Chapter 18– God Opens My Way to 2nd Year High School

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

My father looked at me. He told me to tell my mother of my plans. He assured me, he would help, 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, my mother made me 2 pairs of trousers and 3 shirts. Then I rode a bus to Barotac Nuevo. I took a jeepney to Dumangas.

I went to Dumangas Baptist Church. My uncle, Rev. Ernesto Carvajal was pastor of the church. I was close to his wife, Mrs. Irene Duco Carvajal. She sometimes visited us in Carles. When Nene Rens came to Cawayan, I went to Dayhagan, Carles a village about 1 ½ kms from home.

Dayhagan was a fishing village. I went there purposely to buy fish for my aunt. I did not buy big fish like cut Tangigue and Bangus. I went and buy "lopoy", "delis" and the smallest fish available. Nene Irens do not eat big fish. I have to look and buy the smallest fish I could find in Dayhagan for her. She does not eat big fish.

This was the first time I visited them in 5 years. I would try to find work in Dumangas. Whatever work I could take so I could enroll in 2nd year high. I felt God will help me. How? I did not know.

I arrived middle of April 1958 in Dumangas. I learned that a 3-day religious service would be held in Dumangas Baptist Church. The Gospel Team from Good Shepherd’s Fold Academy with 15 young people had arrived. They will help in the 3 nights 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 is a graduate of GSFA. They were talented young people. They were orphans.

I learned later that the couple Rev. Philip and Mrs. Rufina Irabon built an orphanage after the war and recruited orphans in Panay and Negros. Their parents were killed during the Japanese- American War in Western Visayas. Some orphans were half-Americans, fathered by American soldiers during World War 2. These orphans were parentless.

The Irabons built an elementary and high school. They called the school, Good Shepherd’s Fold Academy. They will provide needed education for the orphans. The school accepts young people who would like to study in high school as working students.

On first night the Gospel presentation was in form of a Musical Concert with a gospel soloist, a quartet and testimony, followed with an Evagelistic message. The 2nd night they presented a religious drama with music presentation with 2 soloists . On the 3rd night, they have another musical presentation and a movie. Rev. Ernesto Carvajal, church minister and evangelist preached during the three day affair.

It was a well -advertised gospel presentation. Members invited people to attend the affair.

The church was full. The musics was impressively beautiful and the musical concert great. Rev. Carvajal preached a challenging message.

On the second day, Mrs.Rufina 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. There was three 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 would I like to study in GSFA? Where did I study before? What were the works of my parents? Why I stopped? She asked me if I know to work in the rice 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. I will enroll and start my study in 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 4 municipalities. It is between Iloilo and Negros Occidental. It is near Iloilo City. It is 30 minute-ride by sailboat to Buenavista on fair weather. During that time Guimaras was part of the Province of Iloilo.

I rode a bus to Iloilo City. Then, took a jeepney to the pier or parola. The fare was five centavos. From Parola, I rode sailboat to Buenavista, Guimaras. I have my "baul", a trunk with all my clothing. It was 2:00 pm. But the weather was fair. We reached the Pier of Buenavista in 20 minutes. My fare from Iloilo City to Buenavista Guimaras was 50 centavos. Then, I rode a jeepney to Good Shepherds Fold Academy.

Guimaras was a beautiful island. The Lopez family had big landholdings on the island. They had a cement factory, a lime factory and big plantations of different fruit trees on the island. They have two big mansions on the island.

Mother prepared some materials for me to bring: washing soap, pomade and brown sugar. By that time, I did not use bath soaps on our body and face. We used only laundry soap for both clothes and body.

Most soap that time were oil based. There were no detergents. Perla, an oil- based soap was good for bathing. My parents gave me some money for transportation with a little pocket money. In GFSA my daily food would be taken cared of by the orphanage.

I went to Guimaras on 25th of May. On June 8 our classes will begin. During the prayer meeting that evening, Mrs. Irabon introduced me to the teachers, the staff, the orphans and some working students.

I met Rev. Philip Irabon for the first time. He was an orphan who was found and cared for by an American soldier. He was brought to the United States. He did not know his name. He was christened Philip because he came from the Philippines. I did not know how he got his family name, Irabon. He studied in the ministry and became a pastor. After finishing his theological studies, the war broke out between USA and Japan. He was inducted in the US Army and 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 would 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 lands, coconut lands, fish pond and vacant lands in Buenavista, Guimaras and started to build an orphanage. Many orphans were brought by their relatives. They came from different towns of Panay and Negros. It was a ministry that Rev. and Mrs. Irabon dedicated their lives.

Christian organizations from the United States assisted Good Shepherd’s Fold Academy. 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 He was 3rd year high school that time. There were many plants and fruit trees in the orchard of GSFA. I was assigned as assistant to Mr. Vallejera. I help him in caring the orchard. We water the seedlings, marcotted some branches and grafted some seedlings with old stems. It was a delicate but enjoyable work.

Before leaving Carles, I talked to my brother and sisters. My sisters said, they will work 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 get a job, please help me go to high school and college also." It was a long way for my sister to study, dream and work.

At GSFA, we have our orientation. Breakfast will be served at 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Lunch will also be serve at 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. We were assigned our own plates, forks and spoons. We had our own drinking glass. We put these in our assigned part of the kitchen. There were about 350 people at GSFA. These included teachers, staff, group leaders, the orphans and working students. The teachers’ food was prepared in the Staff House.

Mrs. Irabon introduced me also to Florenio Herradura who was working in the pineapple area. A hectare was planted with pineapples. It was growing well and soon, it will bear fruits. We became good friends 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 continues and 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 in Manila, I visited Florenio several time at Union Theological Seminary in Cavite where he studied. We remained close friends. Every Saturday, Mr Vallejera and I went to Karasan, a village in East Valencia where we follow -up the plantation of Simuyaw or Kalamunding owned by Good Shepherds Fold.

Few days after our class has started, three pastors arrived at GSFA. They will also study in high school. They were pastors of churches in Panay. They had finished theological studies at the Convention Baptist Bible School. But they decided to pursue high school studies: Pastor Larry Leysa, Pastor Samuel Brasileno and Tony Eliquin. The three 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 worked early morning in the orchards. Then attend classes at 8:00 a.m. We were in school until 4:00 p.m. Then I worked in the orchard until 6:oo p.m. We had supper at 6:30 p.m. We have our Evening Meditation in the chapel. We had singing, sharing, reflections and prayer for an hour until 7:30. Then we go to the library to study until 10:00 p.m.

When I felt lonely and missed my family at 5:30 p.m. I go up to Oliveth Hills. It was a high winding road going up the hill. At the top of the mountain was a big cross. A good place for reflections and meditation. From the top of the Olivet Hills we could see in the east Negros Island and Bacolod City. On the southwest we could see Iloilo City with thousands of houses dotting the place.

There as the sun goes down, I sing a song at the top of the hill. . A gospel song to strengthen my faith and build my hopes. It a song I learned at GSFA “Just A Little Talk With Jesus:

“I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in

And then a little light from heaven fill my soul

He bath my heart in love and wrote my name above

And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole.

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus

Let us tell Him all about our troubles

He will hear our faintest cry He will answer by and by

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turning

And you know a little fire is burning

You will ind a little talk with Jesus makes it right.”

From the writer of the song.’…….

When darkness fell, we could see hundred thousand flickering lights of Iloilo City and I know thousands of people living there struggling with life. My loneliness slowly disappeared. I go down from Olivet Hills and joined the orphans, work students and staff with fresh hearts and renewed spirits.

One event that stick on my mind was the celebration of our High School Day at GSFA. It was held on February. All the students of GSFA participated. We have different programs. We had contests on dancing, orations. vocal solo and declamation. That was a great day in high school. There was also a beauty contests.

Lovely girls participated. There was a parade. Classes from first year to fourth year participated. All class have their muses and consorts. I was in 2nd year. Marieta Castro was crowned Miss 2nd year high school. I could not remember Miss of 3rd Year and Miss 4th Year and their concorts. That was long ago. Dodemer Dofeliz was Miss First Year high school. Leading the parade with other PMT Officers was Angel Dofeliz, Jr., who was 4th year that time.

All the 3 Beauty Queens and their Consorts rode on vehicles. The Beauty Queen of first year high, rode on a wooden sledge pulled by a carabao.

There were three jeeps with decorations. The Muse of First Year, Dodemer Dofeliz was in a bamboo sledge with carabao. She's a lovely young girl. Petite and slim. A really brown beauty..

Dodemer’s consort was Hilarion Leysa. They rode a well- decorated bamboo sledge with the young carabao. The parade began. The buggles and drums sounded. There were strong blasts 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 the carabao with the sledge cart of first year high school Muse and Consort turn berserk. It could not be controlled any more. It ran very fast. The animal was frightened hearing the bugles and drums. It ran wildly. It did not follow the road where the parade passed. It went down to the side of the road, passing under the trees. It was running fast. Hilarion Leysa jumped out from the sled. He left Dodemer who sat on the floor of the sledge. She crawled’. Then lay down, her face on the floor. She tried 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 sled did not turned over. Dodemer stood up. She still looked terrified. She was not able to ride the sled again. The parade went on. Dodemer, the first year high Queen and consort Hilarion Leysa joined again the parade. They were walking.

Dodemer who was a very close friend told me later. She was afraid the bamboo sled would turn over. She prayed. She said: “Lord, please?! “ Prayer was our only way when we do not have control of anything. Prayer to God changes things!

After finishing 2nd year high school, I left GSFA. I went to Dumangas and enrolled at Dumangas high school for my 3rd and 4th year studies. Rev. Carvajal introduced me to Dumangas Baptist Church to work as church janitor. I worked there for 2 years. My salary was P10.00 a month, enough for my tuition fees. The extra P2.00 a month for my snacks.

The following year Miss Dodemer Dofeliz who came from Bantud, Dumangas returned to her hometown and enrolled for her 2nd year high at DHS. On her 3rd year, she went to Manila and pursued her studies there. I did not meet her again.

Larry Leysa pursued his theological studies. He worked as pastor and evangelist for several years in churches in Pamay. Then, he and his wife immigrated to Alaska. He pastor a Filipino Baptist church in Anchorage, Alaska for years until he retired. Several years later, he went back to Iloilo City with his wife where we have sharing on life, our ministry and future plans.

This year, March 2020, he came back to Iloilo City. We spent time for sharing. He was not with his wife, Mrs. Leysa, as she has difficulties to travel. I have lunch only with Larry Leysa and some more talks. But the coming of Corona 19 and the locked down of Iloilo City and Iloilo Province, did not give us time to share with each other again, until today, May 2, 2020.

We had not met again, even if we were near each other here in Iloilo City. Larry was not able to return to his family in Alaska until May 2020. I was not able to visit him for Seniors Citizens were not allowed to go around.

Rev. Larry Brasileno, who was my friends in high school at Good Shepherd’s Fold Academy died many years ago. Pastor Antonio Elequin also died years ago. They have fruitful ministries in Baptist churches they worked and ministered in Antique and Iloilo.