God’s Hand of Protection

by Eli Licardo

Eli, Grace, Graciela Ruth & Graceli Lois

In 1987, God gave me the opportunity to work in Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia, as a project and maintenance coordinator. I had mixed emotions about working in a place where I am unable to freely worship my God. I had this question: “What if they catch me worshiping my God, will they put me in jail or put me to death?” But God gave me peace to pursue this work with the desire that He will use me to advance His Kingdom.

In my first year, I was zealous in sharing God’s word with my co-workers. I became friends with Filipinos, East Indians, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis and Thais. I had co-workers who were believers in Christ who were just as zealous as I, so we started an “underground” Bible study in our “camp”. A camp is the living quarters of bachelor, expatriate workers who work for different companies. There were about 2,000 people of different nationalities living in our camp. My Christian co-workers and I prayed for a place to have a Bible study. After two months of praying, the roommate of one of my Christian co-workers was transferred to a different location. Thus, God answered our prayer for a room where we could hold a Bible study, and He gave me the opportunity to lead the study.

Back in the Philippines, I normally use a Bible study guide when leading a group, so I was skeptical about leading one without a guide. The only tool that I had was my small Gideons Bible. But God told me that there are no other more meaningful words than His very own words from the Bible. I remember my first love of knowing God and in meditating on His word, which I shared with our group. Therefore by God’s grace, our Bible study group grew in faith and number. So we decided to meet at a bigger place that would not be obvious to the authorities in the camp.??

We started meeting at the home of a Filipino, Christian couple who lived just outside the camp. The couple are doctors. One night, while 30 of us were having our fellowship, we heard a knock at the door. We opened the door and it was the Saudi police. Some of the believers escaped through the back door before the police entered the house. However, some of us were caught in the living room. The police saw the Bibles so they did not even question us, but brought us to the police station instead. At the station, they interrogated us, so we knew we were in trouble. They put all the men together in one prison cell and the women in another. They called the Chief of Police to come to the station and he interrogated us again. While questioning us, he recognized the owner of the house and said, “Oh I remember you, how is your wife?” (It turns out the wife helped deliver the Chief of Police’s two children). The husband said, “She is in the women’s prison cell.” So the Chief of Police went there, saw her and asked her “What are you doing here?” She told him: “Your policemen brought us here but I am not sure why.” Then the chief talked to his men in Arabic. The chief went back to the women’s cell and explained to the lady doctor that her neighbors heard singing and saw many people coming in and out of their house. Moreover, the chief showed her the Bible that the policemen confiscated from us. The chief likewise went to our cell, showed us the Bible and told us that this book is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. At that time, we thought we had to stay longer in prison and be whipped every Friday to make us an example for the public. In that city, the police whipped people in public if they caught them doing things considered crimes in Saudi Arabia such as drinking liquor and conducting non-Islamic religious activities.

But God is great! He changed the heart of the Chief of Police that night. He told the lady doctor: “If you were not good and kind to my family, I would have kept you here to be punished. However, since you took care of my wife and my two children well when they were sick, I will release you and all your friends.” So he told his policemen to open the prison cells and free us. But he warned us not to meet together at the doctors’ house anymore. So in all, we stayed in the prison cell for three hours.

The policemen brought us back to the doctors’ house. That night we praised God for His miraculous way of sparing us from physical torture and even death. We went back to our camp at around 1:00 am but did not tell anybody about our ordeal so we would not be in trouble again. We did not have a Bible study for almost six months. In that span of six months our camp was under surveillance by the Saudi police because they received reports that people were doing underground Bible studies. We missed the fellowship, so once a month we travelled 4 hours to another city, Alkhobar, to attend another fellowship. My experience in Saudi Arabia made me realize that God protects His people when they faithfully do His will. God’s word in Joshua 1:9 says: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” became a reality to me.

Editor’s note: Eli Licardo is a quality and safety manager in Edmonton, Canada. His wife Grace (nee Cerino) is an alumna of the IVCF fellowship at Silliman University, Philippines. After graduating from Silliman, Grace volunteered as a Graduate Team member and managed the IV Home in Dumaguete City for three years. They have two daughters, Graciela Ruth (pictured in pink dress) and Graceli Lois (in black and white blouse). Twenty five years after Eli Licardo’s harrowing experience, today in Saudia Arabia, “all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials are banned. Anyone who converts a Muslim faces jail, expulsion, lashing, torture or execution. Non-Muslim worship, even for foreign Christians, is prohibited. While the government says foreigners may practice Christianity privately, the religious police have been known to raid homes where expatriate workers were worshiping.”
Source: http://www.persecution.com/public/restrictednations.aspx?country_ID=NDI%3d

A Letter from Daniel Basco

Daniel basco

Hello, I am Daniel Basco (Gil and Joy Basco’s second child), and I thank you for the opportunity to share what God is doing in and through me since I last saw you at Balikatan 2010. Our Lord has been gracious in allowing me to pursue an M.Div at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for the past two years. Though I have two more years to complete at seminary, the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to the spiritual poverty of those who often fade into the background of my daily life. In particular, God has shown me that my “Lazarus” of Luke 16 is the Japanese people. Every day I see Toyota vehicles and type on a Sony laptop. Yet, I can easily forget that despite my assumption that all Japanese people are industrious and financially secure, they are a spiritually impoverished people: With a population less than 1% Christian, I was agonized by the realization that at best only 1% of those who lost their lives in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami would enjoy Christ’s eternal presence and glory. This summer, God has given me an opportunity to participate in his plan to reconcile all creation to himself by sharing the Gospel message in Japan! This summer, I will work alongside two different mission agencies from May until August: Through SEND International, I have the opportunity to assist a camp ministry that will host youth from the tsunami-affected regions. With TEAM, I have the opportunity to share the Gospel message through a coffee shop ministry located near downtown Tokyo and a church planting team in Nagano. As I follow Christ’s leading towards missionary service, I covet your prayers and intercessions: Please pray first and foremost for the Japanese whom I will meet, that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes and ears, softening their hearts to Gospel message. Please also pray for God to provide the $9,115.00 needed for me to be Christ’s faithful witness to them. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Daniel Basco
T-184 2065 Half Day Rd. Deerfield, IL 60015
dan.amos.basco@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: If you are interested in supporting Daniel, please CLICK HERE to make an online donation c/o Balikatan. Please write “Daniel Basco” in the box for Additional Information or you may send a check to any of the following:

1. Balikatan
c/o Edna Bargan
P.O. Box 4910
Alexandria, VA 22303 or

2. TEAM, P.O. Box 969 Wheaton,IL, 60187 or

3. SEND International
P.O. Box 513, Farmington, MI, 48332.

Please write “Daniel Basco” in the MEMO.

L-R: 1st Row Kerry Sinclair, Jojo Remigio, Landy Ancheta; 2nd Row Lilia Salazar-Nigro, Noelle Tadeo, Josie Sinclair, Lilette Cruz, Vivian Tadeo and James Odango.

The Balikatan Board had a series of meetings in Vancouver, Washington, during the weekend of February 18-20, 2012. The meetings were conducted at the spacious residence of Eric and Vivian Tadeo, who also provided accommodations and home-cooked meals for the Board Members who travelled from both the East and West coasts. Five Board Members – Landy Ancheta, Jojo Remigio, James Odango, Lilia Salazar-Nigro and Lilette Cruz – made it to the Washington meetings, Tess Askowitz joined one of the meetings by phone from home after her flights were cancelled midway through her itinerary due to inclement weather. Edna Bargan was not able to attend because of her work schedule. The long weekend in February (President’s Day in the USA) is one of two occasions that the Balikatan Board is able to meet face-to-face. The other time is during the annual conference in July. The Balikatan Board also meets every month through audio conferencing.

Overall, the meetings with timely breaks for prayer, sharing, and singing, were productive, and the following are the highlights:

Trust Fund to be re-launched in July during the Florida Conference

The Balikatan Trust Fund will be re-launched in July 2012 during the annual Balikatan Conference at the Word of Life Conference Center in Hudson, Florida. The Trust Fund was introduced in 1989 to generate funds that will be invested, the proceeds of which can be used for IVCF Philippines’ emergency needs.

Focus on Alumni-in-Missions

The Balikatan Board started discussions around developing policies and procedures for alumni-in-missions support. Alumni-in-missions are the other beneficiaries of Balikatan members’ prayer and financial support, as envisioned by our beloved Balikatan pioneers. However, not much has been done in previous years to bring awareness to this group, other than recognizing the attendance of alumni-in-missions in the annual Balikatan conference and allocating to them a portion of gifts and offerings in the conference.

Board-to-Board Skype Session

Another highlight of the meetings was the Skype video conference between the Balikatan Board and the IVCF Philippines’ Board of Trustees. Sans make-up and in their pajamas, the Balikatan Board Members woke up early on Sunday, February 19, to attend the 6am (Washington Time) meeting with the IVCF National Director and BOT members, who stayed up late for the 10pm (Manila Time) meeting. The meeting between the two boards was a great opportunity for both to share on-going projects and concerns.

Updates on the preparations for the 2012 and 2013 Conferences

Tess Askowitz provided updates on the preparations for the upcoming Florida Conference in July 2012 and Alma Sarmiento provided the updates on the initial activities and plans for the Washington Conference in July 2013. Both reports were encouraging and reminded the Board Members of God’s faithfulness through His provisions and through His people, via the various alumni volunteers who are investing their gifts, time, and talent to ensure the success of these conferences.

Please continue to pray for the Balikatan Board as it continues to undertake the above challenging initiatives in the coming months and for the host fellowship groups as they continue to plan and prepare for the 2012 and 2013 conferences, all for the glory of God.

Landy Ancheta
President, Balikatan

$6,000 Raised for IVCF Philippines Camp Subsidy

Praise God for His bountiful provision for IVCF summer camp subsidies. We started this fund-raising campaign in November of last year and generous donors have been giving to God’s cause. As of March 12, we met our goal of $6000.00 with an extra $200.00. We remember with gratitude and fondness the times we attended summer camps and the many valuable lessons we learned from God’s Word, our speakers and counselors, and our interactions with our co-campers. Kawayan camp is particularly helpful in discipling and training student leaders. We see its fruits even among us who are now actively involved as church pastors, leaders and missionaries. Remember every penny given to our students is an investment in our country’s future leaders. Again, thank you for all the individuals who gave to this cause. This is Balikatan’s first attempt to raise funds for the summer camps and we plan to do this on a yearly basis. Let us give back the glory to God: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)”

Lilia Salazar-Nigro
Special Projects Committee

by Roxanne Agbayani

Roxanne with the Skinkers

Leaving home was not easy at all. Being separated from my loved ones, even just for a little while, was lonely and the thought of paying for my bills in dollars was very scary! Before I left, everything was unsure and uncertain. I was deeply discouraged. People back in the Philippines told me that it was an impossible venture because I did not have enough resources. However, amidst all the noise and chaos in my mind, I listened to the Voice of Truth. He told me to go and promised me that He will protect me and provide for everything I need.

God did not fail me. He provided people who gave me love and support. First, He provided financial help through my Aunt Valerie’s family, the Malabongas, who offered almost everything I needed before and after coming to America. They likewise supplied me all the items I needed to survive the freezing winter in Michigan. They also taught me practical skills (e.g., laundry) I needed to equip me for living in America. Second, my aunt asked her friends from Balikatan to help me as well. It is really nice that most of the members of this organization are IVCF graduates, for I myself am a current SVCF member at University of the Philippines Los Ba os. IVCF has always been a family to me, so it was exciting to meet Balikatan members. I first met the Concepcion family who joined my aunt’s family for Christmas dinner. The Concepcions are really warm and I enjoyed talking to them. I did not feel so lonely away from home on Christmas Eve because of their company. I also enjoyed our visit to their home where I played their grand piano. Ate Nanie likewise gave me many tips for surviving Michigan’s social environment since she herself was a graduate student at the University of Michigan.

When I was already in Michigan, I met Steve, Bethel, and Stacey Skinker. They visited me at the dorm several times and provided me with more needed items like bed sheets, pajamas, snow pants, hangers, etc. I was overwhelmed by their kindness even though we just met. They were also the ones who introduced me to their church, which I regularly attend now. And whenever I need help they are always around to assist me. Lastly, Edna Bargan and Mila Pascual friended me and introduced me to the Balikatan Facebook page. They have followed my progress in Michigan via Facebook.

Thus, my heart overflows with joy and gratitude for the love that members of Balikatan have extended to me. I praise God for touching your hearts. What you have done overwhelms me. I am amazed at how God provided a family for me though I am thousands of miles away from home. It has not been an easy journey for me, but people like you who supported me make my heart leap. I pray that God will bless Balikatan more and more. Thank you and God bless.

Roxanne E. Agbayani is currently an exchange student for the spring semester at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. She is a junior majoring in Family Life and Human Development at the University of the Philippines, Los Ba os, where she is a member of State Varsity Christian Fellowship (SVCF).

Reflections on my Heart’s Journey

by Bethel Trasmonte Skinker

Steve, Stacie, Kevin and Bethel Skinker

February is the month of love. We see heart illustrations everywhere we go. The heart is a symbol of love, and most often, we convey our love in writing by drawing a heart. The heart was thought to be the center of man’s being. The saying “I love you with all my heart” is like saying “I love you with all of my being”. It is expressed to let someone know how much we love them. However, do you know that our hearts need tender loving care as well? We need healthy hearts so we must be good stewards of the heart that God has given us. Heart disease is the Number 1 cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control. Understanding and controlling the factors affecting our heart’s health such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and sodium levels in our blood, along with exercise, are important ways to make our hearts healthy, especially for people over 50.

About 18 months ago, I underwent a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common type of heart disease. My heart’s journey was not easy but it allowed me and my family to experience God’s faithfulness and sweetened our relationship with Him.

The week of August 10, 2010 was one of the warmest weeks in Lansing, Michigan. I was attending an annual work-related conference that week in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, about an hour drive from home. I had been feeling chest pains for a couple of days every time I walked to my car from my office and from the conference center. I thought it might just be the heat triggering my asthma, so I ignored it. Toward the end of the third day of the conference, I asked permission from my supervisor to skip the last day due to my chest pains; and to assist one of the water supplies I oversee, which was under a Boil Water Advisory (BWA) for almost a week. My supervisor agreed, so I drove back home that evening. To stay awake while driving, I kept eating corn nuts, which I love. I don’t know the exact amount of sodium in those corn nuts, but they tasted very salty. In addition to the corn nuts, I ate some gourmet buttery caramel popcorn, which also has a lot of sodium, sugar, and butter. Another thing that may have worsened things was my drinking several cups of coffee during the conference. What I ate and drank were probably more than 5 times the limit of the sodium, sugar, and caffeine intake for my weight. Perhaps I should have gone to a health conference instead of one about drinking water!

Later that night I ended up in the emergency room because of my symptoms. The doctor commented that I might have a heart problem. I was asked to stay in the hospital for observation despite my begging to sleep at home and just come back early the next day. I was given a blood thinner and was scheduled for a stress test at 7:00 AM the following morning. That first night, I shared a room with a patient scheduled for open heart surgery. Since we were only separated by a curtain, I could hear her crying fearfully, which I thought was not good for her heart. She apologized for crying loudly but I told her it was okay and I prayed for her.

I took the stress test and the results showed some abnormality in my heart rate. I was then scheduled for a catheterization. Catheterization involves inserting a catheter (small hollow tube) into a blood vessel in the groin and through the aorta into the heart. Through the catheter, the doctor can do diagnostic tests and treatments on the heart. The tip of the catheter can be placed into various parts of the heart to measure the pressures within its chambers. The catheter can also be advanced into the coronary arteries and a contrast dye injected into them. The dye will flow through the blood stream and into the heart. Then an x-ray picture of the heart is obtained. The dye makes the coronary (heart) arteries visible on the picture. Any blockage shown in the picture that can be fixed with a stent will be repaired during this process.

At that point, I still believed that my heart was fine, because I answered “No” to questions like “Do you smoke? Do you have diabetes? Do you drink alcoholic drinks? and Do you use drugs?” I was positive that I would be discharged from the hospital that afternoon. Around 10:00 AM that morning, I had my catheterization completed. Results showed that I had a 90 to 95 % blockage on my major artery (left anterior descending). The blockage was located just upstream from where two arteries branch out, which made the doctors unable to use a stent. The doctor explained that I would require open heart surgery. That news placed me on the same shoes as my roommate the night before and made me realize that my heart was not that healthy after all. One of my favorite verses to cling to when I feel lost or on the verge of taking a big challenge is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” These words made me stop, think, and acknowledge God’s power over me. In addition, Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” Believing these verses gave me the assurance that whatever happens to me (in life or in death) the Lord has a purpose and I need to surrender myself to Him. Although I was ready to die, I thought about my family, especially my kids. Are they ready for me to be gone? My prayer was for the Lord to help my family understand what was going on in accordance with His purpose in our lives.

As I digested what the doctor told me, I was telling myself, “Oops, conflict of schedule”. I was supposed to drive our son Kevin to Wheaton College that afternoon and attend a women’s retreat the next day in Wisconsin. I’m not sure how Steve conveyed the news to Kevin and Stacie and my extended family, but he did well. I prayed that the Lord would give me the strength and wisdom to communicate my condition to my family in a manner that wouldn’t cause fear but rather elevate their trust in the Lord and face the challenge with joy.

Kevin was just beginning college at that time and as the mom of a freshman, I really wanted to drive him to Wheaton College in Illinois to make sure he had all his needs. But I was reminded of Proverbs 16:9 saying, “Man proposes but God disposes.” Since Steve and I were unable to drive Kevin, Kevin ended up going with his soccer teammate from our area and Kevin did just fine. When he stopped to see me before leaving for Wheaton, I told him: “The Lord has great things in store for you, don’t let my condition slow you down. Trust the Lord and all things will be well. Enjoy every opportunity that the Lord is giving you even in difficult situations”. But while I was saying these words, I had tears in my eyes through my smile. Not a great way of encouraging a son to face the world and trust the Lord. He asked me, “Mom, why are you crying then?” My response was tears are not only for sadness but for joy as well.

I underwent a robot-assisted CABG surgery – high tech, but a less invasive surgery with a top-notch surgeon. The current technology is quite amazing. The surgeon did not have to open my rib cage, resulting in a faster recovery. Twelve days in the hospital and 2 months recuperation at home turned our family’s schedule upside down. As avid fans of our kids’ athletics, we frequently travel to their games. Our parenting pays off in great satisfaction as we watch them mature in academics, sports, and especially spiritual growth. I missed many of Kevin’s games during his freshman year, but watched most of the video-streamed college games on my computer. I also missed most of Stacie’s volleyball and soccer games that season, but I’m thankful for those parents who helped her.

Now I’m back to a normal life, although I’m not as physically strong and daring as before. My heart’s ailment caused many people’s hearts to show and practice God’s love and opened the hearts and minds of others to appreciate God’s love, grace, and authority amongst us. Looking back, we are amazed at how the Lord orchestrated things so that our family’s physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs were provided for. We cannot find a reason to complain of that experience, for it only brought fullness to our faith in Christ. Many people, some of whom I do not even know, prayed for me and my family; provided transportation for our kids, extended words of comfort, and delivered meals to our home. Thanks to all for what you have done for our family during that crisis. You have glorified the Lord by what you did.

I am very grateful to the Lord on how he turned this difficult situation into something that gives our family happy and cherished memories. Some highlights are: I was pampered and nursed by my older sister, a nurse in Chicago, for a couple of weeks; and then by my younger sister, an orthodontist from the Philippines, for 3 months. I did not have to go to work but got paid. My family received many delicious meals. I even got a handicapped parking sticker.

I heard many well-wishes and prayers from family and friends all over the world. There were many hospital visits from friends and prayer time with them. My favorite one was a visit from our former church growth group leaders. They prayed and sang songs (“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “How Great Thou Art”) with us. That brought back memories from my childhood of accompanying my pastor-father, while he visited the sick. Our visits included singing, Bible meditation, and prayer time.

A Letter from Special Projects’ Committee Chairperson

Greetings in the name of Jesus, the Lover of our soul, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day this month!

If you remember, the Board launched a CAMP FUND-RAISING PROJECT in December. While we had a generous outpouring of donations that month, we only received $900 out of the $6,000 target goal for the summer camps. Now that IVCF is busy preparing for its camps that start in April, we’d like to remind you of this financial need. To repeat some information I presented last time, these camps total eight camps, plus Operation Samaria and Beach Mission (short-term missions). There are different Tracks: tribal, beach, cross-cultural/country missions trek. Camp Purposes: Intensive leadership training, Missions awareness/ involvement/ challenge, Evangelism, and Discipleship for new believers. Registration fees: On average P10 -12k for campus delegate and P14 – 16k for church delegate, less for high school students. Camp duration is 6 days including travel; Kawayan Camp is a month long.

Subsidies are raised for the camp staff, counselors, and speakers. Delegates raise their own registration fees. Both come from donations or contributions from alumni, friends, families or churches. Students usually engage in work-for- a-cause, and the campus chapters and regions help raise funds for their delegates. Regional camps raise their own subsidies. IVCF appeals to donors and alumni for the camp subsidies: KC – being a national camp, 90% abroad; 10% local donors; and all other camps – 80% local; 20% abroad. BALIKATAN WOULD LIKE TO RAISE ITS SHARE OF $6000.00 FOR THESE CAMPS.

To hear first-hand from students who were blessed by these camps, we asked for their testimonies. Click here to watch video clips of student testimonies. Please CLICK HERE to donate to IVCF SUMMER CAMPS and write “Camps and Conferences” on the Comment Box provided. You may also send your check made payable to Balikatan to our Treasurer, Edna Bargan at

Balikatan
C/O Edna Bargan P.O. Box 4910
Alexandria, VA 22303

Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry. May the Lord continue to richly bless you and your family.

In His Service,

Lilia Salazar-Nigro

Board Member and Special Projects’ Committee Head

Click the image to view Newsletter

Dear Balikatan Family,

The rains fell hard early this month as two typhoons came one after the other. But unlike before, we in the IVCF Bldg. went merrily on with our work, undisturbed by water dripping from the ceiling, confidently walking about the rooms and offices without the danger of slipping on almost invisible puddles of water on the floor. The work on the ceiling replacement and electrical repairs, which you so promptly and generously funded, was finally finished last Oct.4, 2011.

We had a simple but joyous celebration that day after our regular Staff Meeting. Thank you very, very much. I think the accompanying pictures don’t convey enough the deep happiness we feel in our hearts in finally having a safe and dry workplace. The overall appearance of the IVCF building both inside and outside has vastly improved. The perimeter lighting has been restored so the place is also a lot safer and cheerful at night. So now, everywhere we turn our eyes – up to the ceiling, down to the floor, around each room, by day or by night, we remember you and whisper our thanks and gratitude to the Lord. Once again, by your generous and timely action, we are blessed.

May the Lord continue to be magnified and praised through you. He will keep watch over you and bless you. As for us, with grateful hearts we joyfully declare “Let the rains come, we are ready!”

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Ferdinand Juni

National Director, IVCF Phils

click here to view pictures

Three speakers presented during the Balikatan 2011 conference at UC Berkeley. Dugong IV was strong in our speakers, all of whom were either IVCF staff or student leaders. Miriam Adeney, Ph.D., spoke on “What Do We Bring?”. Leni Juarez, Ed.D., talked about our experiences on “What Do We Encounter?”. Eric Tadeo, JD, challenged us with an action plan on “What Do We Render?.” We will publish the talks of all our speakers in the monthly newsletters. For this month we will feature the talk of Miriam Adeney Ph.D. We hope that you will be encouraged, like those of us who were present at the conference, to live out your Christianity as Filipino Christians in a foreign land.

Lilia Salazar-Nigro
Balikatan 2011 Conference Director

WHAT DO WE BRING?

by Miriam Adeney, Ph.D.

A few years ago I went to Abu Dhabi. At the time, I was studying the book of Daniel. Like so many Filipinos, Daniel was a pawn of global forces. In 605 B.C., the Babylonian army swooped in. All at once, Daniel lost his family, his country and culture. He lost his career plans, his freedom and his rights—he could be thrown into a lions’ den at any moment. He even lost his name and was renamed for a pagan god. He spent the rest of his life working for megalomaniacs like Nebuchadnezzar.

WHERE WAS GOD? Up to now, God had been in the temple but now the temple was smashed. God had been in the land, but now the boundaries of the land were erased. God had been with the people, but now the people were scattered throughout an alien empire that spanned from North Africa to India. Where was God? In chapter seven, God sent Daniel a vision where the snow white “Ancient of Days” presided from a throne blazing like fire. A hundred thousand people vibrated around him. Court books were opened; a cruel, powerful beast was judged and executed, and its body was thrown into fire. Then the “Son of Man” entered. Clouds surrounded him as he approached the Ancient of Days. He became the focus of worship. “He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

In the years that followed, these words captured the imagination of Nebuchadnezzar, that great Babylonian emperor. Although he was a brilliant military strategist, architect, philosopher, and civic planner, Nebuchadnezzar had weaknesses. For example, he built a statue of himself and threw people in a hot furnace when they wouldn’t bow to it (Dan 3). Yet during the decades that Daniel served Nebuchadnezzar they must have talked about God, because Nebuchadnezzar progressively expressed a more complete understanding of who God is. The last time we see him, Nebuchadnezzar has issued a proclamation: “To the peoples, nations, and men of every language, who live in all the world: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation” (Dan 4:1-3).

At the end of his proclamation, Nebuchadnezzar repeated what so impressed him: “His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation” (Dan 4:34). What poignant longing these words convey. Every great man wants to create something that will last. Nebuchadnezzar hoped that his empire would endure. But in fact it lasted only a few years after his death. Then it was overthrown by the Medes and Persians. Yet the Medo-Persian ruler Darius was impressed by the very same characteristic of Daniel’s God. Darius ordered Daniel thrown to the lions, then retrieved him from the den and issued a proclamation about “the God of Daniel…his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end” (Dan 6:26). Darius too longed for a rule that would last. However, the Medo-Persians were overthrown by the Greeks. Not long afterward, Alexander the Greek’s empire blew up and fragmented into four parts, as pictured in chapter 11. Only one person in this story lived in the everlasting kingdom: Daniel the slave. Because he was not totally captured by the systems of this world, he could make important contributions to this world. This he did in a long life of service under several emperors.

ALL THAT WAS IN MY MIND WHEN I WENT TO ABU DHABI. What an amazing place. Hundreds of gleaming skyscrapers thrust out of the sand, row after row. Men in spotless white robes and head cloths and women in elegant silky black designer robes and scarves swished from air-conditioned offices to air-conditioned cars. But out in the heat were Filipinos. In the richer Gulf countries, the basic work is done by foreigners. Without enough jobs at home, there is a push for Filipinos to work in richer countries, and send back foreign exchange. Many Filipino university graduates take jobs as maids or nannies if they are women, or as construction workers if they are men. In the homes where they work, they risk sexual abuse. On job sites they risk injuries. Legal protection is rare. Meanwhile, back in the Philippines they have left their parents, brothers, sisters, spouses and children.

Witness to local Muslims is illegal, and in countries like Saudi Arabia Christian worship is banned. Yet many Filipinos have grown in their faith in this hard setting. For some nominal Christians, it has been a wake-up call. They are stressed. They are spiritually starving. On the field, such laborers share their faith with officemates or housemates who show interest. And they sing. Whenever there is a lull, a Filipino sings. If he is a believer, Christian lyrics bubble up. Some have done time in jail and others have given their lives for this witness. Nevertheless, fruit grows. Where I traveled, it was legal to worship inside a church. I sought out a Filipino service where about 150 people gathered. The worshippers glowed. When they began to sing, the place rocked. One song focused on Jesus the king. Clerks and nannies, maids, and managers belted out—

The kingdom’s rule,
And the kingdom’s reign
And the kingdom’s power and authority
Is Jesus, God’s righteousness revealed.

As the decibels rose, I squirmed and muttered under my breath, “This is a little loud, don’t you think? Let’s keep it down. Don’t you all remember where you are? Don’t you know who’s in charge?” Then I realized they did know. That’s why they were so radiant and so uninhibited. They were singing to the same power and authority like Daniel. They were living and loving in the kingdom of everlasting dominion that will never be destroyed. Someday the Arab world may be different because Christian Filipinos and others–took lowly jobs and let the love of Christ flow through them.

“What do we bring?” One thing Filipinos offer is the massive experience of outmigration that has brought opportunities for service. But what more? In what ways are Filipino Christians God’s particular gifts to the church and the world? Our Creator delights in diversity. He creates in colors. He generates smells, from onion to rose. He shapes every fresh snowflake. He births billions of unique personalities. Is it any surprise that he programs us with the capacity to create an amazing kaleidoscope of cultures to enrich his world? God ordained culture. But customs that glorify God are not the only reality that we observe around us. Instead of loveliness, harmonious creativity, and admirable authority, we often see fragmentation, generation gaps, alienation, lust, hate, corruption, selfishness, injustice, laziness, disorder, and violence cultivated by our culture. We are not only created in God’s image. We are also sinners. Because we have cut ourselves off from God, the cultures we create reek with evil. We are called, then, not only to rejoice in the patterns of wisdom, beauty, and kindness in our culture, but also to confront and judge the patterns of idolatry and exploitation. Who is to judge? Indigenous leaders who are immersed in the Word and the Spirit. Outsiders work with and under them.

WHAT ARE THE PATTERNS OF BEAUTY IN PHILIPPINE CULTURE? When I lived in the Philippines, I saw strong families. Warm hospitality. Lots of time lavished on children. Enduring friendships. A heritage of economic freedom for women. The ability to live graciously on little money. Sauces that extended a small amount of meat to many people. A delight in sharing. Skill in the art of relaxation. Lithe, limber bodies. The ability to enjoy being with a large number of people continuously. Since every good gift is from above (James 1:17) and since all wisdom and knowledge come from Jesus Christ (Col. 2:3), such beautiful qualities in Filipino culture must be seen as gifts of God.

But one cultural pattern caught my attention. During an IVCF staff session on culture, someone asked me, “Why do we Filipinos adapt graciously to our conquerors? And how can we be proud of such a culture?” That led eventually to my Ph.D. dissertation. I studied “action models” in ten narratives, including the novels of Jose Rizal; Nick Joaquin—Portrait of the Artist as Filipino and The Woman Who Had Two Navels; N.V.M Gonzalez—The Bamboo Dancers and Season of Grace; and Carlos Bulosan—The Laughter of My Father and America is in The Heart.. In these stories, I found four recurring “action models” in the face of cultural invasion: the rebel, the victim, the “tuta”; and the balancer. I came to see the last model—DYNAMIC, RESILIENT BALANCING—AS A DISTINCTIVELY FILIPINO EMPHASIS, WITH POTENTIAL TO BLESS THE WORLD. From a historical perspective, given the Philippines’ location at the crossroads of powerful countries, resilient flexibility is an adaptive survival mechanism. It is not a weakness but a strategic response. Wave after wave have washed up on these shores. Successive torrents of Malay, Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Spanish, Americans, and Japanese have arrived. Generally Filipinos have allowed these new forms of life to take root and grow. Yet Philippine culture has not been drowned. Continuity in spite of massive change is evidenced by ongoing values like respect for elders, utang na loob, awareness of the supernatural, skillful speaking, and skillful flexible balancing.

Balancing is rooted in Filipinos’ bilateral kindreds, which contrast with Chinese, Arab, or Indian patrilineages, where sons are all important and daughters are married out. In the Philippines you have the opportunity to create new relatives through ninongs every time someone is married and every time a baby is born. But you already start out with 400 relatives because of all the kin and in laws on both sides. This trains you in dynamic, flexible balancing, dancing among relationships. Symbols in the literature are the kawayan, the tikling birds, the tinikling dance and the pandanggo sa ilaw dance. Yet Filipino virtues are not always gracious and polite. My dissertation is titled “Filipino Narrative: A Model for Ethnic Identity balancing Pakikisama and Protest.” Perhaps the most beautiful example of protest was the People’s Revolution of 1986 when Filipinos of all backgrounds called on God and put their bodies on the line to deliver their country.

Treasurer’s Report

With great Thanksgiving and Praise to Jehovah Jireh, our Almighty God, we are delighted to report on the following income numbers from the 2011 Balikatan Conference. We also thank you! You willingly served as His Channels, His Hands. May you find joy and fulfillment in knowing the magnanimity of His Blessings to others through you.

For inquiries or clarifications, please e-mail me at Eleanr@hotmail.com.

Edna Eleanor Bargan
Treasurer

Balikatan 2011 July 1-3, 2011 University of California, Berkeley

BABalikat Hosts 2011 Balikatan Conference

There were a hundred participants in the conference with several guests visiting on various days, about 20 total. Forty were first timers mainly from the West Coast, 30 attended one or two conferences in the past (again many from the West Coast) and another 30 faithful East and Midwest folks. Most had positive comments in their evaluation forms as shown by their statements below. Praise God for His wonderful work at Balikatan 2011 conference.

Comments from the Participants…..

BALIKATAN 2011: CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

It all started as a dream, That wasn’t too extreme, “Scattered and Shared” as our theme.
The seed was planted in LA Balikatan 2008, then blossomed at SF in Balikatan’s year 28.
Finding a venue was challenging; Access, distance, price needed converging
To UC Berkeley our minds were merging; Despite some cons, no more changing.
100 attendees was our target, Early November deadline let’s forget
By April, despite fears and worries, we’re all set. Come July our target was more than met.
Breakfast and picnic food was ordered, To Filipino palate we catered
Live band on fun night was offered; games, music, stories we prepared.

First day of the conference was hectic, BARTing and driving was chaotic, Limited parking was idiotic,
Picking-up who and where was hysteric, But it was worth all these for SF’s first historic.
Miriam was inspiring with stories of what each had to offer
Leni was challenging with Acts as our model of what we encounter
Eric was compelling with a letter to God on what we plan to render.
Each testimony, each life story; A witness of God’s glory
Home, work, friends, church, family tree; God has placed us in all kinds of ministry.

Small group discussions, Such powerful connections
Missionary presentations, Opportunities for intercessions.
The buzzword was “crisis”; IVCF ceiling, roof leaking, “crisis” it is
Job losses, sickness, other crises; For all of these, the answer Christ is.
Long business meetings needed intervention, After much discussion and long deliberation
Vision statement approved in unison, Membership fee increase reached a decision.
What a wonderful weekend of sharing, A majestic seven-fold Amen as the worship ending

To God we directed all glorifying and praising.
Now back to our respective homes, whatever we do, wherever we are, cheerfully, exceedingly
The Lord has blessed us, placed us, scattered us, so we can be shared abundantly.
Balikatan 2011, a witness of our “we-nesss”, lovingly, graciously
Florida 2012 and to future Balikatan conferences we look forward, hopefully, faithfully.

Lilia Salazar-Nigro
Balikatan 2011 Conference Director
On behalf of Bay Area Balikat