My 2nd Year in Good Shepherds Fold Academy, Buenavista, Guimaras, Iloilo

MEMORIES: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal,His Glimpses on History & People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 10– 2^nd Year in Good Shepherds Fold Academy, Buenavista, Guimaras, Iloilo

It was  another venture for me to pursue  my 2^nd Year High School studies in Good Shepherds Fold Academy (GSFA),  in Guimaras. For families with sufficient incomes, getting a high school education was  easy. For the poor and struggling, getting a high school education was  very  hard. A  year ago, I was able to finish my First Year high school at Balasan High School, in northern Iloilo. My parents were able to pay for my tuition fees.  

But after that, I cannot enroll  in 2^nd year high school any more.  Lack of money for tuition and other school needs was the reason.  So, I decided to find a way to continue my  studies.  I will try  by being a  working student. Getting just a high school  education  was a dream. And to lots many young people, getting education was an impossible dream.

I said  an impossible dream?  Because during my time,   only 6  per cent of Filipinos  finished  four years high school. Only  3 per cent finished 4 years college education, recognized by the government.  Fifty Four  per cent finished   Grade 1V.  All others, were those who  finished Grade 11,  together with people  who have never entered schools. That was the tragedy of our educational system then. This was caused gravely  by the country’s feudal system, where the vast tracts of lands  in the  country,  given by God for all Filipinos,  were owned and controlled by few people who have knowledge and money to have these lands registered in their names. The great majority of Filipino farmers were very poor and landless.

One evening, I told my father,  “Father, I will go to Dumangas.. I will find a way to continue my studies.” Dumangas was a coastal town, about  35 kms. north of Iloilo City. 

My father looked at me. He told me to tell my mother of  my  plans. He assured  me, he will helped with whatever he can. I talked to my mother. I asked her to permit me to go. My  mother  said, okey. I can go. gave me  She said I must be careful.  The following day, mother made me 2 trousers and 3 shirts. That was how mother showed her permission for my adventure.   I prepared my other  things.

. My younger brother was there. He was 4  years younger than me.  All my 4 younger sisters were around.  Each was two years younger than their  sister elder. My 3 other sisters and brothers will be coming years later.   

When my younger  brother,, Restituto Bernal, Jr. whom we call “Nene”  heard that I was leaving, he told my  father that he will stop his schooling. He said, he will help the family in the farm. He was  Grade 1V that time.   He said, “I will not go to school this year.  I will help our parents.  It will be very hard for them if are all in school. No one will take care of our carabaos.  And it will be hard for father, if he alone works in the farm." 

Father looks forward for all of us to got schooling. When my father tried to force my brother to enroll,, he did not.  He said, he will worked and helped him. If my father will forced him to enroll,  he leave and go and find work somewhere.  His decision was strong. He will not go to school this time.

All my brothers and sisters went to college. Nene did not. But he learned some trade. He went farming. He planted  few mango trees and coconut trees.  He has his little rice farms. He developed the productivity of his small farm. He learned the technology of making mango  bloom, how to make them bear flowers and fruits. Along the way, he   tried to get some  equipment for  farming – hand tractor,  thresher, a car wash machine, so he can spray tool mangoes, wherever, he got transactions. He bought on installment a Tricycle,  with gasoline engine to bring some 120 containers  of drinking  water daily  to his clients during dry seasons. He has a vegetable garden that  provide their need with Liza, his wife. They learned the arts of selling and  marketing their products to customers in the village and town.  He continued his studies and learning  by himself.  He can argue very well his rights. And he fought for his rights.  He argues his cause in soft and clear voice. He has no enemies. Almost all in the  village were  his friends. 

He married. They   have only 1 child, a boy. They have a better situation with only one child. Neighbors who have 6 to 10 children have great difficulties raring their children.  They have 4 grandchildren, two boys and two girls. But their son, Dexter is better off, for he is a High School teacher and his wife is also working in the village cooperative store.

Every morning and afternoon, his grandchildren, come to him, for their additional snacks. And they enjoy life with their grandchildren.

At 72 years age,  my younger brother is healthy and  strong.   He  lived with his wife  a   simple life. They eat mostly fish and vegetables. They live a peacefullife.    He’s at the  prime of his health. No sickness.  Have never been  hospitalized  all his life.  He was never immunized. He  has  never  been injected with any injectable medicine all his life.    For   he  was afraid  seeing an injection niddle .  He has no high blood pressure. No diabetes. No ashma. He do not drink wine.

 One battle of bear will make him laugh often. Two bottles will make him sing. And he will sing  the only song of  his life “Kiss, a Kiss in the Morning”. And when he sung his song  in the group, all were  singing with him and dancing with him.  He smoke  a pack of cigarette daily. But he do not cough. It seems, he do not inhale the smoke deeply, to reach his lungs.  This seem to be the secret of his healthy lungs. He has a secret formula for good health. And I am trying slowly to learn  this secret of good health from him.

 But to continue,   I  visited my uncle, Rev. Ernesto Carvajal and his wife in Dumangas.  This was my first time to visit them after several  years.  I will try to find work in Dumangas and enroll.      God helped me.  He prepared a way. I arrive   middle of April 1958  in  Dumangas. There, I learned ,   a  3-day religious services will be held in Dumangas Baptist Church. The Gospel Team of  Good Shepherds   Fold Academy, with about 15 young people  have arrived.   They have a 3 days Evangelistic meeting  starting that night in the     church.

The  Team was headed by Miss Thelma Anotado, a  First Year College student. She’s a graduate of  GSFA.  They  were talented young people. They were mostly orphans, who were cared  and provided education by  by Rev. Philip Irabon and Mrs. Rufina Irabon. They couple built an orphanage after the war and recruited  orphans in Panay and Negros. They built an Elementary and High School to  provide the needed education for the orphans. They also accept young people who would like to study as work students in GFSA.

That first night, the   Gospel Songs presentation was in form of a    Musical Concert.  The 2^nd Day, they  will present a drama. And on the 3^rd day, they will have another musical presentation and a  movie.  Rev. Ernesto Carvajal, the church minister will  preached during the three days affair. It was a  well advertised  musical  concert, with members telling people around of the concert  and the church was full. The singing were beautiful. And the musical concert was great.  Rev. Carvajal preached a  message with great challenge.

The following day, Mrs. Irabon arrived from Guimaras. She was visiting  the Gospel Team. I met Mrs Irabon that afternoon.  The previous night, I saw the musical presentation with a group singing, a quartet. 3 different  soloists, a testimony and the choir.  I was  impressed. I talked to Rev. Carvajal. I asked  him  to  introduce me to Mrs. Irabon. I would like to go  and study at GSFA,  as a working student.  Rev. Carvajal introduced me to Mrs. Irabon. Mrs.Irabon asked a number of questions. Why I would like to study in GFSA? Where did I study before? The work of my parents? Why I stopped?  He asked if I know works in the fields. After the interview, she told me to go  to Guimaras on the 4^3rd  week of May.   I would have time for  orientation. Then,  I will enroll and start my study that  June.

The following day, I went back to Carles. I will tell my parents that I will enroll at  GFSA in Buenavista, Guimaras. God has  opened the way.   I have not seen Guimaras Island before. It  is a small island, with some 4 municipalites between Iloilo and Negros Occidental. It is near Iloilo City.  It was about 30  minutes ride by sailboat  to Buenavista.  It is a beautiful island. The Lopez family has big landholdings in the island. During that time , they have  a cement factory, a  lime factory and big plantations of different fruit trees in the island. And they have two big mansions in the island.

To prepare for my study in GFSA, mother made me 3 shirts and 2 long pants. My mother was  a tailor and dressmaker. She made me some brief. She also prepared me some materials – washing soap, pomade, brown sugar.  By that time, we do not use bath soaps on body and face.. We use  only clothes washing soap.  Most soap that time were oil based. No detergents then. Perla, an oil  based soap was  good bath soap.  My parents  gave me some money for transportation and a little pocket money. In GFSA, my food will be taken cared of by the orphanage..

I went to Guimaras on   25^th of May.  On  June 8, classes will begin. During the Prayer Meeting that evening,   Mrs.  Irabon introduced me to  the  teachers,  the staff,   orphans and  some  working students.  It was also  this time, I met Rev. Philip Irabon.  I heard, he was an orphan who was found and cared by an American soldier. He was brought to the United States.  He do not know his name. He was christened Philip, as he came from the Philippines. I don’t  know how he got his family name, He studied in the ministry and became a pastor. After finishing his theology, war broke out between the US and Japan. And he was inducted in the army. 

After the war,   Rev. Irabon saw many orphans. Their  parents have died.   Seeing the orphans, his heart was  moved.  He got a  vision and new calling  in his life. He will work and  minister to orphans in  Panay.   With  his salary as an Army officer,, he bought a land in Guimaras and started to build an  orphanage. Many orpahns were brought by their parents to be cared. They  came from different towns of Panay and Negros. It was a ministry that Rev. and Mrs. Irabon dedicated their lvies for years.

Later, a  Christian organizations assisted Good Shepherds Fold Academy, which is also and orphanage. One of the organizations that supported GSFA  was  World Vision, an international group that help children and widows.

At GSFA, Mrs. Irabon introduced me to Pastor Solomon Vallejera who was in-charge of the  orchards. There were many plants and fruit trees in the orchard of GSFA. I was assigned as assistant to Mr. Vallejera. I will helped  him in caring for the  orchard. We will water  the seedlings,  marcott  some branches,  graft  some seedlings with new stems. It was a delicate but  an enjoyable  work.

Before leaving Carles,  I talked to my brothers and sisters. My sisters said, they will worked at  home and continue their studies in elementary. Then they will go to high school. My sister, Elvira, the third in the family, said,  if I finished my studies and got job,  to please  help  her school so he can go to college.  I told her, I will helped her.  It was a long way of dreaming and working.

At GSFA, we have our orientations.  Our breakfasts were at 6:00 AM. Our lunch was 11:30 -1:30. We were assigned our own plates, fork and spoons.. We have also our own glasses. We put this in an assigned part of the long  cabinet.  There were about 150 people in the GSFA. The teachers,  staff the leaders of groups, the orphans and working students. The teachers food where prepare in the staff house.

Mrs. Irabon introduced me to Florenio Herradura who was working in the Pine Apple area. We became good friend immediately. Florenio invited me to join him in his small cottage, where  there  were two beds. He gave me the other bed to use. We lived in that small room for a year, until I finished my 2^nd Year.  Our friendship has developed. After I left GSFA, we communicated with each other. When,  I worked as News Editor of Agence France Presse, I visted Florenio several times in theological school in Cavite where he studied.  We remained close friends.

Every Saturday, I and Mr Vallejera go to Karasan, a village in  East Valencia where we follow up on the plantations of Simuyaw of  Good Shepherds Fold.

Then, three Pastors arrived. They will also study in High School. They were pastor of church in Panay.  They have finished theological studies at the Covention Baptist Bible School. But they decided to pursue  high school studies. After graduating in high school, they will proceed to the College of Theology at CPU -Pastor Larry Leysa, Pastor Samuel Brasileno  and Tony Eliquin. This three people have grown very close to me.  After graduation from High School, they proceeded to the College of Theology at Central Philippine University.

I enrolled on my 2^nd Year High. We work early morning. Have breakfast at 6:30 AM. Then  attend classes at 8:00 AM. We continue in school until 4:00 PM. Then I worked until 6:00 PM  in the orchard.  We have our supper at 6:00 PM. Then we have  our Evening Meditation in the  chapel. We have our singing, sharing, reflections and prayer for an hour until  7:30. Then we go to the library for study until 10:00 PM.  

When we felt lonely and missed our families, often at 5:30 PM we go up to Oliveth Hills. It was a  high road  going up the hill.   There at the top of the hill or mountain was a Big Cross. A good place for reflections and meditation. From the top of the hill, we   can see  in the east Negros Island.   And on the southwest, we see Iloilo City with its  thousands of  houses dotting the place. When darkness fall, we could see a  hundred thousand  flickering lights of Iloilo City and the thousand of people living there. Our  loneliness were  cured.  And often, we  go down from Olivett Hill to be with the people around, with fresh hearts and  minds. 

One event that stick on my mind was the celebration of our  High School Day  at GSFA. It was held,  I think on February. All the students of GSFA participated. We have different programs. We have dancing contests. Oratorical  contests. Singing contests. That was a great day in high school. There were  also beauty contests. Lovely girls participated. And  there   was a parade. Classes from First Year to Fourth year participated.  All class have there  Muses and  Consorts. I  was in 2^nd Year.  I think,  Marieta Castro was crowned  Miss 2^nd Year High School.  I cannot remember the Miss of 3^rd and  Miss 4^th Year and their Concort.  That was long ago.

All the Beauty Queens and their Consorts rode on  vehicles. There  two Jeeps with decorations. One  was a Caro. The First Year Class with   Bamboo Sledge pulled by a carabao.  The  Muse  First Year was  Dodimer Dofilez.  She's a  lovely young girl. Petite and slim. Beautiful.  His consort was  Hilarion Leysa, a Pastor. They rode  a well- decorated Bamboo Sledge pulled  by a carabao. The  parade  began. The  buggles and drums sounded.  There   was strong sounds from the Sound System.  The  parade started. Every class followed their Muse and Concort.   The Fourth Year Class were on the front of the parade. .

Then carabao carrying   Sledge Cart of  First Year High School Muse and Concert  turn berserk. It cannot be controled any more. It  run. And run fast. The animal was  frightened  hearing the buggles and drums.  It ran wildly, passing not on the road where the parade passes. It ran to the side of the road, going under the trees. It was running fast.  Hilarion Leysa jumped from the sledge. He left Dodimer sat  on floor of   the sledge.  She then crawled     trying to make sure she will not brushed by  branches of the trees.  We get out of the parade formation and run after the carabao. Some reached and caught the carabao. It stopped. We were  happy that the sledge did no turn over.  Dodimer stood.  She still looked  terrified. I cannot  remember, if she rode the sledge again, The parade went on,. without here and Hilarion Leysa. 

Dodimer told me later, she was  really afraid the bamboo sledge will turn over. She said, she prayed. Prayer was often, our way when we do not have control of anything. And prayer changes things.

After finishing 2^nd Year high school, I left GSFA. I decided to go to Dumanagas and enrolled at Dumangas High School, for my  3^rd year high school.  The following year, Dodimer Dofilez, who comes  from Bantud village, returned to Dumangas and enroled  for her 2^nd year high at DHS.  She pursued her studies in Manila. Larry Leysa pursued his theological studies. She worked  in the country for sometimes.Then, he and his wife immigrated to Alaska.  He  pastored  a church in Alaska for years until he retired. Several years he went back to  the Philippines were we have sharing  on life and our ministry.