by Rev. Dr. Mariano C. Apilado
Last September 26 (Sunday), members of the United Mennonite Church of Yarrow, Chiliwak City, celebrated with me my 74th birthday after the worship service. But, where in the world is Chiliwak? Why am I here?
Chiliwak is about one hour and thirty minutes by car from Vancouver. From the eastern part of Canada, one gets to it by passing through Hellsgate, Squeah and Hope City.
I am here as a member of an international group of pastors, including Pastor Norman Naromal of Davao City, gathered in a colloquium in the hope that peace and peace building may be attained in our time.
Sponsored by the Mennonite Church of Canada, pastors from China, the Philippines and Canada have been invited to participate in a two-week meeting on the theme “Church as Prophetic Voice to Church, Community and Government.”
Other participants come from Beijing and Macau, joined by four pastors from Canada – with a passion for peace, addressing together issues such as materialism, secularism, urbanization, poverty and what may be done globally to alleviate the problems.
With a population of about 90 thousand, Chiliwak has rich agricultural products and is populated by people of rich spiritual history, many having been refugees from Europe who had escaped the holocaust of the Second World War.
I especially remember three who had bitter experiences during the war but had recovered and are living a productive life.
Otto Kleiss, 75 years old, is from Poland and he remembers that after the war his country was divided and he ended up having no country. Gotthard Rishler, 76 years old, is also from Poland and he remembers how he, together with his companions, including women, were gassed, particularly their private parts, to ensure that none of them had any germs or virus.
John Thiessen, 77 years old, from Russia, remembers that his father was arrested and taken to Siberia and for many years their mother had been praying for his return. But John never saw his father again.
The surprise birthday party was complete with a cake and 74 candles, baked by Judy Lesser, wife of Pastor Barry, and carried by 77 year-old John Thiessen.
What have all these wonderful people and this celebration to do with Davao City? Plenty. For one, the route to Chiliwak City is a coincidental reminder that to get to the city of cheer and beautiful celebration, one may have to go through the gate of hell and energized by the city of hope before getting to the city of comfort and celebration.
I was told that the main problem of Chiliwak today is abundance, inasmuch as production is high and material wealth is plentiful, a stark contrast to the problems of poverty and want when their forefathers arrived.
Their stories tell me that the problem of poverty, corruption and underdevelopment in the Philippines may be traversed and overcome when people have the passion, perseverance, persistence and determination to succeed.
No matter how difficult, dangerous and dark the road may be, there is a light that guides one through Hellsgate and by the power of Hope City one can reach the Chiliwak City of joyous celebration.
Birthday celebration at Chiliwak? It could be a celebration in Davao City when citizens with passion, perseverance, persistence and determination, with the leadership of Mayor Inday Sara, cooperate to build together the Davao City of their dreams.++
