For nearly six years, Dr. Manuel Bellosillo
served as a medical missionary
at Buea Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital
in the African country of Cameroon.
Dr. Bellosillo and his wife, Elma, were just months
from completing their term of service.
Those six years at Buea were only part
of a 25-year mission service career
for Dr. Bellosillo.
Everytime we asked for help, he was ready to help this person,
to help this hospital.
He was always a dedicated doctor.
Dr. Bellosillo began his medical career in Calbayog City,
and later in Palawan in the Philippines.
Soon, after being confirmed as a certified family physician,
he and his family accepted a call to Africa.
They served for 11 years at Yuka Adventist Hospital
in a remote area, some 550 miles or 990 kilometers
east of Lusaka, the country's capital.
For a time, he was the only doctor at the hospital, and therefore
on call around the clock.
The call to mission service was a way of life
for Manuel and Elma.
From Zambia, they moved to Kanye Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital
in Botswana.
Then, for the next five years, they served
at Scheer Memorial Hospital in Nepal.
From Nepal, they journeyed back to Africa
to serve at Batouri Adventist Hospital in Cameroon
before moving to Buea Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital in 2014.
Regardless of where he served,
Dr. Bellosillo would encourage his patients to read the Bible
so they could be prepared for Jesus' soon coming.
In addition, he served as a church elder and a Sabbath School teacher,
as well as organizing outreach programs in various countries.
In early May 2020, Dr, Bellosillo contracted malaria
and tests later showed he had also contracted COVID-19.
On June 17th, 2020, Dr. Manuel Bellosillo fell asleep in Jesus.
He was the first active international missionary
for the Seventh-Day Adventist Church to succumb to the pandemic
sweeping the world.
Like many Adventist missionaries, Dr. Bellosillo was serving
far drom his homeland and family because he had answered
Jesus' call by saying, "I will go."
Dr. Bellosillo leaves two daughters,
both physicians at Palawan Adventist Hospital
and a son, a laboratory scientist.
As we know all too well, COVID-19 has killed millions
and we have also lost many Adventist believers
and church workers - our colleagues in mission -
to the pandemic.
Like Dr. Bellosillo, these dedicated workers
fell in the line of duty, carrying a message of hope
to a dying world,
a message of hope in His soon return.
Let us remember that God leaves us on Earth
to encounter storms and conflict, to perfect Christian character,
to become better acquainted with God our Father
and Christ our Elder Brother,
and to do work for the Master in winning many souls to Christ
that with glad heart, we may hear the words,
"Well done, good and faithful servant;
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,"
until we meet again on that glorious day.