The Trail to Kalansan

This is how far our KKP Mangyan Scholars are coming from. Traversing this mountain on a single track trail with a distance of around 12 kilometers everyday just to attend school  would make it very difficult if not impossible for them. The highest point of the ancestral trail reaches 1,521 MASL after the forest Maligaya if coming from Paluan town proper. This is the reason why we have a Mission Center near the school in town.

Not everyone is willing to climb this far to show how much one care. But there’s another way to show it and it by sponsoring a Mangyan child to school. In this way you will help us adopt them in the Mission Center while they are attending school. In their tribe they haven’t seen the meaning of success brought about by education, but you could be their chance to see that breakthrough… to make them believe that there is more to life than poverty and sufferings.

(Video taken by Pastor Ernie last May 2015)

Lead Me Lord

A Little Attention

Picture speaks louder so please allow us to share to you the message.

GOT THE MESSAGE?

For theses kids it’s get a sponsor or go home. Half of them are still at risk of giving up their dreams this SY 2016-17. Send us a message here or email us edvcat@yahoo.com and we will be glad to tell you more about it.

DFCM and the Tribes

In this map we would like to show what God has blessed through DFCM in 17 years. With our Mission Center situated right at the heart of Paluan and two base camps in Pamutusin and in Hinugasan we were able to reach out to six tribal communities of the Iraya Mangyans. Each community, though culturally the same, is unique in its location, economic status, and lifestyle.

The yellow markers are the tribal communities our mission work have reached while the red markers are the base camps we have including our Mission Center. The yellow lines are the trails and routes that connects our Mission Center to the tribal communities. You would notice that 50% of our work is on Mt. Calavite.

Mission Center: Claiming the Promise

A Beautiful Story

January 2009, by the grace of God through Operation Mobilization (OM Philippines) we were able to acquire our very own piece of land in Brgy. Alipaoy, Paluan Occidental Mindoro from Mr. Mamerto Paglikawan. This will be the future site of our DFCM Mission Center and Orphanage where we will continue the ministry to the Iraya Mangyans we have started since 2005. This will also be the new home of the KKP Mangyan Scholars who beforehand were being either entrusted to commissioned homes or being accommodated in rented basements of houses in town just to keep them near the public school where DFCM is sending them.

March 2009, we were able to do the groundbreaking ceremony together with our DFCM Staff, local volunteers, tribal coordinators, our KKP Scholars, some parents and members of the tribal communities. Our mission partner, OM Philippines which was headed by Ptr. Jun Diaz was not about to join the ceremony that time because they were out of the country doing missions.

April 2009, the first phase of building works started through the help of Ptr. JR Torreliza, a local pastor and an experienced builder in town. And in November 2009 we were able to finish the foundation stage and the frameworks of the proposed DFCM Mission Center building.

In January 2010 a very strong typhoon hit the country with its eye passing through the island causing some strong tornado that brought down to the ground what we have started. At this point we were all devastated, our fund were already exhausted and all our stocked materials were washed off and destroyed by the typhoon. We were thinking the building will not rise again, not in the soonest time.

After 2 years of fervent praying while securing our KKP Scholars in temporary setttlements in rented houses in town finally, the Lord has proven once again that His is faithful to His promises. In April 2012 the reconstruction of our Mission Center. This time funding was done through our fund-raising project, PADYAK: Trails for Hope. This fund raiser is a biking activity where Pastor Ernie, our Mission Director, will build mileage on his bicycle by riding across the Philippine archipelago and his covered distance will seek corresponding sponsorship. This special fund-raising project was covered by media particularly by GMA New Network (television) and DZBB (radio).

Watch this video of GMA7 News Network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJjjfoJgAjk

With Padyak: Trails for Hope receiving some support from different places we were able to formally resume construction hoping whatever fund we have raised will be enough to provide decent roofing for our young Mangyan stakeholders.

Today, we are so grateful to God and to all who shared their lives to build the promised DFCM Mission Center. We have finally provided our tribal mission work a secured and permanent base for our holistic tribal operation and a conducive place for all our KKP Mangyan Scholars.

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THE WORK IS NOT YET DONE.  There are a lot more to accomplish to complete the structure and facilities in our Mission Center. We need to install permanent and secured windows, plastering of walls, finishing of comfort rooms, ceilings, electrical layout, cabinets, triple deck beds for the scholars, permanent partition walls with doors, furniture and other fixtures, and more.

YOU ARE BLESSED TO STILL BECOME A PART OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT. All you need to do is to express to us in what way you would want to help and we will definitely appreciate it a lot. Come, let us all be instruments of God’s faithful promise.

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:15-16

Project: Let There Be Light

1 John 1:5-7 

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

In the darkness of the night inside the tribe Pastor Ernie’s attention was caught by the sight of children struggling to work on their home lessons using a flickering kerosene lamp. Though the flame was dim it created a spark in his heart to do something to augment the condition of the kids who are so much willing to study in spite of the predicaments. There came the birth of a special project for the tribe – Project: Let There Be Light.

Pastor Ernie immediately shared the idea of to his good friend Pastor Richard delos Reyes of the Wesleyan Church, and the latter with no second thoughts supported the idea of bringing light in this very remote tribal community which is still deprived from development projects of the government. Through their collaboration a Short Term  Mission (STM) with the young people of Cainta Wesleyan Church was organized with the theme “Let There Be Light” which objective is to help construct an alternative power source facility right at the heart of the community. The facility will be a SOLAR POWERED BATTERY CHARGING STATION.

By God’s grace the FIRST PART of the plan materialized in no time as the Lord used these young people in building a 300 watts Solar Panels with 3 isolated charge controllers and a strong concrete base. It was “bayanihan time” in the tribe as everyone from the mission team and the members of the community enthusiastically took part in the construction stage.

In line with this is to be distributed a “STARTER LIGHTING KITS” to every home which has a 12 volts deep cycle battery, 2 LED bulbs with receptacles, switch, fuse and USB charger.

It was a very emotional moment for the entire tribe as the representatives of each family came forward to receive their starter kits. The very first time they will see their houses amply lighted in the darkness of the night.

The project was a success as we joined hands together in dedicating the solar powered charging station unto the Lord. This station will keep their batteries providing power for lighting up their homes.

Today the facility is serving the community well as we can see every home sustained with lighting every night. With these developments we are going to the SECOND PART, the lighting up of the rocky pathways that connects the houses to the minority school. The “STREET LAMP PROJECT.” These pathways are tough on day and more so at night specially for the children and the elderly. We believe this street lamp project will be as vital as the first part of this project.

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Above is the layout of  the street light that will run through the community of Kalansan. We have done some pegging as markings for the wooden street post where the weatherproof streetlamps will be installed. Below is the breakdown of the project details. Would you like to help make this community better?

For support, kindly message us here or email us at edvcat@yahoo.com

Project: Communal Toilets

The Mangyan people used to be the dominant dwellers of the entire island including the lowlands, but ever since more and more foreign settlers got in and started claiming (if not grabbing) majority of the land area most of the Mangyans were driven to the remote mountains and marshlands. Aside from losing their ancestral lands to the foreign settlers the island’s natural resources like the forests and rivers got abused causing the fast deterioration of vegetation and wildlife. These adverse development throughout the history of the land have affected the lifestyle of the natural inhabitants -they became scavengers in their own land, they became nomads having no permanent domain moving from place to place to survive the day.

Being nomadic, their temporary settlements (haron) developed in them a culture of less desirable hygiene. This common practice in their household have cause epidemic diseases and death. But this hygiene problem was not limited to those Mangyan communities who are still nomadic because even those other communities who were blessed to be awarded with a protected domains under the provision of National Council for Indigenous People (NCIP) and the local government were not able to withdraw themselves from the bad practice.

DFCM have seen the importance of attending to this perilous issue and so we came up with a project to start building communal toilets in those Mangyan communities which have secured dwelling permanency in their ancestral land.

Through our partnership with Pastor Richard delos Reyes and the young people of the Cainta Wesleyan Fellowship we were able to build four (4) toilets strategically located around the Kalansan community.

We would like to thank everyone who shared in this successful community project. Special thanks to the following:

• Ptr. Richard delos Reyes
• Engr. Rey Deang
• CWC Youth and Young Pro’s
• Jasper Velarde
• Ptr. JR Torreliza
• Ptr. Manny Cabcaan
• DFCM Mission Staff
• Kalansan Community

May the good Lord return the favor hundredfold to you and your family.

Ambahan: Photos & Poems

The ambahan is the traditional poetry of the Hanunuo Mangyans of Oriental Mindoro. It is usually written on bamboo in the Surat Mangyan, a centuries-old pre-Spanish script. The syllabic script and the ambahan poetry have complemented each other, contributing to their continued existence today.

 

(Ambahan 102)

Sabi ng isang Mangyan:
Ang wika ko’y pakinggan
Ito ngang kaisipan—
Mabuti ang ‘yong lagay
Ikaw, taga-kapatagan
Kaya taga-baybayan
Tabla ay ilang-ilang
Nagsahig nang mainam
Kaming taga-burulan
Kaya nasa burulan
aming kabihasnan
Sahig ay patpatan
Kugon lang ang bubungan
May taling baling-uway
Datapwa’t ‘to’y pakinggan
H’wag naman kalimutan
Ibon sa may igiban
Bukal itong inuman
Na kay lilim kung tingnan!

 

(Ambahan 13)

Sanhi po ng paglakad
sa kabundukan
Ang bilin po ni Inang
Kay Ama’y kawikaan:
“Pumar’on iho’t tingnan
Kaingin nating hawan
Baka matsi’y lamunan
Baboy ay mag-arumbang”
Akin nang pinuntahan
Kaingin nating hawan
Matsin ay wala naman
Ni baboy na ligaw man
Anu’t aking namasdan
Merong ibong ‘liitan
Sa kainging hinawan
Sa gilid na taniman
Baka bukas nandiyan
Pagdatal ng anihan!

 

(Ambahan 68)

O liyag, aking hirang
Kanina nang lumisan
Galing sa ‘king dingdingan
Palay na inanihan
Akin lang iniwanan
Hinangad kong katuwang
Di basta palay lamang
Sa lakad sa ilog man
Maging sa kaparangan
Kaakbay ko saan man
Kaabay sa higaan!

 

(Ambahan 6)

Noong ako’y muraan
Sanggol na sanggol pa lang
Karga pa sa kandungan
Inuugoy sa duyan
Sa kagagawang duyan
Hinehele ni Nanay
Hindi n’ya iniiwan
Sapo n’ya sa kandungan
O kay gandang nagdaan!
Muli sanang mahimlay
Sa banayad na duyan
Nang tunay kong mamasdan
Paglaki kong kariktan
Kayong taga-baybayan
Maging taga-burulan
Kung maaring puntahan
Pasyalan at pagmasdan
Punong namumukadkad
Alaala kailanman!

 

(Ambahan 3)

Huwag ka ngang umiyak
Hala ka at mapukaw
Pusang-ligaw sa gubat
Ngumiyaw, maghihiyaw
Wala kitang pambugaw
Sibat nati’y nawasak
Gulok nati’y nabingaw!

 

 

(Ambahan 4)

H’wag ka ngang magulo
May laog nanunubok
Mula gubat susugod
Wala kitang panghamok
Sibat nati’y napulpol
Itak ay anong purol!

 

 

 

(Ambahan 198)

Kay liwanag ng buwan
Sa balkunahe’y sinag
Paano naging ganyak
Luningning ay busilak
Kung tao s’yang katulad
Pipigilan kong tiyak
Sa buhok, siya’y hawak
Siguro sa damit man
Pa’no mapipigilan
May buwang nakasinag
Bituing kumikislap
May bundok kinublihan
May hinamugang patag
May tuktok na pinugad.

 

(Ambahan 5)

Anak, ‘wag kang ngumalngal
Hala ka, may bakulaw!
Sa dahilig do’n buhat
Tutuktok sa suliras
Kay tulis ng galamay
Wala kitang pamatay
Tong itak walang saysay
Kinalawang ‘yang sibat!

 

 

(Ambahan 38)

Kawayan sa Marigit
Pag tanaw ko, palapit
Labong pa siyang kay liit
Nang daanan ko pabalik
Siksikan mga tinik
Mainam nang pang-sahig!

 

 

 

(Ambahan 39)

Buli sa may kaingin
Noong s’ya pa’y musmusin
Hindi ko pinapansin
Nang gumulang, pagsapit
Tanggi ko ang lumain
Sariwa kong kukunin
Bayong kong lalalain
Lagi kong sasakbitin!

 

 

(Ambahan 27)

Kinakalong ni Nanay
Kinakandong ni Tatay
Sadya pang kamusmusan
Tunay akong paslit lang
Hangang sa kaingin man
‘Sinasama ni Tatay
Kahit pa utal-utal
Sanggol na walang muwang
Ngunit nang magka-minsan
Lumaki’t magkagulang
Akin namang nalaman
Kay Tatay, kawikaan
Kay Nanay, kasabihan
Malayo mang lakaran
Saan man ang abutan
Kung kasam-an ang datnan
Sila lang ang uwian!

 

(Ambahan 103)

Dampa mo’y kainaman
Bahay n’yo pong gandahan
May dingding na banban
Patukurang kawayan
Kaming nasa bakuran
Kaming taga-burulan
Di dapat paghanapan
Di dapat panghinaan
Wala pong karupukan
Di dapat manghinayang
Dahil masisilayan
Yaong buling gandahan!

 

 

 

Photos by Lens and Beyond (Pastor Ernie)

More on Ambahan at http://mangyan.org/content/introduction-ambahan

Pictures That Paints A Thousand Words

The Great Commission

This may not be the popular side of serving God for this is something the world cannot see and appreciate, this service is never a walk-in-the-park kind of thing, and this does not guarantee any personal gain. When you are out there, you will have to give up the “comfort zone” and there are times you know that there is no one to watch your back except God whom you serve. The people you serve may not be the typical people you will find in the church who are appreciative of your service, and definitely they are people who cannot afford to give back. The hazard level in this field of service is too high that some people call this as “death wish”.

But that is how Jesus Christ himself was with this world. He gave up everything for you and me who cannot give back enough, at times even appreciation we forget to give. He faced and embraced all the hazard of His service till death.

And before leaving He gave a word to those who want to follow Him and be like Him, those who profess to be Christians. Jesus gave the great commission not for His gain but for the grace to the world to live beyond. He set the footsteps, we are called to follow them. Will you?

THIS IS TRIBAL MISSIONS.

“And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.”

Luke 6:33