Coming of the Baptist Union of Sweden (BUS) to the Philippines and CPBC and Started Joint Ministry on Relief, Rehab for Typhoon Ondang Victims...

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses on History &
The People;s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 43 –Coming of Baptist Union of Sweden (BUS) to the Philippines and CPBC in November 1984, Started a Joint Ministry on Relief & Rehabilitations & Cooperatives for Typhoon Victims…

The Baptist Union of Sweden (BUS) came to the Philippines in November 1984, seeking for their Baptist brothers and sisters, who they knew were here but have never met or heard from. Dr. Eric Lund, the first Baptist missionary to the Philippines who was sent by the American Missionary Society in 1898 was a Swed. He finished his theological studies at Betelseminaret, the Swedish seminary in Sweden. He went, first as missionary of the Baptist Union of Sweden to Spain. After the US-Spanish war, he went with Braulio Manikan, a Filipino from Aklan, who studied in Spain. The both came as the first Baptist Missionaries to the Philippines. They went direct to Iloilo and Panay Island.

The two representatives of Baptist Union of Sweden (BUS) came to Iloilo City, the headquarters of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, on November 4, 1984. They arrived in the morning in Iloilo City, accompanied with some floods and quite a strong winds in Iloilo City. But, without their knowledge, a raging storm, Typhoon Undang hit hard Northen Panay that night, hitting hard most of the northern part of Western Visayas – Northern Negros and Panay Island - Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique and and Guimaras Island. Typhoon Ondang brought catastrophic destructions to homes, crops, coconut plantations, fishing boats, fishponds, church buildings, homes and levelled much of the areas in Panay.

About two weeks before, I received a telephone call from Rey Natividad, staff of National Council of Churches in Philippines (NCCP) in Manila. Earlier, Rey Natividad was working with Center for Education and Research (CER), a project of CPBC started by Rev. Conrad Brown, an American missionary. He was assisted by Rev. Sammy Formellesa and Rey Natividad.

The CER, a very good program that helped start the conscientization of many Filipino Baptists, developed misunderstandings with CPBC leaders and became politically hot under martial law regime. The CPBC Board of Trustees under Rev. Edwin Lopez gave it up. It was not endorsed for funding and CER closed. It was not a natural death.

Rey Natividad was taken by NCCP to work in the national office. One day, Rey called me up at the CPBC office in Iloilo City. He said: “Rudy, two Sweds will be coming to Manila in two weeks time. We do not know them. We are planning to send them to Pampanga or Bulacan. But since they’re Baptists, we thought of sending them to you in Iloilo, if CPBC would accept them.” I asked Rey to send them to Iloilo. I told him I will booked them at Hotel del Rio. In about 3 days, our Baptist friends sent a telegram from Sweden they will arrive November 4, at 5:30 AM. I prepared to meet them and informed the General Secretary, Rev. Edwin Lopez of their coming. We prepared a program where we could have time for sharing and information with them and the CPBC staff.

The night of their arrival, there was heavy rains in Iloilo City. But the typhoon in Iloilo City was not strong. In Iloilo City there was flood in many areas. Near Jaro plaza, our rented room with my wife, Hesther was flooded. We have to carry our month old baby up the 2nd floor of the house, when we saw flood waters entered our room. At around 6:30 A.M. the flood subsided. I prepared to go to the airport.

When I arrived at the airport, our visiter was not there. I looked at the Airport Manifest to see the name of the passengers. The names of our visitors were there. I proceeded to Hotel del Rio. I met them about 7:30 A.M. They were having breakfast. I joined them. This was the first time they came to the Philippines. And Typhoon Ondang welcomed them. I shaked hands with our visitors, Rev. Olof Lindstrom and Mr. Leo Liljengren. They were both working with the Baptist Union of Sweden.

During our breakfast, they asked me about Dr. Eric Lund. I told them, I heard the name of Dr. Eric Lund, but have very scant idea of him. For some minutes, Leo Liljengren, shared with me their works in Sweden and in other parts of the world. They have Swedish missionaries working in some countries of the world, specially in Africa and Latin America. Both of them have little knowledge of the Baptist works in the Philippines.

Rev. Olof Lindstrom and Mr. Leo Liljengren shared with me some life of Rev. Eric Lund, the first Baptist missionary to the Philippines. Dr. Eric Lund was educated in Betelseminarit, the Baptist seminary in Sweden. After finishing his theological studies, he went to Spain as BUS missionary. Later, when the Philippines became a colony of the United States, at the end of Spanish -American war, Rev. Eric Lund became the first Swedish missionary to the Philippines, sent by the American Mission Society. I listened to their story. For frankly, I have a very little idea of the life and ministry of Rev. Eric Lund. Practically I have not heard of him during my 3 ½ years stay at CPU, including my 1 ½ years study at the College of Theology.

Rev, Lindstrom told me that while in Spain Dr. Eric Lund befriended Braulio Manikan,
a Filipino who was studying in Spain. He helped him get converted to the Baptist
faith. They worked closely together. They started to translate the 4 gospels
in Ilonggo. Even, if they did not knew how it would be used. Then, later, they translated
the Epistles and the Revelations. After finishing the New Testament translations, they
started translating the Old Testamant.

It seems, Dr.Eric Lund and Mr.Braulio Manikan, do not have ideas how they will make use of the Ilonggo translations. But, God has spoken to them, perhaps, that on some days of God chosing, he and Braulio Manikan who has some relatives and friends in the Philippines, will be sent to serve the Filipino people.

That morning, Rev. Lindstrom gave me a photo copy of a chapter of Eric Lund’s book in English. It told the story of how Rev. Eric Lund and Mr. Braulio Manikan started their ministry in Iloilo City, some towns in Iloilo and Panay. That chapter, also told the story of how Jaro Evangelical Church, the first Baptist church in the Philippines was started.

The two missionaries, came while the shootings between the Filipino forces and the Americans soldiers were still going on in Southern Iloilo. The photo copy, tells the story of how, one time, Eric Lund visited Leon, the mountainous area of Southern Iloilo. And there, he heard the continued firings of the Filipino and American troops in another village. The firing stops, after the Filipino troops retreated further into the hills.

It was sad that Dr. Eric Lund and Braulio Manikan have almost faded in the minds of the Baptists in the Philippines, as early as 1984.

Later, to remember their ministries and perpetuate their memories, the CPBC with the Baptist Union of Sweden had started the “ ERIC LUND & BRAULIO MANIKAN MEMORIAL LECTURES´ with Rev. Karen Lindvall as the first lecturer. The lectures were held at Central Philippine University, Iloilo City; in Filamer Christian College in Roxas City; at Bacolod Evangelical Church and the CBMA Assembly and in Manila in 1986.

A small book, a biography of Eric Lund was published later by CPU, authored by Dr. Linea Nelson. I heard, she was of Swedish parentage and grew in the United States. She came as a missionary to CPU and the Philippines. That small book, told the story of Eric Lunds life.

At CPBC office that morning, the two Sweds met some CPBC leaders. It was a very lovely meeting after the storm Ondang. That morning over cups of coffee, CPBC with Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary and Baptist Union of Sweden, shared together some of their hopes, dreams and plans for a joint ministry in the Philippines.

At 11:00 A.M. we went out to visit some parts of Iloilo and Panay. By this time of the day, news from radio stations, flooded us with destructions stories in different provincies of Panay. We thought, what hit that evening was just an ordinary typhoon. We did not know it was a hard hitting typhoon. A typhoon, whose destructions and devastations was seldom seen and experienced. We made a new itinerary.

First we go to Central Iloilo from Pavia, Janiuay and Passi. We saw the devastations made by Thyphoon Undang on the homes, livelihood and villages of the people. Then we go to Banate, down to Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Sara, Estancia, Balasan and Carles. There, we again saw the great havocs and devastations made by the typhoon. We saw thousands people, trying to make shelters of sacks and small nipa huts, that will left unturned by the typhoon. We saw thousands of fishing boats destroyed along the seashores.

Thousands and thousands of homes destroyed. Many families have made some huts from whatever they can find to cover there families, specially the children and olds, from the sun during the day and from rain and colds during the nights. In Carles we saw thousands of coconut trees, mangoes and fruit trees blown down, homes blown down and thousands of small and big boats destroyed.

That night, Rev. Olof Lindstrom and Mr. Leo Liljengren, joined us in my parents home for supper and breakfat the following day, in Cawayan, Carles. That was a very hard days fot the people in the typhoon devastated areas in northern Iloilo.

The next day, we proceeded from Balasan to Pilar, Pres. Roxas down to several town to Roxas City. We saw the same destructions by the typhoon all over the towns and villages. The market place of Roxas City was destroyed and residents around, waiting on the streets.

Then we proceeded to Aklan. We saw thousands of coconut trees blown down. We saw thousands of fruit fruit trees blown and the homes destroyed. We saw the destructions of the Aklan market and the homes destroyed.

We proceded to Antique. We visited the market. The same destructions. We proceeded to Sibalom and San Remigio, the towns in the central part of Antique along the mountain range. We saw thousands of people in the river. And the river was devided. A new river, on the other side of the old river, was created by the typhoon and flood. The same devastation met us on the different part of the Panay. About 3:00 PM, we proceded to Iloilo City.

From Antique, we went back to Iloilo City. We arrived 7:00 PM. We have supper together at Hotel del Rio. Olof and Leo went to their rooms They need the much needed rest.

The following day, I accompanied our Swedish friends to the airport. We bid good bye. But the night before, they told me. They said: “We were very, very sad to see the devastations and the hardship of the people brought by the typhoon. We will be going home. But we will come again. We will helped together in the ministry of the Convention.” Then, Rev. Lindstrom told me. Please write on this piece of paper, the most pressing needs by the people.

I wrote: “Our people hit by Typhoon Undang need your prayers…they need foods, materials for shelters, relief goods, fishing boats, fishing paraphernalia, fishing nets, some money and seeds to be able to plant the fields again.” Rev. Olof Lindstrom took the piece of paper and put it in his pocket.

Mr. Leo Liljengrem said: “Rudy, disasters, natural and man made, happens all over the world. We do not know when it will hit us. But we must stand and work, to help those who were hit by disasters. God calls us to do this”. They promised they will try and see what help they can offer. Then we prayed. That morning, our new friends, Olof Lindstrom and Leo Liljengren, left for Manila. Two days later, they flew back to Swden.

In Iloilo City that morning, the government and the radio stations have mobilized themselves to help the people. Bombo Radio, GMA, DYRI and the other stations have mobilized themselves and requested donations to help the typhoon victims. Truck loads of goods and relief clothing materials were received which were sent to different areas in Iloilo province. That week, the government, church agencies, NGO’s, from many parts of the the world came and offered their assistance.

That day, I have a conference with Rev. Edwin Lopez, General Secretary. We explored ways how we can reached out to our partner organizations for some assistance for our church members and the community people. We worked and made plans how we will be able to assist people hit hard by Typhoon Ondang.

Slowly and gradually some assistance came for people in Panay. They came from different sources, different organizations and different countries.

About two months after the visit of our friends from Sweden, Rev. Lindstrom wrote me
at CPBC. Their assistance was coming. We organized the North Iloilo Relief and Rehabilitation Projects for Typhoon Undang victims.

We organized the process, methods and systems. We identified the people to assist in the relief and rehabilitation works. We identified the places which were not served by existing organizations and groups. We identified two villages in Batad, 6 villages in Estancia, 2 villages in Balasan and 6 villages in Carles, all in northern Iloilo. Ten full time staff and 10 part time staff, were trained and mobilized to assist in Implementing North Iloilo Relief and Rehabilitatron Project.

That moment, the staff of the New Frontier Ministries came together. We joined in prayer. We thank God for giving us the chance, opportunity and resources to help people affected by Typhoon Ondang in some villages in northern Iloilo. Other agencies came to assist people in Capiz, Aklan and Antique.

The NCCP came and assisted. The Church World Service came. The Philippine Independent Church came and assisted with resources from their partners. The new Frontier Ministries, through it’s different partners assisted churches and communities in Central Panay, in Capiz, Aklan, Antique and Northern Negros.

We Decided to Stand and Expose Human Rights Violations in Iloilo, a Way to Help Fight Tyranny...

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses on History & the People;s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 43 – We Decided to Stand and Expose Human Rights Violations in Iloilo, a Way to Help Fight Tyranny and Injustice in Western Visayas and the Country…

We were released from detention at Camp Delgado. For several times, in the past, we just kept silent. We felt it was dangerous to tell this story and the expose some of this military atrocities.

That night, of I sat down looking into the sky for some times. The sky seems very lonely.

Then, I sat down with my typewriter. I decided to send a Press Release to the newspapers and radio stations in Iloilo City. In was a one page story. I told the short story of the military raid of the UIM & NFM seminar in Guevara Beach. How the raid was made. How I was asked to come down from the cottage at gun point and commanded to go the the session hall.

The fears on the faces of the seminar participants, ordered at gun point to go from the women’s cottage to the session hall. How the staff and participants were forced to ride the jeepney to Camp Delgado. The fears in the eyes of those arrested and detained for several hours. How a soldier secretly placed a hand grenade inside our sack with some rice. I signed the Press Releases.

Then, I asked Jun Fabellore, the CPBC messenger to bring the Press Releases to all the Radio Stations and Newspapers offices in Iloilo City. That was already 8:00 PM. The human rights violations that we suffered that afternoon must be revealed to the people of Iloilo City.

That evening, the news brook out. Radio and TV stations in Iloilo City carried the stories of the CPBC seminar raid and several hours detention of 38 people at Camp Delgado immediately. News tandem in Bacolod Cith and Roxas City carried the Convention Baptist raids was immediately known in Western Visayas. It was also carried to Mindanao and in Manila. The following day, Iloilo newspapers reported the military raid of the seminar of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

Unfortunately that evening, about 10:00 PM., the military to raided us on their way back to their barracks in a village in Lambunao, where ambushed, reportedly by the NPA.

I don’t remember if there were casualties. But at 9:00 AM, the following day, Eddie Swede, a DYFM radio commentator, called me at CPBC office and interviewed me live of the UIM raid the night before. I told him of the raid, our detention and Camp Delgado for more than 3 hours. The hand grenade the soldier tried to surreptitiously hide inside our sack rice. I talked of the fears of the farmers and sugar cane workers when arrested and detained for some hours. Eddie Suede, jokingly said, why did you order the raid of the soldiers in Lambunao?

I laughed. I said, “Ed, you’re making a dangerous joke. You know how hard the military were, on those who ambushed them.”

Eddie Swede said, “Sorry Pastor Rudy. I am just trying to make a joke.”

The following day, I wrote a 2 - page report of the UIM raid and arrest to Bishop La Verne Mercado, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). I requested Pastor Nestor Bunda to help me finalized our report. The true and factual report of what really happened. I will send this report to leaders of churches and international organizations, who were closed to us and have established relations with CPBC. I believed, we must not kept silent when our rights were violated, specially by people, whom we pay their salaries to protect us.

I brought draft letter to Dr. Domingo Diel, Jr., General Secretary for his signature. I told him we will send the report to the NCCP. Dr. Diel signed the report. I signed it with him. We sent it by mail courier to Rev. La Verne Mercado, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. Rev. Mercado wrote a letter, with the copy of our report of the UIM raid and arrest with his notation to Gen. Fidel Ramos, Chief of the Philippine Constabulary.

He also sent copies of our report to all the heads of National Churches – United Methodist Church in the Philippines, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the Philippine Independent Church, UNIDA, EIMELIF and other national churches who were members of the NCCP. He sent a copy of our report to the General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

I sent copies of our report to Rev. Tosh Arai, UIM coordinator of Christian Conference of Asia in Singapore and Japan. I also sent copy of the report to Rev. Olof Lindstrom & Leo Liljengren of the Baptist Union of Sweden and Heinz Havercorn of EZE, West Germany. We sent copies of this letter to churches and international organizations in some countries – Hongkong, India, England, Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Neitherland, Thailand, Taiwan, Australia and the United States.

In two week’s time, letters from these churches and countries from different parts of the world arrived, and received by Gen. Fabian Ver, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army, Gen Fidel Ramos, Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, Gen. Juan Ponce Enrile, Secretary of National Defense and President Ferdinand Marcos. The letters, from leaders of churches from around the world. expressed grave concerns on the raids, arrests and human rights violations of a peaceful seminar of UIM and NFM of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches.

Rev. Ray Beaver, Secretary for Asia of the Board of International Ministries, USA, in a letter sent to me and the Baptist Convention said he was deeply concerned with the blatant human rights violation of the peaceful seminar of the Baptist Convention. He said, he has sent a letter to the Committee on International Relations of the United States Senate, with our CPBC report attached, requesting the US Senate and US Congress to look deep into violations on human rights in Iloilo City and other parts of the Philippines.

The military felt the effect of our letter and exposing the violations of human rights to the national and world bodies.

As a result of the letter of Rev. La Verne Mercado, Gen. Fidel Ramos made a strong order to the the Philippine Constabulary. General Ramos in his order said: 1) All raids of religious seminars must be made with soldiers having clear Name Tags on their breast, 2) Church leaders must be notified immediately of raids and arrests of their members, 3) Church leaders and members arrested must be turned over immediately to officers of their church organizations, and 4) And…the others, I cannot remember at this time.

The order of General Ramos, was written as an Editorial of Manila Daily Bulletin, that came out about a week after the UIM raid on July 30, 1984.

I think, Rev. Ray Beaver’s letter of the UIM & NFM raids to the to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States Senate and US Congress, has contributed something, on the US pressure for President Marcos to call for a Snap Elections that soon toppled him from power and sent him to exile in Hawaii.

Some 20 days after that UIM raid at Guevara Beach, General De Guzman, Regional Commander of the Philippine Constabulary at Camp Delgado, base in Iloilo City came to the the CPBC with some of his generals for a dialogue with CPBC officers, members of the Board of Trustees, members of Faith and Order Committee and Pastor Rudy Bernal. The dialogue was hard, open and helpful. That morning, General De Guzman made an official apology to CPBC of the raids and arrest of UIM staffs and seminar participants on July 29-30, 1984.

That morning of the dialogue of the Military Officers and General with the top leadership of the Convention, almost the day before, the military has started to cordon the areas surrounding the CPBC office up to CPU and Jaro Plaze. Then the whole night there were military officers and soldiers around the CPBC office. And, starting 6:00 AM until the dialogue was finished at 10:30 AM, the route of jeepneys was changed.The jeepneys, did not passed near the CPBC office. General De Guzman, made sure that no untowards incident will happen, while he and his co-generals and officers has dialogue with the CPBC official at the CPBC headquarters.

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The 4th Raid, Arrest and Detention of Pastor Rudy Bernal & the 2nd Raid of 42 UIM & NFM Staff...

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses on History & the People;s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 41– The 4th Raid, Arrest & Detentions of Pastor Bernal and the 2nd raid, of 42 UIM & NFM Staff & Seminar Participants in Guevara Beach, Oton, Iloilo July 29-30, 1984.

On that hapless day of July 30, 1984, I experienced my 4th raid, arrests and detentions. It was also the 2nd raid, arrests and detention of the UIM and NFM staff of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches by elements of the military, under martial law at Guevara Beach, Oton, Iloilo, about 20 kilometers south of Iloilo City.

On that day, our UIM and NFM held a 2- day seminar, July 29-30, 1984 for officers of the Farmers & Sugar Cane Workers Associations, who were provided training as organizers, with tasks to train and organize new groups for the continued efforts of building core leaders of communities.

Heading the staff on that seminar day, was Ptr. Felomino Mosquera, a staff of the Sacada Development Project in Antique, the URM project of the Baptist Convention. Pastor Rudy Bernal, Director of the New Frontier Ministries (NFM), together with some UIM staff were assisting him.

During the 1st Day of the seminar, on July 29, we arrived at Guevara Beach, some 42 of us. The participants came from the villages of Passi, Lambunao, Bingawan, Calinog and and a town in Antique. The participants were leaders of the rice farmers and sugar cane workers. They were now trained for organizing works. Mr. Eupresito Galuego facilitated the self-introductions of the participants from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM on the first day.

Pastor Rudy Bernal gave the lecture at 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon. It was on basic technics on organizing. In the afternoon, at 2:00 - 4:00 PM, invited as Resource Person was Mr. Valeriano Caro, known as Tay Valer. He was a rice farmer from Oton, Iloilo. He gave a situationers on peasants and sugarcane workers, their lives and living situations, at this time, 12 years after President Marcos declared martial law.

Tay Valer was the President of KAMI-PA in Panay and Vice President for Western Visayas of Kapisanan ng mga Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP). He was a very popular speaker during his time. He was often asked to speak during big assemblies and peoples' rallies at Freedom Grandstand, Jaro Plaza and Plaza Libertad. He was later, assassinated together with his son. The family believed the Philippine Constabulary, were responsible for their assasinations, few meters away from their home, in a village in Oton.

At 4:00 – 5:00 PM, Hernani Bautista, UIM staff shared his expeerinces when he was arrested and detained by the military in Calinog on February 29, 1984, when he was arrested and detained. He shared his hard experiences under interrogation while blindfolded, one time with the barrel of the gun was was put on the back of his head by the military officers. We felt, that such hard kind of experiences during arrests and detentions, must be learned by those who were working for community developments and organizing works.

At 5:00 PM, we have our supper. Then at 6:00 PM, the participants went to the beach. They have some kind of night swimming. The coolness of the water, gave them very good time
for relaxation after a day of hard work and study. And few men and women from villages in Central Iloilo, could have time for swimming at night. . This was one of that important times.

That evening of the first day, at 8:00 PM -10:00 PM, Rev. Felomino Mosquera and Eupresito Galuego, of SACADA Development Project in Antique facilitated the study.

Bonifactio Castronuevo, a UIM staff, joined me after the seminar at 10:00 PM for home. On the way home, our Pinoy Jeep developed engine trouble. We left it at the far side of the road and went to a mechanic, requesting him to repair it early the following day. We just rode a jeep to our home, and also to Oton the following morning. Our jeep was brought by the mechanic to the seminar venue about 11:00 AM.

On the 2nd Day of the seminar, July 30, the participants joined together for breakfast at 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Eupresito Galuego facilitated the study. At 10:00 – 12:00 noon, our Resource Person was Dr. Domingo Diel, Jr., General Secretary of the Baptist Convention. At 1:30 -3:00 PM, invited Speaker was Pastor Edwin Lariza. But Dr. Diel was not able to come for his part of the lecture.

There was a mistake on the schedule of fetching him on that day for the seminar. I thought his driver, Noling will fetched him. But he allowed Noling for a free time, thinking I will fetched him. He had requested his wife, Mrs. Elsbeth Diel, a German with their son and daughter to the seminar. The young children will just go swimming on the beautiful beach

In his absence that morning, I gave the lecture. Reflecting on the event some days later, I began to think, it was providential that God did not allow the CPBC General Secretary, Dr. Diel and his German wife, German-Filipino daughter and son, some hard experiences of being raided, arrested and detained with us, and the humiliation of setting on the grounds of Camp Delgado for more than 3 hours under the sun. Or, was it possible, that with the presence of Dr. Diel, Jr. CPBC General Secretary and his German wife and children, we could not have been raided, arrested and detained for some hours at Camp Delgado? I kept thinking of possible scenarios of that day.

At 1:15 PM, Pastor Edwin Lariza, our Resource Person has already arrived. But he had lunched elsewhere. He just went to the shorelines trying to get some shells, two hundred meters away from the Session Hall.

That day, Dr. Diel requested Mrs. Elsbeth Diel with their son and daughter to the seminar. The young children will just go swimming on the beautiful beach.

In the absence of Dr. Diel that morning, I gave the lecture. Reflecting on the event some days later, I began to think, it was providential that God did not allow the CPBC General Secretary, Dr. Diel and his wife, a daughter and son, the possible experiences of being arrested with us, and humiliated setting on the grounds of Camp Delgado for more than 3 hours under the sun.

Or, was it possible, that with the presence of Dr. Diel, Jr. CPBC General Secretary and his German wife and children, we not also arrested and detained for some hours at Camp Delgado?

At 1:15 PM, Pastor Edwin Lariza, our Resource Person has already arrived. But he had lunched elsewhere. He just went to the shorelines trying to get some shells, two hundred meters away from the Session Hall.

At 1:30 PM, after lunch, thirteen (13) Philippine Constabulary soldiers, most of them in military uniforms but their faces covered and hidden with bonnets, raided the UIM and NFM seminar in Guevara Beach, Oton, Iloilo. They forced some participants to get out of their much needed rests, to go to the seminar session hall, where our studies were made.

I was in the cottage for boys. I was alone. I have gone to the cottage to get a film for my camera. I prepared to go back to the Session Hall in a minutes time. But when I looked up, I saw 6 soldiers surrounding me. They were outside the cottage whose windows with bamboo slots. Some of them in uniforms, but all their faces were partly covered.

Only their eyes were seen. The barrels of their Armalites were pointed directly on me. I stood frozen. For a while, I was not able to move. I’ve experienced three military raids before. Raids by military soldier were scary and always dangerous. A little mistake could send you to a new life, the life hereafter.

It was really hard feelings, with six gun barrels pointed directly on me, the soldiers forefingers on the triggers of their armalites. I just whispered a word of prayer. “Lord please helped me”. It seemed the answer came fast. I seemed to hear a small voice. It was faint but clear. “Don’t move your shoulder”. “Don’t move your shoulders.

I followed the faint directions of the small voice. Looking straight at the faces of the soldier before me, I saw one soldier, signal his fingers to come nearer to him. I moved towards him slowly. My right hand still holding the camera inside my bag. I tried to make sure, my shoulder won’t move. ”

When I reached near leader of the soldiers, he grabbed my hands holding the bag. Then, he opened my bag. When he opened the bag , he saw the camera I was holding a minute earlier . I saw the soldier shook his head.

Perhaps, he was thinking inside my bag was a gun. Perhaps, he nearly made a fatal mistake. It was good. I did not moved my right shoulder. It was a short message and directions, I believed God had given me. A soft, clear and a timely message. “Don’t move your shoulder.” Then, the soldiers led me to the session hall.

The other soldiers led us all participants to the session hall. Then they ordered us to ride our Pinoy Jeep and the passenger jeepney to Camp Delgado. We were six persons in the Pinoy jeep. Our three staff, our woman cook and two soldiers. But our cook was also a woman leader. She was used to leading women and men, both in seminars and works. We were now heading to Camp Delgado. The passenger jeepney that carries our group from Calinog and Lambunao, were following us. Those riding motor cycles also followed. At the end of the convoy was the military jeep, following us to Camp Delgado.

It was only later, that I learned the jeepney that brought us to Guevara Beach the previous day, but have gone back to Calinog. They will fetched the participants 3:00 PM that day, and bring them back at 4:00 PM.

The soldiers have talked to the driver and asked him to go to Guevara Beach early. They made sure we were still dear that day.

We were ordered to move on, to Camp Delgado. We were already midway from Guevara Beach to Camp Delgado, when suddenly our cook shouted. She was trembling. She was angry. Her voice was loud and shaking. She was almost shouting.

“Ngaa ginsulod mo ang imo granada sa amon bugas?” (Why did you put your hand grenade inside our sack of rice?) She was really angry. Anger with fright. She was trembling. The soldier softly and meekly said. “ Nahulog lang” (The grenade has only fallen).

I was driving. I saw what happened on my front mirror. I knew what the soldier had tried to do. What usually happened during raids and arrests of civilians. Soldiers planting guns or grenades on the belongings of arrested persons. We knew that evil soliders often do it. The constable tried to hide the hand grenade on our rice sack. Hand grenades were deadly weapon. And, if we did not know it, the military would have strong reason to arrest and put us in jail.

It seems, during the time of President Marcos martial law regime, the military and police were experts in this kinds of things and practiced with grim precision.

Our woman cook and staff was alert and brave to denounce immediately the planting of grenade in our sack of rice. If the soldier succeeded, the military would have put us in prison that day.

At Camp Delgado, we were brought to one of the areas that was vacant at the back of the building. The leader of the military group went to one of the offices. He stayed there for some times. When he came out he proceeded to another office in another building of Camp Delgado. We were left setting on the ground. The sun was hot and there were few trees to give us a little shades. We endured.

After another hour, he came to us. And he brought me to the office. The officer asked me some questions. I answered it softly and clearly. I told the officer that we’re just having a seminar. We were from the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches and our office was in Fajardo Street, Jaro. I asked why we were arrested.

He said, there were reports that NPA's or some rebels, were attending our seminars. He said, our seminar was illegal. I asked him what was illegal of having a seminar, teaching people there legal rights. But he said, anybody can be arrested for illegal assembly.

He said: "Remember, 3 persons meeting together without permission from the government, commits sedition." I thought we will be detained.

But 20 minutes later, the officer told me we can go home. That was already about 5:30 PM. We left Camp Delgado. The seminar participants from Lambunao, Duenas, Passi and Calinog went directly to their places. The participants from Antique returned riding their motor cycles.

I went to the CPBC office. I sat down on my desk. During military raids and arrests in the past, we just kept silent. We were afraid to talk. It was dangerous to talk after military raids and arrests. .

As I sat at my desk, I looked at the sky from the window. I bowed my head in prayer. " Lord, this was now the 4th raid and arrest in my life. I just kept silent. Yes, Lord, we just just kept silent. The military thought, they were right. They made us silent. And they made us to keep silent.despite the military abuses.

"Lord, help us what to do. Give us courage and strength."

Then, I felt a small pumping in my heart. It seem, the Lord is saying: "Go on!. Tell the story of your people;s raid and arrests.

My First Trip Abroad for Ecumenical Studies & India with Leaders of the Christian Conference of Asia...

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses on History &

                        The People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 40– My First Trip Abroad,  Ecumemical  Studies & Exposures in  India with Leaders

 Of   Christian Conference of Asia (CCA)

In 1981, after working for 4  years  in  the local churches and 4 years at  CPBC, and involvement in ecumenical ministries thru the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP),  I was invited to attend a 1 month ecumenical training and  exposures trip to India. The training was sponsored by the   Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), thru the NCCP. It involved   pastors  and church leaders  from Hongkong, Philippines, India, Taiwan, Bangla Desh, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Cambodia,  and  Myanmar.  There  were some  visitors from the USA and Europe, some of whom spoke a Resource Persons.

During that  time, Dr. Johnny Gumban was President of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches. Dr. Domingo Diel, Jr. was General Secretary

An   NCCP  officer told me that  CCA   will hold  training  that year.  He asked me to   write a letter of intent.  I wrote  CCA,  thru the NCCP  office,   requesting for study  exposures in India. I was accepted.  Rev. Tosh Arai, of Japan and  in-charged of Urban Industrial Mission answered my letter. He gave the date of the training and exposures  trips.  I prepared for the trip.

Rev. Tosh Arai wrote me that I will get my two-way Pal ticket   from Iloilo Airport. He told me, I will only be one  of the three  CCA  training and exposure participants from the Philippines. But he said, two weeks after our arrival in India,  several hundreds from Asia,  Europe and the US will be in Bangalore, India to attend the General Assembly of the CCA in Bangalore.

It was my first time to be out of the Philippines.   My first,  of  some   25 trips and training, seminars, exposures and  invitations to  different cities  – in Southeast  Asia, Sweden, Germany  and Australia. It was a great opportunity, for trips abroad was a great educational  adventures. The day,  I first went  to Singapore for the trip to India  was big learning process.

But I felt some kind of fears  going abroad, alone.  By  that time, I was already at Manila International  Airport. But some kind of fears was gripping me.   I  prayed  for God’s help, strength  and guidance. While I was waiting in the passenger’s area,  a man who was quite tall  came.  He sat beside  me.  We started a conversation. I told him, I will be going to Singapore and then to India.  I told him, I am from the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches in the Philippines.

He was a pastor of the  UNIDA church, a member church  of NCCP.  He   was also going to India. And he  was also a delegate to the CCA exposures trip to India.  We will be going on the same trip and will be involved in the  same  exposures.  We will pass thru Singapore and  have two days in Singapore  before leaving for India. My new friend, whose name  I cannot recall now, said,   he has a church member in   Manila, a couple   who were working in Singapore now.  He and his wife, were Accountants working in Singapore.

They will met  him at the airport.   And he asked me to join him.  They will have dinner together and he invited me to join them.  He said, his members will be happy to have me also with them for dinner. That afternoon, his members,  met us at the airport.  He invited us to go with them visiting places in Singapore. 

God has answered my prayers for a companion  on my first trip abroad.

That night in Singapore, my friend and his two members, a couple,  went for dinner. I

joined them. It was a time for  sharing. They shared with us their lives in Singapore.  And  I learned a lot from them. I learned life in   in Singapore from their sharing,  a very small but very progressive and prosperous city in Asia. 

The worked they were now involved in, the church they  worship, the life in Singapore,  the iron leadership of the President of  Singapore. They shared with us,  why  the think Singapore became a very  progressive city  and  why the Philippines was very far in comparison in education and economic and political life.

One  reasons for advanced life of Singaporeans?   The strong  discipline and  deep   honesty  of the Singaporean,  which was  called  and  practiced by there  political leaders.  They told us, they would be staying long in Singapore.  For business and life were   much, much    more better in that  tiny island  city,   called Singapore.

We  stayed  two days in  Singapore.  More delegates arrived from  all  over. There were also visitors and Resource Persons from the USA and Europe. And the following  day, we left for India.

We were in  6    teams  in the exposure programs.  Each  team with 6 to 7 members. Each team go to 2  two or three  provinces or cities.  Our team was assigned to Bangalore City and some towns  Kartanaka province.  After the CCA Assembly, we proceed to other areas in Kartanaka Province. After that, we will  go to Bombai (Bombay), the biggest  province/ states of India.

In Bangalore City, first attended the  Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) General Assembly in Bangalore. It was held on May 18-28 in one of the Christian Colleges in Bangalore.  The Assembly theme was,  “Living in Christ with People”.

I think, more than 500 delegates and visitors  attended the CCA General Assembly in Bangalore.

The Philippine delegations was headed by Rev. La Verne Mercado, General Secretary odf the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). There we a number of Philippine delegates who came from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the Iglesia Philippine Independente,  United Methodist Church, Convention of Phil. Baptiist Churches, UNIDA  and other member churches.

Our group, those attending the CCA  Education and Exposures Project were  observers for the  General Assembly. But we were  encouraged to participate in the General Assembly discussions. I tried to asked some questions during the  General Assembly. That was  my first time, to attend a Asia Assembly of the CCA. There were heavy discussions.  But they were all cordial.

One of the speakers of the Assemby was Fr. Edicio de la Torre, a Catholic Priest and known for this fight against Marcos dictatorship. Fr. De la Torre spoke to the CCA General Assembly one evening.  The assembly was full.  Many, from the churches in Bangalore and from colleges and universities attended to hear Fr. De la Torre.  He spoke from his heart.  It was one of the most eloquent  presentations of the assembly. When he finished,  many  delegates and visitors came to Father de la Torre, congratulating him for his message

We were sent on exposures trip in the farming area of Bangalore. One  of our exposures area where  we visited  a village, where  it was said  a ”holy man” was  living and ministering.  We went there to see how  a holy man  was living and working.  But he was not around when we visited his  home and place.

We visited a farming village. It was a very big farming area.  More  than 300 families

lives   in the area. The farmers’ homes were  concentrated in one area. Here, in their homes, the farmers have their chickens.  They have also cows their homes. Almost all families have cows, about 2 to six cows, which   each  family  cared. The  “cow houses”  were  adjacent to the rooms in the  homes.

Every day, we learned that the farmers  took  the fresh manures  and brought to them to their  farms  on the other side of the village.   There  in their farms, we saw   different vegetables growing vigorously verdant. I learned,  before  1981, the  farmers of  nearby villages were already planting what were called today “good agricultural practices” in farming for their fruits, bananas and   vegetables.  The cows,  which  were  considered holy among Indian residents,   provides the daily manures  the farmers need to make composts fertilizers for their fruit plants and different vegetables the whole year.

In another area of the province , we went to a quite high  mountain  area  with verdant trees and vegetation.   At the top of the mountain ranges,  kilometers   away, we were told,  some bodies of  the dead in the family were carried  and  left  in the  mountainside.  And the birds eat the  bodies.  Or the bodies just dried under the heat of the sun. That was part of the culture and religious beliefs in the  area during that time. But we  only heard  that story. We  have not  seen,  bodies of dead person,   left by their  families on the rocks on the mountain sides.

We also visited a slum residential area in Bangalore.  Our  guide, who was a pastor and teacher, brought us to the center of   the slums. There, the  young people gathered that afternoon. They have  Sunday School  lessons.  They students just sat on the  floors. There were no seats. After the  study and prayer, the young people left.

The following day, we were brought to one of the big restaurants of the city.  We will stay there in their hotel. We will have our studies.  Every day a resource person/ lecturer will  provide us different studies of life, works, challenges and  possibilities among Indian people. We will stay in the hotel. And for one week, all our food in the restaurants only  served  “vegetarian foods”. No fish. No meat.  No pork. No shrimps. No crabs. All will be vegetables, during the whole week. That was hard for me who used to fish as part of our fishes. 

One  afternoon, while we were in the slum area as part of our exposures in a big residential area,   some young  people and adults  came carrying some bottles. We learned, they bought liquors.  There was a group in the slum area that produces and  sell  liquors illegally.  Some people buy this  liquor.  They were told not to buy these.  These were dangerous for their health.  But  people buy the  liquors.  There were reports of  some  poisoning. And many got sick.  But they continue to drink the liquor.

Then the following  two weeks,  in July 1981, after we have left  Bangalore and  Kartanaka, we received news of more than 308 people who died  consuming illegal liquor. And more were still in the hospital, still sick.

Spurious alcohol, known as Hootch were  rampant  around  Tannery Road area of Bangalore cantonment, with dwellers getting seriously addicted to alcoholic drinks.  Notorious bootlegers  who were also officials in the town, were running the racket. Hootch were  brewed from industrial  alcohol, by separating Methyl alcohol and adding water. This was considered a dangerous process which leaves traces of  poisonous Methyl Alcohol. The brew is slow poison, damaging kidney and intestines, leading to slow death. We have seen this during our Educational and Exposures studies in Bangalore.

Then, we also saw during our exposures studies,  the ongoing  the 4-months  strike in prime   premier business sector undertakings that severely affected business in Bangalore.  The fall-out of the four-month strike in the five premier public sector undertakings in Bangalore was  still  felt, several years  after the end of the 4 months strike, continued to be felt  through out the nation.

After about 2 weeks, we went to Bombai (Bombay), the biggest city of India. We travelled by plane to Bombay. It was  one of the biggest and crowded cities of the world.  We tried to learn about Bombay during our studies and exposurers in India.  Bombay is a very big city.

We have  seen during  the nights the kind of “evangelistic meeting”of the Muslims.  It was a big crowed that   gathered.  At the front was a wooden platform with the pulpit.

The preacher spoke  without notes. It was a long meeting. Standing guard by the side of the speaker were two big fellows, each with a sword. I am not  sure,  however, if the swords were  real swords. In the Philippines, it is prohibited to bring long bladed weapons in meetings and it the city. Long bladed weapons are okey when you are a farmer and working in the farm.

One thing I will always remember of Bombay.  There were so many crows and  so many “banogs”.  Thousands were  around flying and setting on the tree branches all days.

And the  beggars of Bombay are just  too many. There were small huts, about 1 meter wide and 2 meters long, covered with sacks as roofs and  walls of the huts. This huts runs for nearly 2  kilometre, on one side of the road. I have not seen this kind of poverty  in the Philippines, despite our country known as one of the  poorest countries of  Asia.

But India  in 40 years has transformed itself.  Some  of those hut dwellers, living in 1 meter wide and 2 meters long hut covered with sacks as roofs, were now in the Philippines, some transformed  as entrepreneurs,  providing loans to Filipinos in many parts  of cities and towns  of the country. They provide loans, some with 200% interest per year, which were collected daily from the  people.

A New Friend Came to Iloilo City, have sharing on works & a new CPBC project was started....

M E M O R I E S: Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his  Glimpses on History &  the People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter 40– A New Friend Came to Iloilo City,  have sharing  on our works  &  and a new   CPBC  Project  was Started…

After I arrived home that afternoon from the military detachment in Calinog, after the raid and arrests of UIM staff and participants at Cabudian Baptist Church, I talked with my wife Hesther and shared with  her the experiences we have the last two days. That night was  very restful night.

I slept well and long. I stayed for a day at home. I want to continue relaxing. The experiences of the raid and arrests, and my signing of a document “Released Prisoners of War” from the military the day, we were  released and sent home, continue to bother my mind. For on the records of the military, I and 7 other UIM staffs  that were arrested  were Prisoners of War.  I felt ashamed,  if later, it will be known that we were prisoners here  at detachment in Calinog, Iloilo.

My father, Restituto Bernal, Sr.,  was a prisoner of war, after they  surrendered  in Mindanao and sent later to  Capaz, Tarlac  and imprisoned for 2 ½ years. My father-in-law, Childe Alvarez from Bago City, Negros Occ., was part of the  Bataan Death March and imprisonedeld a seminar in Tarlac, the 3 arrested and detained for one night and 1 day and the others detained for 1 day. And we were released as "Prisoners of War" by the military. I decided to kept silent about it. 

Then,  3 weeks   after that  unfortunate incident of raids and arrests by the military at   Cabudian Baptist Church, I received a telegram.

It was delivered by RCPI that morning.   It was from a  Pastor in Australia. He was not a Baptist. I forgot his denomination.  And I forgot his name already.  I tried, but cannot recall his name.  It was really unfortunate that the, 10 feet inside our home, destroyed most of very important documents.   

The telegram, I recall  said:  “Dear Pastor Rudy Bernal. I am from Australia. I  just arrived this week in the Philippines. It was my first time to come to  your country.  I heard from some people at NCCP of your project in Iloilo. I would like to visit your place. Would you invite me to come?  I would like to see what you  were  doing.  And  see the real situations of the people,  how  they   worked and lived in your village.”  The telegram has has his  telephone number and the Hotel  Room Number   in Manila.

Immediately, I called him.  I invited him to come to Iloilo. I booked him at Hotel del Rio. I asked him to send me telegram when he is coming.

The following day, Friday, he arrived at 2:00 PM. I met him at the airport. We proceeded to Hotel del Rio.  He have lunch.  Then at 3:00 PM, we left for Calinog. We  rode on CPBC Pinoy Jeep. We visited several villages in Calinog. I introduced him to some people in the village of San Julian. Then we proceeded to  Barangay Owak in Calinog, where we have  a small congregation,  Owak Baptist Church.

During this time, the People’s resistance movement against President Ferdinand Marcos martial law regime has become quite strong. The villages in Calinog, from both sides of the highway, have already strong movements of the revolutionary movements. The NPA have organized  cadres in different villages in Calinog , Lambunao, Bingawan and other nearby towns.

Since he wants to see  the situations of people’s lives, we visited 3 families, around. I did not bring anything.  The family gave us  boiled balinghoy (cassava). He also eat cassava. At 5:00 PM, we attend a prayer meeting. About 8 people were around. The prepared boiled camote for our snack.   They led in the singing. Then sharing. We shared our life.  All those around shared their lives and experiences.  I interpreted for our visitors. One shared the life in the village. Hunger and lack of food under situations, where the people, were  pressured on both sides, the  military and the NPA. They have little rice and mixed  rice  with  corn grains. They have  sometimes, only cassava and comote  and other  root crops, which they plant on some little portions near the sugar cane plantations.

A pregnant woman shared  that   unborn child in her womb  was his 5^th child. She was still young. But every year, a child was  born. Family planning was not yet taught among couples.  This makes life more hard and difficult.  Another  young woman shared her difficulties as her sister, has not come home. Possively she  joined the NPA.   Her sister, has  not returned  home and military believed she joined the rebel group. And, the young girl, fears that she was also  suspected by th military. After they have shared their stories, I asked the Pastor if he have some questions.

But he said,  what he saw and what was shared have given him some fair  knowledge of the situations. He would just like to  go to the Confort Room. I told him to urinate only beside the tree. But he will not. He would like to use the CR.  The CR was at the side of planted bananas. The family put two big banana trunks at the back of banana plants. And they family use that as their toilet. There  was  sacks at the sides, that were hanged to make it a little bit private, while they were doing their things. Our friends, after urinating returned to the group. 

But on the way back, I showed him the new cement urinal.  This urinals was the project of the  community. Soon, the community  will have sanitary toilets.  In a few week time, some 20 urinals will be installed by them.  Then no more fowl odor on the toilets. The urinals will be “water sealed.” Families were worked together to build  toilets.  We closed our Prayer Meeting. The group leader prayed. And he asked our visitor to close our prayer meeting.  He thank God for the  opportunity to learn life here in Owak village.  Then, we went to another home. The home where we will have our supper and where we will slept  that night.  It was now 7:00 PM.

The  husband and wife have  2 dressed native chickens. They  cooked the  chickens for us. I told our visitors,  last year, we have dispersed 5 female chickens  and 1 roaster. And the chickens have eggs and have chicks that have grown.   So,  there  were lots of chicken moving around. About 1 ½  meters away from their house, were  sugar cane plantations.  And the chickens  lived mostly under the sugar canes and find their foods there – insects,  young grasses and grass seeds. He appreciated what we have done to improve the life of the village people with chickens. I told  him, in  Calinog, we were working in some  22  villages that year. 

At 7:00 PM, we have our supper. We have chicken with soap and young boiled  papayas. But they family cooked rice with ground  corn.  We eat together some 9 of us in the family together with the Vice President of the church. Two young people joined us.  After supper, we continued with our sharing  until  about 10:00. Then  we prepared  to slept. I told our visitor,  to  rest well that night for tomorrow,  we have  a scheduled seminar in a church in Bingawan, where some 40 participants will be coming for a 2- days seminar on  labor education the  whole to days.

We slept. We stayed in a small room with our visitor. At about 2:00 AM, our visitor  waked  me up. He suffers lossed vowel movements. And his stomach was aching. I accompanied him to the toilet. It was an Open Pit. There were 3 woods that were placed in the middle of the pit,  where  the persons sat while doing the thing.  And because it rained a little during the night, the surrounding was bit slippery.  The  3 woods were  wet and  bit slippery. He sat on the tree small woods.  He have a  small flash light.  He lighted his way. He lighted the “Open Pit”.  And there he saw maggots, thousands moving.  He asked me what were  those things moving down. I told him, they were maggots.  They were  inside the  “Open Pit” toilets.

Then we went back  to the house. After a few  minutes, he stood and went again to the  toilet. I also  accompanied  him.  Then, we went back to the house. I think , eating boiled   cassava, camote and rice mixed with ground corn, affected his digestions.   He has not eaten this kind of food  many, many years.  And also, he found it hard to digest  cassava and  corn.

The father of the family made  a concoctions for loss vowel movements. It was several pieces of  garlic  and ginder. It was boiled. Then a spoonful of honey was dropped into the glass.  He  made our visitor drink.  After about 30 minutes he was relieved. And he has a good slept until late morning. The honey was produced in the house, with some Honey Bees, we call “Kihot” living and making honey inside the bamboo tubes, that were made for the honey bees to live and make  honey. I showed our friend, the Kihot, or Honey Bees,  inside the bamboo tubes, the family made to produce honey. I told  him this project was done a year ago, with the “honey bees” cared to give honey.

 Some practical technology  on health care, for stomack aches, head-aches,  vomiting and body pressures were taught during the seminars by UIM and the New Frontier Ministries.  Some simple way to relieve pains, which are of scientific trainings on health, for those who do not have money to go to the doctors.

We have breakfast. Our landlady, borrowed a cup of rice from the neighbour. She made  “linugaw”, a rice soup. She made our friend  rice  soap for  breakfast, only with  pintch of salt. And it was good. Then, we went to  a church in Bingawan,  in  another municipality  where we attended the labor education seminar. After the introdcutions and  sharings from the participants and after some questions he made, we left .

But, along the way,  I  remembered, in one village in Bingawan, we have a  project on Fresh Fish Culture.   Pastor Sulpicio  Morales has rice farm,  corn farm and banana plants. We  have  started  “Fresh Fish Culture” in his farm.  That time the fish he was caring, has more than 5,000 growing fish. They were now about 2 inches wide. We visited the farm. The fish farm   was  serving as demo-farm that will  enable us to make  the training on fresh fish culture easy for the church and community people to learn the technology. But that time, there were some 8  Fresh Demo Farms that  we have  developed, as training center  for the  community people. Our visitor  expressed  his thanks for enabling him to see some  ways,  what we  were doing to  help people  learn some practical technology to improve their income and lives. Then we proceeded to Iloilo City.

We have lunched at Hotel del Rio. He will stay there for the night. Then he will go back to Manila in the afternoon.  And in 2 days, he  will back to Austrialia.

He told me to write a  short project  proposal. The need, the people who would are target to be participants, the community, the projects needed to help them, how many villages and people will be involved, the number of staff involved  and  the possible project  cost.  He told me to make it simple.  And  to send  it to him immediately when I have it finished.

That night at home, I told my wife Hesther, we will make a Project Proposal.  We will send it in the morning to our  friend  from  Australia. We began to conceptualized the project – a piggery breeding project, that will be used as base for raising pigs and piglets for the CPBC pig dispersals project in Iloilo and Panay. It will be based at  Camp Higher Ground. We called the project,  Convention Baptist Pig Projects and Dispersal. It target to raise 35 female  piglets to be raised as sows, with 5  male piglets to be raised as boars, using 3 hectares of farm lands. It has a plan for 2 pig houses, one house for raising 35 sows and 5  boars. And another house for the piglets that will come about a year  later.  It has a component of 3 full time staff and 1 part time helper   to do needed works on a call basis.

The piglets that will come after 1 year and 4 months, will be dispersed to different projects now being  implemented  by the CPBC.  It was  part of the concept  earlier conceptualized and now being implemtned, as a response to the CPBC General Assembly in Roxas City, calls to help raise income of the church members and community people, suffering  hard  under the economic situations in  martial law.

We  planned for Camp Higher Ground pig raising project,  to provide the needed manure and composts to fertilize some of the 50 hectares farm of CHG, that were not productive due to lack of top soil on the land, and  only cogon grasses   grows. I signed the project proposal. It was not countersigned by the General Secretary for I sent it early the next morning, when  I sent off our friend in the airport  on his way back to Australia.

He  told me, he did not expect,  I will bring the proposal that  morning.  He was expecting I will send it a few weeks later. But we decided to move fast.  For time is of the essence.  Our friend left   that morning.

That day, in my office at CPBC, I sat and thanked God for answering our prayer. God have  spoken softly through happenings.  He  do not want us to stop working and surrender after a raid and arrest. We were needed in the work with the UIM and URM   in Central Iloilo and Antique.  God  do not want us to leave the work.  He wants us to pursue the work we have started. And he was opening another way to expand our ministry.  A   possible project, a   Pig Raising Project and Dispersals for Iloilo and Panay. 

I learned, our  friend sent  the Project Proposal  to his partners in Australia.  After, six months,  the  Baptist World Aid in Australia, sent us letter informing us, that they will  support  the CPBC Project Proposal we  sent.  With  their  support  we started and  implement the Piggery Raising  and Dispersal Programs of Camp Higher Ground. My friend from Australia has very close friendship with Rev. Joffrey Parish of BWA in Australia. They joined resources and assisted  the  New Frontier Ministries of the Convention.

The experience made me realized how God works. He taught me not to succumbed to fears.  And we  must strengthen the staff, despite the dangers we faced, working mostly in the hinterland villages, with martial law implemented with the military growing very dangerous  and brutal  in their dealings with those working for  development and  transformational  education.

I prayed. And asked God to give us  the strength and courage to go on. For God  will always lead and guide  the way of His people.