Monday, September 10, 2012

Little But Great
by Bonifacio Escaño
Dapilo-an Mission School

Little children are active participants in whatever activity the student missionaries make in the mission school.  They run errands whenever asked to.  Fetch water, gather firewood, hunt “SEE” foods, sing, pray, tell stories, name it, so long as they know how, they’ll do it.  For them, that is one way of showing respect and love to their missionary teachers.  They do it heartily and happily.

In our morning and evening worships in the village, we always emphasize how important prayer is.  We just randomly call on anybody to pray during worships.
Little children of 6 pray like their older teen and youth brothers and sisters. This is not true of many of their parents because.. “old dogs learn no tricks”.  An attitude has seemed to be learned that after prayer comes confidence, and a feeling of security.  This is because one has fully surrendered himself to the Lord, and therefore, whatever happens one fears nobody whatever the situation may be.

Dapilo-an Mission School is situated on a high mountain, a little distant from the woods but far away from the bloodthirsty tribe of Langilan.  Though how far they are from these warring tribes, they are not excused from the killing spears and arrows of these headhunters.  That is why when an announcement is made that headhunters are on the strike again, they are just like chicks running for refuge under the wings of their mother hen whenever a falcon is seen hovering above.
 
One day, a rumor spread that a group of headhunters are out again to strike.  This time it’s not from Langilan but from Matig Talomo tribe.  They are known to be fierce warriors too.  The people of Dapilo-an were alarmed because the killer group is roaming near their village.  Their problem was their farms, where they get their food everyday, are in the outskirts of their village 2 - 3 hour hike away.  “Alas!” one mother said.  “How can we get our food from our farm.  We don’t have anything to eat here”.  They began to panic.  One family packed their things up and went to Kalagangan a bigger village by the road.  It was good this family had relatives there.  But what about those that will be left here in Dapilo-an

During our evening worship, I preached about “how God protected His people in times of trouble when we stay faithful to Him.” I told about David, who even as a small child was able to beat the giant.  We too can beat these headhunters, only if we are faithful and prayerful.

The chief (DATU) ordered one day, that nobody should go too far or into the woods from the village.  When one gets hurt then, the men of the village will be obliged to fight and big trouble will start again.

In our class we emphasized to our children to take heed of the Datu’s advice and they did.  But the following day something happened.  There were four girls, all students of ours, who were bringing their “liyang” (baskets) ready to go to their farm to gather sweet potatoes.  They came to our cottage to ask permission as they used to.

“Where are you going girls?”  I asked. 

“To our farm sir.  We don’t have food to eat and we are going by all means”, their leader spoke boldly. 

“Didn’t the Datu tell you not to?”  I warned. 

“Yes sir,” they chorused.  “But, we have prayed already.  When David was able to beat the giant, we, too will be saved from the head hunters.”  What a faith.  I looked at my partner, he looked at me, we were speechless.

“Yes girls, you can go but we’d like to pray for you again before you go.” 

“Yes sir, please”.  We prayed and they went.  Many times the simple faith and boldness of these children are our inspiration and strength as we work for the Lord in the SULADS ministry.

Our SULADS MISSION is to “reach the unreached” who are especially the unserved indigenous tribes of Mindanao by providing them non-formal education which hopes to help alleviate illiteracy, poverty, diseases and promote social awareness, yet give due respect to their traditions, beliefs, customs, aspirations and interest so that they may see the richness and the beauty of their cultural heritage and their whole life.

SULADS is a ministry that is dependent upon God to move the hearts of people to support its work.

Donations for the support of missionaries my be sent

to

            SULADS


        C/o: AWESNA

        2417 S. Azusa Ave.

        West Covina, CA 91792

Mark your donation “MVC/SULADS”

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