Method: Media - Message: Unchanged

I was blessed with an opportunity to minister to a couple of villages when our friend, Greg, offered to pass through Bontoc on his way north. He and a friend have a film showing ministry with churches north of us. He graciously offered to take a few days in Bontoc to show gospel films in our area before continuing on his way.

We started by showing a film about commitment to Christ to our Student Sponsorship Ministry students the evening Greg and Arnold arrived.

The freshly planted Maligcong rice terraces

Our first trip was to Maligcong. A wedding was taking place the same weekend, so we were not sure how many people would leave the wedding festivities and hike through the fields to watch a movie. We were thankful when the church was full during the showing and Pastor Frederick was able to share with the people afterwards.

Pastor Frederick, Arnold, Greg, Jordan, Jay-ar, and Pastora Cynthia in Maligcong

The next morning, we left Maligcong and headed straight to Saclit, our next destination.

We arrived in Saclit in mid-morning and had to wait for evening to show the film. In the meantime, I showed Jay-ar and Jordan how to make a rocket stove. They are both connected with our YWAM Student Sponsorship Ministry and wanted to join us in ministering in the villages for the weekend. At dinner, they were eager to use the rocket stoves to cook our meal - and did a great job.

Jay-ar and Jordan cooking dinner on the rocket stoves

Just before dark we set up the projection equipment in an open area in the middle of the village. We showed the Jesus film which tells the story of Jesus based on the book of Luke. There were people sitting on benches, stones, stairs, walls, and hanging out of windows as the movie played. Because there was no moon it was too dark to attempt counting how many people were there, but when flashlights and torches shone in different places you could see people gathered in every direction from which you could view the screen.

After the movie Pastor Steve talked with the people

I was excited about the opportunities these days provided.  First, it was great to share using media to help people in both villages understand the gospel. It also provided an opportunity to include Jay-ar and Jordan in ministry.

Grace,
Thomas

Maligcong - September 18

Now that the team has returned to the USA and we have a little more time, I hope to be able to do some catch-up of what has been happening.

One of our first adventures was to take the team to Maligcong.  This gave most of the members their first opportunity to have a truly Filipino experience - riding a jeepney.  Some even enjoyed the natural beauty of the area by riding on top of the jeepney.

Brothers Zack and Breck taking a moment for a photo-op

Because the team is large they were able to divide, with part of the team staying in the sitio of Favuyan and the other hiking through the wonders of the rice terraces to the sitio of Fang-orao.

In Favuyan...

Michelle and Reuben leading worship

Eric giving testimony of how God saved his life

Ariana reciting Scripture during Michelle's message

Children's church

Taden making friends - people loved to play with the team's youngest member

In Fang-orao...

Photo-op while hiking through the terraced mountains to Fang-orao

The team shared "cardboard testimonies" like Eli is showing here:  one side showing a struggle the person faced and the other side showing how God brought them through it.

Marie expanding on her testimony

Darren and Krista presenting the sermon together

The sermon was followed by a time of prayer.

 As the sermon was presented and prayers were offered, Leigh sat on the stairs outside and colored with the children who were too active to sit through the service.

After service, both teams enjoyed sharing a meal with the congregation they spent the morning with.  It was a good day.

Fang-orao, Finally!

As we mentioned a few posts ago, we had been prevented from making our way to the church in Fang-orao.  At that time, we made plans with Pastor Frederick to visit Fang-orao last weekend.  Even then, we had challenges in order to make it there and minister.  First, we got behind and missed the first jeepney to Maligcong, only to find that on Sunday, there is only one jeepney to Maligcong.  When I contacted Pastor Frederick, even though he was already hiking through the fields for Fang-orao, he said he would drive to Bontoc to get us.

Everywhere in Maligcong were signs of the harvest.  Just outside the church this lady was drying sheaves of rice called palay.

By the time we finally arrived at the end of the road in Maligcong where we could begin the hike to Fang-orao, we were already late. We kept a good pace hiking through the magnificence of the Maligcong rice terraces and once we were on the branch of the mountain with Fang-orao, Pastor Frederick asked if we were up to taking the shortcut.  In Ilocano, as in many cultures, you pronounce the word "shortcut" as "adventure".  At first it seemed pretty simple, the path went from an 18" wide concrete path on the top of a rice terrace wall to a 10" dirt path on the top of a rice terrace wall.  Soon it became a 4-6" muddy, wet, and slippery concrete path on the top of a rice terrace wall.  Good practice for balance.  We only had one person slip so much that their foot found its way into the squishy mud of the rice field.  Fortunately it was in a place where both sides were near the height of the path and not a 5' drop.  Then we came to the place where we needed to climb the "stairs" up toward the church.  In this case, the translation of "stairs" is "steep, moist, red clay embankment with precarious footholds".  No injuries, no ruined clothes (brown pants are key), and no words of complaint.  I am not sure which is the greatest of these.

Stairs?

When we arrived, Sunday School was nearly completed and soon the worship service began.  A guitar, a bass guitar, a few tambourines, and a set of drums accompanied the upbeat mix of English and native worship songs.

A final obstacle that needed to be overcome was that I had been feeling sick.  During much of the worship, I sat bent over praying for strength.  When I began teaching, I asked the congregation to uphold me in prayer because I felt weak.  As I began teaching, my discomfort faded to the background and God gave me the strength I needed to continue.

I presented an overview of the Bible's redemption story and we listened to the crucifixion and resurrection story using the Proclaimer Wendy donated to the church.  This is the teaching that had been planned before when the t-er prevented our coming.

Rita is the name of the lady on the right.  She was apparently listening with her heart, as well as her ears.

I love this picture.  Before closing, I asked if anyone had any questions, observations, or thoughts to share.  This dear lady was more bold than most and willingly shared some great insights.

For a number of reasons, I decided not to have an "altar call". Instead I encouraged people to talk with Pastor, Pastora, me, or another believer afterward if they wanted to follow Jesus.  Before proceeding much further though, I was interrupted when Rita raised her hand to say that she wanted to make Jesus her Lord.

Praying with Rita, Dominga tanslating

Rita proclaiming her new faith to the congregation, accompanied by a friend for encouragement.

The Fang-orao branch of Maligcong Christian Fellowship - with a few Americanos thrown in for the fun of it.

Then it was time to leave.  This time we did not use the shortcut.  There were more stairs, but these were much easier to climb.

A handful of miscellaneous photos of our day in 
Fang-orao, Maligcong

Drying palay

Alayna loves going to villages because she gets to hold babies.

Reviewing the stories that Adriana, Alexie, Alayna, and Annalise taught to the children.

Peeking through the pew 

Maligcong T-er

One place we were looking forward to taking Wendy for both ministry and beauty aspects was Maligcong. The views are breathtaking and the terraces cut into the mountainsides are a marvel to behold.  Our plan was to arrive early Saturday and hike through the fields to the sitio (neighborhood) of Fang-orao.  There we would visit and pray with people until evening when a special service would be held.

A view of the Maligcong rice terraces from the jeepney turn-around point.

The hike to Fang-orao is about 30 minutes or so on the narrow pathway through the fields.  The views along the way are beautiful, especially on clear days.

Unfortunately, while attending the ordination of a Bontoc pastor, we found out that we would not be able to take this path during the weekend due to a pagan holy day called "T-er".  The village elders declared this holy day in preparation of the impending rice harvest.  As part of the ceremony, a few men gather a cup of rice and hike through the fields and over the mountain into Bontoc with the intention of symbolically leading the rats and birds away from the village in a manner similar to the pied piper of Hamlin.  Following this ceremony, nobody is allowed to pass near the fields for 3 days.  The people of Fang-orao and Favarey which is another 30 minutes hike beyond are cut off during this time.

During discussion with Pastor Augustin who was helping to coordinate our visit and pastors the church in Fabuyan, at the jeepney turn-around, another pathway was mentioned.  It is a difficult and rarely used trail that goes around the fields by going down one mountain and up the other into Fang-orao.  Not being sure that everyone in our group could handle the hike or the return hike in the dark, it was decided that Alexie and I would go on Saturday and the rest would take the early jeep Sunday morning to join us for the service in Fabuyan.

Once Alexie and I arrived however, we were told that the other pathway came near a rice field also so nobody could walk that way either.  Pastor Frederick who pastors the church in Fang-orao took us to talk with one of the village elders, Edward, to see if we could work something out.

We met with Edward at his daughter's home and over coffee discussed our desire to find a way to go to Fang-orao.  Most of the discussion was in the Igorot dialect between Edward, Pastor, and Edward's son-in-law.  But I did get to talk a little with Edward about his role as a messenger for the US troops during WWII.  The end of the discussion was that he would talk with the chief elder about our dilemma when the other returned from checking on his animals in the mountain.  For the meantime, we could plan on using the path through the terraces on Sunday afternoon to go as far as Fang-orao, but no further.

Thomas and Edward

When Pastor Augustin arrived after completing his route as a jeepney driver, it was decided that we would hold a service at his church Saturday evening.  Alexie performed an interpretive dance and I shared about how God hears when people call out to Him.  (Once again, the Read Aloud Bible Stories that have been translated were helpful.)

During the service there were a number of young men from Favarey, the farthest sitio.  They had taken the jeepney from Bontoc only to find that they could not proceed to their homes.  Since they had nothing else to do, they showed up for the service even though they are not believers.  Maybe God had a plan amidst the frustrations of the t-er after all.

Alexie during her dance to "Above All"

In the morning, even before the 1st jeep had arrived from Bontoc with Wendy, Lisa, and the girls, we were told that we would not be able to pass by either pathway to Fang-orao.  So we continued with the service planned at Fabuyan with Pastor Augustin's congregation.  Alexie performed another dance to The Power Of Your Love.  Wendy shared some songs using sign language.

Alexie dancing to "The Power of Your Love"

The 4A's presenting Sunday School to the children in the newly finished classroom.

Best of all Wendy was able to present the pastors of both communities, Fabuyan and Fang-orao, with Proclaimers.  The pictures below were taken while the congregation listened to the story of the crucifixion and resurrection in the Ilocano language.

This dear lady shared great insights and had thoughtful questions in our discussion after listening.

Pastor Augustin listening to the Proclaimer recite Matthew 27 & 28 

Having heard that we held our health clinic for the people of Can-eo, Pastor Augustin asked if we would do the same in Maligcong.  It went well, but because of the t-er, only the people of Fabuyan could attend.

While Lisa and I squeezed arms and poked fingers, Wendy made friends with the ladies who were there.

Wendy and Pastora Evelyn talking on the porch

At the same time, our girls had fun with babies and balloons.  They twisted animal balloons for the children nearby and passed the babies from one to another.

The little guy in the picture below seems to have figured out how to turn a balloon animal into a wind instrument.

Now he is giving lessons to a friend.

And he's back to playing a solo.

Lunch at the pastor's house

Time to head home to Bontoc

Grace,
Tom