JECPP’s Tribal Ministry was started when one of our Sunday School teacher, Sis. Desiree Montebon went for an interview to be trained in Tribal Mission Foundation International Inc. (TMFII) Upon knowing this, Pastor Wee decided to support her through the training. Just before the training started, her cousin, Sis. Mevilyn Layson also approached Pastor Wee to share her desire to serve in the tribal community. Hence, in the early part of 1999, both Desiree and Mevilyn were sent for a four-months intensive training before launching them out to the field. The short training included basic teaching on agriculture, proper hygiene and health care, functional literacy as well as the spiritual aspects of pastoring a new church.

From the beginning of the tribal ministry in the hinterlands of Davao region, we knew that serving these communities would not be easy. However, these two sisters began pioneering their first outreach at Marahan, Marilog District just along the highway. A lady in our church saw our vision to reach tribal people, donated a plot of land along the highway for the purpose of putting up a church building in Marahan for this new venture. Evangel-Singapore designated some money to help us build this very first tribal church. So in October 10, 1999 our first ever tribal church was planted.

The construction of the church took nearly three months, as the highway from the city to Marahan was still not paved and most of the building materials still had to be purchased bought and transported some 70 kilometers from Davao City proper. Using the L300 jeep, Pastor Peter Wee made many trips to bring building materials up and down the dusty, Marahan highway and even physically supervised the building project and with the help of volunteer workers and some carpenters until the church was finally completed.

Workers must be willing to make great sacrifices to be involved in this kind of ministry especially for Mevilyn and Desiree, both of whom were brought up in the city. Bringing the Gospel to these far-flung people would involved trekking kilometers of rock-hewn terrains on the mountains. Many villages do not have electricity and in some areas water and transportation are not readily available. Workers have to cook their food by firewood, and be content at times with boiled maize, sweet potatoes and cassava as staple food when their rice supply is low. They hardly eat fish and hence, canned-sardines has becomes a local luxury to all tribal people.

Much time and effort is required in trying to assimilate to tribal culture. A culture whose basic religious belief stemmed from the worship of “anitos” (carved wooden images symbolizing spirits from the other world). These “Matigsalugs” are basically a nomadic people, skeptical to outsiders and resistant to change. Reaching the tribal chief or their Datu would be the first concern each time a missionary enters a new village. On some occasions the Datus would test the sincerity of our workers by offering them food that taste unpalatable and they would have to force themselves to eat it without offending the Chieftain. Trust had to be firmly established between the Datu and the missionaries, for approval of the Datu meant approval for the whole community.

“You just have to love them, there is no other method.” Profoundly spoken by Pastor Mevilyn Margate, who with her husband Patricio Margate, are now serving as section leaders of all our tribal outreaches.

On December 19, 1999 another tribal work was established in Maluan, a village about 7 miles away from the Marahan church. This church met every Sunday in a small Nipa Shed for a few months before we constructed a simple building to accommodate the members. When Rev. Dr. Robert Lim, JECPP’s founding chairman visited this village, accompanied by Pastor Wee and Pastor Alan Yeo, he commented that it was indeed a very rewarding experience. Through his visit, Rev. Dr. Lim saw the need to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle to facilitate Pastor Wee’s travel to these mountainous regions of Davao City. It was truly an answer to prayers when finally, God provided the Nissan Frontier 4WD pick-up on April 27, 2002 through the generous giving of Bro. Willie and Sis. Jeanne Teo of Evangel Singapore. Since then, this vehicle has greatly helped us in our travel to and from the tribal outreaches.

On one occasion, the Datu of Maluan came to Pastor Wee requesting for help to bring in fresh water from the Department of Agriculture to their village. The appeal for help was indeed urgent as many children were suffering from diseases due to the lack of clean water in the village. Funded by Evangel Singapore, one thousand meters of water pipes was immediately purchased to tap the spring water from the main source at the Department of Agriculture to the village. For this act of kindness, the tribal chief and all his constituents in Maluan are forever grateful to Evangel-Singapore, especially to Rev. Dr. Lim for the fresh flowing spring water. It is now easier for our Jecpp church planter in Maluan to share Jesus, the Living Water who refreshes our spiritual lives just like they were given fresh running water.

On July 2, 2000 another Tribal Church in Balaas was planted by Sis. Desiree who saw the tremendous need of the people in this village. This is now the farthest work we have and the most difficult to reach. One would have to ride on a motorcycle from Marahan to Patag, followed by a long walk or horse ride for miles. After crossing a strong flowing river on carabao (a local buffalo) or horseback before you can finally reach the village of Balaas. Almost all our workers who stayed there were stricken by dengue fever or malaria fever and three of them had to be hospitalized in Davao City for more than a week.

Nevertheless, we are grateful to God that they would still go back to their station despite threats of relapses and danger to their own personal health.

On August 1, 2000 we took in a Datu’s son to help us plant a church in the village of Elian. He has undergone some bible training before but had given up his calling because of ministry burnout. Pastor Doming Mansabanlay was given a second chance to serve God. Thankfully, this time there is no turning back for him. Just within one year, he pioneered another new church in New Lake on August 19, 2001. This man has so much zeal for God that he even sent his wife, Sis. Alma Mansabanlay for the 4 months tribal training in Davao City. She completed the course successfully and graduated and is now back in New Lake to assist him in the ministry. Pastor Doming is now ready to go out to an entirely new village to plant more tribal churches for God’s glory.

Despite the slow process of evangelism and discipleship as compared to city or town churches, we were extremely grateful that some tribal members have grown in their spiritual life and are now actively involved in starting new outreaches in other villages. These young Christians have taken up the challenge to go and pioneer new Evangel Family Churches and as a result, outstations in Sitio Dalisun was started on Oct 6, 2002, in Sitio Salupongan on April 6, 2003 , in Sitio Abo Abo on April 20, 2003 and in Campo on August 16, 2003.

Apart from Evangel Singapore and JECPP’s financial and moral support for the tribal ministry, we also wish to appreciate Sis. Arlyn Lucero of A.L Ministry in Chicago for her generous financial contribution given to help finance the upgrading of 3 existing churches and also building new parsonages for the tribal pastors, purchasing two horses and many Bibles for the work of the ministry. What all of you had done have strengthen our hands and increase our faith to press on in believing God for greater things in the tribal ministry for His glory!