Visiting musician 'loved to teach'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Dozens of the people Christina Mandang led in worship gathered in her memory Sunday.

Mandang, a 38-year-old Indonesian church musician, was killed by an oncoming car when she stepped into Burton Street on Saturday to avoid sprinklers.

From Grand Rapids to Indonesia, hundreds are mourning the sudden death of a talented musician and devout Christian.

Mandang loved coming to the United States, and more specifically, to West Michigan. For this trip, she was in Grand Rapids as part of an international worship celebration, happening on the Calvin College campus.

The organist and pianist was a lecturer in church music and worship at Reformed Seminary in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Hours before she was killed, Mandang was doing what she loved -- playing the piano.

"I tried to call her name and take the pulse," said Dr. John FoEh, a friend of Mandang's who was with her at the time of the accident. "We could not hear anymore."

He, Mandang and a few others were walking back to Calvin from a restaurant when she was struck by the car.

Mandang was rushed to the hospital, where a doctor said, "it is impossible that it will be survived," FoEh said.

The musician was known for always being on the move, always working, teaching and willing.

"Every time I ask her to help our church, to train the young, to train the people for singing ... (she's) always ready," FoEh said.

Her friends -- some who she's known for a long time, others who she's known for days -- were touched by what she did and how she did it.

"Even when we walked together, she spoke, she loved, (she) talked to everybody," FoEh said.

At the conference, more than 100 countries are represented; united by a single faith.

"She loves Grand Rapids," student Aiko Sumichan said. "We were saying this morning, well, maybe it's a good place for her. She was probably happy, and she is happy now."

The Uniting General Council put on the gathering Mandang was attending. The organization now is working with her family in Indonesia to plan funeral arrangements.