 42:09 like these eye problems and dental problems as well. 42:13 It's not only there, it's in United States too. 42:14 Wow, the standard American diet, 42:17 that's the acronym... 42:18 Very sad. 42:19 Okay, you caught it. It's sad. 42:22 The standard American diet, 42:23 we are good at bringing in technology and advancing and, 42:29 but we also at the same time, 42:30 sometimes there are things that come into the society 42:32 that hampers that. 42:34 That's right. 42:35 So you talked about your children 42:36 and we're sitting in the order. 42:38 And I say this respectfully. 42:40 Two children, three children, four children, 42:45 have your children been to the island? 42:48 Yes. Oh, that's right. 42:50 Your son was there in the clinic. 42:51 Yeah, all my children have been to the island. 42:52 Actually, I started taking my little ones 42:55 ever since they were like maybe 18 months old 42:57 to like Cambodia and other places 42:59 and always, people always say, 43:00 "How can you take a little child overseas? 43:02 Is it dangerous?" I say, "No, it's not." 43:04 I mean, there's children over there too. 43:07 And they have a blast. 43:08 So it's ingrained in that. 43:10 It's good to help people 43:11 because I find that people who suffer the most 43:13 are the people who only think about themselves. 43:15 And when you serve and help other people, 43:19 you, it's... 43:20 As God said, it's better to give than to receive. 43:22 That's right. 43:23 And so, we as a family, 43:25 we've done many, many mission trips 43:26 every several times a year. 43:28 So you're ingraining 43:29 or at least planting those seeds 43:31 of mission mindedness in your children too. 43:32 Right. 43:34 And so, the first two children are now 43:35 in Dental/Medical School. 43:37 Okay. 43:38 Probably because we've done that. 43:40 Wow, look at that. 43:41 Yeah, I didn't, I wouldn't think 43:42 you had any children that older but then again, 43:44 you hold your age very well. 43:45 I'm not gonna ask you what that is. 43:47 But, Dr. Ing, I saw your son 43:49 was participating in one of the surgeries 43:52 that we saw on the screen. 43:54 You know, both of my kids have been overseas. 43:56 They've been to Ethiopia, 43:58 to Belize, the Philippines, to Cambodia. 44:04 And they love Palau. 44:05 Palau is their favorite. 44:07 Wow, Eric, what would you say to get people to come to Palau? 44:12 Well, Palau is a beautiful place 44:13 and we have beautiful people that are... 44:15 Amen. 44:16 Ready for the message and for the service. 44:18 My family lives in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. 44:20 And I was sharing that with Dr. Chang. 44:22 He said, "Oh, wait a minute. 44:24 Those waters cannot compare." 44:25 Are they really that clear? 44:28 Not just clear. 44:29 It's bountiful of life that you would, 44:32 it's rated number one in diving in the world. 44:35 Okay. 44:36 I've been diving for over 40 years. 44:39 And Palau is one of the most beautiful places on earth 44:45 to go scuba diving. 44:46 I would say that there are places 44:48 that are as nice as Palau but no place is nicer. 44:51 How's that? Okay. 44:53 See, you get a big checkmark into your country, Eric. 44:56 And what we're actually in essence, 44:58 we're trying to encourage, I've a... 45:00 There's a method to the madness. 45:01 We're trying to encourage missionary students. 45:04 You may be looking at the program saying, now, 45:05 "Where would I like to be a missionary?" 45:07 Why would you not like to wake up in the morning 45:09 and say, "Go to the office." 45:12 Take here some patients. 45:13 Go scuba diving later. 45:15 Go enjoy the water, 45:16 go whatever, waterskiing, lay out in the sun, 45:20 get some good vitamin D, 45:22 which is something that you could get 45:23 when countries like that right there in Palau. 45:27 So now let's talk about some of the areas 45:29 that may need financial support 45:31 because we're talking to an audience. 45:33 And there are people watching 45:34 and listening to the program that might say, 45:36 "I wanna be able to participate in the missions, 45:38 I may not be able to go to Palau." 45:40 I'll start with the treasurer. 45:41 What are some of the things that you see might be a need 45:43 and I know you talked about the doctors 45:45 knowing about the particular equipment. 45:47 We talked about the crown machine, 45:48 that's one of the things. 45:50 What else do you see could be a part of a need 45:51 that this clinic might have in the future, 45:54 or that this medical center might have? 45:55 Well, the needs we have is for facility 45:58 to house the student missionaries. 46:00 And also the equipment for dental and eye. 46:06 That's the needs we have right now. 46:07 Okay. 46:09 And maybe a future facility 46:11 if we keep on outgrowing the current facility we have. 46:13 Okay. Yeah. 46:15 Anything else, Dr. Ing? 46:16 Well, you know, Steve mentioned 46:19 about a couple of items for dentistry, 46:21 I would say that, in the future, 46:23 we'd like to get an OCT, 46:24 and maybe a YAG laser for the islands. 46:27 Both of these could be used or pre-owned devices. 46:31 And I estimate maybe, you know, 46:33 $40,000, $50,000 to bring those machines in. 46:38 But I would emphasize probably the thing 46:40 that we need the most 46:41 are student missionaries, that students 46:44 who want to help medical missionary work, 46:47 students who have an understanding 46:48 of our health message, 46:50 students who would love to get experience 46:52 in the areas of dental or eye care. 46:56 I like that. 46:57 So it doesn't matter where the students are from? 47:00 I don't think so. 47:02 As long as they love Jesus, 47:03 they're interested in the health professions. 47:05 Okay. 47:07 And they wanna serve. 47:09 That's the winning combination, isn't it? 47:11 That's right. And I didn't do this yet. 47:13 Eric, how involved are your children? 47:16 In the clinic? 47:17 Yeah. 47:18 Well, my son is no longer in Palau, 47:20 but my daughter has volunteered cleaning. 47:22 Okay. 47:24 Cleaning some dental equipment. 47:25 Yeah. Okay. 47:27 So my kids have been doing some work. 47:28 So everybody has a hands on dedication into the center. 47:31 And my mother and father on the board too, 47:32 so they assist. 47:34 Okay. 47:35 Eric's mother, Marilyn 47:36 has just volunteered enormous amounts of time. 47:40 And her heart is in the center and I think without her 47:44 the center would not be what it is today. 47:47 Absolutely. 47:48 If we're flying there, 47:50 which is the best airline to come in on? 47:54 We talked about, I don't know, do all the airlines go there. 47:58 If I'm gonna think about flying there, 48:00 how am I gonna get my way there? 48:01 Well, United is the quickest. 48:02 United is the quickest. 48:04 Well, then we have China Airlines 48:05 and Asiana Airlines too. 48:06 Okay, now tying it back to the end result 48:10 of all of the work that you've done for the people 48:13 that are there in Palau. 48:14 What would you say bring you the greatest joy? 48:18 I would say the best thing is, 48:20 after you take care of their pain or need 48:23 to see the smiles and the hugs 48:24 that you get from the patients, 48:26 it's priceless. 48:28 Okay. 48:29 It's wonderful to see happy people. 48:30 All right. 48:32 Good to see that, you know, 48:33 that God's love has been transmitted, 48:35 and being given out and giving glory back to Christ 48:39 because He's the one who made this all happen. 48:41 That's right. 48:42 We're just hands and feet of Christ. 48:44 Amen. 48:45 You talked about sharing the gospel. 48:47 Have you seen souls come 48:49 to accepting the Lord in their lives 48:51 because of the mission work that you guys have done? 48:54 You know, we've been there 48:55 for a very short period of time. 48:57 I think I've been doing 48:58 an eye mission trip there just twice. 49:00 So there's not, there's still a lot of time. 49:02 Planting the seed. 49:04 But I can tell you, 49:05 just being able to do an eye surgery, 49:07 have the patient come from seeing very little 49:09 to seeing 2020 or close to 2020 49:13 and then giving glory and honor to God. 49:16 That is the greatest joy 49:17 that I have in any of my eye surgeries. 49:19 Wow. 49:20 And going back to the hierarchal society 49:23 that you're in, 49:25 the chief must be so excited 49:27 to see what his donation has made, 49:30 for what his contribution has done. 49:32 Has that encouraged, you know, 49:33 for other leaders are encouraged to say, 49:36 "Hey, we want the same thing 49:37 for our community." 49:39 Yeah. 49:40 When we, before we opened, 49:41 there was, you know, a lot of local people 49:44 that were also helped investing into the clinic 49:46 and we've had people come in 49:48 and they've been very touched by the ministry 49:51 because even before Jeff and Steve start the procedures, 49:56 they have prayer, 49:57 and some people give feedback that they were very touched 49:59 at when we pray for the patients, so... 50:02 And do you have... Didn't mean to cut you off. 50:05 It's all right. Okay. 50:07 Do you have community health programs 50:09 where you say, 50:10 we're gonna show you what vegan cooking is, 50:12 we're gonna show you what healthy eating is 50:14 that you invite the community 50:16 to be a part of that? 50:17 Yeah, we've had several classes, 50:18 we've had overcoming diabetes, depression recovery. 50:23 And so we've had classes and people graduate from that. 50:26 And we also have cooking demonstrations as well. 50:29 So we're trying to do complete education. 50:32 Okay. 50:33 And Weimar Academy has come by 50:34 and taught the people about the, a true remedies. 50:40 That's right. 50:41 NEWSTART 50:42 or I know this sunshine, 50:47 air, water, swimming, 50:50 all those involved in the strength 50:52 of a good program, 50:54 but I'm excited about it. 50:55 I mean, I've heard enough about Palau. 50:57 I had a chance to meet Eric in the Philippines. 50:59 Now, I'm kind of gonna get up my fins 51:03 and my snorkel mask and get my Bible, 51:06 get it all polished up. 51:08 But I know there's somebody watching the program 51:09 that might say, 51:10 "I am in an island where this does not exist. 51:13 And I wanna find out how to be able to be 51:15 to implement a medical center like this." 51:18 And I'd like to invite Dr. Chang, Dr. Ing, 51:22 and maybe even Eric to come and show us 51:24 how they did it in Palau 51:26 and how we can begin to implement that 51:28 in our own community. 51:30 If you'd like to do so, 51:31 here's the information that you need 51:33 to get in contact with them. 51:36 If you feel impressed to support 51:37 the Palau Adventist Wellness Center, 51:39 and their mission work among Palauan's, 51:42 you can call 680-488-3061. 51:46 That's 680-488-3061. 51:50 Or write to them at 51:52 Palau Adventist Wellness Center, 51:54 PO Box 6014, Koror, K-O-R-O-R, 52:00 Palau, P-A-L-A-U 96940. 52:05 That's PO Box 6014, 52:08 Koror, K-O-R-O-R, 52:11 Palau, P-A-L-A-U 96940. |
Revised 2019-12-10