An Adventure Filled With Compassion and Love: A Lenten Journey To Mindoro

Summer is a needed time of rest and relaxation for many people. This break from the various responsibilities of home, work, or school is a good thing. Travel without being a tourist. A volunteer vacation with us offers the unique opportunity to contribute to a local community while gaining an in-depth cultural understanding not possible on the classic tourist trek.

The last week of Lent is known as Holy Week. A time to spend for family and relatives and mostly travel to take vacation after our yearly tiring days from work and classes for students.

But to some people, Holy Week is their time to reflect, fast and meditate to God’s sacrifice made on the cross. They do penitence by slashing their skin or walking barefoot and nailing themselves on the cross like Jesus Christ. Their beliefs made it significant to a lot of places especially to provinces in Philippines.

However, our team, the Dailypedia/Lionheartv team, decided to go to Paluan, Occidental Mindoro. We joined the trip but with one mission. Not a typical glamorous and luxurious trip but it was very worthy and great trip ever because we went to extend love to our fellowmen where we called them the Mangyans.

But before that mission, the team traveled many hours in a van going to Batangas Port where we need to ride a Roll On, Roll Off Ship (RORO). Many traveled the last minute of Wednesday night, that was April 1, 2015. Then sailed through the destination port, the Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro. Then another land travel going to our final place, the house host where we stayed for how many days.

Left Manila at around 6pm of Wednesday, April 1, and reached the place as early as 3am of April 2, 2015. So being tired from long travel, we ended up all sleeping.

On Day 1, April 2, 2015-Maundy Thursday

Thursday was exciting. We went to see the beauty of Calawagan Falls and crossed their hanging bridge. So exciting and an instant swimming to count. Swimming all day and enjoy the cool water of the place. Enjoyed a lot of sumptuous food given to us and the comfort of vacation.

On Day 2, April 3, 2015-Good Friday

The day where we most believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross. So, some traditions were being practice and observed. We saw some people doing their own “panata” by slashing their skin or we called it “pagpapalo sa mga likod”, or carrying the cross “pagpapasan ng krus”. People had their own beliefs and thought that doing those things will heal them, forgive them or save them.

Our team went and joined the procession. It was around 4pm when we gathered in church and waited for the “pabasa” to finish then proceed to procession and ended up home after to rest and prepare for the real purpose of the trip.

On Day 3, April 4, 2015-Black Saturday

We woke up so excited that we packed all the needed things in our journey to a special island around 9am. We sailed the sea for many hours using a simple motorboat going to Pinagbayanan island where we met our fellow Mangyans.

A glimpse of their innocent smiles reminds us the simplicity of life. Seeing them happy and smiling made us really believed that life is not so complicated. Surrounded with simple things of only nature will definitely gives us hope to see the future full of love and positive thoughts.

We gathered the children and let them play, did some games they enjoyed and a little prices for them to share. While their families are busy having their first family pictures taken by our team photographer, Jay Cruz.

After that, we let them eat some food we bring for them and even shared some goods for their community. Our fellow Mangyans keep on smiling and know that how happy they were.

Before we left the place, we went to ruins of they say an old Spanish church where they believed being attacked because of golds and treasure hidden in that church.

But most of them asked for one thing…medicinal kit.

Sana ma’m, meron po ung mga stock na gamot sa bawat bahay ng pamilya dito kasi nakakaawa kapag may sakit sila tapos di pwede pumalaot sa dagat, ilang bundok pa aakyatin para makaluwas sa bayan para makabili ng gamot, eh madalas wala naman pera pambili. Kaya sana may mga gamot kami dito sa barangay na maibigay pag kailangan nila, said the Community Captain during my personal talk to him.

Then our fellowship with them ended, then sailed again many hours crossing the vast of water until we reached the house at 11pm and started to rest.

On Day 4, April 5, 2015-Easter Sunday

Before this day, we actually planned to have Easter Vigil at 4am but because we’re all tired, we woke up late around 9am. then went to a birthday celebration then headed home to prepare our things back to Manila.

But after lunch, we were having our siesta and decided to do a movie marathon. T’was indeed a small bonding and establishing new friendship to count.

Then headed back Manila after dinner.

Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains. 

Once something has outlived its usefulness in one area of life, its purpose for being in existence is no longer the same. The leaf that captures a stream of sunlight, and then transfers its energy to the tree, serves one purpose in the spring and summer, and another completely different one through the fall and winter.

Different people, different personality sent in one mission, but returned with one hope, to go back again and do it again. Days may pass but the memories built in those days are cherished and remembered. Summer means happy times and good sunshine.