SHEP’S (Sabah Heilbronn Ecumenical Partnership) Visit 2018

Oleh Raymond Wong

Sandakan: This year 2018, a group of 7 friends from Heilbronn with the partnership made a visit to Sabah from 27^th October to 10^th November 2018 with the theme of “We Partner, We Live, We Journey”

at PCS Church

The program for the visitors began from Kota Kinabalu and stopover at Kudat, Sandakan, Telupid, Ranau, Sapulut and ending in Keningau with a “Partnership Night” held on 7^th November 2018.

Sandakan was host to the visitors from 1^st to 4^th November, where a committee from the Basel Church, Protestant Churches of Sabah and the Catholics arranged the program for the visitors.

The goals of the Partnership

• “To mutually experience and live the Mission of Christ as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ
• To share in the joys and sufferings of humankind as Christians
• To learn from each other and to strengthen one another when and where it is necessary.”

The commitment  

“Wishing to journey together with Christ and commit ourselves to promote love, peace, justice and harmony of the creation of God.”

At Mission Paitan with Fr. Thomas Makajil

The visitors arrived in Sandakan from Kudat via Pitas and Paitan with a stopover at the mission of Paitan at the chapel of St Francis of Assisi, Sukang. They met up with Fr. Thomas Makajil, the resident priest who had visited Heilbronn many years ago.

At Agape Centre

At Marian Hill

On their arrival, in the evening of 1^st November the group was welcomed by the Basel church members together with their leaders, PCS members and the Pastors and some members of the Catholic Church including the Bishop of Sandakan.

With Bishop Julius

The following day 2^nd November, they visited the Agape Centre managed by the Basel Church in Sibuga where they were welcomed by the handicapped children and the staff together with the committee members of the centre. On the same day the group visited some interesting places such as Sandakan Memorial Park, Agnes Keith Museum, the Indian temple, Chinese temple and the Marian Hill situated not far from St Mary’s Cathedral and ending with a courtesy call on the Bishop of Sandakan.

Visiting Orang Hutan Rehabilitation Centre

Sharing Session

On the third day 3^rd November they visited the Protestant Church in Sabah and then to Sepilok to visit the Orang Hutan Rehabilitation Centre and the Sun Bear Centre. In the afternoon a dialogue session was held for the visitors and the local church members on the theme of this year’s visit.

Group Photo after Sunset Mass, St. Mary's Cathedral

The group then attended the sunset mass at the Cathedral and immediately after mass they attended a farewell dinner together with members of the PCS, the Basel church and the Catholic parishioners.

Singing at Basel Church

On Sunday morning, 4^th November the group attended the Sunday service at the Basel Church and then left for Telupid on the way to Ranau for an overnight stay.

At Telupid with Bishop Julius and Fr. Stanley

In Telupid the visitors were welcomed by Fr Stanley, the assistant Parish Priest of St Martin’s Parish and the Bishop who was at St. Martin’s Church in celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese and the Parish Day and the confirmation of some young children.

The visitors then left for Ranau for an overnight stay enroute to Sapulut and Keningau.