MISSION REPORT: Bantinan, Sta Fe, Nueva Vizcaya February 16, 2010
F
This tribe of Kalanguya is spread out in The Partnership
the mountain range from Caranglan in For a while, ride was smooth up to the foot of the mountain where the
the municipalities of Santa Fe, and a In February 6 of this year, DAKILANG PAGIBIG MINISTRY conducted its
wealthier lowland dwellers tended their rice paddies. Mile after mile
portion of Aritao, Ambaguio, and medical mission among the Kalanguya tribe of Bantinan, Sta Fe,
of emerald green paddies lined the road to the mountain while
Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya province. Nueva Vizcaya in partnership with the Video Media Ministries
around us water continuously dropped from numerous falls.
Other Kalanguyas are at the other side Intenational (VMMI), Bantinan Evangelical Church, and the local
of the mountain range covering government unit. The jeeps crossed a couple of rivers and at some point the team
portions portions of San Nicolas and disembarked to allow the jeeps more clearance as they crossed the
This tribe of Kalanguya is San Manuelinin Pangasinan range from
spread out the mountain province, The partnership of Dakilang Pag-ibig Ministries and VMMI is a
dry bed . The team had to walk the rest of the way, casually, they
Caranglan in the municipalities of Santa Fe, and a portion of Aritao, masterful handiwork of God. JR Andres (Dakilang Pagibig Ministry)
then crossed a couple of hanging bridges which most of the experienced
Ambaguio, and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya province. Other Kalanguyas and Darwin Bayani (Vernacular Video Ministries International), both
volunteers have done many times before.
are at the other side of the mountain range covering a portion of heads of their respective ministries humbly serve the Lord in tandem
Aritao, Ambaguio, and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya province. Other in the most remote areas of the Philippines. Mindless of the risks they When the team arrived, the Kalanguyas were waiting. They did not
Kalanguyas are at the other side of the mountain range covering take, their obedience to God’s mandate to share God’s gospel has approach the team immediately but their eyes followed every move as
portions of San Nicolas and San Manuel in Pangasinan province, then become their way of life. the team unloaded. They were patient and quiet, they sat on the
upstream to the municipalities of Buguias and Kabayan in Benguet grounds of the barangay hall, they chewed betel nut, groomed each
The Mission Experience
province then upward to the municipalities of Asipulo and Tinoc, both other and talked in soft voices.
in Ifugao Province. The volunteers of Dakilang Pag-ibig Ministry converged in Baguio and
The production of one such mission requires the cooperation of so
travelled to Aritao through the winding Ambuklao-Vizcaya highway.
Sta Fe is a fourth class municipality comprised of 16 barangays. The many people each contributing an important link to the realization of
Resting for the night at Pastor Danilo Bugtong’s training center, they
Kalanguyas of Bantinan live peacefully with their environment the same purpose. A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, dentists,
were joined by the VMMI volunteers who travelled from Ifugao.
However, like most rural areas in the region, the Kalanguyas living in nurses, pharmacists, other medical apprentices and lay-volunteers
Before dawn the next day, the medical team was up before sunrise
Bantinan are a poor and marginalized group that depend directly on came together to reach out to the less fortunate in the remote area of
and focused on the mission ahead. The team prayed together before Bantinan. There the medical mission team worked alongside the local church.
agriculture and forest associated resources for livelihood. Government
breakfast and were on the road in good time.
strategies to alleviate their economic plight and deliver better health
care continually fail leaving the locals vulnerable to abuses. Medical Team at Work
The assistance of Pastor Bugtong in hosting the medical team the
health care is scarce , while ethnic healing practices thrive and are night prior to medical mission day in Aritao, Pangasinan and The authentic goal of all medical missions is to draw unbelievers to them for
dominated by “spiritistas” or people whom they believe have spiritual organizing transport to thenarrow roads leading to Bantinan was key the purpose of evangelizing. The local Church, Bantinan Evangelical Church,
healing powers. to the smooth delivery of the medical team to the Kalanguyas. Two headed by Pastor Movel Velasco and other local church volunteers were put
sturdy jeeps transported the team to Bantinan. It was a rough dusty to task of informing and inviting the community of Kalanguyas of the medical
ride all the way over unpaved roads and across rivers. mission weeks before the team’s arrival. The church leaders coordinated with
the local government unit in setting up the place for its specific purpose. felt in their hearts. The success of the medical mission was due to hard work,
Offices in the barangay hall were converted to surgical rooms and dental dedication, and commitment of our leaders in Christ, hosts, volunteers,
clinics, office tables were set up under a structure for doctors and patients, donors, medical and non-medical team members. The combination of the
the town hall was cleaned to house the female volunteers and the church for logistic experiences and on-the ground-planning of JR Andres, the forward
the male. Blankets from the neighborhood were gathered for the use of the thinking of the preparation made by VMMI, the effort of the medical
team through the cold night. volunteers, the generosity and hospitality of the local church and the local
barangay made for an incredibly successful mission. The partnership between
The pastoral team evangelized and counseled those who came for
Dakilang Pag-ibig and VMMI has created a model of excellence for future
treatment while the VMMI volunteers distributed vernacular bibles missions in the remote areas of the Philippines. Most importantly the lives of
and served as translators between the Kalanguya and the medical many children and adults, and that of their families have been touched by
mission team. God.
The outstanding performance of the medical team in providing medical
evaluation and service from morning till night provided the pace for the entire
team as everyone worked toward a common goal of sharing God’s goodness
through them.
TOTAL PATIENTS 534
Minor Surgery 27
Dental Service 102
Reading Glasses 115
EVANGELICAL DATA
Counseled 237
Evangelized 70
Prayed to Receive Christ 47
When the sun went down and while the medical team was still at work, the Recommitted to Christ 53
VMMI team set-up the screen for video ministry. People gathered together in
Wants Bible study 53
awe at a movie produced in their language. They were transfixed by the Received a Bible 115
medium and they listened intently at the story of
The kalanguyas were transfixed by the medium and they listened intently at
the story of salvation that unfolded. There were more than 300 viewers who
intently sat through the showing. After the video they left quietly into the
night. It was a busy day for the Lord. The team was rewarded by the joy they