SULADS STORIES

PRAISE GOD WE LOST OUR WA Y

By Ann Requillo

With a thud half of my right leg got buried in the mud. I struggled to get free but failed. I was really
caught unaware because I was not expecting that the ground was soft since it look hard already. Ma'am Sha came to the rescue. Yet I still had to get my sandal out because it got stuck under the pool of mud and
didn't came along when I was pulled out. It was only one of the exciting incidents I had on my way to the newly opened mission school of the SULADS.

One day a student missionary - friend of mine invited me to go with them to Lapangon Mission School and assist in the free clinic that will be conducted by a group of Koreans. I gladly accepted the invitation and tried to make the necessary preparations. I was told that the natives of this mission school were still

half civilized. I also heard that the team who surveyed and made the negotiation of putting up a mission school in that area, a couple months ago, was attacked by some natives from another village on their way to see the Chief Datu of Lapangon

The clear blue sky and the scorching hot sun accompanied us on our hike. Seldom do I spend almost 8 hours of a day hiking on an adventurous trail. Along the way I encountered various small creatures that welcome us to the jungle, with some eager to enter my eyes and ears. I tried to concentrate with my hike and at the same time protect myself from those tiny harmful creatures!

 

A cold shiver run through my spine not because of the thought that uncivilized native might suddenly

attack us, in defense of their territory, but because of the sight of the trail I was about to pass. I paused for a minute and tried to figure out what to do. A landslide had ruined the normal track and a narrow way, which allowed only one foot at a time, served as the footpath. On one side was a wall of soil and on the other was a step slope. There really was nothing for me to hold on at the moment except for the promise in Isaiah 41:10. I cautiously walked on until I reached the other side. There was a time when a trail required me to sit in order to go down and another caused my knee and chin to come in contact when gong up. It was that adventurous.

Just a couple of hours from our starting point we came into a junction of two roads. Three of our companions, who were with the survey team and now were our guides, argued as to where the right trail was. They got confused. We waited while one of them checked the left trail and the other two checked on the right. They finally agreed that it was the right trail and so there we proceeded. It was only then that the three of them realized that we were passing the long trail. The guides failed to lead us to the short cut. We should have covered a few more kilometers if only we were able to pass by the short cut. Anyway, we all decided to pass there on our way home.

After hopping from one stone to another in several streams and passing through slippery and muddy trails, I heard that familiar sound of the "Bangkakaw", the native's dance that served as their welcome to visitors. Some of my companions had arrived already. I increased my pace. I was already eager to get there. At last I saw the village on a plain below the mountain I was standing. When I finally got there r saw the '' people standing outside their homes looking at the new arrivals. Some of the natives smiled when I shook their hands while others merely stared.  I noticed most of the natives, both young and old, had dark-colored teeth. Later, I learned that it was an effect of their habit of chewing betel nuts. I also saw a number of half naked women carrying their fully naked babies. It was such a sight!

The next day I helped in the free clinic. One elderly lady had an air gun bullet in her right shoulder for about seven years already and our Korean Medical Team took it out within approximately seven minutes.

Most of the cases we met were that of malnutrition, coughs, colds, and wounds. The natives said they are not surprised of the big tummies of their children since they rely on "Kasilo" (sweet potatoes) every meal time. Well, they thought those sweet potatoes caused the bulging of their children’s stomachs. The natives rarely take a bath in the river located just a few meters from their village, and if they take a bath they do it without any soap. Seldom do they have soap in their homes. Eating rice is also a great privilege for these natives. When they have the privilege they feel very honored.

 

On that same day I also assisted in the branch Sabbath school. The children listened eagerly to every story given and to every song and finger play taught. Each of the parts were translated either from English to Manobo or from Cebuano to Manobo. 

The peaceful village of Lapangon was filled with laughter as it had its very first socials that evening. I enjoyed playing with the kids although at the start I had a hard time communicating to them the mechanics of each game. As soon as they got the instruction they also cooperated and had fun. It was a splendid evening! Data Malinas - the chief datu in that village and the rest of the natives of Lapangon gave a number of chicken as a token of gratitude for the goodness the group brought to their village. At the break of dawn the group prepared for home. At that time I felt bad of leaving Lapangon with very little help I had extended. I wish I could stay longer. We were already a few meters away from the village when I heard a strange story from my companions... The very day we climbed up to Lapangon a group of natives from another tribe were posting at the short cut we failed to pass. They would kill anybody who would pass the area. It has been their belief and culture, and our group doesn't know about it. A meaningful phrase came out from each of our hearts - PRAISE GOD WE LOST OUR WAY!