The tribal elders of Banao Tribe in Talalang, Balbalan, Kalinga invited me to explore a partnership with them in producing global quality coffee using the Peace and Reconciliation framework of Coffee For Peace. 31 January 2017. We’re planning to be back in this community by April 2017 to do CFP and PAR training.
PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee For Peace (CFP) have been enjoying a growing relationship with the various tribes of Kalinga province. I visited Kalinga again as a continuation of our prayerful commitment to support their aspiration for genuine autonomy.
I praise the Great Creator —
- for those rich moments of bonding with our Kalinga family who adopted Joji and me — the Alngag clan where Tala belongs; especially grateful to God for Malou Alngag who shared her vision and enthusiasm to advance peace and reconciliation (PAR) principles and practices in Kalinga through her professional skills and expertise in the field of Public Administration;
- for a wonderful chance to have mentorship sessions with Aiza, our field worker there, and to get to know her family and the Banao tribe where she belongs — especially his father, Gilbert Baluyan — in Barangay Talalang, Balbalan, Upper Kalinga;
- for the privilege of speaking before the pastors and church leaders there and precious time of conversations to deepen our relationship with them;
- for the rich time of fellowship and sharing of hearts and minds with the leadership of the Cordillera People’s Liberatìon Army (direct core group of the late Father Conrado Balweg), especially for the generous hospitality of Ma’am Chupan Chulsi, their Chief of Staff;
- for the joy of seeing again my brother, Johnny Sawadan, who is volunteering to help establish PAR communities in the Cordillera Region; and,
- for the opportunity to share peace and reconciliation (PAR) principles and practices with the local government officials; and, for the chance to formally present the inclusive development consulting services of PeaceBuilders Community and the economic-ecological transformation initiatives of Coffee For Peace.
It was a delight to listen to my dear Kalinga mother, Janet Alngag, and my sisters, Marilou and Rebecca, as they dream and plan together about the Peace and Reconciliation activities among the Sumacher tribe in Barangay Bulo, Tabuk City and in Barangay Sumacher, Municipality of Tinglayan in Upper Kalinga. Aiza Baluyan, our PAR Field Worker in Kalinga takes notes.
