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Rita Church Members Visited FSM President Falcam

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): June 10, 1997 - FSM Vice President Leo A. Falcam this morning, June 9, 1997, in the Office of the President, received members of Rita Congregational Church from Majuro, Marshall Islands, under the leadership of Rev. Enja.

The group sang two numbers of Marshallese religious songs after which Rev. Enja Enoj prayed for the providence, guidance, protection and sustenance of the FSM and its President, Vice President, the Governors of the FSM States, and other leaders and the people of the FSM.

Leroj Likbar Anni who is also a member of the House of Iroij in the Parliament or Legislature, on behalf of the group, placed a necklace made up of shells on Vice President Falcam's neck and also presented him a gift of several handwoven coconut leave fans that the group brought with them from Majuro.

Vice President Falcam in an impromptu remarks thanked the group for visiting the Office of the President , their beautiful and inspirational songs and presented them a framed photograph of FSM President Jacob Nena and asked that the picture is displayed in their church and that they remember them in their prayers.

Falcam requested the group to relay his greetings to President Imata Kabua, of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and to the Government and the people of Marshall Islands. Falcam also told the group that he and President Kabua knew one another and played tennis together years ago. He also asked the group to relay his greetings to Rev. Jude Samson, who was his classmate in Honolulu, Hawaii. Falcam concluded by noting that attentions of governments of the two countries usually focused on their relationships with developed countries, Japan and the United States, that relationships between the FSM and the Marshall Islands were taken for granted.

Falcam introduced Dr. Eliuel K. Pretrick, former Secretary of Health Services and Kapilly Capelle, former Director of Administrative Services who were with the Vice President when he received the group.

After a short program, a group photo was taken in front of the president's Office Building with Vice president Falcam. The entire program was video taped by the staff of the President's Office of Information to air on ICTV.

The group visited the hospital and the jail to sing of consolation and to pray for the patients and the prisoners on June 9, 1997 and on June 10, 1997, they paid a courtesy call on Governor Del Pangelinan.

The 28 member Rita Church group from Majuro arrived Pohnpei on June 6, for visits with Sekere Congregational Church. The Congregation of Sokehs Pah hosted a dinner given in their honor on June 9, 1997. They departed Pohnpei on June 11 for a week in Kosrae before returning home.