Love in Action is both an historical account of the relationship that will continue between the residents of Manly and Manado, and a demonstration of the mutual transformation that can result from one community meeting the needs of another community. Few copies of Love in Action remain. It can be purchased online via Compassion and in person at Humphreys in Manly, on the Corso. Profits from the sale of the book go to supporting people living in Manado.

During our visit to Manado, Indonesia we witnessed the efforts of many women as they worked long tiring days to find extra money to help support their families. They ran kiosks, cooked and sold satay in the market, chopped fruit salad to sell on the street corner and collected rubbish at the local tip. Women were often the entrepreneurs of the family, not just making ends meet, but finding ingenious ways of  saving money in the event of a child requiring a visit to the doctor or some other unplanned expenditure.

For some women the story is not always as positive. There are numerous stories we’ve been told of forced labor, rape, abuse, inequality and sexual violence in war.

We stand by and support the UN in it’s efforts to insure the safety and equality of women all around the world.

The Manly Council have given us the opportunity to promote and sell Love in Action at their event to promote International Women’s Day which will be held at the Manly Library on monday 8 March 2010. All proceeds from the sale of Love in Action will be donated to Manly-Manado. Money raised will be given to the Compassion Child Survival Program. The program assists pregnant women, at-risk babies and infants and their mothers and caregivers by providing critical interventions, such as medical assistance, pre-natal and post-natal care, and nutritious food. For further information visit the Compassion website.

Christmas lights for Manado

We love some of the wonderfully innovative ideas that express the mutual transformation that is happening both in our community in Manly and in Manado. The Phillips family are shining light into their neighbourhood this Christmas (literally) as they light up their home to raise money for Manly-Manado.

Read all about it here.

Café of the Gate of Salvation are an a capella choir inspired by the African-American vocal tradition: the passionate, committed and exciting music of gospel and spirituals. This is music that has been at the heart of the movement towards political and spiritual freedom.
Formed in 1986, performing continuously since and touring extensively around Australia and New Zealand as well as overseas, the Choir will be in Manly for one night. Love in Action was promoted at event, and many people purchased copies of the book. Some even bought extra copies for friends and Christmas presents.

To learn more about the Café at the Gate of Salvation, click here.

Café at the Gate of Salvation

If you’re thinking of setting up a community partnership in your local town Love in Action is a great example and motivational tool for getting people behind your vision. If you’d like to get in touch with Jim Goddard about Global Community Partnerships, the organisation that Jim has set up to help other communities develop a community partnership, then check their website by clicking here.

If you’d like to comment on the interview please do so here on the blog.

The books were so well packed that it took some effort to get them out, but the effort was well worth the wait. The smell is something that hit me first. The freshly dried inks from the press. Then came the emotions. Joy and relief. The many hours of proof reading, of retouching to get the look we were after, of researching other book styles for ideas, of early mornings to make it on location to capture the various shots – all effort rewarded. The book looks fantastic. I can’t wait for you to see it, so here is a sneak peek.     See you on Friday 31 July.

“Love in Action is opening a car door for an elderly gentleman; carrying a pram down the steps for a new Mum; offering a meal to a homeless man on the streets; stopping to check that a child running on the street has not lost her parent; surprising your wife with some flowers and saying ‘I love you’; dropping a meal round to a couple with a new baby; offering to tend the garden of a widow; painting the toilets of a local primary school with few resources; putting on a birthday party for someone who struggles with depression.

Love in Action is seeking justice for the oppressed; caring for the orphan and widow; offering a poor family an opportunity to get their dignity back through a microloan; providing education for children who have none; rescuing a child from a rubbish dump; purchasing fair trade products; speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves; lobbying our government to increase their % GNI of foreign aid.

Love in Action is sharing the love of Jesus, the one who can inspire all these actions and more to flow from the heart of an inherently selfish human being, because of His unfailing love for us.

Love in Action is Jesus.”

About Jim Goddard. Jim is the founder of Global Community Partnerships and the original architect of Manly-Manado. You can learn more about Jim and Global Community Partnerships on the GCP website.