Monday, April 25, 2011

Tribal Mission By> Ptr. Jesse Amiel Ramoso

Visiting in Mt. Lunotan of Gingoog City a few kilometers from the crash site of Cebu Pacific, there I found one pastor Allan Madronial who faithfully serve as a tribal pastor for almost 6 years. Pastor Allan was one of my Bible study student when I was one of the missionary in Higaonon tribes in this mountain back 15 years ago. He attend Bible study not to learn the word of God but to debate and spy us on what were really doing in their area. He is waiting on us to see the opportunity in order to justify his action of killing, but praise God he cannot. When I was been able to erect one of the church building and help educate kids and people in the area, Allan started seeing the hands of God working in the lives of his fellow people. Unfortunately, God brought me here in Manila for my studies, I didn't witness the life transformation of Allan as our accuser to a follower of God. He committed himself to serve God, the way he saw our sacrifices when we were serving them. He knew personally that some of our supporters on and off to send their financial aid, therefore he knew that we sometimes walk almost 20 kilometers every time we climb the mountain, because we cannot afford to pay transportation. This sacrifices reflected in the life of Allan when he come to know the Lord. He serve the Lord by preaching the gospel and walk same as what we experienced. Allan does not have a proper education in theology, not even finish his high school. Only his advantage is he is able to communicate tribal dialect and has access to speak to Datus and chieftain of the tribes. However, Allan was not that influential man in their tribe because of his situation.

The moment I visited his house, my heart melt to see him leaving in the bush and dependent his food supply from his garden. He owned a portion of land but sad to say he has no finances to tilt it because his money is not enough to help also his church members for medicine and some sorts of emergencies. Allan was left out somewhere in the mountain without somebody help him financially.


When I went down to ask our local pastors and churches why they did not help Allan, their answer was, this not ordinary problem in our church. God is working in this area that there is so much harvest and a few laborers, if there are committed laborers in the Lord they will not survive, if they survive they survive like Allan's situation. We cannot help because in our own church we cannot pay for our own workers and associate pastor due to financial crisis in the area. Most of the members in the church are jobless or income-less if they have job. They work for their land but they don't have harvest.

My initiative was to establish a livelihood program for this poor pastors and members of the church. My family decided to buy fishing boats for livelihood for a few families in Gingoog Bay, I committed my few months salary to help farmers like Allan and his members to finance their seedling and fertilizers. As of now at least Ptr. Allan relieved from his personal burden of where to find his source of income for his family and his church.

I learn that there are almost 20 pastors in this mountains has identical problem like Allan, however I and my family finances are not enough to supply or finance the livelihood for this pastors and members in this mountain. I would like to ask your prayers and help them financially. You can help them financially through enrolling your kids in music with me and 80% of their tuition goes to the ministry., or just give your financial assistance for them. If you want exposure for a mission for this mountain that would be fine, however at this moment this area is currently marked as a red alert area due to NPA and AFP conflict.

I would like to acknowledge and say thank you to Mr. and Mrs Gilbert L. of United Evangelical Church of San Pablo for enrolling their children with me this summer and Ms. Camille T. and to United Evangelical Church of Manila for enrolling their youth ministry to music training with me. The proceeds of this trainings goes to the tribal missionaries or pastors for their livelihood

.

No comments:

Post a Comment