SULADS STORIES

REGISTERED IN HEAVEN

By Daryl F. Famisaran

September 1999

 

“My name is already registered in heaven!” Datu Malinas answered as Pastor Edgar Lloren stretched out his hand inviting the chief to come to the water for baptism.  “I just made it sure that my people are baptized first,”  he stressed.  “My assignment now is to get other chiefs in the other villages around to join me in the new-found faith of my village.  Then all of us tribal leaders will request you to baptize us in the next batch.” 

Datu Malinas was a notorious killer.  He was the head of the headhunters who mercilessly killed anybody who crossed their way when they were out to kill.  His tribe called the Matiglangilan is the most feared among the Manobos.

I recall when I was a student missionary in 1980 that whenever the Matiglangilan was seen, the children would run for their lives.  The parents always reminded the children that the Matiglangilan do not want to be stared at or laughed at.  These actions might be enough to stir the anger of the Matiglangilan enough to kill an individual right there and then.  The Matiglangilan are easily recognized by their style of headdress.  The men always carried with them their sharp bolo knife designed to cut a person’s neck.

When the SULADS sent the survey team to this village, they nearly lost their lives.  Head hunters sprung from the bush and surprised the survey team as they cooked their lunch near a stream.  It was fortunate that the team leader was a Manobo and he faced the ready-to-strike killers.  The other members of the survey team were instant in prayer to the Lord.  The team leader explained that he is also a Manobo—the son of a datu.  He was leading a team to survey the possible school in their village.  The warriors were convinced and dropped their bolos.  The survey team offered food to the curious and astonished killers.  The killers ate quickly and left.

Upon arrival in the village, the survey team found it apparently deserted.  No one was in sight.  They then noticed curious investigating eyes peering through the slits of the walls.  Behind those split bamboo walls the villagers clutched their spears and arrows ready to strike at the sound of the alarm from their datu (chief).  The datu revealed later that they were very curious what these intruders wanted in their village.

The team leader talked with the datu.  The talk proved effective as the datu called out a bit later and the people of the village materialized from their homes and crowded around the visitors.  At the datu’s command, the people welcomed the visitors.

Student missionaries assigned to the village of Lapangon did their job well.  The first baptism of 35 was March, 1999.  The second baptism of 65 was in August, 1999.  The third baptism is scheduled for the third week of September, 1999.  This time the datu, true to his word, will be baptized together with the tribal leaders from the surrounding villages.

As the time approaches for this baptism, please remember them in prayer.  Also remember that five villages surrounding Lapangon are requesting student missionaries to come to their villages also to teach them the good news of salvation.  We have the missionaries—we need the funds.

One hundred dollars a month will keep a student missionary in the field and will also pay for a month of scholarship for the student upon completion of his/her service in the mountain.  Statistics indicate that $100 will win one and a half souls. 

Mark your contributions for MVC SULADS and send it to:

Adventist Mission Society of America
2411 S. Azusa Ave.
West Covina, CA 91792
The SULADS say, “THANK YOU”.