This page was last updated on: June 20, 2011
For Thursday, George (Jimmy) P_______ had planned a visit to Upper Pojaan (pronounced Posnan), a remote village accessible by a long steep hike. We left Potia about 8:00 am taking a truck as far as we could go. After a two hour climb we reached the home of sister Caredad Paceraba's father at Lower Pojaan. We took a rest and refreshments, and then proceeded to the "Upper"level. About an hour and a half later we arrived and had lunch. Part of the meal was wild chicken which had been "called" and trapped. Later in the afternoon we left for the house where we would spend the night after a Bible lesson. A 36 year old Spiritist, Elino, engaged in a discussion with George which lasted past midnight. He was baptized on Saturday afternoon. (George thinks Lino is a potential leader.) There are now 11 members who live in the mountain area, and separate services will be held here by young men whom George has trained as well as by George personally. (George now has a horse to facilitate the mountain climb. Old Union congregation in Castalian Springs, TN gave $300 for the horse, and I carried the money to him.) As we returned to Potia on Friday morning, my knees were in such severe pain that I could hardly walk. After I rested, I was OK, but I honestly had wondered if I would be permanently crippled. George said the elevation of the mountains in the area is about 7000 feet, but it was the longest 7000 feet I ever experienced! On Saturday afternoon three visiting youth, George (20), Darwin (14), and Ryan (19) from Munoz, near San Jose City in Nueva Ecija were baptized. The San Jose group of 9 had 7 "seekers" in it. The other four seekers said they were almost ready to obey the gospel, but needed further study with their preacher, Lito Batoon. At the same time, Elino (mentioned above) and two more young men from Potia were baptized. This made a total of 101 baptisms in the Potia area in exactly one year, mostly due to the teaching of George P_______. Also, the congregation (which was only a year old during my visit) installed elders and deacons while I was there. George, along with two other men, were appointed as elders at Potia on May 25. One of the deacons was the first new convert in the area when Daton Palitayan and I had preached in May 1996. All the new leaders had been through intensive training for their spiritual work. George is a tireless worker. Up early in the morning, he will teach face to face until past midnight if necessary. He is one of the best I have ever seen at making the best of an opportunity. The first members at Upper Pojaan were converted after an all-night Bible study/debate between George and the Spiritists. The Spiritists are Pentecostals who believe that the Holy Spirit directs them to open their Bibles to the place to be studied. They also believe strongly in miraculous healing today. George gently but firmly annihilated the arguments of Elino. (I saw him do the same later at Nagbukel. He helped with a teaching service there, and followed up a baptism with personal study with a bright young lady who has served as a "pastor" of a Baptist group. He took her arguments and gently led her much closer to obedience.) Brother George must get regular support. If not, the church in the whole area will suffer. He can be a resource to other less experienced preachers. He is a motivator and trainer of youth. Three young men, baptized this past year will represent Potia, studying at the preacher training school in Manila. In addition, in less than a year George has small children sight-reading music and loving to sing. He will teach morals and values at Namilligan High School, and the local college, Ifugao State, will use him for the same course as well as a speech course. He retired as a national police officer in order to return to preaching, and his skills are greatly respected in the area. To close out the report of the baptisms: I went to Nagbukel, San Isidro, in Isabela Monday. Despite rain and wind which came under a tarp/tent, over 35 were present. At the close of the lesson and George's "local dialect" summary two responded to the invitation. One, Dennis, is the son of a lady I baptized last year. The other is Gabriel, 45, the father of three. He was hesitant about responding, because (if I understood correctly) it was his first time to hear the gospel. He was moved by the lesson, a study of Biblical repentance and how it fits in the plan of salvation. Besides those who were almost persuaded and the one stopped by her father, this tour has resulted in 23 baptisms. The local brethren have planted, I watered, and God has given the increase. I make no claims for my efforts, but the people in these areas are thirsting for truth. The errors of Catholicism, Iglesia ni Christo (founded by Felix Manalo), and various strange denominations are so obvious that those who hear will obey in large numbers. But we are so undermanned, underfunded, and poorly equipped with buildings, supplies, etc. that the results are unnecessarily hampered. Many brethren who preach have great privation. I visited the home of Rudolfo (Rudy) Abaya, a tiny man who preaches at Nagbukel, and lives in Santiago City. He lives in a very small place in which I could not stand erect. His wife is a polio victim who can only scoot on the floor. He has no income except what he can make recycling cans picked up off the street and a little help from brother RogelioBarroga, the native preacher who trained him. He was converted from the Iglesia group, and has a beautifully resonant speaking voice. When he speaks of the needs at Nagbukel, he would like to move there so he would not have to leave his wife for long periods of time. But his primary concerns are his lack of teaching and study materials, as well as a meeting place. They have a building lot, purchased by brother Limbawan, but no funds to build. There are about 20 members there, meeting in a home. Rudy says they cannot grow much more without a place to meet.
This is the story, with variations, almost everywhere I visited. Willing, intelligent, trained workers cannot get enough support to maintain a decent living condition, and churches do not even have enough songbooks of the same type for the congregation, nor tracts and other materials. Potia has erected (beside sister Paceraba's house) a log/bamboo shelter with a grass roof that will seat about 100, but it is intended for children's class and they hope to purchase a lot owned by a member. The lot is a nice one with banana trees that would produce income, and the member is willing to donate half the lot if the church can get 60,000 Pesos for the other half. I am told that the entire plot is worth at least 200,000 Pesos or about $8000. Pesos are worth about 4 cents U.S. so the P60,000 would be about $2400.
Due to a fall, I was told by a doctor that my return to the USA would be delayed a week. I slipped and fell down the stairs at Adrian's house early Tuesday morning, suffering a severe injury, but no known fractures. That's what I get for getting off dirt and bamboo floors and back to civilization's modern conveniences! By the way, the doctor charged $16 including an injection. Physical therapy was $4. Two Xrays were $15. What would that cost in the US??? My custom fitted supporting girdle cost about $20.
The preachers I mentioned are doing great work. Several congregations supporting a wonderful Christian couple, the Limbawans, and the brethren at Fairfield (David Quidem), and New Zion (Quirino Agpaoa) can be justly happy with the men and works they are supporting. George P_______ has partial support from Stroudsville. I only wish we could find a few more churches or individuals who would help support other men and provide needed supplies. If you know a good source of help, please contact me by e-mail.
Postscript: Since the above was written, changes have come to several people mentioned above. Adrian has died. Fairfield congregation supported two other men in addition to brother Quidem until 2004. Brother George P. decided to leave the mainstream congregations to advocate the use of only one container for the fruit of the vine in the Lord's Supper. The work of the Lord has been expanded in several places and good things continue to be reported by the brethren who continue to preach the pure gospel.
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A Mountain Home -- Upper Pojaan, Ifugao
One of my interests is Philippine evangelism. Here is a report on a trip which I made in May 1997. The article was written as a report to other Christians. Some names have been deleted or truncated for privacy reasons. Some details have been revised or updated for clarity. Some of those mentioned are as of this date, 2005, no longer walking in the pathway of truth as I understand it to be. Ken Thomas
The Philippine brethren had already sown, I watered, and God gave the increase. On May 9 Adrian Limbawan and I returned to the E____'s home in Watac (Pangasinan) where a mother and daughter had been baptized last year. After a brief study a married daughter with three children and a son age 12 were baptized. On May 11 I baptized two teenaged girls who had attended a young people's fellowship at Bayaoas in Pangasinan. My return visit in Bayaoas was very gratifying, as the brethren there now have a finished building and a regular preacher, David Quidem, who is supported by Fairfield (Bedford County,TN). Later that afternoon we went to Anuyao West where we baptized an elderly man and wife (age 76), a 15 year old girl (J) whose parents are Christians, and a 15 year old male World Bible School student. On May 13 we returned to this place to baptize the teenaged brother of (J). Brother E. and Adrian have just begun this new work. The little children gathered to sing several hours before the service began, but many of them were quickly taken home due to a noisy, family disturbance across the street, just as we were beginning the service. This pictures a group which had gathered in Naguilayan one year before the events described below.
Erning Loquaio is in the blue shirt (right side). I am standing in the back (white shirt).
After a Bible study in Naguilayan where a small congregation was started within the past year, Jennifer, age 14, and Alma , the 18 year-old daughter of one of the first converts last year, indicated the desire to be baptized. (Adrian and Erning Loquaio established this work.) D.F., a 23 year-old member of an "anti" congregation in ______, had been visited earlier in the day, and had gone with us to the Bible class. (He had been told that baptism was only valid if in a stream or swimming pool, not in the ocean! He was so impressed by the love and commitment to truth that we showed, that he realized that he had been misled. He said he had already considered leaving his congregation due to discouragement, but was totally unaware that he had many nearby brethren who were committed to truth. He had heard that other churches were "liberal" and was afraid of them. We proved that to be faithful did not require harsh judgment and lack of love for brethren. We may be able to change attitudes in that congregation. DF's brother had already contacted one of the area preachers about his own dissatisfaction. By May 18 Adrian and I had traveled it to Bubug in the province of Isabela, crossing the mighty Cagayan River on a ferryboat. The preacher there is Quirino Agpaoa, a graduate of a four year course in a Christian Church seminary. He is trying to steer the congregation he established after graduation to be a faithful church, but his former associates in the Christian church are trying to seduce him to a good paying job with a church of 250 members (Christian Church). He refused to come, and now they are telling him the church of Christ will desert him in a few months. It reminds me of the time Nehemiah dealt with his opposition. Quirino still has opposition inside the Bubug church, including an elder, so he is walking a tightrope. He is prepared to leave and establish another congregation if division is inevitable, but for now they are operating as a "non- instrumental" congregation. Although I was only able to preach on Sunday morning, three responded to be baptized. Two ladies, ages 36 and 32, were baptized in the wide Cagayan River. "AA", a 14 year old girl was forbidden by her father to be baptized. A follow-up visit on Monday resulted in his explaining that he did not understand when he became a member of the Wesleyan Church. We taught him a lesson on "Obeying the Gospel," and he gave consent for his daughter to be baptized. (He also will probably obey.) Another home visit resulted in the restoration of a 25-year old father of two whose wife is Catholic. Referring to the familiar power failures the Philippine people cope with regularly, he said he had experienced spiritual "brown-out"! Under the circumstances, brother Agpaoa is doing well, though he needs reference books and teaching materials. (He also is dealing with his house being destroyed by termites and he needs to repair or build new.) On Tuesday May 20 we took a day of sight-seeing at the eighth wonder of the world, the Banue Rice Terraces. What an awesome sight, to see rice terraces carved out of rocky mountains, a process that has continued for over 3000 years. This is the home of the Ifugao people, remembered for their colorful clothes, their ritual dances, and a history of "headhunting." I think they have stopped that since tourism has come to the mountains! On Wednesday we made contact in Potia, ready to begin services on Friday. Several area preachers and youth came to share in a youth fellowship /gospel meeting combination.. This pictures a group which had gathered in Naguilayan one year before the events described below.
Erning Loquaio is in the blue shirt (right side). I am standing in the back (white shirt).
After a Bible study in Naguilayan where a small congregation was started within the past year, Jennifer, age 14, and Alma , the 18 year-old daughter of one of the first converts last year, indicated the desire to be baptized. (Adrian and Erning Loquaio established this work.) D.F., a 23 year-old member of an "anti" congregation in ______, had been visited earlier in the day, and had gone with us to the Bible class. (He had been told that baptism was only valid if in a stream or swimming pool, not in the ocean! He was so impressed by the love and commitment to truth that we showed, that he realized that he had been misled. He said he had already considered leaving his congregation due to discouragement, but was totally unaware that he had many nearby brethren who were committed to truth. He had heard that other churches were "liberal" and was afraid of them. We proved that to be faithful did not require harsh judgment and lack of love for brethren. We may be able to change attitudes in that congregation. DF's brother had already contacted one of the area preachers about his own dissatisfaction. By May 18 Adrian and I had traveled it to Bubug in the province of Isabela, crossing the mighty Cagayan River on a ferryboat. The preacher there is Quirino Agpaoa, a graduate of a four year course in a Christian Church seminary. He is trying to steer the congregation he established after graduation to be a faithful church, but his former associates in the Christian church are trying to seduce him to a good paying job with a church of 250 members (Christian Church). He refused to come, and now they are telling him the church of Christ will desert him in a few months. It reminds me of the time Nehemiah dealt with his opposition. Quirino still has opposition inside the Bubug church, including an elder, so he is walking a tightrope. He is prepared to leave and establish another congregation if division is inevitable, but for now they are operating as a "non- instrumental" congregation. Although I was only able to preach on Sunday morning, three responded to be baptized. Two ladies, ages 36 and 32, were baptized in the wide Cagayan River. "AA", a 14 year old girl was forbidden by her father to be baptized. A follow-up visit on Monday resulted in his explaining that he did not understand when he became a member of the Wesleyan Church. We taught him a lesson on "Obeying the Gospel," and he gave consent for his daughter to be baptized. (He also will probably obey.) Another home visit resulted in the restoration of a 25-year old father of two whose wife is Catholic. Referring to the familiar power failures the Philippine people cope with regularly, he said he had experienced spiritual "brown-out"! Under the circumstances, brother Agpaoa is doing well, though he needs reference books and teaching materials. (He also is dealing with his house being destroyed by termites and he needs to repair or build new.) On Tuesday May 20 we took a day of sight-seeing at the eighth wonder of the world, the Banue Rice Terraces. What an awesome sight, to see rice terraces carved out of rocky mountains, a process that has continued for over 3000 years. This is the home of the Ifugao people, remembered for their colorful clothes, their ritual dances, and a history of "headhunting." I think they have stopped that since tourism has come to the mountains! On Wednesday we made contact in Potia, ready to begin services on Friday. Several area preachers and youth came to share in a youth fellowship /gospel meeting combination.. Mission Work in the Philippines
