A Trip to Bulalang
By Fred L. Webb
November 1994
Four
a.m. November 26 found nine of us from Mountain View College loading into jeeps
for an adventure to Bulalang. It was
still dark as we passed through the rice fields to the edge of the hills where
we followed the Palangi river towards its headwaters. The sun came up over the mountains and found
us well on our way. Bouncing over rocks
and slipping through mud holes we made our way ever higher in the Bukidnon
Mountains. We passed several barrios and
towns as well as some very small villages along the way. Finally we came to a stop around 8:30 a.m.
where there was no more road. We parked
the jeeps there under the care of the local Datu for safekeeping until our
return.
It
felt good to walk after four hours of bouncing and rocking in the jeep. The feeling was short-lived, however, as we
had walked only a short distance when we realized we would have to walk through
mud and water. Thinking it was only a
small muddy stream to cross, we removed our shoes. After walking through mud up to our ankles
and water to our knees, we were told that we would be crossing more streams and
may as well leave our shoes off. After
several more crossings, we were told there would be only two more streams to
cross. We counted and after four more
crossings, we put our shoes on. In less
than 100 meters, we came to another crossing.
Oh, well. I left my shoes on and
waded through. There were some five or
six more crossings. I came to the
conclusion that there were only two streams but we crossed one of them many
times!
Just
a few more hills and many more curves and topping a small rise, the Bulalang
school came into view. I recognized it
from pictures, both recent and long past.
I was there at last--at 11 a.m.!
We rested in the shade of the girl’s dormitory. What a luxury, cool shade, cool breeze, and
good company.
A
group of children soon gathered and the student missionaries suggested to them
that they should sing for us. It was
very satisfying to see this group of Manobo young people singing gospel songs
in both Manobo and English. The dress
ranged from a very well dressed young man in yellow shirt, gray slacks and
apparently new tennis shoes to those dressed in shorts, no shoes, and tousled
hair. The girls presented the same
range. Two young ladies were dressed in
typical Manobo costume with a rope of beads hanging from spools inserted into
holes in the earlobes. One had anklets
with bells inside that rang as she walked.
After
some time of rest, a bit of food to replenish the energy expended on the hike,
and the refreshing breeze, we felt well enough to begin to explore. By that time, the Datu who was an SDA Church
member had come and he showed me around the mission school buildings.
Two
things were very evident. Firstly, time has taken its toll on the buildings. Cogon grass roofs were about gone. Split shake roofs were badly
deteriorated. Plywood walls were rotting
away. Plank floors were no longer safe
to walk on. Secondly, the student
missionaries who had been on site for less than two weeks had been busy. It was evident that they had cleared away a
lot of brush and weeds. They had cleared
a spot for garden and had planted corn, radishes, beans, etc. The comfort room (outhouse) had been fixed up
a bit using a sheet of corrugated iron for pipe to funnel the body waste into a
hole beside the CR. It had been very
neatly done but still not quite satisfactory.
As
I toured the buildings and facilities, I noted several things that needed to be
done and took pictures of them. I also
requested the student missionaries to make a list of what needed to be done and
bring that list to MVC when they come on December 29. One project has already been started but
needs completion. That is the
development of the water system. They
have a spring that flows a good stream of water but it needs to be
developed. They have a pipe that brings
the water down to the edge of the village but it needs to be piped on down and
a small tank set up. Then water can be
gravity fed to the rest of the village.
I also requested them to bring plans and needs for that system. At present we do not have money to even pay
the student missionaries and do not know where the funds might come from for
these projects but we do have faith and believe that the Lord will
provide.
At
2 p.m., we all assembled at the SDA Church in the village for a divine
service. A group of the former students
of the Bulalang Mission School sang their welcome and greetings to Mrs.
Lonergan, a long-time developer and supporter of the mission schools, Mrs. Webb
and myself, Mr. and Mrs. Lachica, and former student missionary to Bulalang,
Alex Panes. I gave a short talk on the
nearness of Jesus second return responding to the Manobo song they sang “Come,
go with me to that land”.
After
the service, pictures were taken of the current student missionaries
(SULADS). The message was conveyed to
them that they are doing a good work and that there is a strong support group
praying for them at MVC and other places around the world. There were a group of Manobos dressed in
their native costume who wished their pictures taken. I willingly agreed. They are so colorful in their dress. The colors of red, white and blue are used in
profusion with their typical geometric patterns.
Then,
even though it was getting late, we hurried to a meeting with a Datu who was
not very pleased that we were there and wishing to re-open the mission
school. We made no mention of that but
greeted him warmly and thanked him for his previous donation of land for the
mission school. We then bade our leave
and commissioned Daryl Famisaran to negotiate with the Datu for continuance of
the school. We pray that he will be
successful.
Finally at about 4:30 p.m. we got on our way again back to the jeeps. Mrs. Lonergan had had such a hard time walking out, we arranged for her to ride a horse back to the jeeps. We chose to travel the shorter but steeper route back to the road and sent the drivers to the jeeps to meet us at a different place. As we walked, the trail became very steep. We stopped often to “huff and puff”. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, we were pleased to walk on level ground for a while but the rain soon set in. As darkness fell, we were being soaked with rain. After slipping and sliding down the mountain side we finally reached the bottom and had to cross a stream up to our knees and climb out a steep bank on the other side. Since we were already wet, what did it matter. We joyfully sat down in the jeeps and bundled up the best we could to keep warm as we were all soaked to the skin. Three hours later, we arrived on the campus of MVC, safe and sound but sore and wet.
There
is much work yet to be done in Bulalang.
The student missionaries have a tremendous task ahead of them. In only two weeks of work, they have already
organized a school and have 30 students in the first grade ranging in age from
6 years to 14 years. Other grades have
fewer numbers but the total enrollment is around 50. These students are working with really
nothing more than their own innovations.
They have no textbooks, no supplies, no formal training in teaching, and
little experience on which to call. They
deserve our most sincere prayers and financial support as they continue there
work in this farthest and formerly largest of our mission schools.
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