Have I Become Irrelevant?

My goal with Project Acts Mission Challenge is to reach the point of being irrelevant. This is what I told David Gilliam last April during our Boot Camp 2013 in Lipa, Batangas.

Aurora Mission

Our first mission exposure this year was in Aurora Province. Weeks before D-day, I bombarded the team with reminders of what to expect and what to prepare for this mission since all are first timers in long distance walk. My purpose was to obviate the murmurs and complaints that may arise if I did not set the right expectations. Our target was Buloy, a small sitio in the municipality of Maria Aurora situated in the heart of the Sierra Madre mountain range of Aurora province. The only way to reach the place from Demani (our base in Maria Aurora) was via a six (6) or seven (7) hour trek through mountains and rivers. I have been there twice and I know the difficulty of reaching the place. In our past two (2) missions, it took our team seven (7) full hours under the intense heat of the sun punctuated by several rests. A seasoned local would take only four (4) hours of leisurely walk- but notfourteen (14) of us, cosmopolites.Everyone has formed his/her own expectations. Everyone was adequately warned.

Everybody was in jovial mood in the bus ride from Manila.Our first mountain stop was Labi in the house of Brother Romulo and Sister Baby where our lunch was prepared. Upon arrival, the couple immediately brought out the food anticipating that everyone was famished because it was already 2PM. Lunch was plentiful with appetizers, entree and variety of fruits for dessert. Everyone dug in their plates like there was no tomorrow. The group was effusive in their praises for the sumptuous food and for the couple, of course. No one among the thirteen (13) expected this kind of festive reception. From here on, expectations shifted. (Later, I would find out that some were expecting all kinds of exotic mountain food to be set before them. To their pleasant surprise, the food from day 1 to day 5 was all to their gastronomic delight).

Awesome God

I have been doing mission work in Aurora for the past 15 years. On a 5 day mission, I would preach 10-12 times and my voice would be gone by the time I get back to Manila. So I resolved this time that I will not be doing any preaching since many of our team members, though young, are capable. Emily volunteered to be the first speaker with Moses giving his life testimony. There was a powerful moving of the Holy Spirit as the Lord healed the sick during altar call. One of them was Sister Babywhose pestering shoulder pain was healed instantly. I also remember the testimony of our very own Ate Joy who was likewise healed instantly of her foot problem that was bothering her for so long. She received her healing during our visit last August 2012. There were many others who experienced God’s healing power in many of our mission trips there. I could not remember any Aurora mission trip where God did not heal the sick. Our first night was not an exception.

The Trek

Finally, the much anticipated trek to Buloy. The atmosphere was convivial. You can feel everybody’s excitement. Everyone was ready for the long walk, oblivious of the gargantuan challenge that lurks ahead. Grin was in each person’s countenance but the ones in our guides’ faces seem to have a different meaning.Haha.

The first test was the long steep climb-down the river from our plateau location. Each person made it with 2 minor incidents of sliding down the slippery sections of the trail. We waited at the riverbank for the last person to arrive and gave everybody a chance to rest and catch their breath. Time – 15 minutes for our lead guide and 30-45 minutes for the cosmopolites. Not bad at all.

A friendly reminder was announced that those who did not feel that they could make it to the finish still had the opportunity to back-out and return to Demani because another step forward would mean that they have reached the point of no return… No takers. Some of the team members were starting to lose their grin as we continued the trek along the river bank. We had to be extra careful with each step because of the unsteady rocks that could cause us to lose our balance. Crossing the river was more challenging because of the strong current brought about by recent rains. Some were adamant to cross alone so we decided to cross by twos and threes while holding hands together. After 2 hours of walk, we reached Salembuabo. It is a small sitio inhabited by cultural minorities. Many of them, though, opted to move out because of peace and order problem in the area. As we rested on the riverbank, vivid memories of our numerous missions there came to my mind…“You will lay your hands upon the sick and they will get well.” I could not forget that day when a boy was rushed to our team as we were singing worship songs in the yard of Chieftain Kennedy, a KankanaeyIgorot. He was bitten by a snake on his ankle while swimming in the river. The venom was starting to climb up his leg and he could feel the pain going up from his ankle to his knee. We immediately prayed for him and invoked God’s healing power on the boy. As we were praying, the boy felt the pain going down and as we said amen, the pain was gone. We went back to the place three months later and found out that the boy was well and normal…

Continuing the trek, I could not count the number of times we crossed the river. And for every crossing, the team would count it as victory. We also made several stops for rest. One thing going for us was the weather. We prayed for cloudy skies to hide the sun and the Lord gave us just that- with a bonus of accompanying drizzles to refresh us. Four hours into the journey and we had to climb up this time- some gradual and some steep. By that time, the demeanor of almost all the team members have become poignant. The arduous climb took longer than we expected as almost everyone was already gasping for breath and more rests were taken. The weaker ones were left far behind (with guides of course). The last batch to arrive could hardly take another step so we had a long rest before the final climb.We finally reached Buloy after 5 ½ hours.

Buloy

Our host, Sister Clarita, an Igorota, prepared “suman” for the group, then a proper lunch sometime later. After 2 hours of rest, it was time for ministry. Team A cooked the food for feeding while team B went house to house to invite the kids for the feeding and the older ones for the evening revival-cum-evangelistic worship service. Though still tired and reeling from the journey to Buloy, each one did his/her part with remarkable enthusiasmin such a manner that you could not see any trace of exhaustion in anyone. Children’s program was great and so was the evening worship service. It was Ara’s turn to share the Word while Dan shared his life testimony. Many, young and old, surrendered their life to Jesus and the whole team was ecstatic with what God did that night.

Bedtime was sort of find-your-own-bed but everyone managed to find one. It was a cold night.

Trek Back

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

All cosmopolites were expecting that their legs would be painful in the morning. But to everyone’s pleasant surprise, there was none. We were more excited going back because we planned to stop over in the beautiful waterfalls we saw on the way up. We enjoyed the cool crystal water of the falls. Then we had another stopover in the coconut farm of Brother Jeber. Abin, our lead guide and the most agile in the group, climbed the towering coconut trees to harvest the fruits and satisfy our craving for the sweet coconut water, and of course, its succulent meat. Meanwhile, Brother Romulo scouted the area for some “pako” and came back with an added bonus of giant mushrooms which he cooked for the group’s lunch.

The final climb was still exhausting but not in the level of what we experienced on the way to Buloy. I guess we were a bunch of more seasoned mountain trekkers now. Haha.

R and R and Ministry

It was time to treat ourselves- swimming in Villa River and picnic by the bank. Still, the water was cool and refreshing. It seemed to have washed away all our weariness from the previous day’s adventure. It was good preparation for our final ministry activities in the afternoon. The team was again divided into two- one for the children and the other for the senior citizens. Everybody leveled-up once more as Moses, AJ and Mark ably kept the children animated with their songs and dances. The Word was also preached and the little angels were given the chance to invite Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Yes, they knew what they were doing.

The rest ministered to the senior citizens. It was Sarah G’s turn to preach and it was a powerful message. Kharece and Jenny were doing the manicures and pedicures. Sister Marita, Ate Joy and Dan were in the massage section while the others were either manning the food counter or singing continuously to the delight of the senior citizens.

Goodbye

The most difficult part of this mission was not the trek to Buloy, but the moment when it was time to say goodbye. The garrulous ones have become reticent. These cosmopolites still say goodbyes in a quaint manner.

We finally felt our exhaustion on the bus ride to Manila. The restless, youthful spirit of the group seem to have been left behind in Aurora. Now they are more mature. Now they can take on bigger responsibilities. Now they are undaunted by gigantic challenges. Yes, this bunch of young people arenow more resolute and determined to fulfill God’s Great Commission. I saw it in Aurora.

Meanwhile, the wheels of history moves forward. Have I reached the point of being irrelevant?

Pastor Gene de Leon

PAMC

President