This was the second time RA Mindanao got together for a week-end formation trip up in Dahilayan where the famous Asian longest zipline is located. But we did not lodge there. We stayed instead in the farm house of Esper Neri Dacudao, fronting the now famous (and very expensive, of course!) Opus Dei retreat house, Mountain Pines. CDO and Kauswagan communities left the city together, hoping to meet up with Kibangay somewhere in Manolo Fortich. But unfortunately Kiba had some delays and so the group decided to proceed and wait for Kiba at the venue. Getting down from the van, we were greeted with the typical Bukidnon climate of gentle cold breezes, a balm to the aching and aging bodies. We had the rest of the morning to just bask in the sun without fear of getting burned, thanks to the cool wind wafting in all directions.
We had two objectives for this trip: 1) to evaluate the journey to Dapitan for Rizal’s birthday last June and 2) to decide on the regional Mission Statement aside from the bonding that is nurtured by such an undertaking. Since our venue is a vegetable farm, we had the chance not only to eat green salads, freshly picked from the garden, but most excitedly to prepare the Ceasar’s salad ourselves upon the supervision of Esper’s husband, Tony, a self-confess gourmet. What a delight indeed to eat of the greens of the earth complete with generous servings of healthful salad dressing! You bet we finished the dressing first before the salad.
After lunch we were treated to a two-hour siesta! Everybody scampered away, finding her own nook and mattress for the much-needed rest. We occupied all the spaces available, at the mezzanine as well as the sala, leaving the dining area for all the things we hauled in from the city. Meals where served at the view deck hanging beside the cliff, overlooking the plateau and the valley down below and the strawberry terraces on the on right side.
At 3pm, we came together for the meeting down at the lawn beside the farm house. We were all in jackets since the afternoon turned gray and the clouds hang low on the mountains. Everybody was so rejuvenated that we finished our agenda on time. Each one seemed to have held on to their hang-over of the Dapitan experience that evaluating it was such a breeze. We had a piece of paper for the evaluation and each one diligently answered and read from it. The Dapitan trip was a significant formative undertaking which was more than inspiring. The region recommended that we do it regularly.
Before sundown, we had 1 hour meditation in lieu of the adoration, in total silence so as to here God speak through our surrounding. At 6pm we prayed vespers and celebrated the darkness of the evening eating sinugbang tilapia and bangus complete with bones.
We did not stay long outside since the cold was quietly seeping into our very bones. Some of the sisters had cough and colds and it was not good for them to be exposed to the “hamog.” The house had a singular fluorescent bulb in the kitchen area ran by car battery. We relied on our flashlights for mobility. The house also had rechargeable lamps to keep us from stumbling around. The darkness was so absolute that one could think of God at the beginning of creation.
Our second day started early at 4am to catch the glimpse of sunrise at 5am. Each of us had to look for our own space to await the breaking of day. There were not enough clouds to act as prism for the light to spread its magnificent colors across the sky. But what we had was a faint ray of pink light, shooting up into the zenith as it disappeared with the coming of day. How mute the morning was and how splendid to behold God’s creation wrapped in the shadows of the fleeting night! Surely anybody would not easily forget such a unique and rare chance to pray oraison in that manner.
After breakfast, we headed to the other side of the mountain and see what the place had to offer us. We went straight to the newly developed residential area on top of the mountain across where we were, near the Opus Dei retreat house. The area reminded us all of Baguio with pine trees jotting the landscape. We passed by the retreat house to have an ocular visit but we were refused entry due to an on-going formation session. We proceeded instead to the vacation house of the owners of the luxurious Plantation Bay resort in Mactan. What was unique about this house was the material used in the construction. The structure was made of giant bamboos put together like a log cabin. On the exterior, the house looked unassuming but the interiors gave an impression of taste and class befitting a royalty. The whole structure is a tribute to the local giant bamboo and the lowly banig done by the indigenous peoples. What a way to harmonize natural elements with its surroundings!We trooped next to the property of Delsa Mortola (vacant lot with 2 tall trees but well-trimmed carabao grass) to get a good view of the rolling hills spanning a vast horizon. From there we went to the Asian longest zipline at 840 m a few blocks away. We sat there to wait and look at the people lining up and zipping back to base. Shortly after, we returned to Delsa’s place and ate lunch al fresco. Delsa brought all the leftovers of her fiesta celebration (Aug 28 was St. Augustine’s feastday and fiesta of CDO) and we had a hearty meal under the trees, squatting on cardboards spread on grassy lawn.
Our lunch was not the usual “eat and run” scheme we are all used to. We had a pleasant surprise of meeting the family of Marina Chan who came down to Mindanao for a family vacation from London. She was with her sister, husband and two children. She knew Sr. Rita way back in 1981 as a JVP in Kadingilan and had since then kept tab with her. What a joy to welcome her back to Bukidnon and to know how her JVP life formed her the way she is now.
We left the place after lunch and moved back to the city. Kibangay Community stayed in CDO for the night while Kauswagan went straight home.
All went home happy, looking forward to another adventure with God and with the Sisters.
After lunch we were treated to a two-hour siesta! Everybody scampered away, finding her own nook and mattress for the much-needed rest. We occupied all the spaces available, at the mezzanine as well as the sala, leaving the dining area for all the things we hauled in from the city. Meals where served at the view deck hanging beside the cliff, overlooking the plateau and the valley down below and the strawberry terraces on the on right side.
At 3pm, we came together for the meeting down at the lawn beside the farm house. We were all in jackets since the afternoon turned gray and the clouds hang low on the mountains. Everybody was so rejuvenated that we finished our agenda on time. Each one seemed to have held on to their hang-over of the Dapitan experience that evaluating it was such a breeze. We had a piece of paper for the evaluation and each one diligently answered and read from it. The Dapitan trip was a significant formative undertaking which was more than inspiring. The region recommended that we do it regularly.
Before sundown, we had 1 hour meditation in lieu of the adoration, in total silence so as to here God speak through our surrounding. At 6pm we prayed vespers and celebrated the darkness of the evening eating sinugbang tilapia and bangus complete with bones.
We did not stay long outside since the cold was quietly seeping into our very bones. Some of the sisters had cough and colds and it was not good for them to be exposed to the “hamog.” The house had a singular fluorescent bulb in the kitchen area ran by car battery. We relied on our flashlights for mobility. The house also had rechargeable lamps to keep us from stumbling around. The darkness was so absolute that one could think of God at the beginning of creation.
Our second day started early at 4am to catch the glimpse of sunrise at 5am. Each of us had to look for our own space to await the breaking of day. There were not enough clouds to act as prism for the light to spread its magnificent colors across the sky. But what we had was a faint ray of pink light, shooting up into the zenith as it disappeared with the coming of day. How mute the morning was and how splendid to behold God’s creation wrapped in the shadows of the fleeting night! Surely anybody would not easily forget such a unique and rare chance to pray oraison in that manner.
After breakfast, we headed to the other side of the mountain and see what the place had to offer us. We went straight to the newly developed residential area on top of the mountain across where we were, near the Opus Dei retreat house. The area reminded us all of Baguio with pine trees jotting the landscape. We passed by the retreat house to have an ocular visit but we were refused entry due to an on-going formation session. We proceeded instead to the vacation house of the owners of the luxurious Plantation Bay resort in Mactan. What was unique about this house was the material used in the construction. The structure was made of giant bamboos put together like a log cabin. On the exterior, the house looked unassuming but the interiors gave an impression of taste and class befitting a royalty. The whole structure is a tribute to the local giant bamboo and the lowly banig done by the indigenous peoples. What a way to harmonize natural elements with its surroundings!Our lunch was not the usual “eat and run” scheme we are all used to. We had a pleasant surprise of meeting the family of Marina Chan who came down to Mindanao for a family vacation from London. She was with her sister, husband and two children. She knew Sr. Rita way back in 1981 as a JVP in Kadingilan and had since then kept tab with her. What a joy to welcome her back to Bukidnon and to know how her JVP life formed her the way she is now.
We left the place after lunch and moved back to the city. Kibangay Community stayed in CDO for the night while Kauswagan went straight home.
All went home happy, looking forward to another adventure with God and with the Sisters.
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