Category: Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in The Philippines

Christina and I moved to the Philippines in 2008. We were interns with Peacebuilders Community (PBCI), a Mennonite Church Canada Witness supported missionary effort.

After a year with PBCI we had experience in organizing peacebuilding programs, relief distribution, responding to and organizing internally displaced people, collaborative community development and even social enterprise. It was an incredibly full year. We moved back to Canada to finish my education and prepare for the next stage our lives.

Before we left the Philippines, our partners, especially our Muslim and Indigenous friends asked us to return to the Philippines in the future. WHy? They said our Christian witness as PBCI staff was different than past missionaries they interacted with. Historical missions in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, has been very violent to indigenous people.

How did they say our witness was different? We worked beside them, rather than trying to control them. We weren’t there to take and manipulate, but rather to journey towards justice, peace and salvation. Even though our center for salvation is solely in Jesus Christ, and theirs is the Quran or expressed through a non-christian indigenous worldview we acknowledged our differences and work together towards common values and goals.

This is gave me a clearer understanding of authentic christian witness. I believe the Apostle Paul acted with a similar theology of mission in Act 17:22-31 on Mars hill.

The links below are my blogs from 2008-2018 specifically about the Philippines. Enjoy.

If you find my journey helpful to your own? If you do, join my email list below and I’ll send you a few bonuses. Thx, blessings and peace.