Light in My Arms

Me and my partner was assigned in Lapangon Literacy Center we back 2001.In one month of our staying in the village we found out that chief Datu's daughter got sick after delivering her eldest son The name is Dave.Manobo woman know as hardworking that they find food for their own family.Manobo women doing heavy works in the field while the husband just following the wife bringing only arrows.So,the name of the chief Datu's daughter was Anilyn.She still 18 years

old and after she give birth she went to the farm to gather some sweet potatoes as their staple food. From the farm Anilyn carrying a very heavy basket full of sweet potatoes.Then after Anilyn do all the works that week.Then after few days she became weaker and weaker each day until she die.The husband who could not bear the pain of the loss of his wife was observed to be with heavy heart always. Until one day he was found dead. He killed himself by poisoning. Suicide is a common event in these villages. The baby was left to the care of the grandmother who is already too old to nurse.
(Dave in the hospital)

The baby grew weaker every day fed only with sweet potatoes. The grandmother, who chews betel nut, chewed sweet potato for the baby. She chewed the root first, and then gave it to the baby. The baby‘s bitter cries penetrated my heart. We decided that the baby should be brought to the hospital to save him.Jecily & Jerry brought Dave to Valencia Sanitarium and Hospital & me left in the village to take care of the carpenters food.Dave was skin and bones, covered with scabies, his head had swollen with pus and he was coughing.
He was so fragile that Sir Jerry who holds him had a hard time holding him because he was afraid he might break into pieces. He was so dirty and smelly. We looked into his big eyes and I read his pleadings! “Please hurry! Don’t delay!” Datu Malinis, the grandfather, placed him in Sir Jerry's arms and tied a “malong” (a piece of cloth) around Jerry to help hold the baby. We prayed with the Chief before we left. Sir Jerry said that he fell so many times on the slippery jungle trail during our climb but this time with the fragile Baby Dave in his arms he made sure of his every step not to slide.Jerry Belmonte is from Talisay Cebu and his an architect that he want to volunteer as a teacher in the manobo village of Pandarasdasan Bukidnon.The story is that they went to Valencia then reaching the German Hospital, all eyes were fixed on my partner & Jerry as they entered the hospital. “Who could be this young healthy couple with a skinny dirty baby with scabies?” They could read their eyes. Obviously they had a hard time carrying the baby because it was their first time. A mother shouted at Jerry. “You better take a good hold of your son, brother. He might fall and break to pieces!” she scolded. “And you, girl, why don’t you nurse your baby! He needs your milk.” He was burning inside, to tell the truth, but he just held his peace. All evening that first night in the hospital they was not able to sleep. The baby was crying all night. “Why don’t you nurse your baby,” a physician scolded Jecily! “That’s what your breasts are made for. TO FEED YOUR BABY.” All eyes of the big crowd in the hospital that morning were on us. “This is not our baby, Ma’am,” Jecily butted in. “We just came to the rescue of this baby.” “Why? Who are you, and whose baby is this? “ “We are volunteer teacher to the jungles of San Fernando where these bloody Manobo warrior natives are living. We hiked for eight hours to reach these jungle people with education. They are still living in their primitive dirty ways and many babies commonly die in their infant stage. The case of this baby is worse. His mother died two days after delivering him and the father killed himself by poisoning. The grandparents of this baby were not doing anything to save him and we just came to rescue him.” After hearing the testimony the physician calmed down and the people in the crowd were moved to tears. “God bless your hearts, brother and sister. What particular organization are you representing?” “We are missionaries of the SULADS of Mountain View College, reaching the unreached tribes in the jungles of Mindanao.” Many came to the room that day to express their thanks and prayers to see that there are people like us who have the hearts to minister to the poorest among the poor in the hinterlands. From that day on Baby Dave became THE LIGHT IN THE ARMS. We are happy to report that Baby Dave is doing well. His little cheeks are filling out. His infection is healing up and the pneumonia is releasing its grasp. We believe that there is a bright future for Baby Dave. Hopefully, he will be adopted by a good Christian couple who will raise him to love Jesus so he can one day become not only the LIGHT IN THE ARMS but a LIGHT TO THE MOUNTAINS OF MINDANAO.

Sulads Video

Dave's photos after he recovered and he's adopted by a Christian couple.