Another great thrill we experienced was our having a part in training young men who became pastors and spiritual leaders. One such faithful man was Florentino Santos. I led Florentino Santos to the Lord our first term, January 1954. Florentino, his father, who was a pastor, and an unbelieving brother and cousin, all attended a weekly Bible study with me. The brother and cousin came to Christ. Some time later a relative invited Florentino to go to Manila to look for a job. Florentino described what happened:
In Manila we were informed of a missionary meeting that afternoon, and we attended the meeting. Missionaries of New Tribes Mission presented their work among the Mangyan tribes of Mindoro, an island about eighty kilometers south of Manila. While watching the slides there was a compelling inside my heart that I could not resist. For the first time in my life I learned that there were tribes in our country. I saw them living in a primitive way, with no education, no books to read, and very little clothing.
When I saw lady missionaries climbing steep hills, living with the tribal people in the mountains and jungles, caring for the sick, holding babies in their arms, and most of all, telling people about the Lord, I wondered, "Where are the men?" I could not help but ask the Lord, "Are you speaking to me? I am listening." In my heart I told the Lord, "I came to Manila to look for a job, but You have shown me greater work. If you want my life for Your service, here I am! If You are calling me to missionary work, then I am willing." After the slides, the challenge was given to us from the book of Isaiah saying, "Who will go for us?" I could not restrain myself any longer. I expressed my heart's desire to give my life for God's service among the tribes.
After training in New Tribes Boot Camp, I was sent to the head-hunting tribe of the Ilongots, along the Nieva Ecija side of the Sierra Madre. After several attempts, missionary Marvin Graves and I made it to the Ilongots in June of 1954.
Tanitan was our guide. Shortly after we arrived, he gathered the people of the village. For the first time in the mountain ranges of the Sierra Madre, the gospel was proclaimed, and it broke the stronghold of Satan's domain as the light of the gospel shone into the kingdom of darkness. After the message, first Tanitan, and then others bowed to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God had prepared Tanitan's heart.
Tanitan had had a dream shortly before we came. He saw a man with clothes on (not a G-string as they wore), carrying a thick black book. In his dream the Book was to be opened and read to him and his people. This was the message from the true God. So when Marvin (who had clothes on) got up with a black Bible under his arm, Tanitan knew the message was from God, and he believed with all his heart. He declared, "Before I was afraid to die but not afraid to kill. Now I am afraid to kill but not afraid to die."
After some months Marvin married, and he and his wife Sarah planned to work among the Ilongots together. They planned to stay in the village to disciple new believers, while I reached out to other villages. Sadly, things did not go as planned. Marvin was asked to stay in the Manila office to care for administrative matters while Sarah managed the mission house. I had to return alone.
I worked alone until 1959, facing death, disease, and many hardships. In 1958 I fell in love with Lucinda, a beautiful Christian girl who was a cousin of Tanitan. We were married the next year. It is the custom of the Ilongots to give a dowry to the relatives of the girl, but Lucinda's relatives told me, "The good news about Christ that you brought us is enough dowry for us."
Florentino and Lucinda are still laboring with the Ilongots. Florentino, with others, has translated Genesis, Exodus, Proverbs, more than 75 Psalms, the entire New Testament, and a hymnal into the tribal language. They have also evangelized neighboring tribes. The Ilongots no longer practice head hunting. Fifteen churches are now present among the people. The churches have elders, a church association, schools, adult literacy programs, medical help as the people still come to Florentino for doctoring, and doctrinal lessons for training believers.
What a dear son in the faith Florentino has been! He calls me "Papa Chuck." Florentino is older now and suffers from arthritis that prevents him from going out much, but many of the people continue to come to him.
CAH
