In March 1991, 35 ministerial students of Philippine Union College traveled to Manila for field education. They visited that great metropolis with its glittering neon lights of nightlife. They saw the high-rise buildings in Escolta (Broadway) for the powerful rich, contrasting with the piles of rotting garbage where the powerless poor swarm to survive. They walked streets filled with children begging, passing crowds of students, metro aides (street workers), factory workers, and youth from the provinces seeking employment.
Away from the inner city, in the slum of Smokey Mountain, the students visited the barong-barongs (shanties) built on a huge mountain of garbage from Manila. Smoke from the perpetually burning trash polluted the settlement of 20,000.
Memories and testimonies
Following their return to the college, the students reported on their adventures. Bobby testified about finding an old man sleeping in front of St. Cruz Catholic Church. He had come to Manila for medical treatment, but with no money left he could not go home. Having no relatives in Manila, he sought help from a welfare institution and other places. All to no avail. He resorted to begging, which worsened his health. Bobby brought him to the bus station, provided fare, and saw him safely on the bus heading home.
Elmer, another of our students, told how he became aquainted with some street people whose only clothes were those they were wearing. Removing his own undershirt, he handed it to one of them. Another student in our group, who was carrying a bag of soiled clothes to be washed, emptied it and distributed the contents among the needy. Elmer promised to return with some push carts that the street people could use in earning a little more income in garbage collection, with the ultimate goal of meeting not only their financial but also their emotional and spiritual needs. To this end, Elmer and some fellow students joined the metro aides in sweeping the streets and riding in the dump trucks. Understandably, the workers were delighted to have their company.
Similar to the struggle of the street people is the plight of the slum residents of Smokey Mountain. Dennis described how they live off the mountains of garbage, gathering plastics, empty cans, and cartons for recycling. In one family visited, the husband scavenged, while the wife sold vegetables. That enabled them to survive, until she fell ill and lost her capital. To get back into business, she would need 50 pesos (about US$1.50). Dennis and his group handed her a 100-peso bill. Taking it gladly, she insisted that she would repay the gift once her business resumed.
Our students saw the need to teach the poor how to earn a better living, coordinating with private and government employment agencies. They reported on the good work done by Catholics in organizing training in trade skills for the community.
While directing much effort toward the poor, our students also worked to reach the wealthy. Arnold described the group's activities among the elite in Escolta, whose primary concern was health, then peace of mind, occupational success, and family life. Learning this affirmed our students' confidence in the Adventist health message. The students suggested that our church could use media to promote health consciousness among the upper classes. They also recommended that prominent church members become friends of community leaders to communicate our knowledge of health and family life.
Contact with other religions
Lisa provided food service for the evangelistic team. She found time to visit the worship service in the 17,000-member Cathedral of Praise. She told how much she enjoyed the warm reception and the lively service. An interview with the pastor showed that the church has a strong visitation ministry, with the goal of every member being involved in witnessing.
Our students also met with the Muslim community, the biggest ethnic group in the Philippines, with 50,000 in metro Manila. Group members visited a mosque and dialogued with prominent citizens of the community about their culture and community needs, being careful to avoid theological discussions. One Muslim leader suggested that this could be the beginning of a better relation ship between Adventists and Muslims. Many Muslims expressed gratitude for the health services provided by our Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital in Iligan City. Adventist health programs could be a bridge for the gospel in reaching Muslims, not just in the Philippines but elsewhere. Our group also visited the university belt, contacting three denominations that have student centers serving university youth with Bible studies and premarital counseling, along with vocational and career guidance. In those facilities students also can socialize, worship, and study in air-conditioned comfort. Our visit to these places showed the need for Adventists to establish a similar ministry in the university belt.
Exposure to other Christian groups was an exciting element of our ministry in Manila. We visited the new Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches headquarters and learned about DAWN 2000 (Discipling a Whole Nation), a world wide church-planting effort begun by evangelicals in the Philippines.
Ten days in metro Manila gave the ministerial students new insight on the work of urban pastors and an awareness of the great challenge the Adventist Church faces in the cities.
