FOR
Elementary School, Linggaoa & Barangay Hall, Pipdpd

Dates:  March 17-18, 2006
Venues: Elementary School, Linggaoa & Barangay Hall, Pipdpd
Host Churches: One Hope Ministry Inc. & Nagtenga Baptist Church
Financial Sponsors:  Dakilang Pag-Ibig Medical Evangelical Mission Inc.
                                       Spring Hill Baptist Church, Ruckersville, VA
                                       Calvary Baptist Church, Baguio City

STATISTICS

Note 1: Some evangelism at Linggaoa was done prior to registration, so exact numbers are unavailable.
 
BACKGROUND

One Hope Ministry Inc. is a ministry whose focus is training church planters and evangelists for the Ilocos region of the Philippines. They also do evangelistic events to save souls and plant churches. They sought to expand outreach in Linggaoa and Pidpid. They have trainees from each location who seek to plant churches in these communities.
 
Linggaoa is up a mountain and is only accessible by a steep footpath. During dry season, it can be climbed in about 2 hours. During rainy season, it takes about 3 hours (when accessible at all). Linggaoa has never had a medical mission before and had no electricity at all until last year. They now have a used diesel generator for limit power to a community of about 25 families. They are farmers, but limited access to market makes subsistence difficult. All market products must be carried down the footpath. All high school age children must travel into the lowlands daily for school. Pidpid is far more accessible and has a larger population of over 100 families. It is near the bottom of the mountain that Linggaoa is on and has paved roads to it.   The community is also primarily agricultural, with the cash crop being tobacco.
 
COMMENTS

Linggaoa was the first time we went to a place where there is no vehicle access (we have, previously, gone to places with at least limited access by vehicle). Volunteers from One Hope Ministries helped us carry our medicines and medical supplies.   We were able to reduce our supplies to 6 boxes and carefully distributed each box with tablet and bottle medicines so that each box was not too heavy.  Despite this, the trip was arduous. However. it was very satisfying to all that went. The people there were very needy and very appreciative of our presence.

We divided our team between one group that went to both Linggaoa and Pidpid, and another group that came down on Saturday to help with the Pidpid trip. We also divided the medicines between the two trips. Celia Munson led the first team up the mountain, while Bob Munson and Tito Pineda led the second team that joined the rest in Pidpid. This made the logistics for the trip more complex, but good coordination made the operation smooth.

We had a bit smaller attendance at Pidpid than we expected. However, there are possible causes. First, it was tobacco-harvesting season, so most farming age men did not come. Second, the area has had political issues (with NPA). The number at Linggaoa was, actually, larger than we expected… more than we thought lived in Linggaoa. Overall, the results of the combined trip were good with over 400 treated and over 200 having received Christ.

Pidpid was the first medical evangelistic mission where we utilized clinical massage therapy. We had done a medical mission at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary where massage therapy was done, but that trip was not evangelistic in nature. The Gabiolas, who had helped at PBTS, volunteered to come to Pidpid. The work at Pidpid was well received. In truth, part of the value was to treat the team members who had climbed up and down the mountain to Linggaoa the day before. At both PBTS and Pidpid, the value of this ministry was recognized and it would not be a bad idea to welcome future ministry in this area.

One Hope Ministry did an excellent job in hosting us. They were very active in preparing the mission, providing physical help, leading the evangelism, and feeding and housing our team. They also did the best pre-trip demographic report of any group we have worked with. This was our second partnership with them. The first was at Balbalossa, La Union. That trip has already led to numerous baptisms and the formation of a church group. Future participation with this group should strongly be considered.

Linggaoa has genuine problems with community and livelihood development. We may want to consider them for our community development work. Some things we could consider doing with them include goat farming, a cabling system for supplies, a bio-diesel project, and so forth.
 
THANKS

1.       As always, we thank the sacrifices of our faithful doctors, dentists, and nurses.
2.       Thanks to Pastor Pablo of Nagtenga Baptist Church, and Pastors Abellera and Borja of One Hope Ministry, as well as the whole One Hope Ministry team. The took great care of us and demonstrated greater care for the lost souls of Linggaoa and Pidpid than they did for us.
3.       Our financial sponsors are, as always appreciated. Our partner, Dakilang Pag-Ibig Medical Evangelical Mission was a vital part of the trip. Additional financial support came from Calvary Baptist and Spring Hill Baptist, and Julie Sibucao (via Aquashine Pure Water… a long-standing partner in this ministry). Gifts of money and medicines (to say nothing of time and expertise) make this ministry possible.
4.       Thanks, as always, to all who involve themselves in this ministry. For all that have supported the mission by prayer, time, and money, we are blessed by your sacrifice, and pray that you will likewise be blessed.
 
To God be the Glory,
 
 
Bob Munson
Mission Mobilizer

  Medical Missions 1st QTR Report 2006