19 years ago, we built the first school in a native village on the island of Mindoro, Philippines.
Prior to this, the natives were denied an education. Even worse, they were programed by the majority population of Tagalog and Visayan, who had moved into the native’s areas, that they were dumb and therefore school was a waste of time for them.
Being already deeply in debt to the “lowlanders” who abused the uneducated natives, and having no reasoning foundation, the native parents did not see any value in education.
The “lowlanders” would say things like, “your children can’t learn. They will be 30 years old and still be in 1st grade.“ Add to this the culture of early arranged marriages and many promising 12, 13 or 14 year old children were forced to quit school and start raising children. Of course, they had no idea of cleanliness, proper diet, early childhood development or parenting responsibilities. We had children raising children.
Persevering through all the negative “chismis”, gossip, we lost many students to this pressure, but in April 2017 we celebrated the first “Katutubo“ native senior high school graduate in the Philippines. Even before she graduated, the word circulated among the villages that “one of theirs” would graduate from a senior high school. Hope and excitement have continued to spread since her graduation and finally the doors of the minds of the natives have started to open.
Many parents are asking if they may enroll their children. Many have experienced that the public schools, built since we began educating the natives, pass their children whether or not they have learned anything, or even have completed the school year. Still, they are promoted to the next grade.
When the parents compare their public school children with our children, the difference is obvious. Not only can our students read with comprehension, do mental math, and converse in English, they also know that there is a loving Creator and they must not be afraid of evil spirits and their cheerful voices are heard singing Christian songs in the villages.
As Christians, we are called to be a light and example, especially when the going gets tough. For many years, teaching in the remote boondocks, we were sheltered from the evil influences of the world. Modern technology has changed all that. With cellphones available for $5, pornography, and the worst Hollywood has to offer, is now available to our elementary students in their remote villages. We teachers and staff accept the challenge and are not bashful to teach the truth about God’s will for His people to maintain purity. In this culture, parents do not speak with their children about maturing, body functions, hormones or sexuality. The parents do not know how to address this onslaught. By default, we become the only ones to fill this vital parental roll. We solicit your prayers as we attempt to fill this void with Christian truths.
Our consistent efforts are finally making an impact on the villages and the result is that our school enrollment is growing. While we are excited that our labor (of love) is finally making a difference, we are also now being pushed to build more classrooms and teacher’s quarters.
Already during this vacation period we have constructed a new classroom in Pinagbayanan, a combination classroom with teacher’s quarters in Agbalite and the building team is today starting to place the trusses on a second classroom, library and teacher’s quarters building also in Agbalite. Likewise in the village of Binuangan we are forced to add another classroom for the 80 students we are anticipating in August.
We are excited that our efforts for the Master are bearing fruit. We are working overtime while we have good weather. The rainy season is very soon coming and we want to have a safe and inviting environment for these animist native students in which to learn about a loving Creator.
We solicit your prayers and lay before you our need for $12,000 for the construction costs. If God speaks to you about His work here, please respond to Laymen Ministries and please specify the Philippine schools projects.
God bless!