The Medical Mission

Friday we went North West of Baguio City into the Mountain Province.  It was only three hours away, over ruff terrain and thin bumpy roads, but breath taking all the same.  Once we arrived the medical team, church members, and the rest of us, split up into four small groups to invite the village to the film showing that evening….(One would think a village is a very small row of huts centrally located…but one would be wrong….this “village” was spread out over and entire mountain landscape.)  I was waited down with my camera equipment…and the adventure began!

Friday we went North West of Baguio City into the Mountain Province.  It was only three hours away, over ruff terrain and thin bumpy roads, but breath taking all the same.  Once we arrived the medical team, church members, and the rest of us, split up into four small groups to invite the village to the film showing that evening….(One would think a village is a very small row of huts centrally located…but one would be wrong….this “village” was spread out over and entire mountain landscape.)  I was waited down with my camera equipment…and the adventure began!

My group was lead by a handful of local woman, three of which were elderly…those little woman headed straight up the mountain, with umbrellas in hand, leading the rest of us to evangelizes the scattered homes among the mountains steep slopes and invite the locals to the film showing and encourage them to come to the medical mission the next day…we dodged snare traps along the narrow jungle paths, navigated foot bridges, hiked ridge backs, chatted with resistant indigenous people, giggled with curious children, prayed with the sick, ate sticky rice in banana leaves hot off the fire from a generous aged woman, we kept our stride, pausing only to speak with those along our way...in fact, we climbed so high, the HUGE adjacent mountain, no longer seemed big because we were eye to eye with it.  Finally after several hours, wondering the landscape, through rice patty’s, dodging caribou, and “collecting” inquisitive children we made our way down a foot path in the total blackness of the night, to be picked up by a truck, and carried back up the mountain to a film showing.  On our way down the constantly zig zaging trail, Pastor Fred, (a jokester) pulled out his cell phone to use as a very dim flash light…his phone kept playing the wedding march…over and over again…which was hilarious.... because we were in the middle of the jungle, in pitch black night, trying not to fall to our death, head first into the steep unknown, with a couple of cell phones to “guide” our way!  It must of sounded comical to be anyone or “anything” else in the jungle besides us, over hearing the calamity that was coming down the mountain.  We made it to the road, caught a truck back up the mountain pass, and made it to the film showing on time.

Here are a few pictures of the landscape, children, and people, a long our way.

More to come soon. This is only a taste of the rest of the adventure.  I’m in Manila, now, after riding 8 hours, off and on, today…It’s super late in the night/morning…. I’m exhausted…. Getting ready to come home!!!

I will miss this place…but I am looking forward to home!

KEEP PRAYING!!!

In His Grip,

Deric

LIGHTS...CAMERA....ACTION!!!

Yesterday was a fun day of actually getting behind the camera, acting, shooting, sound, camera movements, and a "HUGE" exercise in what not to do!  We had a blast!  

We're heading to a village today...talk to you soon.

PRAISE GOD THE WORKSHOP WENT WELL!!!

It's official, my first day of training went well!!!  Everyone seemed to enjoy them selves!
I gave a devotion in the morning on surrounding each other in love, picking each other up in Christ, and carrying each other to Christ. (Mark 2:2-12)

I went over composition, light, white balance, exposure, sound, and some camera moves...we walked up the hill to the market and "mingled" among the shops and shot some video, practicing hands on camera movements and lighting with a reflector.  They had a blast!

We watched a few things I've shot and discussed the how and why's.  Tomorrow will be a full day of using editing software, Final Cut Pro.  Thursday we will spend the day out and about, revisiting and applying what we've learned with cameras and lighting.

Thank you for your prayers...all is well.

Keep praying!  Love ya...

Deric

(Below are pictures of me training for those that actually wanted me to prove i'm here, since I'm always on the other side of the camera :)

Above:  The beautiful smiling girls is a picture i took of Darwin's girls he put on his laptop already:)

CMI (Church Mobilization Initiative)

Two days ago, Saturday, was spent at Darwin's house...that's the VVM (Vonaculare Video Ministry) office.  It was a day of praying for each other and individual ours provisions, reports from the field, fellowship, and food.  We didn't branch out and go anywhere...in fact we stayed put for about 13 hours...it was a VERY long day.

What stood out to me the most on Friday was, Danny, one of the Pastor's in the group of ten, asked curiously, "It's great that we get to mobilize and plant churches and have film showings here in the Philippines and disciple many in the name of Christ...We are thankful to our brothers and sisters in the United States for their partnership and sponsoring projects...but how does Church Mobilization Initiative effect those people there in the States?  How does the people giving there, effect them?  It is great to bring all of the Philippines to Christ but it's no good if the States aren't able to mobilize and grow too...are we to reach ALL of the Philippines and then go to the States and spread the gospel there?  We will send the Palawan guys!"  (The Palawan guys are HIGHLY MOTIVATED because no one has ever helped them before or giving Palawan much attention and now that they have partnered with VVM, and finally have a few resources, they are very passionate about spreading the gospel across Palawan...)  Everyone laughed.

This statement stood out to me more than anything that was shared yesterday!  It really made an impression on me...it stuck in my crawl...haunted me...

"How does Church Mobilization Initiative affect back home?  How does giving to projects here, affect us back home? "

The answer is.....few know about it.....hopefully that will change soon.

Yesterday, we went with Darwin and his beautiful family's church.  We enjoyed a wonderful sermon and worship in a much more modern setting than we spent in the villages.  We came back to Darwin's home and had homemade "American Beef Stew", made by Colin the night before...it was very good!  And yes, we had rice on the side!  (Rice is served with every meal here, including breakfast.)  Pong, One of the younger Pastors escorted Jared and I into the into the downtown Baguio area...we took a "Jeep-nee" for the cultural experience.  (Jeep-nee's are the fancy jeep bus's you've seen in my pics.)  You can view the latest Baguio pictures on Facebook...I wanted to document the mayhem that is Baguio.  It's absolutely insane!  Then we met Darwin, his family, Colin, Darwin's Pastor, Worship Leader, some Elders, and their families at a bowling alley......Jared and I sat it out on the sidelines.....we we're tired and enjoyed the story's Pastor Pong had to share about his mission work across Asia for the last ten years or so...

Today we officially started the workshops....a local, Jona, who is a film festival winner slash film instructor in manila.  He is teaching on screenplay writing.  Tomorrow is my day to teach in the afternoon.....I'm still not sure what all I will share with the group.  Please pray for tomorrow, which will be when you go to bed this evening, will go smoothly and be we'll received!

Thanks....Love ya!  Keep pray'n!

In His Grip,
Deric Cook

THE NOSE BLEED SECTION

We are seven thousand and some feet in the air.  Baguio City is the summer capital for the Filipino government because of it's famous moderate weather.  Today has been no exception...it's been a perfectly sunny and cool Spring day here in the sky!   We are staying in at APTS (Asian Pacific Theological Seminary an Assembly of God College.)  It's quite nice...it has a shower and drinkable water...something we take for granted back home.  Baguio is built on the sides and tops of several mountains ranges that are  link together by the 300 thousand people that scurry around through the steep streets.  We have an incredible view from our nose bleed section at APTS...it truly is stunning.

This is the same view just from Darwin's house.

Today consisted of a morning bible study and prayer time, a wonderful lunch at Darwin's house, and exploring the steep terrain shopping for Carrie, Mom, and the kids.  It's been very pleasant today!  We even explored the center of downtown Baguio...I now know the definition of MAYHEM!!!  I'm not going to try and explain...hopefully I'll take some pics and put them up soon and let the pics do the talk'n.

Love ya'll!!!  Keep praying!!!  Your prayers have kept me safe thus far...(there was a bus bombing in Manila the day we arrived, a flash flood after we passed through a town a few days ago, and we dodged rebels attacking relief workers aiding the villagers of the same town we passed through...the rebels killed a couple of police officers and took another...)  So, your prayers are coveted and appreciated!!!

The workshop will be officially starting Monday morning......please pray God grants me knowledge to share with this whole new lot.  Sometimes the language barrier is challenging.  I'm still not overly sure what I'm supposed to teach.....so, please, pray wisdom hits me on the head.

In His Grip,
Deric

Baguio City

We have had a very long and uneventful day. We got up at 4am, went to the airport, caught the 7:30 plane heading to Manila, landed a couple of hours later, caught a taxi to the bus station and got there just in the nick of time to catch a bus at 10:10am heading to Baguio…7 hours and 30 minutes later, we were in Baguio...we are all exhausted from all the none stop traveling and long days. 

We are safe and about to pass out.  Tomorrow will be a relaxed day of getting reading for the up coming work shops next week.  Thank you for your prayers and keep praying…….especially for my family I’ve left behind…they are going for round two of the flu.

If you haven’t seen the new pictures online…..go to my profile on facebook and check out some of the photos that have been shot since I’ve been here.  I’m uploading some more as we speak…so come back and visit the pics.

Love ya!

In His Grip,

Deric Cook

TIME TRAVEL

On Sunday we went to a church two and a half hours from Davao somewhere in the mountains in the middle of “banana plantation” country.  We were surrounded by, row after row, of large banana trees, snaking our way through the banana groves on a bumpy dirt road heading to church.  Upon our arrival we were greeted by loads of smiling children and joined the Sunday School at the Motcom service that was for all ages in the one room sanctuary.  Before the morning was through Colin, Jared, and I were called up on stage to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about who we are…(which Dolfi, the Swiss Missionary, translated to the congregation) then the INTIRE congregation of one hundred or so people came up on stage and each shook our hands!  It was pretty cool!  After an inspiring service, we walked through the village to Pastor Alberts house and ate another wonderful wood fire/home cooked meal with him and his family. 

We loaded up from there and headed deeper in country into the mountains.   I rode in the back of the truck with my camera at the ready, with our supplies, and Pastor Albert.  We slowly worked our way higher toward the Babbaron Mountain.  We passed several small rural villages and several single huts along the road.  It was like we were traveling back in time, way before money was ever invented. 

We arrived at the Talaingong Tribe in Cabadiangan, high in the mountains, where the air was damp and cool, much like the Smokey’s back home.  I hopped out of the truck and began snapping away.  I was in hog heaven, focusing on shy smiling faces that attentively followed me everywhere…It was like National Geo meets missions…I became the Pied Piper as scores of children curiously followed me as we began to carry our supplies up the hill to our communal hut…where American, Swiss, and Filipino alike would sleep the chilly night away in our sketter nets….there had to be 30 to 50 children hanging on to my every “click.”

This place felt strangling familiar to me…like the Georgia mountains I used to live in…foggy…damp…cool…quiet…enchanted…we ate some homemade Swiss raison bread Dolfi’s wife had made with 3 in 1 coffee (combined creamer, coffee, and sugar in one packet, a Filipino staple.)  at the local pastors hut…we were joined by the Headman of the tribe and some of the older elders came to were we sat…we shook their hands and they joined us in snacking…this was a good sign that we were excepted and protected by the village now…(that was a relief)…the smoke from the hand made cooking fire was rolling out of the house we sat near…it was dusk…the drizzle began to slow…dinner was served inside from where the smoke came from…we sat and listened to Dolfi entertain the nationals in their native tongue…and watched them chuckle at this ingenious missionary’s humor…it was dark now…we ate rice with dried salt fish by the light of a tin can that was filled with oil, crimped at the corner of the top rim with a wick pinched in the crimp…the light was low but the mood was high…the light danced but didn’t illuminate beyond our immediate space, on our faces and the plank table before us…the can lamps light cast eerie shadows across the dimly lit room…it shown just enough to make out the children curiously peaking into the doorway from outside, wondering what the Americanos looked like…soon after dinner we found out by surprise that we were honored guest of the tribe and sat on a stage in front of the whole village before the film showing was supposed to start…we were each asked to give a brief testimony while Dolfi translated…then the whole village began worshipping through song, loudly, in the most beautiful way…EVERYONE, from child to adult sang their hearts out…it was absolutely touching to  hear something so pure and pleasing…I remember thinking to myself, to never forget this moment and this feeling of absolute wonderment of these people and their lack of EVERYTHING…yet they lacked nothing at all…they sang to heaven and it was good…truly beautiful! 

The next morning we were treated to more rice and dried salt fish with some mango.   After breakfast is when the real treat began….the elder people of the tribe wore their tribal dress and danced and played indigenous musical instruments…which included beating large sticks on a large hollow log.  Jared and Colin were “asked” to join them in their dancing…It was a wonderment to be in that place with those people…the rains began again…we said our good byes…the pastor motioned for me to take a picture or him…I showed him the picture on the back of the camera…he pulled me close and in broken English said, “Don’t forget me.”…Which I replied, “How could I?”  I thanked him for his hospitality waved, good bye to the tribe, the children, and regrettably we moved away from my new friends on up the mountain passes, another three hours, to Valencia City, where we spent the night with some other brothers and sisters in Christ. 

This morning we dedicated the equipment to God and for God’s work and passed it over to two different reps from two different tribes.  They are pushing further into Muslim country…these men blindly go deeper into dangerous situations…but their attitude is like Charlie’s, my new friend from the beginning of the week,  when we parted he said, “See you in Heaven.” And then he was gone.

I’m exhausted I have to wake up in 4 hours to catch a flight to Manila and then on to Bagio.

KEEP THE PRAYERS COMING!!!!!  THE TRAINING IS NEXT!!!!!

Love you ALL!!!

In His Grip,

Deric