KIDNAPPERS
By Daryl Famisaran
Director of SULADS
Student Missionary Program
Mountain View College
August 1999
The villagers of Lapangon Mission School decided that their
old school building which was tilting off to one side and about to collapse
needed to be replaced. They wanted to
build it bigger and of materials that would last and they would not have to
rebuild the school each year. They
wanted to use real lumber sawn from native trees with a chain saw and
galvanized iron sheets for the roof. In
order to do this, they would need to raise money for the fuel of the chain saw,
pay the chain saw operator and by the galvanized iron sheets.
The adults decided to gather abacca fiber from which hemp
rope is manufactured and sell it to by the GI sheets. That would help but it would not be nearly
enough to accomplish the total task.
The children decided that they also wanted to be involved in
the replacement of their old tilting school building. They could sing. They could play the bancacaw or musical
log. They would use their talents to
raise funds for their school.
One of the things they planned was a trip to Zamboanga to
raise funds as one of their student missoinaries, Rendy Sebilo, lives there. The
partner, Romel thought it was a good idea so they started off with nine pupils
ranging in age from nine to twelve years.
They were happy as they waved good-bye to their parents but the parents
were not so happy. They wanted their
children to go on this educational field trip to see the outside world but it
was the first time to see their children leave them to venture out into the
unknown world outside the mountains. The
parents imagined all kinds of dangers out there. Would they ever see their children again?
Upon arriving in the bus terminal in Cagayan de Oro, all
nine children lined up in single file as they are used to on the jungle trails
to walk through the terminal. The
children were very curious about the sights and sounds they were experiencing. People were running to and fro and dispatcher
were shouting. The children wrinkled
their foreheads in disbelief at all the activity and all the people. They stayed very close to their teacher as
they walked through the terminal, each child clutching his or her own little
bundle of precious possessions. Most of
the children were barefooted and many were dressed in rags as they dress in the
mountains.
In the midst of the rush of the terminal, this group caught the attention of the many travelers. The behavior of the children seemed unnatural to the passengers and they watched with interest. Even the police working the terminal seemed curious about this small group from the mountains. At long last, their long awaited bus came to a halt in front of them. Romel, in one word, instructed them to get inside the bus.
As Romel was giving instructions to the children on the do’s
and don’ts of riding a bus, all the passengers were looking at him because he
was speaking in a language they could not understand. Romel was speaking in the Manobo
dialect. Suddenly, five policeman were
face to face with Romel and Rendy. “You
are kidnappers!” the police accused. The
passengers were alarmed. All eyes were
now focused on Romel and Rendy. The
children were afraid. The children were
now seeing the reality of the most feared stories they hear in the mountain
about the horrors of the cities.
“We are not kidnappers,”
Romel pleaded. “We are
missionaries.”
“And what do you mean by these children?” the police
questioned.
“Better stop your lies,” the police roared. “How would you ever convince these people in
this bus that these children will sing a concert. Look at the rags they are wearing. Look at the bare feet! Your ID please!” The missionaries showed them their SULADS
Identification card but the police were not convinced. “So many kidnappers today profess to be
missionaries with all their ID’s and they make money selling children into
“white slavery” (prostitution).
“Lord, please make this police officer understand,” Romel
prayed silently.
The police ordered, “Let’s go to the police headquarters and
there you can explain yourselves.”
“Do we really look like kidnappers?” asked Romel.
These children are our pupils in the far mountains of Bukidnon in a
DECS-recognized literacy center/mission school.
They will be singing religious songs to our brethren in our churches.”
A few words from Romel and the bus was filled with the
blended voices of the nine children. A
religious Cebuan song was sung which the police officers heard for the first
time. The officers could understand
every word of the song. The song told of
how sinful our world is now and how soon Jesus will come to take His people
home. Waiting passengers gathered around
the bus to hear such strange music coming from such an unlikely looking group
of children. This was the first time
something like this had happened in the terminal. The police officers, so recently assertive
now stood very still staring at the floor.
Rendy and Romel breathed a silent prayer for the Holy Spirit
who impressed them with what to say and impressed the police officers of the
intentions and purposes of the group.
Pray for this little band of singers as they try to raise the funds
necessary to rebuild their disintegrating school building.
To assist in this outreach work to the unreached people of
Mindanao, send your free-will offerings to:
Adventist Mission Society of America
2411 S. Azusa Ave.
West Covina, CA 91792
Mark your gift as MVC SULADS and you will receive a
tax-deductible receipt. The SULADS
student missionary program of Mountain View College wish to say “Thank You” in
advance for your participation in this rewarding work.
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