Family Tragedy, Half A World Away

Rowina Gantalao is one of the young ladies who attend the New Life Christian Church in the Philippines. We first met "Weng Weng", as she is known by her friends, several years ago on one of our short term mission trips to Oriental Negros in the Philippines. She was a student at The Asian College of Science and Technology (ASCAT) and very active in the youth group at New Life Church. We have watched Weng's progress from a member of the youth group to one of the active young leaders in the church, and a valuable companion to Pastor Valdez' wife, Villa.

Pastor and church planter Doming Valdez and his family had founded the New Life Church in the barangay of Batinguel, Dumaguete City in January 2000. Weng is one of the many young people whom they have led to Christ and discipled. A few years ago Weng was instrumental in getting the College to allow our mission team to visit each classroom to share the Gospel and give copies of the New Testament to every student who wanted one. A large number of college students made professions of faith in Jesus Christ that day, and we gave away over 150 New Testaments. Weng, along with the other faithful members of New Life Christian Church in Dumaguete and Mayapusi Southern Baptist Church in the mountains, have become like family to our team members.

Joseph Spurgeon, one of the young men who was part of our last mission trip to the Philippines, has stayed in touch with Rowina via email and an occasional telephone call. Joey left me a message last week to pray for Weng and her family because her father had died. I didn't know any details, but certainly felt a heavy heart for Weng and her family (none of whom I had ever met). Last night I received this email from Pastor Valdez' wife:

"We thank God for protecting us (Joseph,Juvy,andme)during our risky slippery trip to Guihulngan (homeplace of Weng, about 122 kilometers away from Dumaguete City) to tend to Weng and family.
Weng's father was stabbed to death last night at their homeplace at Guihulngan. We went there to assist Weng and family to file a case to that killer . He's now in jail awaiting for the hearing of the said case. We also proceeded to the funeral home where we held the funeral service in memory of Mr. Gantalao (Weng'sfather).
We didn't like to leave the grieving family but we need to get back home to Batinguel for we will be having our Sunday school and Sunday Worship Services tomorrow at NLCC and MSBC.
I will be leaving for Guihulngan tomorrow morning right after the morning worship service... Burial will be on Monday at 1p.m. at the Guilhulngan cemetery, PastorDoming will be the preacher at the funeral service as well as the graveyard committal service.
Please pray for God's comfort for Weng (Rowina Gantalao) and the Gantalao family. Weng has three brothers and two sisters.We have just arrived from Guihulngan and we're heading home now to get some sleep and to wake up early tomorrow for Sunday activities.
I need to go now and I am closing this with the hope and prayer that you are all well and blessed!!!
Your loving sister,
Villa"

What a shock! It is difficult enough to deal with the loss of a loved one, but one can only imagine the grief of having a loved one murdered. Everyone on our mission teams will feel touched by that tragedy. God has bonded our hearts together with those of the people that we have come to know and love over the past few years.

In my several trips to Oriental Negros, we have never been to Guihulngan, but I do know where it is located. Over the years I have regularly read the Oriental Negros online newspaper, "The Visayan Daily Star" and have noted that Guihulngan seems to be a very dangerous part of the province. There have been a number of murders, kidnapping and other violent crimes in that region. The rebel communist New People's Army (NPA) has a strong presence in that area, which adds to the lawlessness of that region. That may be why Pastor Valdez, as our protective host, has never taken us to that part of the island. I have no information as to the circumstances of Mr. Gantalao's murder (whether NPA related or not) but my heart is pained for the loss that must be felt by Weng and her family. They will certainly need our prayers during this difficult time.

As we say in this part of the country, Doming Valdez and young Joseph Zerna have a "difficult row to hoe". It is a hard trip for Pastors Valdez and Zerna and their families to go to Guihulngan (distance and expense wise) but I am not surprised at their faithfulness to minister to Weng and her family in their time of loss. But that's what God's people do. I have nothing but admiration and love for these precious servants of the Lord who minister to their people under very arduous circumstances.

I know that Weng will be OK. She has strong faith and knows that God's grace is sufficient for every need she has. I do not know about the rest of her family. My fervent prayer is that the surviving members of the Gantalao family will be able to see beyond the tragedy and respond the the message of Grace exhibited by the faithful believers who are seeking to minister to them during this terrible time.

Weng, when you read this post, please know that we love you and that your "American family" is lifting you up in prayer from half a world away.