SULADS STORIES

GLOBAL MISSION VISITS BASAK

by Muriel Heppel

September 3, 1997

Mrs. Daisy Flores-Orion, Director of Planning for Global Mission of the General Conference arrived on the campus of Mountain View College the evening of September 2, 1997.  She was accompanied by Pastor Ultimino Rivera, Jr., South Philippines Union Conference Communications Director and Liaison Officer of the SULADS Board.

Her purpose in coming was to visit our mountain literacy schools and evaluate the extent of the work in helping the minority groups.  From her evaluation report, the General C0onference would decide whether to include this work among the minority communities here in the budget for world missions.

September 3 was an unforgettable day!  Departure time was 5:30 a.m.  I got up at 4:30 a.m. and began to get ready.  Then I glanced at the clock—3:30 a.m.!!  Oh, well, I might as well stay up and blanche and freeze the broccoli which was waiting!  That extra hour also gave me time for my morning devotions.

Mr. Alex Panes, an MVC teacher along with the student missionary teachers assigned to Basak school and I joined the other two.  Our jeep driver, Jun Jun drove like Jehu and stopped at the Overview for breakfast.  At the Overview, there is an almost 360 degree view of the beautiful valley of rice fields, sugar plantations and lovely well-kept villages.  We finally arrived at the trail’s beginning.  If I had only known what was in store!

At first the trail led by the river where three girls were washing clothes.  I greeted them in their dialect and they giggled at my attempt.  We came to the river crossing and I inquired as to how many more we had to cross.  We had to cross the same one five times.  When I asked the name of the river I was told it had no name.  I asked the SULAD teacher who was helping me over the river rocks what his name was.  “Albert”—so I christened the river “Albert River”.

The trail was fairly even at first and then we began to climb.  Steps had been cut into the side of the hill and they led up, up, and up!  Fortunately, before the last gasp, it leveled off for a bit, but after catching one’s breathy, the path began ascending again and so it went—up, level, down, up.

A Manobo man came along with his small Spanish horse loaded with sacks of corn.  I said, “Mopia mar es salom”—“Good Morning”.  He grinned from ear to ear and returned the greeting. 

At river crossing number five I hesitated.  I had climbed down a very slippery trail and now how was I to cross the river?  Where was Albert?  I called loudly, “Albert!”  No answer.  (I found out later that they had stopped to take pictures.)  Well, I rolled up the legs of my slacks and hopped, skipped, and jumped across.  Once I began, if I had stopped, I’d have plunked in the cold water.  But another problem faced me.  The steep bank was slippery mud on the left side and slippery rocks on the other side.  I prayed a short prayer and took the right side very cautiously and made it!  Imagine my joy a little farther along when I came to a sign that said, “Welcome Visitors”.  I knew that I was close.  Shortly a hut came into view and then the village.

I was directed to the school—a two roomed building made of native matting for the walls and cogon grass for the roofing.  The school had dirt floors and very plain boards for seats and desks.  But the atmosphere was warm, electric and one of happiness.

Neil Tagarao put the class through their paces in singing, (he has taught them to sing in soprano, alto, and tenor) reading, (words from the phonics chart) and mathematics (flashcards of adding, subtracting, and multiplying).  Some of the adult parents also joined in.  They were all enjoying themselves immensely. 

Time out for lunch!  The teacher’s house is not completed so they are occupying a vacant one.  It rained while we were eating and the roof sort of sieved the rain.  One bucket caught water for washing clothes. 

In the afternoon, the rain stopped temporarily and Albert put the students through their gymnastics exercises—forward rolls, backward rolls, jumping over 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 student’s backs, flips, and building pyramids, etc.  The 4 ½ year-old boy stole the show—he was so in earnest and concentrated  with his whole body and mind.  The children were so natural and unaffected and obviously enjoying the whole procedure.  It was a pleasure to watch them.

Pastor Rivera was recording much of this on Mrs. Orion’s video camera.  The children and adults were amazed to see their pictures on the camera screen.  But the sky was clouding and they had to stop.  As we left the barrio, it began to sprinkle and before we had arrived at the jeep it was pouring.

It was no use trying to cross the rivers by jumping the rocks this time.  The river had overflowed the rocks.  Albert led me across as we waded.  He was walking in his bare feet until he cut his big toe on a sharp rock, then he put his slippers (thongs) on.

Forty-one families live in Basak with over 100 people counting the children.  The school has 60 students, 30 from Basak, 20 coming from another sitio and 10 coming from a sitio in the opposite direction.  The students from the other sitios have to walk on narrow trails yet they hunger to learn.  It is cold in the mountains so school does not begin 8:00 a.m.  At 4:30 p.m. school is out so they walk fast to get home before dark.

These teachers are to be admired for their courage and perseverance.  They have so little to work with in the classrooms yet they cheerfully do what they can.  They live under the most simple conditions and yet face each new day as a challenge.  They set an example for us.