Maligcong Christian Fellowship

The activities of the past week have been many and the opportunities for updating the blog when the energy exists to do so have been few.

On the 8th, we took the YWAM Baguio DTS team to Maligcong Christian Fellowship. (Our family was there not too long ago.) Several members of the team held an active Sunday School for the children before the worship service began. It was fun to see all of the smiles and hear the giggles of the kids.

After a few games and songs, the team told the story of Joseph and talked with the children about God's faithfulness. They met in the coziness of a jeepney waiting shelter.

During the service, several of the team members shared personal testimonies of what God has done in their lives. They also performed a couple of interpretive dances before VJ preached about being connected to Jesus, the vine.

Afterwards, we shared a meal and enjoyed a time of fellowship with the people of Maligcong. That is what this trip was really about. It is nice that the team could give those who serve at the church a break from their responsibilities, but better than that is the opportunity to encourage one another. Coming to the village, we were able to meet with the believers there, share stories, make new friends, and worship God along with people of other backgrounds.
I never figured out the fascination with this stack of tires. But I did enjoy watching the boys climb on, around, and through them.

Lisa talking with some of the other moms.

An example of the arm tattoos that are common among the older Igorot ladies.

It seems whenever we visit one of the villages, there is always one of the older ladies who adopts Annalise. They love to hold her on their lap. Annalise is very patient and will often sit with her adoptive Lola even when she would rather run and play with the other kids.

Later, we went for a hike through the famous terraces to Maligcong Proper (the primary sitio of the village). It is a strenuous 45 minute hike with breathtaking views of the incredible terraced mountainsides.

In Maligcong, like most of the villages in the region, there is a high place. At the high place animal sacrifices are still made to seek the favor of the spirits for health and harvest. We took the opportunity to pray for freedom from the spiritual bondage of the pagan beliefs of so many here.

More Real Life Learning

We have been taking a break from our school books so we can join the Baguio DTS in ministry. However, "Life is school. School is life."

"That's amazing!"

and this is what she saw when she looked at the slide.

The Letter of the Week seems to be L..landslides,lice!

Thump, Thump

On Friday the YWAM Baguio DTS team joined us again for the YWAM Health Clinic. We did not have as many patients as usual, perhaps because of the athletic tournaments at the schools and the parade. But it was still a good time talking with people as we took blood pressures and checked glucose levels.

Did I mention the parade? When taking blood pressures, you are listening for the pulse in the artery of the arm. You try to listen for the thump, thump of blood in an artery with a parade of several school bands going right outside. No contest - drums win!

But once the parade passed, we were able to begin again.

Below are some stats about our clinic since we started in October, 2008:

• Number of patients served: 496
• Total attendance: 996
• Number screened positive for hypertension: 296
• Number screened positive for diabetes: 152

We really enjoy being able to serve the people here. Many have become friends that we look forward to seeing each week. When walking about, it is common to stop and talk with one of our friends from the clinic.

Grace,
Tom

All About Landslides

Tuesday we assisted the YWAM Baguio DTS team as they put together packs of relief goods for victims of the landslides caused by the rains from Typhoon Pepeng. Each family pack included a rice pot, rice, a blanket, powdered milk, canned sardines, noodles, bath soap and laundry soap. They also brought school supplies that were packaged to give to students.

Wednesday morning, after a little discussion as to whether the roads would be okay, we decided to pack up and drive off in the rain to Lubon, Tadian where we were scheduled to distribute a portion of the family and school packs. The roads were rough and Lisa and I longed for the US highway system and the comfortable seats of our minivan. But we really could not complain. We were offered the seats in the front of the jeepney while others had the benches in the back or braved "top load" in the rain.

At the local elementary, the DTS team got the kids going with a couple of action songs and told them of Jesus' love for them. We then distributed the student packs to the children.
We then went back to the barangay hall where a pastora and the barangay officials had gathered together some of the families whose fields had been destroyed by the landslides. Since previous relief had been distributed to those whose houses were destroyed, the relief brought by the team was designated for a portion of those who lost rice fields.

These ladies immediately adopted Annalise and Lisa.
After a few presentations and sharing, the team distributed family packs to 50 families.
The lady with the green hat sat holding Lisa's hand during most of our time in the barangay hall. But we found that she was extremely ticklish. If you tried to touch her she quickly pulled away and said, "I'll be the one!" with a twinkle in her eye. When Lisa tried her Ilocano to ask the lady's name, she said, in English, "I don't understand." So much for today's language lesson...We were told that if it wasn't for this mountain range, you could see the ocean. Since the mountain range did not get out of the way, we enjoyed its beauty instead.
Remember how at the beginning I said we considered not going because of the potential road closings? Well we were able to make it all the way to Lubon (about 2.5 hours) and most of the way back. Then the road was closed by two landslides not far from Bontoc.
Here, the narrow point of the road is about 4 feet wide. On one side were unstable rocks the size of a jeepney. On the other side was the ravine going down to the river (perhaps 50-80 feet at this point).

They did have equipment working on it, but it was going to take a while. We decided that most would walk and a few would stay with the vehicles to wait for the road to clear.
Then there was the second slide... After passing through the first, it was only a couple hundred meters before we came to the second. The fire department was on the far side with their floodlight shining on the mountain side. Rocks were still falling from time to time. Our firefighter friend, Steve, (wearing one of the helmets donated by our friends at home) asked what I wanted to do. The proverbial, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Just to make it more interesting, it began to rain. We all decided that if we waited, the rain would continue to loosen the soil. So very quickly, we moved past the slide. Then we got to walk the rest of the way in the rain, about 2-3 kilometers.

It was not until late the next morning that the road was once again cleared and the guys who stayed with the vehicles made it safely into Bontoc.
It was a full day and we were all ready to finally crawl into bed - but not until we had washed the layer of mud off.

Can-eo, A Beautiful Valley

The weather was beautiful Friday as we drove to Can-eo. The road had been closed because of slides caused by Typhoon Pepeng. There had been 6 slides blocking the only road through the mountains to the village. But they were all cleared and we were driven all the way to the village. Unfortunately, the weather changed and rains kept us from making the hike we had planned to Chapyosen on Saturday.

Alayna was so excited because it was her first opportunity to ride "top load" on the jeepney.

Once we got to Can-eo, we went for a walk through the village to pray at different places and to help the team better understand the people of the area. We also stopped at the house of one of the students from our Student Sponsorship Ministry and Tracy tried to learn about the magnificent weaving that the village ladies do.

This is a backstrap loom; so named because of the strap that goes around the weavers back to adjust the tension.

We learned that not only do the people grow rice and weave, they also grow sugar cane and press and boil it into molasses. But like the rice grown here, it is only enough for their own use and none is sold outside of the village for income.

The men and boys are sitting in front of the rice granaries, preparing the sugar cane stalks for the press.

Alexie enjoying the sugar cane like the other kids in the village, right from the stalk.

Although they were not ready to press the cane, the residents allowed the team to work the press to get a feel for it. I think most agreed that carabao (water buffalo) could keep the job.

The kids found a weed that could be used as a dart on clothing. Throughout our time in Can-eo, someone was always a target. Though I don't think anyone was as "targeted" as Alayna in the picture below.

Alexie and Tracy chillin' on the church floor.

Village life is a little bit different than in other places. The girls were able to go to the spring to wash their hair and bathe. I was not so fortunate. Everytime I went to the spring, there was always a small group of local ladies who were already bathing. As joining their group seemed inappropriate, I ended up bathing using a jug of water in the comfort room at the church instead. (I always left before I could tell if they were as embarrassed as I was.)

Besides the service on Sunday morning, there were gatherings on Friday and Saturday night for worship and Bible Study. We always enjoy seeing the truths of God's salvation portrayed through dance and drama when YWAM teams come.

A beautiful view of the morning sun pouring into the valley.

Sunday school for the children at Can-eo Station Church

Adriana and her new friend, Raza

Jasmine enjoying some time with Raza, too.

No, I did not preach. Jason, from the DTS team, shared the sermon. I just shared an encouragement before closing the service in prayer.

After the service, our family and the team enjoyed talking and playing with the people who came.

Annalise and Jason, "horse-ing" around

Sunday afternoon, our LP tank ran dry. So for dinner the team (with Pastor Rudy's help) cooked over a campfire. Another memory for their outreach journals.

Sunday evening, we lost power for a while and gathered in the "upper room" of the church. We were reminded that most of the people in the village and throughout the country were observing All Saints Day. In this region, that means candles lit at the ancestors' graves and prayers made to their spirits. Food offerings are also left at the graves for the spirits of the ancestors, or anitos. We took the opportunity to light candles to illuminate our temporarily non-electric room. Then we worshiped the one, true GOD. We also prayed for the spiritual darkness that exists in places like Can-eo. Unfortunately, the high place we prayed at is not the only reminder of the pagan beliefs and practices that are still strong in Mountain Province.