Stepping Up to Saclit

A friend of mine is a pastor in two Barangays of Bontoc, Mountain Province. The first, and his home, is in Bontoc where he ministers to students who board at his church as well as others from the community. The second place is in the village of Saclit, about 2 ½ hours away. Until he began making the trip to Saclit last year, no evangelical Christian pastor had been teaching the people there for a number of years.

Village on the Mountain

The village of Saclit has a road going most of the way to it, but is high on a mountain and isolated from other places. Bontoc has the nearest hospital and public market. The nearest police station is in Sadanga, about an hour away. Fortunately, they do have electricity and springs higher in the mountain provide a source of running water.

Rice Terraces from Above

The people of Saclit are farmers. They rely on the rice grown in terraces carved into the side of the mountain. Other main crops include peanuts and sugar cane. Chickens run free under and around the houses. This was my first visit to Saclit and I found it interesting how many pigs were free to roam. Most villages I have visited keep their pigs in pens, but here a pig in a pen was the exception.

Pig at the Door

As with other villages in the province, the Igorot people still cling to animistic practices. There is a high place with a large “grandfather tree” under which sacrifices of pigs, chickens, or carabao (water buffalo) are made for planting, harvest, and in observance of other rituals. But there is a faithful remnant of God’s children even here!

On the weekend of March 19 and 20, 2011, I was honored to accompany my friend, Pastor Steve, to the village of Saclit. As we approached the road going up to the village from the main road, the jeepney was blocked by road construction. Concrete had just been poured on the main road and the jeepney could not make the turn without destroying the newly poured road. As a result, we had to hike the rest of the way. It took us more than 1 ½ hours to hike from the main road to the village – even though we used the steep footpath which bypassed one of the long cutbacks of the serpentine dirt road up the side of the mountain.

Jeepney at (No)Turn-off to Road to Saclit

Hike Up to Saclit
- If you look closely, you can see the road on the mountainside behind me.

Thomas, Pastor Steve, Alex, and Miguela

Saturday evening, we met with people in the home of our hosts, Alex and Miguela. Because it is planting time in the village, it was late before people began to arrive. Our Bible study did not even begin until after 9 pm. The people of Saclit speak little English, so Pastor Steve translated as we talked through the story of redemption the Bible reveals. Then we listened to Matthew 27 and 28 using the Proclaimer. Though it was late and those gathered had worked hard all day, even the children listened attentively as the story of the crucifixion and resurrection were dramatized in Ilocano. At the end of each chapter, Pastor Steve and I asked questions to ensure people understood and internalized the story they just heard. Most were amazed that the people present at His crucifixion still did not believe.

Carol Listening to the Story

Saturday Night Bible Study

Several commented that hearing the story on the Proclaimer greatly helped their understanding as opposed to someone reading to them. My experience is that people in this area have limited exposure to stories being read aloud with vivid expression. The illiteracy, poverty, and differences among the various dialects spoken here often make it so that when people are reading aloud it is not smooth and expressive but halting and flat.

Thomas Praying for Lazaro

Sunday morning, we packed up and headed to the church building located in the lower part of the village. On our way, we stopped to visit baby Lazaro. He is 6 months old and has respiratory issues that make every breath a conscious effort. My heart broke as I held his frail little body in my arms. Even his cry was weak and labored. We prayed for him before continuing on to the church building.

Church Building in Saclit

There is not a set time for the beginning of service for the church. About 9 am, Pastor Steve began singing hymns translated into Ilocano and people gathered. In all, about 25 men, women, and children attended. As this is a different group of people than those that had gathered the night before, Pastor Steve had suggested that we repeat the teaching we had already given.

Listening to the Proclaimer

Pastor Steve Explaining

Except for a couple of energetic boys about 2 years old, once again everyone listened intently as the Proclaimer played the stories of the crucifixion and resurrection. After talking about the story I asked if there was anyone who had not yet given their life to Christ and made Him their leader. It was nearly unanimous that people wanted to do so. Not knowing if I had been understood properly or if the hospitality of the people made them eager to please their guest, I asked Pastor Steve to explain that they did not need to do this if they had done so in the past. We also made it clear that if they made this commitment, then they could never again serve Lumawig or the other spirits, but Christ alone. None changed their mind. Almost the entire congregation gave their hearts to Christ after having the story of redemption taught to them and listening to the crucifixion and resurrection using the Proclaimer! Pastor Steve and I are overwhelmed at what the Holy Spirit did that morning!

The Church at Saclit

After service, I was blessed as several people provided me with a bag of peanuts as a token of appreciation for my coming to their place. Although I never mentioned it, they knew that I had hiked up from the road and were thankful for my effort to reach them. I was repeatedly invited back and was asked to bring my family the next time.

That made me…

Happy!

Grace,
Tom

Faith Comes By Hearing

The weekend in Can-eo and Chapyosen was fantastic! Soon after arriving in Can-eo, we walked to the house of one of the church elders, Delfin, who has been leading the outreach to Chapyosen. There I presented him with a Proclaimer and taught him and Pastor Rudy how to use it. I wanted the device to be a tool presented by the elders of Can-eo to be used by the church in Chapyosen – not a gadget from the Americano.

Delfin and Pastor Rudy getting familiar with the Proclaimer controls

Then we began the long hike to Chapyosen. Fortunately, the weather was pleasant and the path was not muddy. It took us about an hour.

A flat portion of the trail to Chapyosen

Upon crossing the river on the footbridge, we climbed a steep hill to the edge of the village. In the space used to press the sugar cane, we stopped to pray for our time in the village. Pastor Rudy suggested that John 3 would be a good passage for us to use to introduce the Proclaimer to the people.

We gathered under someone’s home, most of us lining the perimeter between the stilts that held the house above our heads. The weaving projects had been rolled up and pushed aside, but several wooden frames polished with age that the ladies use when they weave using backstrap looms were scattered about the dusty concrete floor.

The meeting place

In addition to the 17 adult residents, many children wandered in and out during the gathering. Several of the mothers had babies in their arms or tied on their backs with sarangs. One young girl had a length of the beautiful red, black, and white fabric that is woven in the village tied about her, supporting a younger sibling.

After a few introductions were made, a sip of sugar cane wine was offered to Pastor Rudy. He explained to me that refusal would have been insulting to the people and that he would not have been welcome to return. It smelled very strong and I was just as happy to not have been offered a taste.

When the Proclaimer was turned on, everyone was thoroughly attentive. Even the children who had stayed with the adults were still while the voices spoke the story of Nicodemus’s encounter with Jesus in the Ilocano language. In the common story-telling method here, the passage was played a second time to ensure everyone heard it.

Delfin holding the Proclaimer as it played through the story of John 3

Listening to the story...

After the story was told, there was not much talk about the Proclaimer. Instead, there was an intense discussion, mostly involving the old women, about Jehovah and Lumawig (the name of the local spirit-god). Because I don’t know the language, I could not understand all that was said. But after Pastor Rudy and Delfin answered questions, the people seemed to be much more comfortable with the discussion.

Apparently they are interested in continuing to learn about God – the true God. They discussed who would be the one to care for the Proclaimer between meetings. They were concerned about the children damaging it and being able to operate it. They decided an old man with no children in his house would be the one to keep it at his place. A lady with several children is to be the operator, although Delfin demonstrated how to use it in front of all present. Chapyosen is a remote village with no electricity so gadgets we consider simple can be somewhat intimidating to these people. I was glad that even with the discussion about Lumawig the people desired to use the Proclaimer so they could continue to hear the Gospel. It was also an encouraging sign that they welcomed us back.

Delfin with the man who would care for the Proclaimer and the lady, Espirita, who was designated by the group to operate it.

Before we left, we took some group photos. When I went to sit with the group, I was going to stand at the back but was told to sit near the front in the middle. As I was sitting down, an elderly lady, Hananio, put both arms around me. I wish I could have understood her words, but her smile and unusual display of affection said a lot to me. Even as I write this, I cannot help but smile at the memory of it.

Thomas with the new church in Chapyosen

Back in Can-eo Sunday morning, Lisa and the girls arrived with an outreach team from YWAM Baguio’s Family Ministry School. The team was scheduled to present about marriage and family life during the service and a seminar after lunch. Even after only a day away, I was so glad to see my 5 ladies. The girls were excited to be in Can-eo again. Before we left in the evening, they had found some of their friends and had taken team members to some of their favorite places.
At the end of the church service at Can-eo Station Church, I presented another Proclaimer to Pastor Rudy. He in turn, presented the Proclaimer to Johnny. Johnny is an elder of the church who lives in the sitio of Fangkeg, one of the 4 sitios that make up Can-eo. Fangkeg is the most distant sitio from the church and is a difficult walk in the dark or in the rain. We hope to encourage Bible studies with those who cannot or may not yet be willing to make the hike to the church to learn about following Jesus.

Presenting a Proclaimer to Pastor Rudy at Can-eo Station Church

Pastor Rudy explaining the Proclaimer to the congregation

Pastor Rudy instructing Johnny how to use the Proclaimer

Fangkeg

Grace,
Tom

Change of Plans

The Village of Chapyosen

I had been planning to go today to Chapyosen, an isolated village in a valley between the mountains. I was to accompany the pastor and elders from the church in Can-eo who have begun a weekly Bible study there. Until now, there has been no Christian fellowship there.

I have really had Chapyosen on my heart for some time now and have been praying for the Gospel to be preached there in a lasting way. It is so awesome the way God works! We kept praying for open doors but it seemed none would budge. Then, while making plans with Pastor Rudy for a big outreach which we hoped would open the door for regular Bible studies, we found that Pastor Rudy's teaching on discipleship had inspired the elders at Can-eo Station Church to begin making a weekly hike along the narrow trail to Chapyosen. So for several weeks, the elders have been doing what we were praying would begin!

The plan for today was that I would accompany Pastor Rudy and the elders and present the people with a Proclaimer. The Proclaimer is an audio New Testament which is recorded in Ilocano. Unfortunately, Pastor Rudy's cousin passed away so he will not be going there this weekend. While I wait, I keep praying for transformation in the hearts of the people of Chapyosen, at peace with the knowledge that God is already at work there.

Grace,
Thomas

The Proclaimer is battery powered and can be charged using AC (not available in Chapyosen), an attached hand-cranked generator, or solar panel.

Aqua Culture

While we were in the US during the summer, friends we met in the Philippines sent us a wonderful gift - two Crown Berkey water filter units, one for us and one for our ministry center. Because you cannot drink the water here (more on that later), we have been buying filtered water since we first arrived. It is not a huge expense, but between the cost and the inconvenience the water filters are a huge blessing.

The SSM students are glad to have a filter unit at the YWAM ministry center also. They were getting their water at a spring about 1.5 kilometers away. (Free, but really inconvenient.) Below are some of the students with the filter unit.

After using the unit for a while, we noticed that the flow rate was much lower so I took the one at our place apart to clean it. It is not a complicated device. You pour water into the upper chamber and it filters using gravity into the lower chamber. As I was cleaning the upper chamber, I found the little friend below. He was about 1 cm long and bright red in color. Interesting to investigate under the microscope (a benefit of homeschooling is that you have such devices around), but you just don't want to become home to such a critter.

After cleaning the water filter and putting it all back together, I tested it as directed. A whole bottle of food coloring goes in along with the water and is supposed to come out clean. This time, the red food coloring was still in the water after passing through the filters. Bummer! So until we get the failed filter replaced, we are back to buying water. We are not interested in trying our luck with any of the creatures lurking about in the municipal water supply.

Still Learning

Right before Thomas left on Sunday, for Manila for a week of YWAM meetings, we discovered our new water purifier stopped functioning. Now we must go back to buying water for drinking and cooking. On Monday, I noticed the water level in our water tank was low. On Tuesday, it was almost empty. That is when, in a conversation with the gentleman next door, I learned some pipes are damaged and it may be another week before they are repaired. Time for some serious water conservation. (Annalise asked, "Do the people in the military take military showers?) I was able to contact a water delivery place but they could not deliver any water until Wednesday afternoon. Sleeping is always a struggle for me when Thomas is away. Three nights of little sleep, water issues, and shouldering the responsibilities of both mom and dad...Anyways, this morning before I even got out of bed, I asked God to forgive me for not serving my family with a cheerful heart and asked for His help so I could have a better attitude. Then I flipped the light switch on. Still dark. I almost laughed out loud when I realized there was a brown-out, wondering where the camera was hid for the reality show I must be on. So even though we had water in our tank, there was no way to get it to our apartment until the power was restored. About 12 hours later, right after I finished preparing tonight's dinner in our dark, cluttered kitchen, the power came back on.

I am reading Love Beyond Reason by John Ortberg. I just came to the chapter about contentment. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Lisa

Naomi

Today when I was walking home from the market, I was feeling a bit down. Thomas and I usually walk to the market together but he is in Manila this week for some YWAM meetings and the girls were back at our apartment finishing the day's schoolwork. I was alone. Then this little girl dressed in her school uniform came up to me and said, "Hi." I talked to her briefly and learned she was a six-year-old named Naomi in grade 1. I commented on how I liked her smile and dimples. Then I continued on my way until I realized Naomi was following just a few steps behind me.

My question "Would you like to walk with me?" was met with more smiles and a nod of her head. So we quietly walked together. Suddenly, I was not thinking about how much I missed my husband, I was thinking about Naomi.

It was 5 minutes in my day and we waved and said our good-byes hours ago, yet I am still thinking about Naomi. I wonder if she walks home from school alone each day. I wonder if when she arrived home, there was anyone to greet her.

Lisa

A Day in my Life

Some people wonder what life is like for us living as missionaries in the Philippines. Our days are varied but this is what today was like for me:

• Turned on the water pump so we could have running water
• Checked email and Facebook for news of friends and family
• Folded and put away laundry that had hung in our living room to dry
• Quick breakfast
• Family loaded up in 2 motorcycle trikes to government office for our weekly health clinic
• Tested patients' blood glucose after Thomas monitored their blood pressure while our girls sang Christmas music and presented each patient with a Christmas ornament we made the day before
• Went marketing
• Walked the distance of about a half mile home carrying about 5 kilos of groceries
• Washed the breakfast dishes while the girls played with the neighbor children in the courtyard
• Filled our water purifier
• Served Kool-Aid to our girls and their playmates
• Gathered up the trash from our apartment and carried it down 2 flights of stairs and around the rice terrace and up the stairs to the curb
• Went to visit a friend, Myla and her young daughter and infant son
• Visited with the neighbors answering some of their questions about homeschooling
• Comforted Annalise after a little boy that came over from a nearby construction site to join in the children's play punched her in the face
• Talked with her about needing to be forgiving and kind
• Warmed up leftover fried rice for lunch
• Washed a load of laundry and hung it up to dry
• Administered the last evaluations of term 1 of our homeschool
• Walked to the post office to see if the letter from Immigration we have been waiting for has arrived or any other mail
• Went marketing for some more groceries including 4 kilos of rice and powdered milk
• Visited with a few of our health clinic patients that I saw while in town
• Walked back to our apartment with about 8 kilos of groceries
• Did some planning for our next school term
• Searched online for clues to the foot pain Thomas is experiencing
• Skype call with my parents
• Celebrated the completion of the school term with a dinner of Thomas's homemade pizza and popcorn
• Swept and mopped the floors

Hopefully through a loving touch, a smile, conversation...I shared Jesus today.
Lisa