Chapter 48 - Mrs. Leonila Antonio -NPA Baptist Leader, Translate CPP Educational Materials in English and Tagalog to Ilonggo

                                  Chapter  48

           Mrs. Leonila Antonio – NPA  Baptist Leader, Translate CPP Educational

                     Materials  in English and Tagalog  to  Ilonggo

When Pastor Samuel Antonio decided to join the NPA, he asked his wife to join him in the NPA camp in the hinterlands  of Upper South Negros. This district composed the  4 towns of  Kabankalan, Candoni, Sipalay and Hinobaan.

It was dangerous to leave Mrs. Leonila Antonio in their home alone.  It may be hard for her to accompany Pastor Sam Antonio in the hills, but that’s much better options under the circumstances. Alone in their  home, Pastor Antonio  will never be able to protect his wife. And with many military atrocities during martial law, a lovely and young  woman as Mrs. Antonio , could be a vulnerable   consumptions  for some military  in the hinterlands during those times.

It was hard decision for  the couple. But they have to make the decision. The decided to be together  in the struggle, with the Filipino poor in the work for freedom, justice and liberations.

After some months of briefing, study, training and involvements, Mrs. Leonila Antonio was accepted as member of the NPA’s Propaganda  & Organiziang Team (POT), assigned in the hinterland villages of Upper South Negros.

Before their marriage, Mrs. Antonio  studied at La Consolacion College (LCC) in Bacolod City. She worked for several yours in some business companies. Then she met Pastor Samuel Antonio. After some months of courtship, they were married. It was quite difficult for her, living for years in the city and join Pastor Antonio in Upper South Negros and visiting the 24 village churches  that he and their father, Rev.  Victorino  Antonio have helped  built in his 35 years of ministry in the hinterland areas.

With her marriage to  Pastor Sam, it seemed that Mrs. Antonio was thrown into a very hard life in the mountain villages, where she had to re-adjust much facet of her life and way of living, from a city girl, to a  revolutionary educator  in the villages of South Negros. She adjusted fast to the challenge of a new life and a new calling.

When she was assigned  to the Propaganda and Organizing  Team (POT), their main responsibility  was translation works. They were 3 in the team, sometimes 4.  They work and study with the farmers in the villages. But the  main task was translation works – translating the communist party’s educational materials which were in English and Tagalog to Ilonggo or Hiligaynon. Her education in college and wide  readings, suited her for the job of education and translations.

The translated materials in Ilonggo were then printed. It was used in the education works among the masses.  These was needed as a party responsibility, so that the masses involved in the studies  would knew the situations,  their basic rights, understand their responsibilities as good citizens and learn the  political directions of the party.

The translated materials in  Ilonggo were then printed. It was used in the education works  among the masses. This was needed  as party responsibility, so that the masses involved in the studies would knew the situations, their basic rights, understood their responsibilities as good citizens and learn the political directions of the party.

When I asked Mrs. Antonio how many farmers and farm workers  in the barangays were reached by the POT, she said, on normal situations, some 50-70 per cent of the masses in the barangays participates in the studies of the NPA. There were some people who do not want to participate in the education of the  Party. Some felt, the do not need it.  Other fears their involvements  will put them in difficulties with the military.

She said, “Education  is very important for all people, even those who were only primary grades and even those who have no formal education. For education were not only for those who have attended formal schooling.  Education will be learned by living, working and involving in the daily struggle for their basic rights. The masses, all of them, need to understand the “mass lines” of the party.

“With  this understanding, the masses of the barangays will be able to know  what were  good for the people,  specially,    the poor and the weak. They will also learn and understand, the evils of some government policies & the military, oligarchs and elites with their greedy and exploitative business interests. “

According to Mrs. Antonio, more than 40 per cent of the masses in the barangay hinterlands, now understood their political rights, they understood their business rights thru cooperatives and farmers’  associations studies  in the mountains.

The masses have learned to  understand their rights as consumers. And a growing numbers of the masses  can now stand and have the courage to fight and defend their rights.

In our conversations last   in January 2017,  I asked   Mrs. Antonio, how  she looked at the present efforts   of President Rodrigo Duterte  and the Peace Talks between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

 She said. “ I am hopeful and I pray for the success of the Peace Talks.  The people of the Philippines need to learn thru the Peace Talks…the real reasons for the war  in our country. Through the Peace Process, all of us,  specially  those who were  not and never involved in the fighting, must learn the real reasons for  the armed conflicts and how the conflicts can be solved.

“The war between the government and the New People’s Army have now killed  more than 40,000 Filipinos, Filipino soldiers, the New People’s Army and the civilians.  It’s a costly  war.”

How did she lived with her 4 children away from her, and living and cared by relatives and her friends in masses, when he was still with the party?

“I suffered so much anxiety every day for the security of  our children, because sometimes, they were used as guide  or investigated  on the whereabouts of there parents. During normal situations, we visited them, but not frequently. We worked hard on projects that will supplement  our children’s subsistence, in the hands of their guardians.  We really hoped and prayed that after the storms is over, we can also live   normal,  peaceful lives and society.”

What are the hopes of the masses in the hinterlands of Upper South Negros? She looked at me.

She looked at the blue sky. Her lips seem to quiver a little. Then, she smiled. She said: “After the battle is won, people and their children would someday  live a happy, peaceful and prosperous living.”

After working with the NPA,  Mrs. Leonila Antonio, together with her husband,  Pastor Samuel  Antonio, accepted President  President Fidel Ramos call for national reconciliations. The President  invited those who were fighting the government to a reconciliations process for change. 

They reflected on the call of the President. They accepted the call. They participated in the reconciliation process. They both decided to go back to the fold of the law. They fought their battle for change on another ground.  The battle for the mind and hearts of the people, in Upper South Negros.

They also started to work and build Farmers Associations in village. In some villages,  they organized cooperatives.  There organizations have grown and developed. They were now serving the several communities thru the organizations they have organized and whose officers and members were trained.

Chapter 47-Typhoon Frank Came, With Floods, We Never Saw Before!

                                   Chapter  47

             Typhoon Frank  Came,  With   Floods,  We  Never Saw Before!

                                              

On June  22, 2008,  Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) came to  Iloilo and Panay Island. It hit hard  Iloilo City with strong wind and  very heavy flood together in  most part of  Panay Island. The devastation was  grave  that we   never saw and experienced before.

In Buntatala, Leganes and nearby villages, much of what  have been started by families  and   developed    the past years of hard work  were destroyed. The   heavy  floods completed the destruction. I saw 10 feet flood around homes in   Buntatala,  Leganes, Iloilo.

Five jeeps and cars were swept by the strong flood from the highway and smashed  on the gates of our house. I saw more than 10  cows and carabaos,  carried by the water from farms above,  passing near our  home,  down to the sea. Everything we were caring at home -3 pigs, a dozen ducks, 1,200 heads of Quail-- 600 layers and 600 1 month old, were drowned.

The equipment of Alternative Resource Development Center, Inc.,--   Risograph Printing Machine,  2 commercial photo copiers, 3 computers, were submerged in 10 feet water. We have some 50 reams of bond papers, 1,200 newly covered books, part of the book we  launched  that May were covered with mud.

Our library books of 5,000 volumes were  covered with muds, after it fall down and submerged in waist deep  muds  mixed with rice husks from a rice mill 150 meters above us. Our  neighbors suffered the same destruction  like us.

Typhoon Frank  made a direct  hit on the Philippines and China, causing severe damages,  resulting in  some   1,371 deaths and leaving 87 people missing in the Philippines.  Eight hundred forty six (846)  of the 922 people on board the boat “Princess of the Stars”  were killed when the ship capsized.

The Philippines was  most heavily affected country in the wake of  Fenshen  (Frank) typhoon.

Ten of thousands were affected by the storms, many of whom climb trees and rooftops, when  they saw the swirling water coming fast that Saturday  morning  about 11:00 AM.

Capiz, Aklan and Antique provinces  were heavily affected.  It remained cut off from comunications.

Hardest  hit outside Iloilo City where Pavia,  San Miguel, Leganes and Sta. Barbara. The northern and central towns of Iloilo   including San Rafael, Passi,  Barotac Viejo, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan and Carles were   devastated.  

The markets of Roxas City, Kalibu, Aklan, San Jose, Antique and the surrounding  towns  and villages were heavily affected.  We saw the   seemingly  hopeless  faces of  men and women as they stares at us,  looking at their  destroyed homes and  lost belongings.

The damages, according to news reports,  caused by “Frank” in agriculture was placed at P1.087 billion while in infrastructure    was P519,71 million.

Typhoon Frank, taught me many things. Life and things  we   possessrf    were  fleeting.   You see it now.  Then, you see it   no more. 

 

That morning of the flood, I was preparing to go to a  town of San  Miguel.  I was scheduled to speak in  Inner Iloilo City Circuit Conference,   held  in Consolacion Baptist Church,  in the  municipality of San Miguel.   The topic I was requested to discuss was   “The Methods and Technics on Quail Raising”. I was invited by the Organizing Committee with Engr. Rollin Deocampo of Inner Iloilo Ciricuit Conference.  

I  have  direct    experiences on Quail Raising. Two pastors in the circuit had cared 100  laying  Quails already, under my  and guidance. One has left for Mindanao and I cannot remember his name.  One was Pastor Jemuel Benigay of Pagsangaan Baptist Church, Pavia, Iloilo. By that time his Quails were laying eggs.

 Some church members would  like to  learn and start  Quail Raising,  as   community  ventures. 

The proximity of Inner Iloilo Churches to Iloilo City, make Quail Raising  potential business to undertake. Big  number of quail eggs, were bought from Manila.  Some pastors would like to start the enterprise.   They asked me to provide them with the technology of raising  a 1 day old quail chicks  to start the project.

I told them, we  will provide the 1 day old quails. We have an Incubator with 100 native chichen eggs. It can be used for 250 quail eggs. A friend in Bakyas, Bacolod City has bigger quail project. He have fertilized quail eggs. I bought  250 quail eggs, per order. Then  we  incubate it at home. And  some raisers have started buying 1 day old quail eggs from me.

He said. “If we raise quails and taught  our children and the children of the community  to   eat quail eggs,    our children and our youths  will be more  healthy, strong and intelligent.”

The rain that Saturday morning  has slowed down.  Then about 11:00 AM,  water  entered our  floor. It was very fast. In a few minutes it was knee deep.   A few  minutes  more,  water   was on our thigh.   I called Hesther  and my sons to come. We will go to the highway. It was higher there. 

 We  went out of our  house.  The flood was on our thigh and moving  strong.  We walked 5 of us,  holding  our hands going  to the  highway.  We heard later, the  two big dams were opened to release water, to  lessen the pressures on the dam.  And it brought down strong  flood waters  to the communities. 

We cannot reached the highway. The flood water was very strong.   It carries  some  big woods and bamboos down with strong force.  We’re on the side of the   highway.  But we cannot go up up the highway.   There was Jeepney, full of beer and soft drinks. I went up  the   jeepney.  I try to relaxed.

Then, a two men came.   They were  carrying   long ropes.  They throw  the rope  to us.  We caught the rope. Slowly we moved up to highway.  There, the water was a bit calm. It was  above our  knees.

We  entered the of our neighbor,  Ms. Grace  Alangre. Her   house with three floors.   The first floor was full of water. The 2^nd floor was half-way full.   We went to up   the 3^rd Floor. There we stayed for 3 days, until the   flood subsided.  Six  families all,  some 30   people.

After  we were settled in the house,  I realized my 2^nd  son,  Noynoy  was not around. Also my brother-in-law,  Dodong Alvarez. He   visited us  a week ago and stayed for a vacation. Seeing that they were not around, I decided to go back to our house.  The water   was more stronger.   My  two sons did  not allow me to go.  They were asking me to let them go instead. But I cannot allow them,  under that force of the  flood.  

 Later, I learned Noynoy (Rod Chester)  and his uncle, went to the  roof-top where they stayed. Four  families with 15  members, all  our neighbors, were stranded.

They cannot get out of the area  anymore .  Their   home were  flooded with 10 feet  water. They came to our back gate and cling to the fence.  Our house was fenced with hollow blocks and iron grills. 

The water was deep but not strong inside and the back of our house.    My son opened the gate and the  four  families clumber    up to the roof.  They stayed there.  Fifteen of  them,  with a child, one month old.  They stayed there at the roof of our house until 5:00 PM.

As I looked at our home,   100 meters away, with waters near the  roof  my tears fall. I was so sad.  

As I looked at our  home  and the homes of my neighbors,  tears came out slowly.  

I saw almost all our  things were lost and destroyed.  Our clothes were washed away. Some  were  buried in the mud. All our  for printing, publishing and  broadcast  equipment, were buried under water. All were destroyed. I  looked at  my wife and four children.  I knew, we have nothing to start life again.

But I remembered the promise of the Lord. He said, “I will not leave you alone. I will not forsake you.”  It gave me strength. I bowed  my head in prayer.   In  the  midst of the flood, I thanked  God for the   strength and grace  of  His presence.

I   reflected  on what we will do. It was very hard to live  with nothing to start, except our home partly damaged.  Soil and rotten    rice husks from the rice mill 200 meters were dumped inside our house.

On the 2^nd  day,  members  of Lifegate Church, our church in Leganes  came with several gantas of rice,  canned  foods  and used clothing.  I was able to change    to  dried pants, that morning.   We  cooked  the rice and  canned  goods. We eat   together. We gave the clothes to each member of the family.

On the 3^rd day  after Typhoon   Frank, Mrs. Feraz Legita and some CPBC staff  came to us.  They brought us One-half  sack rice, canned goods and used clothing.   We used that for all our foods in the 5  families.  We were still  stranded.  Water was still waist deep.

I was invited by Mrs. Legita to join  them  that morning   I did. We went to  Northern Iloilo, to   Roxas City, Kalibu. Aklan and San Jose Antique.  We passed several  municipalities along our route. We saw the devastation all around the villages/ barangays we passed.  We saw people around, trying to put whatever was left of their home and make repairs. Roxas City Market was destroyed heavily. Also Kalibu, Aklan’s wet market.

The people were working, doing whatever they can to repair  their stores and homes.  In Antique, we saw  the  devastation, the same  all over the towns the 4 provinces of Panay. We went back to Iloilo City that evening. Mrs. Legita gave me P1,000 that evening.   The following day, we returned to our home. The flood has subsided. But inside our home, 3 feet of soil, sands and rotten rice husks were damped by the flood inside our house.

Slowly we cleaned our house. We all helped. We got the soils and rotten rice husks and carried them out of our house. My brother, Restituto Jr.,  came with his Electric Power Sprayer, so we can clean the walls and floors of our house. The Electric Sprayer was a great help. My sisters, Elvira and Myrna came.  They brought some materials for our needs. My  sisters in Carles and our father sent rice and dried fish. And like  our neighbors, we worked for almost a week,  before we can live a bit of normal lives.

After some reflections with my wife, Hesther,  we decided to  find another way to earn a living. We  thought of looking for a farm to rent.  Planting      vegetables  will enable us to  harvest in  2 months.  With rice and corn,   we will  harvest in 3  to four   months.  And with few   native chickens   we   will have eggs in a month or two.   If we  raised  a few  goats, we could have meat  in 6 months. Goats  will eat grasses only. 

We rented a small farm.  It’s  nearly    3 hectares.  The land was not planted for 3 years. It was like a forest with tall grasses. When heavy rains comes, the area were flooded  with  much water from Metropolis Subdivision.  The land was  owned by the Philippine American Cemetery Association. The President was Dr. Vicente  Suoribio.  I  am the Vice President. I negotiated with him and the Board of Directors.    He allowed us to  rent it for five years. We paid rentals yearly.

In my  ministry, I always  have relations with farmers, sugar cane workers and fishermen. I have some knowledge  on  farming. What we called conventional farming. The  methods that  used commercial  fertilizers and poisonous pesticides.  

Tyhoon Frank hit Panay Island and hit hard the areas of  the Convention of Philippine Baptist. of Rev. Arsenio Llamas, President and  Rev. Job Santiago, General Secretary. They worked hard to  help develop the resources of the Convention and respond to the needs of  families heavily affected by dissasters in Negros, Panay, Romblon and Mindoro.

One day, Rev. Job Santiago, CPBC General Secretary visited me at home. We have coffee. He told me my friend, Leo Liljengren from their church in Sweden has sent an amount, about P160,000, from their  Church, as  assistance for our house. Leo  saw the flood on TV in Sweden,  and  knew the area near our  home. He had visited us at home before. 

We  used the amount to make a 2^nd  story  floor on  our house, to make sure we have a place to run,  when another strong  flood came in future years. We use also some amount to start a little farming to start life again.

I began to get interested in natural farming.  Raising vegetables, rice,  corn,   bananas with composts and earthworms casts.  We raise fresh water fish,  few  chickens and ducks without using  chemical fertilzers and pesticides.   We sprayed  our vegetables and plants with pesticides made from cut /shredded Neem Tree leaves, ½ kilo  of garlic,  ½ kilo of  roots onion mixed with 1 kilo of molasses and fermented for  days.

We kept these  in a clean container. We spray our plants weekly with the solution,  4 tables spoons in 1 standard sprayer with about 20  liters of water.    

We  started to hold study and  trainings  on natural  farming with neigbors and friends. Slowly and gradually,  we discovered a  new  life’s work, a new ministry -  farming and fishing. We made studies, researches  and experiments. We established relations with Iloilo City Agriculturist’s Office.  With them, we began to reached to out and  help farmers and fishermen,  some needing skills and  equipment  to  improve their incomes and lives.

I joined the  “Highly Urbanized City Agriculture and Fisheries Council (HUCAFC).” The President is  Mr. Romeo Villanueva. I am the Vice President. We met once  every 3 months, with time of sharing, learning, planning and getting new technologies on  farming and fishing.

We organized the “Iloilo City Farmers Association”, that provided skills  on  farming, using the

conventional methods.  The association is  headed by Ms. Gemma Aujero. I am a member of the Board of Directors.

We  have also  organized and registered with the Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE) the “Iloilo City  Organic Agriculture Alliance (ICOAA)”. I was elected President.  Pastor Arana is  Vice President. We’re assisted   by Ms. Lizel Luna and  Mr. Renato  Madrillejo of the City Agriculturist’s Office.  `

These was a new ministry God called me to participate.  Twice we went to Cebu to participate in the regional & national trainings and planning. We met often in Iloilo City, with the regional studies on farming technologies. What we learned, we share with our group, in the city, the province and in our municipalities. From the devastating flood, God opened a new  ministry for us. 

Chapter 46- Sister Lolita Joanna Sanchez: Activist Nun w/ A Mission to the Poor

                                                     Chapter 46

               Sister  Lolita Joanna Sanchez: Activist Nun  w/  A  Mission to the Poor

I met Sister Lolita Joanna Sanchez in 1999. I was then Vice President of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Church. I think, by then Sister Lolita Joanna was involved with Gabriela Women’s Party. I met her again in early 2005. We have a very wonderful sharing of our ministries..

I invited her to visit me at the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, where we have started a small printing and publishing shop, under Alternative Resource Development Center, Inc., (ARDC), an NGO that prints and publish small books and pamphlets for pastors, development workers and people involved in advocacy works.

We were holding our small office shared with Western Visayas Ecumenical Council (WVEC) at the ground floor of the new CPBC building.

I would like her to meet my wife, Hesther, who was editing the small books and pamphlets we print and published. During that time, we also produced  some sermons and messages  on Cassette Tapes,  CD’s and VCD’s. I  Sister Lolita Joanna Sanchez  to  interview for an article, we would like to include in our small books, PERSONALITIES IN OUR TIME series, that will be published that year. We would like to share her life story with our readers.  We we plan to publish  our new  book in 2006.

During that time,  Sister Lolita Joanna Sanchez was 62 years old. She looked frail. But inside that frail body was a strong mind, a hardened spirit, raw courage, strong determination to continue the fight for the cause of poor and struggling Filipino peasants and farm laborers, helping build a  society with equality, freedom and justice for all.

In the 1980’s, during the darkest days of President Marcos’s martial rule, when the Bill of Rights in the Constitution was trampled by the agents of the dictatorship, Sister Lolita Joanna, against the order of her Congregation was at the front, educating and organizing the peasants and sugar workers in Negros to assert and reclaim their God given rights.

Often, she was seen standing at   improvised bamboo platforms in small villages in the countryside, at the front of a thousand farmers and sugar labourers, as she condemned martial law and demanded the return of freedom, God’s precious gift to all people.

Her wisdom and voice, in earlier years,  were used to teach children of the elites in schools run by  the Dominican Sisters. Now, she facilitated the education of the poor peasants and workers, teaching them knowledge needed in the struggle for liberation and national democracy.

Sister Lolita Joanna entered the Dominican congregations thinking, in the religious life, she can served God and people. She entered the congregation without telling her parents of her decision.

In her teens, before the Vatican Council, she said, she feared attending services of non-catholic churches. They were taught that “outside the Catholic church there is no salvation.” These thoughts were planted deep and stocked in her minds for years.

In 1969 she took her perpetual vow. She was assigned to teach in schools  run by her congregation. She was sent to different schools to teach-–in Bacolod City, Iloilo City and Antique. Years later she was sent to the United States to teach in the schools run by her congregations in United States. But she said,  she was confused with the mission of her congregation.

She said: “Most of the congregation do not serve the poor. Their ideas of serving the people were through prayers, visiting the rich, teach schools were students are mostly children of the rich. The poor, marginalized, oppressed and exploited were not in the churches and schools.”

She joined the Blessed Virgin Missionaries in Bacolod City. The congregation was a split from the Carmelites Mission in Mindanao. The sisters cannot work anymore with Carmelites and they went to Bacolod City. They were able to convince a rich landlord to allow them to use one of the buildings in the city.

For some years, the Blessed Virgin Missionaries were not accepted by Bishop Antonio Fortich of Bacolod. For years, they worked without the blessings of the Bishop.  But, eventually, the Bishop , after more than 5 years accepted them as another missionary workers of the church.

The Blessed Virgin Sisters worked in several slums in Bacolod City. She said: “The slums were  heavily crowded and congested. They huts they people lived in the slums of Bacolod City were not suited for humans to live.”  

In this slums, she witnessed the inhuman kind of life suffered by many Filipinos. She witness these in their hardest forms. She cannot believed that life could be hard as these, for many people of Bacolod City.

She said: “The elites and rich members of the churches sat on the pews every Sunday, as if they have not seen or heard the hardship and sufferings of  poor people around them.”

In the 80’s  Sister Lolita Joanna started also working with political detainees in Bacolod City. Marcos military agents had thrown many promising young men and women into jails. Here Sister Lolita Joanna began to have conversations with the political  prisoners, young men and women where in prisons, not for  criminal offenses but  for their political beliefs.

They were imprisoned for they expressed and exposed  the farce Philippine independence and the bankruptcy of the elitist democracy that chained majority of Filipinos in poverty, nearly a hundred years.

She submerged deep into the political struggles. She. worked in the slums, teaching, organizing, facilitating, mobilizing slum dwellers for mass actions, demonstrations and people’s rallies.

She was sometimes assigned to the countryside, in the CHICK areas of Negros Occidental, where rebel forces were concentrated and waging a deadly battle  with the government forces.

She experienced the hard and painful military hamletting, in Sipalay town and other towns that brought people down, and concentrated them in camps,  wheres situations were  unfit for human life. She worked for several  months, working with other  sisters  helping the victims of hamletting,  living in that unbearable situations. 

After working 20 years as a Dominican sister and 15 years participating in the people’s struggle, Sister Lolita Joanna decided to change the pattern of her life. She left the sisters’  congregations. She changed her nun’s habit with ordinary clothes of a working woman.

She worked with a legal organization that pushed stronger the struggle for social, economic and political change of society.

She feel in love. She fall in love with a fellow fighter for national democracy.  They  decided to get married. On May 30, 1984, she and Jose Mabayag made their vows of  love and fedility to each other in service to the masses.  Jose Madayag was a  former fighter in the liberation struggle.

They lived as a family. They have a son, who they cared and trained  to pursue the task they have committed their lives-- the freedom and liberation of the Filipino people from the farce democracy we were made to believe.

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Chapter 45- Went to Australia Dec. 30, 1999, Attends "Hearing the Cry Conference" & Baptist World Alliance Congress

                                    Chapter 45

         Went to Australia  Dec. 30, 1999, Attends “Hearing the Cry Conference “  &

                          Baptist World Alliance  Congress

          

In December 30, 1999,  with Mrs. Feraz Legita, we flew to Melbourne, Australia   to attend first the 3 days conference,  “Hearing the Cry; Acting  in Hope” conference   January 2-4.  Then,   the   Baptist World Alliance (BWA)  Congress on January  5-9, 2001.

We took  the plane at the Manila International Airport with some kind of apprehension. The  possible Y2K Computer glitch midnight of 1999. But we trust God.  He  will be with us.

Some reports came that   on December 31, 1999, there may be possible communications difficulties  called, the Y2K computer problems. It said. Y2K fears  that airplane computers systems will not handle the change from  midnight of 1999 to 2000. And it could endanger lives of  airline passengers worldwide.

Some leaders of  the Baptist World Alliance, tried to  seek  postponement of  the 18^th Baptist World Congress scheduled  January 5-9, 2001.  As  early  as January 2000 some Bapitst leaders called for the postponement, fearing for  lives of expected  6,000 to 7,000  BWA delegates that will come,   including visitors from different countries of the world  to   Melbourne.

But Geoff Holland, editor of the Victorian Baptist Witness, said the Y2K fear that airplane computer systems will not handle the change from 1999 to 2000 was  unfounded, specially when it comes to Qantas Airlines,  the official airline for  BWA congress.

Holland reported that  Qantas, "which has never killed a passenger in 79 years flying," began work on the Y2K problems in 1995 and by the end of 1998 had converted all of its critical systems to Y2K compliance. It was  now testing them to make sure the airline was  completely ready for the transition, Holland said, “noting other major airlines are similarly prepared.”

At the same time, Leon Norsworthy, head of the local arrangements committee for Australian Baptists and  former Senior Executive with the Civil Aviation Authority in Australia, agreed. He told Holland he has "checked with several major airlines and they have assured him they were  prepared for the change of the  century."

Holland also quoted Pete Holzmann, global coordinator for the AD2000 Interactive Task Force

 who has "three decades of experience on mainframe computers, PCs and embedded systems." Holzmann said while there will be minor inconveniences, "few of us will encounter a major problem."

"Aircraft will continue to fly," Holzmann said, and "while some slowdowns may be expected, especially in remote international areas, commercial flights will continue throughout the night of Dec. 31, 1999."

Holzmann said he was  sure "the power grids will not shut down, the financial markets will not crash and airplanes will continue to fly. God is still in command: the tides will rise and fall, the sun and moon will maintain  their course and God's gift to mankind of intelligence and creativity will once again allow us to cooperatively solve issues that surface in the early hours of  Jan. 1, 2000."

Denton Lotz, BWA General Secretary, said, "We enthusiastically invite Baptists worldwide to come to Australia to celebrate the theme, 'Jesus Christ Forever. Yes!'  It is in the strong belief in the eternal presence of Christ that we will enter a new millennium and call upon Baptists to be around.”

Earlier, in December 14, 1999, I received a letter from Dr. Rose Langmead, Professor of Whitley College in Melboune, inviting me to attend “Hearing the Cry: Acting in Hope Conference” January 2-5, 2001. It preceeds the BWA World Congress that starts the following day.  I wrote Dr. Langmead in Dec. 16:

“Thank you Sir for your invitations.  I am happy for the privilege to attend ‘Hearing the Cry, Acting in Hope Conference’. It will be very  helpful for us who were working in the areas for equality,  justice, human rights and liberation.

“I would like to thank the Conference Committee for providing me 50% scholarship travel grant, paying my registration fee, food and accommodation for 3 days and facilitating that a family  served as my host during the conference & assembly  in the person of Rev. Colin & Henny Hunter of Moreland Baptist Church,   10 days while I’m  in Melbourne.

“My Visa was approved by the Australian Embassy. My plane travel thru Quantas has been confirmed. Last November 29, I wrote Miss Ruth Barclay, Registrar and confirmed my coming

“I fly Quantas Air and will leave Manila Dec. 30 at 1950. We will arrived   Sydney at 0620 and will get Quantas Domistic for  Melbourne 0800 about 1920.  I had written Rev. Colin Hunter of my  time of arrival so he can picked me or sent somebody to pick me  at  Melbourne  Airport. I have sent him an e-mail of my date and time of arrival. “

“I believed “Hearing the Cry, Acting in Hope Conference” will achieve great things for our  ministries in the area  of human rights,  justice, peace and reconciliations.” Thanks. Sincerely, PASTOR RUDY BERNAL.”

I attended the  conference  with Ms. Feraz Legita and Mrs. Ruth Corvera, of CPBC.

We arrived at Melbourne Airport about 3:00 PM, December 30, 1999.  Mr. Robert & Julie Morsillo, met me at the   airport. He was requested by Rev. Colin Hunter to meet me.  Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Julie Morsillo will be my hosts for the 10 days in Melbourne.  Mrs. Feraz Legita was met by her  host. Mrs. Ruth Corvera took a different flight.

I was guest at the home of  Bob  and Julie Morsillo, with their two sons. I stayed with them  from December 30, 1999 to Janurary 10, 2001.

The following day, Dec. 31, I joined breakfast with Bob and Julie Morsillo. My hosts were  deeply committed to the work for equality, human rights and justice.  Their works in Australia, carries the challenge. They  visited  countries in some   parts of the world to learn and share God’s work for salvation,  justice and human rights.

That day,  I learned that Bob and Julie have visited the  Philippines, I think, sometimes  in  1998. They visited several provinces including Iloilo City. They  met Filipinos involved in the  struggle  for   freedom, justice and human rights.  They met groups of the Catholic church working in similar involvements.  They met with   Ms.   Hope Herbilla and her groups in Bayan-Panay together with some members of Gabriela Womens Party.

They visited  Western Visayas Ecumenical Council (WVEC) with Mrs.Ruena (Inday)  Asis and  her group. They  met  too, the   leaders  of the  movements for   Peace,  Justice and Human Rights in Iloilo City. They shared   with me what they learned in their exposures  to the Philippines.  That moment, I felt at  home, really at home,  with Bob  & Julie.  For the Lord had joined us in a common task- the work for  peace, justice and  human rights

That night,  on   December 31, 1999, I joined  the celebrations of New Year. I could not remember well. But I think, we were at  Moreland Baptist Church.  Some 4  pastors were there together with the congregations.   Rev. Hunter and 3  other pastors,  were there, that  midnight  we celebrated    New Year.   It was the first time, I ever experienced   midnights  of  December 31 outside of the Philippines. I saw how  New Year was  celebrated in Melbourne.

I saw the difference, how firecrackers, were used in  Melbourne and Iloilo City. The celebration of New Year in Melbourne, was great,   with simple whistles and the big fire crackers, up on high “grandstand”, where people could see it lighted up high and booming up high that midnight. No one was injured by a firecracker explosion in Melbourne that year. 

In the Philippines, some smalls,  big and deadly firecrackers  were  lighted to greet the New Year. And every year,  young boys and some adults were brought to the hospitals with wounds – broken fingers, burned faces and arms,  from fire crackers.  Some were killed   hit with a stray bullets fired, mostly  by  drunken cops December 31 midnight..

We celebrated New Year with lots of foods.   We were served beer, soft  liquors, soft drinks and lemon juice. I drunk a bottle of  beer. Just a bottle, never  more.   That was enough,  to greet the New Year in Australia.  The same with  the pastors and males.   Just a bottle or two of beer.

We bid goodnight to the hosts.  I joined  Bob and Julie    home. I  have a very restful night.  I woke up nearly 7:00 AM that   morning. It was  New Year.  January 1, 2000.  I sat  on my bed and prayed. “Lord, thanks for great experiences of the 2000, Please  join and guide me, as  I travel the road and the many roads of  2001.”

That morning, Sunday, we worship at Moreland Baptist Church. It’s  a lovely church.   It’s a community church. It has a  closely knit members and fellowship. But there was something new that I brought back home. There was no Sunday School for adults. Only the Children and   Youth.  After the Sunday School  We all  joined for snacks – coffee, chocolates and some bread and butter. Adults have time to   talk with each other.

Then we went for our worship service. We started to sing. And the hymns at Moreland Baptist Church were  mostly new songs.  The songs  in their hymnal were  composed mostly by Australian hymn writers. Only about 10 per cent of the songs in their hymnal, were from the American hymns.  Ninety percent of the songs, were   originally    written  in  Australian melodies.

 The songs seem  simple and easy to learn. It’s something new and different. I requested Bob Morsillo to give me a photo copy of the songs.  Then we have our worship service. A lovely service for our   hearts,  minds   and souls.

What  is  Moreland Baptist Church?  What it works to achieve. What is their Vision?

“ We are a Church committed to a shared life together.”

“A Life in God -  A life in Prayer  - A Life in community.”

“Our Vision is to see the message of Jesus take roots in our  community,

 A place filled with  Peace, Hope, Love and Justice

”The following day, January 2, 2001,  Bob  accompanied me to Whitley College, the venue of the “Hearing the Cry; Acting in Hope  Conference”, a 3 day studies on the social, economic  and political situations in countries that were members of the Baptist World Alliance. Resource Persons, most of them having seen   and   experienced   poverty, inequality, injustice,  human rights violations. Some of those who attended were veterans of revolutionary   struggle   in   their countries.

 They  shared with us  their hard  experiences.  They  shared  the  dreams and cries of their people. They shared the cries from other  countries of the world,     suffering under  military  and oppressive rules in their countries.

I shared also   the  oppressive  rule  in our country.   After  President  Marcos martial rule  was overthrown, the people’s cries remains.  We    overthrow  a  dictator and tyrants, but a new dictatorship   and tyranny  came   to rule     our country.

One of those who shared was a Pastor from Liberia. He was small in stature, like me. He shared the hardship of his people under a very oppressive government and military rule. He was arrested several times. He was beaten.   He went on with their people’s struggle for freedom and justice. I heard his cries.  And I heard the cry of his   people and the cries of  all  struggling people. On   the  last day of our conference, we joined in formulating the cries and hopes  of people in a joint statement. We formulated actions and  response to the people’s cry= “Hearing the Cry: Acting Hope.”

Then.   January 5-9,  we   attended the Baptist World Alliance Congress   in  Melbourne. We were in one of the biggest Auditoreum in Melbourne.

I cannot remember how many attended. Thousands came, both   delegates, visitors and friends who visited their relatives during the  Congress. It was a great event, the 18^th Baptist World Congress. Some 7,000 attended from different parts of the world.  A great event, held once every 5  years.  It was a wonderful.    It brought us together to celebrate our salvation. We sang gospel hymns. We joined in worship.  We  reflected  on the  messages shared to us. We could hear God speaking to us. These   were   great and wonderful events for Baptists around the world.

We celebrated the  BWA World Congress  under the theme  “Jesus Christ forever, Yes!  Yes, Jesus Christ forever!

There were more than 100  Convention Baptist delegates  that attended the Assembly. Together with Mrs. Feraz Legita, President Mike Enabe  and me,   were Pastor Fred Jacildo, Pastor Tita Grace Padohinog,  Mr  & Mrs. Leopoldo and  Evelyn Espinosa.

Mrs. Tita Padohinog, came with   about  15 Filipino delegates  to the Congress.  Rev. Dan Borlado has with him  20 delegates  attending also the World Congress.

There were delegate from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, Mindanao and Manila. We came together with  delegates from other Baptist Convention from the Philippines.

 I met Rev. Sven Lindstrom & Mrs Lindstrom and 3 other delegates from Sweden. They too attended the Congress. Some  7,000 of us all, from  Africa, Europe, Latin America, United States, Canada, Africa, the Carribian countries, Middle East and Asia.

It was a great feeling,  when you see thousands and thousands of  people singing  praises to God.  It was great to listen to sermons from great preachers  coming from different parts of the World.   It was also a  blessing to hear the message of  Mrs. Ruth  Graham, the wife of the great Evangelist  Billy Graham spoke at the Congress.

It’s wonderful  also, to have our Closing Celebrations at 8:00 PM, when  the sun was  shining bright and strong, about 1 meter up on the western horizon,  in Melbourne.