MEMORIES: Early Life, Studies, Involvements & People's Struggle for Freedom
Chapter  14 - Enrolled at Good Shepherds Fold Academy, Buenavista, Guimaras  

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

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

 I went to Dumangas. I visited my uncle, Rev. Ernesto Carvajal, Pastor of Dumangas Baptist Church. I am close to his wife, Mrs. Irene Duco Carvajal, as she often comes to Carles on some occasions  When she arrive  at home, I go to the  Dayhagan, Carles, a village 3 kms from home. That's a fishing village. I go there purposely to buy fish for my untie. I do not buy big fish - cut Tanigue, bangos, or other big. I got  "lopoy", "delis" and the small fish around. For  my untie do not eat big fish. I have to buy   only the smallest fish I could find in  Dayhagan, Carles.   This was my first time to visit them in   years.  I will try to find work in Dumangas. whatever kind of work, so I could enroll in  in 2nd year high.  God, I felt will helped me. Yes, God prepared my way.

I arrived middle of April 1958 in Dumangas. There, I learned , a 3-day religious services will be held in Dumangas Baptist Church. The Gospel Team  from  Good Shepherds Fold Academy, with about 15 members, all young people have arrived. They will help in a 3- days Evangelistic meeting starting that night in the church.

The Team was headed by Miss Thelma Anotado, a First Year College student at Central Philippine University. She’s a graduate of GSFA. They were talented young people. They were orphans. I learned later, that the couple Rev. Philip Irabon and Mrs. Rufina Irabon,  built an orphanage after the war and recruited orphans in Panay and Negros. They built an elementary and high school, the named "Good Shepherds Fold Academy,  to provide   needed education for the orphans. They also accept young people who would like to study in high school  as work students at GSFA.

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

The following day, Mrs. Irabon arrived from Guimaras  She was visiting the Gospel Team. I met Mrs Irabon  that afternoon. The previous night, I saw the musical presentation with a group singing, a quartet. three (3)  soloists, a testimony and the choir. I was impressed.  I talked to Rev. Carvajal. I asked him to introduce me to Mrs. Irabon. I would like to go and study at GSFA, as a working student. Rev. Carvajal introduced me to Mrs. Irabon.

Mrs.Irabon asked me a number of questions. Why I would like to study in GSFA? Where did I study before? The work of my parents? Why I stopped? He asked if I know works in the rice and fields. After the interview, she told me to go to Buenavista,  Guimaras on the 3rd week of May. I would have time for the school orientation. Then, I will enroll and start my study by June.

The following day, I went back to Carles. I told my parents that I will enroll at GFSA in Buenavista, Guimaras. God has opened the way. I have not seen Guimaras Island before. I heard it was a small island, with some 4 municipalities between Iloilo and Negros Occidental. It is near Iloilo  City. It was about 30 minutes ride by sailboat to Buenavista on fair weather. During that time, I was part of the Province of Iloilo. 

Guimaras is  beautiful island. The Lopez family has big landholdings in the island. During that time , they have a cement factory, a lime factory and big plantations of different fruit trees in the island. And they have two big mansions in the island.

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

I went to Guimaras on 25th of May. On June 8, classes will begin. During the Prayer Meeting that evening, Mrs. Irabon introduced me to the teachers, the staff, the orphans and some working students. It was also this time, I met Rev. Philip Irabon. I heard, he was an orphan who was found and cared by an American soldier.

He was brought to the United States. He do not know his name. He was christened Philip, as he came from the Philippines. I don’t know how he got his family name, He studied in the ministry and became a pastor. After finishing his theology, the war broke out between the US and Japan. And he was inducted in the army. He became a chaplain in the US Army. 

After the war, Rev. Irabon saw many orphans in Panay and Negros Islands.  Their parents were killed or died during  the war. . Seeing the orphans, his heart was moved. He got a vision and a  new calling of his life. He will work and minister to orphans in Panay and Negros

.With his salary and  Back PaY as a US Army officer, he bought parcels of lands, rice land, coconut lands, fish pond and  vacant lands  in Buenavista, Guimaras and started to build an orphanage. Many orphans were brought by their relatives to be cared. They came from different towns of Panay and Negros. It was a ministry that Rev. and Mrs. Philip Irabon dedicated all their lives.

Christian organizations from the |US assisted Good Shepherds Fold Academy, which was a school and orphanage. One of the organizations that supported GSFA was World Vision, an international group that help children and widows worldwide.

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

Before leaving Carles, I talked to my brother and sisters. My sisters said, they will worked at home and continue their studies in elementary. Then they will go to high school. My sister, Elvira, the third in the family, said,: "Toto Rudy, if you finished your studies and got job, please help me go to high school and college also." It was long way of dreaming and working.

At GSFA, we have our orientations. Our breakfasts were at 6:00 AM. Our lunch was 12:00 Noon to 1:30 PM. We were assigned our own plates, fork and spoons.. We have also our own glasses. We put these in an assigned part of the long cabinet. There were about 300  people in the GSFA. The teachers, staff the leaders of groups, the orphans and working students. The teachers food where prepared in the Staff House.

Mrs. Irabon introduced me to Florenio Herradura who was working in the Pine Apple area. We became good friend immediately. Florenio invited me to join him in his small cottage, with two beds. He gave me one bed to use. We lived in that small room for a year, until I finished my 2nd Year. Our friendship has developed.

After I left GSFA, we communicated with each other. Later, when, I worked as News Editor of Agence France Presse, an International News Agency, I visited Florenio several times in Theological school in Cavite where he studied. We remained close friends.

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

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

I enrolled on my 2nd Year High. We work early morning. Have breakfast at 6:30 AM. Then attend classes at 8:00 AM. We continue in school until 4:00 PM. Then I worked until 6:00 PM in the orchard. We have our supper at 6:20 PM. Then we have our Evening Meditation in the chapel. We have our singing, sharing, reflections and prayer for an hour until 7:30. Then we go to the library for study until 10:00 PM.

When we felt lonely and missed our families, often at 5:30 PM we go up to Oliveth Hills. It was a high road going up the hill. There at the top of the hill or mountain was a Big Cross. A good place for reflections and meditation. From the top of the Oliveth Hills we can see in the east Negros Island. And on the southwest, we see Iloilo City with its thousands of houses dotting the place.

When darkness fall, we could see hundred thousand flickering lights of Iloilo City and I know thousands of people living there, struggling with life. Our loneliness were cured. And often, we go down from Olivett Hills to be with other orphans and work students, with fresh hearts and minds.

One event that stick on my mind was the celebration of our High School Day at GSFA. It was held, I think on February. All the students of GSFA participated. We have different programs. We have dancing contests. Oratorical contests. Singing contests. Declamation contests. That was a great day in high school. There were also beauty contests

Lovely girls participated. And there was a parade. Classes from First Year to Fourth year participated. All class have there Muses and Consorts. I was in 2nd Year. Marieta Castro was crowned Miss 2nd Year High School. I cannot remember the Miss of 3rd Year and Miss 4th Year and their Concorts. That was long ago. Dodemer Dofilez was Miss First Year High School. Leading the parade with other PMT Officers was Angel Dofelez, Jr., who was 4th Year that time.

All the Beauty Queens and their Consorts rode on vehicles.

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

Then,  carabao with the  Sledge Cart of First Year High School Muse and Consort  turn berserk. It cannot be controlled any more. It ran. And ran very  fast. The animal was frightened hearing the buggles and drums. It ran wildly, passing not on the road where the parade passes. It ran to the side of the road, going under the trees. It was running fast. Hilarion Leysa jumped from the sledge. He left Dodemer who sat on floor of the sledge.

She then crawled trying to make sure she will not be brushed by branches of the trees. We got out of the parade formation and ran after the carabao. Some reached and caught the carabao. It stopped. We were happy that the sledge did no turned over. Dodemer stood up. She still looked terrified.  She was not able to ride the Sledge again.  The parade went on. Dodimer, the First Year high Queen and Consort,  Hilarion Leysa  join again the parade, walking.

Dodemer, who's a very close  friend,  told me later.  She was really afraid the bamboo sledge will turn over. She said, she prayed. Prayer was often, our way when we do not have control of anything. And prayer changes things.

After finishing 2nd Year high school, I left GSFA. I decided to go to Dumanagas and enrolled at Dumangas High School, for my 3rd and 4th year high school.  Rev. Carvajal introduce me to Dumangas Baptist Church to work as church janitor. I worked there for 2 years, as church janitor. My salary was P10.00 a month. Enough for my Tuition Fees in Dumangas High School and an extra of P2.00 a month for my snacks.  The following year, Dodemer Dofilez, who came from Bantud village, returned to Dumangas and enrolled for her 2nd year high at DHS.  On her 3rd year, he went to Manila and pursued her studies there.  I did not met her again.

Larry Leysa pursued his theological studies. He worked as Pastor, and Evangelist for several years in the country. Then, he and his wife immigrated to Alaska. He pastor  a church in Alaska for years until he retired. Several years he went back to the Philippines were we have sharing on life and our ministry. Every time they came back to Iloilo, we have sharing...we visited them in their home for lunch and they visited us at home also for lunch or supper. The latest of our sharing was May 2018, before they left again for Alaska.

 Rev. Larry Braseleno died many years ago. Also Pastor Antonio Eliquen, who died quite many years ago. They  have very fruitful ministries in churches they worked in Panay.

 Rev. Larry Leysa,  I met about 5 years ago,when  he came back from Alaska, I have not heard anymore. We have no way of  reaching each other.