Reggie’s Dibagat Report 2012

Reggie is on the way home as of the time that I am posting this.  Here is some of his report that he kept when in Dibagat.  I will share more each day with some new pictures.  Forgive me if i miss a day.

Reggie’s Dibagat Report 2012

March 16 -

The R44 helicopter piloted by Brian of New Tribes Mission circled the village of Dibagat a number of times to survey the landing site that had been prepared by the village men. As he slowly lowered the helicopter to the landing pad he asked us to look for any obstacles that would interfere with the landing and made sure the skids were firmly planted on the ground. Upon touchdown Brian lowered the collective down and reduced RPM of the engine and after stepping out of the helicopter gave Ben and me the OK to leave the helicopter. Of course he briefed us thoroughly before boarding the helicopter in Tuguegarao which included getting out of the helicopter in Dibagat.

There was a long line of village people that greeted the new visitors to Dibagat. Mark, Rudy and Francis, Nard’s brother were the first to greet us. Brian requested to have a plastic orange streamer placed in a tree top on a nearby hill for a windsock. Brian climbed back into the helicopter and left for Tuguegarao to bring more team members and luggage to Dibagat. We made our way through a long line of village people greeting them as we walked to Rudy's house that would be the sleeping quarters for a number of the team and the dining area managed by the cooks Aida, Nancy, Manelin and Re-ann. This house was also the team meeting point, the source of the solar electric power and the storage area for tools that would be used in the project.

We sat for lunch hosted by Mark and Rudy. Lunch consisted of cream of mushroom soup, SkyFlakes crackers and fresh papaya (I was hoping fresh Isnag pineapples but they were not in season yet, or pamelos).We visited and talked about people in the village. After lunch, Mark and me went to the church and reviewed the first steps of the building project. I was eager to begin that day but Rudy indicated it would be better to begin on the next morning which was Saturday.

 Throughout the afternoon additional team members arrived with their luggage except for James and Vernon who had to arrive the following day because the control tower in Tuguegarao closed early and the helicopter that is based along the runway was not allowed to take off after hours. The helicopter flight from Tuguegarao took approximately thirty minutes each way which seems fantastic compared to 7 to 8 hours overland to Dibagat from Tuguegarao. Coffee, the best coffee from the hills of Dibagat was hot and ready at 5am each day. Members of the team arrived at Rudy’s by 6am for breakfast.  Some were early but none were late. Some spent the hour in devotions and listening to the morning sounds. Team members talked about the howl of the dogs and the hourly call of the roosters through the very early morning hours. More than once thoughts were expressed that these noisemakers should end up in the cook’s pot although throughout the following week team members slept through some of these noises and the animals won a reprieve.   Breakfast was always sufficient for the morning’s work of these working men. Following breakfast there was prayer and a quick discussion of the upcoming day’s activities.

More Pictures from Dibagat

Nard was still sending more pictures when I was updating the blog.  Here are more pictures that arrived after the last posting.

West side of church jacked up and supported temporarily!

Reggie installing rebars for columns

Jeremy and my nephew George cutting pole for truss support! Just the right height

 More support

 More support for trusses!

George fastening pole support!

Columns on west side

Another view west side columns

Now it is time for the bricks to be placed and walls and windows to form.
I know the team will make quick work of that.

Image being at the Sunday worship service!! What was being said to each other? What was everyone thinking?  I am guessing they were not inside the church but maybe on a hillside near by.

What great things God is doing in Dibagat.  Not just the work on the church but in the church and surrounding areas.

Update from Nard in Dibagat

The team of 8 made it to Dibagat by helicopter on schedule the 16th of March except for two who got in the 17th. I got in on the 18th. When we arrived in Dibagat, Reggie already had the walls on one side of the church removed, trusses jacked up and forms being made for the columns. By Monday March 19 the first 5 columns were poured and beam forms made! The work progress very well, and as soon as the columns forms were removed the blocks were installed, window frames and it was going like clockwork. The team of Isnags along with ours worked very well together and by Friday we had done both the church sides and then Saturday they poured the columns on the front side of the church. There are 8 guys left in Dibagat along with Rudy Barlaan and will be completely done by Thursday and will be in Tuguegarao by Friday and fly to Manila by Sunday and on schedule. The Lord provided safety and continues to do, but more than anything else the team is learning a lot from one another! God is at work among all those who are in Dibagat and those that came to help. We were blessed!

Reggie and I were supposed to fly out on Sunday morning but the weather had deteriorated in Dibagat, so by 10 am on Sunday we flew by canoe down the river and in Kabugao by 12 noon, and a van was waiting for us and by 1pm we drove to Tuguegarao and arriving at our hotel by 5pm in time to have supper with my oldest sister Emma and youngest sister Merlina at the hotel we were staying along with the New Tribes helicopter pilot and his family! What a great time of fellowship. Reggie and I just got in Manila where I am sending this message to you all. Reggie leaves tomorrow evening for home while I have meetings in Manila beginning tomorrow noon until Saturday, and waiting for the rest of the team to arrive on Sunday April 1. We will all be departing April 3rd for home.

Will put some pictures on the blog and hopefully you can see the progress as well! Thanks for continuing to pray!

Nard and Reggie

Getting ready to fly to Dibagat from Tuguegarao -- Brian, Nard and Karl

Approaching Dibagat!

Looking at church - big building west side wall are out!

A very happy youngest brother Francis with younger sister
Benita following behind along with all the relatives in Dibagat!

Our team of 10 had the shovel resting since it was Sunday for lunch!
Sitting down - left to right -- Nolan, Karl, Reggie, Ben, James, Chris and Jim --
standing -- Nard, Jeremy, Vernon and Mark Pugyao

 Nolan and Vernon helping sift sand with Isnags

 Termites residing inside the posts holding the church --

 More termites infested posts!

Jacking up the trusses

Tuguegarao is closing

Dear Team,

                Rejoicing in the Lord we made it to Manila last night from Japan! Our first team of 8 made it to Dibagat yesterday Friday except for two – who had to go in this morning Saturday by helicopter to Dibagat due to the tower in Tuguegarao closing for the day. The helicopter could have taken everyone in, but when the tower closes at this airport – they close the place down and nobody flies. So James and Vernon flew in to Dibagat this morning with all the remaining cargo for the project.

                Karl and I will fly to Tuguegarao tomorrow and on to Dibagat by helicopter to join the team. They should have started working today Saturday in Dibagat! Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work together in Dibagat!

With gratitude to the Lord and all of you,

Nard for the team



I don't believe we will be getting updates from them until they start to head home.  If you have pictures or story's to share about Dibagat.  Send them to me and I will try to post them. (michgolfer@gmail.com)

Picture from inside the church before the first expansion. (2006)

On Gods time line - US-Japan-South Korea-Philippines............

 Nard and Karl both tired but ready to go on last leg to MNL.

Dear Team,

        The Japanese security guard brought us to a place called - Meeting Place - but actually appropriate because we all came from different parts of the USA on our way to the Philippines! Most of us are from the Philippines and are all on standby because a family, friend or an employee of Delta gave us a buddy pass! We had an excellent one because my friend I call uncle G gave us the best! In fact we had the highest priority of all! However, any paying customer who bought his or her ticket has the highest priority and seniority no matter what! We were in fact sitting on business elite from Detroit to Narita! As I watched the big 747 - I thought this machine should never fly or let alone be filled with people! There has to be one or two seats open and my colleague Karl and I would be OK! That's what I thought, until the Lord had another plan. We don't always understand His plans, or reasons as to the why, but today we will be flying out to Manila with a confirmed ticket from Korean Air leaving at 1:55 Friday afternoon. We get to Manila Friday evening and then up north! We hope to be in Dibagat by Sunday March 18. In fact right now we are in Seoul, Korea waiting for the final leg of our adventures to Dibagat! The Lord has sustained us and we praise Him for the strength He is giving.

I heard our team of 8 might all have made it to Dibagat today probably except for their cargo. James did a great job getting everyone out of the guest house and check them all in at the airport and on to Tuguegarao. I will find out more when I get to Dibagat on Sunday. We have Saturday to get caught up with our sleep in Manila then fly up to Tuguegarao Sunday morning. Karl just told me we have been in the air and on the ground about 50 hours now since we left home! Both sleep deprived, but grateful to the grace of God and His love, and safety of course. Looking forward to seeing our team and the family up in  Dibagat! Thanks to you all for continuing to pray as the work started today and will go on until we get out of Dibagat, and the Isnags will continue on if we don't get done. Pray for stamina for each of our team members! Pray for our families left behind at home as well!

With gratitude to the Lord,

Nard for the team

Our last flight to Manila!

Bumps on the road

Karl and Nard in Tokyo (Narita Airport)

We had a great flight from Charlotte all the way to Detroit and on to Narita, Japan! We even sat business class from Detroit to Narita! That was a special blessing! However, when we got to Narita, Japan it seems like everyone were going to Manila for the weekend. I thought people never stopped coming – but they took every seat on that 747 which holds close to over 400 people. So, Karl and I are stuck in Tokyo for the night! A friend reminded me that sometimes we don't understand these bumps in the road, but the Lord knows the whole picture and His timing is best and He is in control.

I called our team in Manila under the leadership of James, and they will be departing tomorrow for Tuguegarao and on to Dibagat. The New Tribes pilot also said that Rudy called and the helipad we were going to use in Dibagat is no longer available, so the pilot is going in with a light load first to find a place to land. So there are some other bumps along the way orchestrated by His hand.

Finally, I was able to send an email to my travel agent and she booked us on Korean Airlines tomorrow departing at 1:55pm arriving Manila at 1015pm. We will fly up to Tuguegarao on Sunday morning if we can get a ticket, otherwise we might just go by bus north when we get there. However, not sleeping for 24 hours is probably not a smart thing to do. So we keep praying and trusting in Him.

From Rudy and Mark

Dear Partners in the Isnag ministry,

My semester of teaching linguistics at Payap University in Chiangmai, Thailand officially ended on March 2. I had seven students and one teacher trainee. Of the seven students, two are Americans, one is a Canadian, two from Burma, one from China and one from Thailand. My American and Canadian students are already members of Wycliffe and SIL. I just learned that they are all assigned to some language groups around the Thailand area. Except for the student from Thailand, all the others have had some involvement in the translation of the Scriptures.

One highlight of my teaching was mentoring a former student of mine in Dallas who is now assigned in a country near Thailand. He will be teaching the course next year.

I now am back in the Philippines. I go to the village on March 12 to get things ready for a work team coming from the US to help the Isnag believers replace the wood post and wood walls of their church on March 16-April 1. Termites are destroying all the wood part of the church.

After the work team leaves on April 1, I will stay on in the village until after the Holy Week. We will have our Holy Week retreat from April 5-8, and then we will have our Youth Camp on April 17-22.

Please pray for:

·         The safety of all the workers who will be working on the Church building. The rafters will need support while we replace the posts.

·         The health, strength and physical stamina for both the expatriates and the Isnag workers. Two expats have special physical needs. Some men from our outreach Church in Tubongan village are planning to come help their brothers in Dibagat. So we are expecting a good number of local workers.

·         Good working cooperation between the expats and the local believers.

·         Our Holy Week celebration, which starts April 5 and concludes on the 8^th. Please pray for the preparations: for our Church workers as they organize the activities, and for me as I prepare the messages.

·         All the people who are coming to the Holy Week celebration; that the Lord will call those who haven’t yet given their lives to Him, and those who are not in close fellowship with Him will return to Him.

·         The group Bible studies during Holy Week; for the Church leaders as they lead the Bible studies. Pray that the Spirit will give them extra sensitivity to the needs of the people.

·         The people attending the Bible studies; that the Lord will soften their hearts and open their minds to the Word so that the Spirit can do His work of conviction.

·         Our Youth Camp which is scheduled on April 17-22. Pray for the young people who will be coming. Pray that the Lord calls some of them to a full time Christian service.

·         Pray for the safety of all young people attending the youth camp. We are planning to limit the number to 50 participants. We will give priority to the first time attendees.

·         Pray for the Bible study leaders; that the Spirit will give them the sensitivity to the spiritual needs of the participants.

·         My preparation for the Bible study lessons and my messages during the camp.

·         Good interpersonal relationship among all campers.

These are all the specific items of prayer I can think of right now. I trust that as you pray for these items the Lord will lead you to other things He wants you to pray for.

Thank you so much for upholding us in your prayers. As always, let us expect great things from our Great God who is able to give more than we ask.

Joyfully serving the Lord Jesus Christ in partnership with you,

Rudy