NORTHWEST
FILIPINO BAPTIST CHURCH
Robbie
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Date:
April 15, 2003 Subject:
Ministry Among the Isneg |
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NTM
missionaries
Vicky and Galen Martin started the work in 1981 but had to leave due
to
insurgent activities in 1983. They were able to come back to the
village in
1997. Basically, it is still a "young" work. |
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Robbie’s Report
The
Cessna plane landed safely on a short airstrip on top of a hill. Gary
Elliott, the pilot maneuvered the plane so well that the one-hour flight was a very pleasant experience
seeing the fantastic view of the dense jungle below of Northern Luzon. When
I got off the plane, there were a group of men, women, and children waiting
to welcome me to their village.
I planned to visit this Isneg village after the conference. This is
the village where Galen and Vicky Martin, Jonathan and Heidi Bamford, and
their new teammate, a single gal Toni Neumann work. Vicky and I agreed to
return with them to the tribe after the conference. Our plans changed when
after Galen’s medical check up in Manila, he was found to have a malignant
growth in his lungs. Their decision was to return to the states ASAP for
immediate medical attention and not even return to the tribe to get some of
their belongings for the trip. The Bamfords are also leaving in May for
their scheduled furlough and so that leaves Toni alone on which she cannot
stay by herself. And now the whole scenario changed and instead of me
staying for three weeks, I was asked to stay for a year to help attend to
the medical needs of the village in their absence. I am staying at the
Martin’s house. It is located just a stone’s throw away from the river.
The same river that I have to cross six times in order to reach the village
from the airstrip. I was put to work right away upon arriving by attending
to a man that sustained wounds to his upper and lower extremities as he was
making a pig’s bomb to catch wild pigs and it blasted prematurely.
It’s
been a week since I came and am starting to establish my daily routine. I
don’t know if there is such a thing as a crash course in learning language
but I am doing that, as I have to learn how to ask people to describe their
symptoms or understand their complaints. I have language study in the
morning with a language helper for two hours, and then visit people at their
home to learn their culture. It is a farming village and most of the men are
busy at their farms. I saw women pounding rice the whole day. Sometimes they
start from six in the morning and ends at six at night. I learned too that
one of their treasured commodities is brown sugar. It is a day’s hike just
to get that. The clinic is open every afternoon including weekends. There
will be more challenges to come and so I covet your prayers.
Prayer
Concern:
1.
For Galen’s condition. Pray that he can be treated early so that he
and Vicky can return to continue the teaching. It is on phase
1.
2.
Pray that Jonathan Bamford will be able to find a man that will
continue to teach. They will fly out of the village on the 24th.
3.
Pray for Toni Neumann as she continues her language acquisition so
that she can start teaching the women and children.
4.
Pray that the people will see Christ in me as I serve them daily at
the clinic.
5.
Pray for smooth adjustment, as I have to learn tribal living. (I have
to learn how to make orders that will last me for three months from food to
personal items.) Supply flights are scheduled.
