Reggie’s Dibagat Report 2012 - his last two days

March 24

Saturday the form for the beam on the left side of the church was complete. The roof was jacked to the proper level that was indicated by the rotary laser beam that was installed at the front of the church early in the week to provide a reference point. Once the roof was lowered approximately three quarters of an inch the anchor plates were welded to the trusses and the top beam on the left side was poured and the rebar cage and stirrups for the beam across the end of the church was also created.

On Saturday afternoon Mark was standing with me and reflecting on the work that had been accomplished.  We shifted our conversation to the work that he was doing bringing the Gospel to the surrounding villages. He told me of the church that was constructed, an eight hour hike from Dibagat with the help of the men from the church at Dibagat. Because American teams had come and set the example they went and also reached out to their neighbors. Mark’s plan is to travel to this village and stay for an extended time to disciple believers there and reaching out to more surrounding villages. Mark has a team of men that have been trained and stand by his side in ministry. Rudy is a great help and his goal is to see all the Isnag people reached with the gospel before he dies. His other goal is to see the Old Testament translated into Isnag. Mark is helping with the OT translation with Rudy doing all the  checking  for accuracy.  This is what our trips to the Philippines is all about, encouraging the believers, helping `with difficult projects, allowing the pastors and translators to do what they have been called to do, preach and prepare the Word of God.  As Rudy told me it is not that the Isnag men could not do the work of changing the church from wood to concrete but our team removes the arguments and makes the project go smoothly.

 View of Dibagat

Sunday March 25

We were hoping to fly out by helicopter to Tuguegarao, but the weather did not cooperate this time with rain and clouds covering the surrounding mountains of Dibagat. So after sharing at church and saying our goodbyes on Sunday morning, we departed Dibagat by canoe at 10 a.m. and arriving in Kabugao by noon. The canoe trip down river to Kabugao took one and one half hours. The river had many rapids and the canoe shuddered as the turbulent water slammed into the sides and sometimes into the canoe. The trip was rough and wet. The van ride from Kabugao to Tuguegarao took four hours and was very rough with the van often slowing almost to a stop. The rain had created ponds of water in the road which had one lane open most of the way. At one point in the trip, construction had caused rocks to tumble into the road and two men were trying to roll the rocks to clear a path for our vehicle.  When they realized they could not move some of the rocks, a large front end loader was started to clear the path, and Brian, our van driver from the town of Kabugao, had us rolling again.

Again, God gave me the privileged to be a part of what He is doing in Dibagat through His people, and I am completely satisfied leaving before the project was completed because the rest of our team are all picked by the Lord, and will complete everything by Thursday.  Matter of fact we heard report yesterday, that the four forms needed to be stripped from the front of the church, had all the blocks up, with a new door frame installed and a top beam installed tying the two sides together. The report yesterday was that this was well under way and I have all the confidence that this team will achieve all the goals by Thursday or Friday of this week.

Finally, as I depart for the USA tonight March 27, I would like to close with Heb. 10:23-24

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised). And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” 

Main village of Dibagat with church being the largest building on center! Termites loved the wood, but now everything was just changed with concrete!

 Rudy's house with solar power on top and church

 The rest of the team is on the way home from Dibagat.  As I get updates and pictures I will post them.

Dibagat Team 2012 at work finally in front of Dibagat Bible church!

Front - Nard, James, Chris, Reggie, Ben and Jeremy
Behind - Vernon, Karl, Jim and Nolan