As we begin this next chapter of our ministry amongst the Ga’dang people, we could see a number of uncertainties ahead. During our last term, I was able to establish some great relationships with people living in the closest town on the border of our tribal area. Some of those people were a huge blessing to us over and over as they helped us, especially in the early stages when we were setting up our home in the tribe.
During much of our last term, we only had land access to get us and our supplies in, and therefore relied heavily on 2 different groups of people. Our supply buyer, who was based out of the city where the NTM helicopter is, could drive our supplies out to the trail leading into our village. This involved leaving the NTM center at 5 am and driving 2 ½ hours out to this meeting spot. We would hire local Ga’dang guys to go out with their water buffalo and sleds to meet them and bring our supplies from there back into the village.
The other person we relied on a lot was my friend, Elias. Elias is a young Christian man, originally from one of the surrounding tribal areas who now lived and worked in the town located near our tribal area. He owned a small multi-purpose vehicle (aka a multicab) and so his job was to shuttle passengers from one part of town to the other. From very early on, Elias began driving us and/or supplies from town out to the trail leading to our tribal village.
The beauty of having a friend like Elias was that he was always available and had many connections to others. If we needed him to pick us up last minute when we hiked out of the tribe, or needed some supplies taken out to meet the tribal guys and their water buffalos, he would drop everything and do it. If his vehicle wasn’t big enough for our cargo, or if the trail into our village was dry enough to get a vehicle all the way in (it did happen once in while) he always seemed to know of another guy with the appropriate vehicle to do the job.
Elias was committed to helping us in any way he could. So much so, that, if he had someone else bringing our supplies and/or us, he would ride along and accompany them, even though he wouldn’t get paid for any of it. He especially enjoyed it when he was able to ride all the way into the village to visit us. It was his way of being a part of our ministry there with the Ga’dang.
While we were back in Canada for our home assignment this time, some changes happened. First, our supply buyer went home to Australia, as well as several other of our support personnel based at the NTM flight center, leaving a significant hole in man power. The new supply buyer is not able to provide the same service of driving us and/or supplies out to the trail.
Also while we were away, our helipad in the tribe needed to be relocated. In order for our helicopter pilot to be able to fly onto our new helipad, he first needs to be checked out and approved by a senior pilot from the NTM Aviation training center in the U.S. We had plans for this to happen in July, but just last week we were informed that the helicopter is now down for major repairs. It won’t be up and running again for at least 2 to 3 months.
Finally, my friend Elias moved back to his home area, located an hour away from the town he was in before when he was helping us. I lost contact with him while we were in Canada, and he changed cell phone numbers (a very common occurrence here). Needless to say, I had no way to get back in touch with him again.
I’m explaining all this so you can understand how the Lord went before me last week as I made my way into the tribe for the first time since we arrived back in the Philippines 3 weeks ago. My new co-worker, Dennis, and I travelled from Manila, north to the NTM flight center and then I continued over to the town near our tribe on my own. (He would join me the next day.) I wasn’t sure how this was all going to happen or even if we would be able to make it into the tribe. Not having any of our previous set up made it feel like we were starting all over again from scratch.
For those who know me well, this kind of situation can be very intimidating for me to say the least. I am thankful that the Lord helped me recognise this fear immediately and that I needed to give it to Him to work it out, so I did. What followed only could have been orchestrated by Him.
Upon arriving in town, I went straight to the terminal where the ‘mulitcabs’ and drivers gather to get passengers and talked to several of the drivers there about Elias. This is how I found out he had moved away. Unfortunately, I couldn’t convince any of them to help me by taking us out to the trail, so I started asking around to various people I met, including some friends I knew from our time when we lived in this town several years ago.
By the end of the day, I was getting concerned, to say the least about how we were going to get out to the trail. I was exhausted, emotionally, mentally and physically. I went back to my hotel room that night and prayed long and hard about what we should do. Then it happened.
The following morning, I walked out of the hotel and stood by the road, waiting for a jeepney or multicab to pass by so I could catch a ride. I was going to go out and try again, talk to more people and see if I could convince someone to take us out to where we needed to go the next day. I was bracing myself for getting out of my shell and being the kind of person that is really, really difficult for me to be.
As I stood there for a while many vehicles passed by, all of them full of passengers. I was beginning to rethink my plan of how to get to where I was going. Then I sensed something inside me telling me to go over to a group of men with tricycles (motorcycles with sidecars) to talk to them. I knew that mode of transportation wouldn’t work for getting to the trail but maybe they would know someone who did have something.
I approached them and explained my situation, and sure enough, one of them had several friends with vehicles available to hire. So off we went, this tricycle driver and I, to find me a vehicle. After several stops and questioning different people, we ended up at Noni’s house. Noni had a van, which I hadn’t thought of (I was only thinking of jeeps and trucks). He readily agreed to take us the next day and we settled on a reasonable price. Later that night, as I went to bed I half wondered if he would really show up to take us. Oh me of little faith!
With the ride now settled, I was free to inquire about future possibilities and look into finding out exactly where Elias was now living. It was great as I was able to gather information, talk to several others who may be able to help us in the future, and visit with some people I hadn’t seen for a long time. Finally I arrived at the open market in town where I figured I would have the best chance of finding out about Elias’ whereabouts.
Before we left for home assignment, Elias had taken us to this market to meet his wife and new baby. She was working at his aunt’s stall, and so he wanted to introduce us particularly to their new baby, which he named after our own daughter, Jenna Lee. We felt very honoured when he asked me after his daughter was born if he could use Jenna’s name.
So here I am, standing in the market looking around at all the vendors and stalls (there are a lot!), wondering where Elias’ aunt could be. Maybe she didn’t even have a stall here anymore and I wouldn’t find out anything. I prayed a quick prayer asking the Lord to direct me once again and decided I would pick one and then move around, asking if anyone knew of Elias.
I approached the stall where a lady was sitting (I had never actually met Elias’ aunt), and asked if she knew of a guy named Elias So and so, and that I was looking for his aunt who had a stall there in the market. “Oh, of course”, she said, “I’m Elias’ aunt!” Of all the people in the market that day, and all the stalls I could have approached, the Lord directed me right to the one I was looking for!
Come to find out, after we left for home assignment, Elias had changed jobs, but it didn’t work out so he moved back to his home area an hour away in the mountains. I was able to get Elias’ new cell phone number from her as well and I texted him right away to let him know we were back. Later that night he called me up and we had a good time catching up on what’s happening in each other’s lives.
During our conversation I was reminded of how much of a blessing Elias has been to us, and his belief and commitment to helping us in any way he can. “Any time you need help”, he said, “Just let me know and I can get to town within the hour to do what I can do.”
It’s a reminder to me that as missionaries serving the Lord here in the Philippines, we are not alone. His Body is functioning here as well, and there are local members of that Body ready and willing to work alongside us in taking the Gospel message to those who haven’t heard it before. To Him be all the glory!
I enjoy those rare moments that she falls asleep in my arms. She is already sleeping a solid chunk anywhere from 8-11 hrs at night. Plus she naps twice a day for 2 hrs each nap. I am so thankful that she sleeps so well. It has been a huge blessing to me as we get settled back into life back in the Philippines. She is already a TV junky! She loves to watch a movie with the other kids, although not for as long as they do! She is also becoming attached to her pink blanket that she sleeps with. She pulls it up to her face as soon as she gets it in her hands. She has her favourite people, Mom, of course, Dad, Kyle and Hala. I am sure Eli will become a new best friend again when he gets back here. I love getting to know this little person that God has blessed me with!
