JESUIT NOVITIATE: MISSION TRIALS 1999
by Frank Savadera, SJ
February 21, 1999 (Sunday) – MISSION TRIALS
I tagged along with Father Mat again today for the regular Sunday services. For our first stop, we returned to Cabuluhan. I’m back to my adopted barrio. “Kamusta na kayo,” I had to asked everyone again. People were once again very accommodating. This soon, they already treat me as a family member. Oh … how much I see the Kingdom of God
Second stop: to Mandaing where we met local folks Nida, Boy et al. After mass, Father Mat had to leave us for a while. He had no time to eat the prepared food. We had to eat the food for him. Tsk! Afterwhich, we needed to proceed to Crossing-Cabuluhan on our own. And we did. Karel, Chris and myself didn't bother to take off our soutanes. What a sight to behold … young Jesuits walking on dusty roads, bordered by corn and rice plantations! It was a truly warm and ‘hot’ way to evangelize. We arrived in Crossing-Cabuluhan in time for the consecration. After the mass, we were introduced again. We ate again. Teacher Adela from the high-school introduced her husband Rudy. Kuya Terio introduced as well, his family. After all the socials … we were back to the poblacion. We rested the morning away. Rest … rest … rest.
Since there’s nothing much to do in the afternoon, why not have our SDs with Father Mat. We were very sure he was inclined to accept our suggestion … being the longest serving novice master at Sacred Heart Novitiate. True enough, he obliged. Karel, Chris and myself took our turns. We had our talk in his hut, a few meters away from the convento. The place was quite simple. If not for the small chapel adjacent to Father Mat's quarters, the place can pass for any ordinary barrio residence. “What must I discuss with Father Mat?” I was asking myself. This time, perhaps, I needed to deal with my over-optimism. I couldn’t be all-positive at all times. There must be something wrong with me. “Is there, Father?,” I asked. Father Mat’s answer was quite simple. I was lucky, he said, for keeping a very positive outlook. Nevertheless, the good father suggests that I reflect deeply on the things that frsutrate me, the things that make me sad. He was just worried that I may simply be shoving these things under the rug. Hmmm … perhaps he was true.
Shortly, before dinner … a commotion ensued. The family of Salty arrived. Hmmm ... All the way from Manila
I had a worthwhile talk with Salty today about novitiate life. Vic Baltazar, who was with us since a couple of days ago left for Zamboanga today.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 22, 1999 – (Monday) – Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter – MISSION TRIALS
It’s Chris and Salty’s birthday. What a treat! The day starts at 3:00AM when the kids of the convento woke us up for Chris’ mananita. Chris was touched not to mention surprised … yet we were all sure that this was simply a front act to a main show that was to come. True enough, in a few minutes people from the barrios started trickling in. There must be over a dozen of them, carrying banners, candles and flowers. No one would think that they all came from kilometers away. Everyone trooped down quietly to Salty’s kubo a few meters away from the convento. What a magnificent site! A mass of people covered the whole backyard with lit candles that moved around like fireflies at dawn. In the barrios, people truly love their priests. This is an expression of that love. The barrios become one community in gatherings such as this.
Singing ensued waking up the birthday celebrant who was more than surprised to see the big crowd that gathered. The women brought with them flower offerings, as well. Salty expressed his heart-felt appreciation and as soon as the first traces of the sun appeared, mass with everybody was offered. Afterwhich, simple breakfast was served. The big feast came during lunch time when lechon from the different barrios were brought in. The celebration was just in time for the alagad meeting that was in progress. Edna and the Datu from Calacapan were around in their traditional costumes (very colorful indeed). Kuya Tony and the entire Cabuluhan parish staff were also around. We didn’t waste time and took a lot of photos. Today, I was also formally introduced to Rudy of Anlugan and his wife Maria Paz. I’ll be staying in their house for a whole week next week.
Dot and Oliver together with Father Bong and Hermes likewise joined the celebration in the evening. Whew! We haven’t run out of food. More lechon were coming in from all over. It was a tiring yet fullfilling day … a day of celebration with community. I think, we no longer have much of these types of gatherings in urban and more sophisticated parishes these days. What a loss! More firendships … not to mention a strenghtening of the faith happens in community gatherings like this.
Other visitors for the day: Cenacle sisters Bubbles and Gemma.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 23, 1999 (Tuesday) – MISSION TRIALS
Whew! We had double breakfast today. After finishing our breakfast in the convento, Mrs. de la Rama (Salty’s mother) came in to inform of the breakfast they prepared in the Ursuline sisters’ convent. Food was for 25 people. It would be a waste if we don’t go, she said. We had no choice but to oblige. Eat! Eat! Eat! My stomach was so heavy when we left for San Vicente. Salty and his dad tagged along with us. Again, we crossed another hanging bridge. From the Pulangi River
A banner welcomed the celebrant upon arrival at San Vicente. It read: “Belated Happy Birthday to Rev. Fr. Salty.” Children showered Salty with flowers as he made his way to the altar of the St. Michael’s parish. It was such a joyful, not to mention colorful sight. The community seemed to be in full attendance with Manong Rogel, Judith, Erlinda, etc. As usual, there was food after mass. The ‘chicken’ seemed to like ‘adobong tandang.’ The meat was tough. Buko was also a delight but wait a minute, Frank … hinay hinay lang. I’m full already from breakfast.
“Gutom ang mga bata,” Karel says as the kids obviously gobbled up quickly the left over food. Hmmm … Karel was here in this place for his first parish exposure. He thought of the community as very poor. Ahh … this was the place where Karel reportedly would take a bath in the public water reservoirs in the mornings. Public baths like these are more convenient than the privately owned ones. People are indeed poor in this place. Yet today, they seemed to have taken the extra mile to give their priest a treat. What an irony!
On our way home, we rested near the banks of the Pulangi. It was a time for Salty and dad to bond together. They drove the pick-up closest to the stream to give it a ‘bath’ of sorts. They too took a dip. I was just watching them. I couldn’t remember the last time I had something like this with tatay. I was just watching them. Salty’s dad came all the way from Manila
Dinner was again served courtesy of the de la Rama cook at the Ursulines. Pochero in this part of the world was more than a treat … it was a taste of heaven.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 24, 1999 (Wednesday) – MISSION TRIALS
Today, we’re off to Saloringan. The place is a 3-hour up-hill climb from San Vicente. Manong Rogel, Father Rich, Alex and Boni were with us. Some 20 families greeted our party. The tribe was still very superstitious. They already abandoned their original village because of a plague, what they thought of as a curse. The people are still animists. They have these special makeshift altars where they offer eggs and rice to the deities. Malaria was sweeping the area. The people relied on their simple faith.
While walking, I also had an intimate chat with Boni. He talked about becoming a priest … a diocesan. But the vocation is only for the rich, for those who can only afford, he says. How must I prove Boni wrong … when I myself don’t know what priesthood is at this point in my life? All I can say was that the vocation is a gift. You should pray for the gift, I told Boni.
In Saloringan, we met up with Datu Man Angel. His wife died of malaria in the village. There’s no hospital in the area. The tribe has no protection against killer diseases. They simply wait for people to die. They naturally grieve … but do they take all these as a part of life?
In my broken Bisaya, I was asking the men about the ‘magahats.’ Amongst themselves, the tribesmen harbor assasins. The magahats protect the village from intruders and unwanted guests. They wouldn’t tell us who the magahats are but I can almost be sure that some of them were just right in front of me. The early missionaries in the area had had good relations with these folks. We need not fear the magahats, I was assuring myself.
The next settlement area called Mapantaw was a more developed one. Their members consists of dumagats who intermarried with the lumads. Among them were Jojo, Willy, Linda et al. Again, their place was on top of a hill where one can see a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. At the center of the village is a huge community center (a big open hut), more like a town gazeebo of sorts where people sat around. It was at this time when the rains fell. What a refreshing breeze for everyone … for both lumads and non-lumads.
On our way home, I notice the footmarks on the ground. These are my own. I was trodding on these same path earlier in the day. It’s almost sunset yet the tracks remained here despite the rain. Over these entire trail, I’ve made marks pointing opposite directions. I’ve come full circle. Now, I’m going home.
