SULADS STORIES

EVALUATION OF DAMPAAN MISSION SCHOOL

by Muriel Heppel

August 14, 1997

3:50 a.m.—Got out of a warm bed to face an exciting day.

5:00 a.m.—A lunch was packed, water bottle filled and I was ready to board our vehicle—a converted weapons carrier--and started for Dampaan.

Five evaluators from the national and regional offices of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (NFE) and Literacy coordinating Council (LCC) arrived on Wednesday afternoon to inspect the SULADS program among the Manobos.  The MVC SULADS program had won in the regional contest, which automatically qualified MVC to join the national contest.

Ms. Jennifer Golden was from the Summer Institute of Linguistics, representing the non-government sectors.  The other members of the team were Mr. Roberto Cervantes from the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, Ms. Mary Ann Bolante from the Literacy Coordinating Council, and Mrs. Juliet Fancubit and Mrs. Amor Mariano from the NFE section of Educational Superintendents of Region X.

Six teachers and several students boarded the vehicle and after prayer we were off.  We rode comfortably until we reached the mountain road.  Dr. Fred Webb maneuvered the vehicle around, between, and over the boulders.  It was similar to a river bed minus the water.  In some places he endeavored to straddle the ruts.  The road was so slippery that sometimes when he attempted to turn left it made him turn right—right into a HUGE hole.  We staggered out and began hiking up the “rocky road to Dublin”.  The hole appeared to be about bath-tub size and the men had to pile rocks in it to give Dr. Webb some footing to get out.  How he got out is a marvel!  Most, if not all of us were praying that we’d make it to Dampaan.

We stopped about 8 a.m. right in the middle of the road and ate breakfast.  We went a little further and then began hiking. 

I paced myself as I knew how far we had to walk.  Up, up, then down, down.  At the river, we jumped the rocks.  On the last one my right knee didn’t cooperate and I straddled the rock but a pull before and a push behind got me up.

The path was ever up, then around, over rocks and finally a smaller creek—up and away and then THERE!  How welcome the church looked—a cemented floor now.  The teachers’ cottage is very nice and commodious.  We had lunch there, but that was later. 

We arrived by 9:30 a.m. and the fun began.  The two-room schoolhouse is situated on a level area overlooking the gorgeous valley.  The teachers demonstrated their teaching ability and I was impressed. 

Some sitios (small villages) have no schools.  Ten small children walk on hour to reach the school at Dampaan, and from the opposite direction, children hike thirty minutes from Bulacao. 

Except for two families in Dampaan, all the rest of the 43 families are Adventists.  There are 200 plus people, counting children, in the barrio which has grown since I was last there.  Water has now been piped into the barrio from quite a long distance.

Following the teaching demonstration, we assembled on the playground edge to see Dampaan and Mahayag Mission Schools put on a fine gymnastic demonstration and a drill in precision marching and singing.  Some adult ladies and men beat the long musical log in unison and then danced for us.  We left about 1:30 p.m. to walk back to the vehicle.  We had to wait while the Datu’s wife came on horseback.  She had been very ill and we took her to our Valencia Sanitarium and Hospital. 

Dr. Webb still had to navigate carefully as we went down to the bottom.  Fortunately, it had not rained and so it was somewhat easier.  I’m sure we all heaved a sigh of relief when we were again on the level.  Surely the Lord was with us on that trip and brought us back safely to our homes.