Jane Bosworth of Jackson rides in a sled pulled by a carabao, or water buffalo, during a winter mission trip to the Philippines sponsored by and conducted by members of the Delta District United Methodist Church. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch The poorest of the poor, inhabitants of neighborhoods - squatter's villages, this one in Coloocan Village, Manila - were served by a medical and dental mission Jan. 23 to Feb. 28 by local and regional members of the Delta District United Methodist Church. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

Local and regional missionaries returned in late February from a humanitarian missionary trip to the Philippines, where one of the travelers learned that the humility of the islanders was admirable and something to learn from.

They have nothing, said Ken Bosworth, of Jackson. They are the poorest people, and yet their attitudes were bright. They all had hope, with their faith in God.

The trip, sponsored by two dozen churches of the Delta District United Methodist Church, was a medical, dental and gift-giving missionary trip, between Jan. 23 and Feb. 28.

"The annual mission to the Philippines began Jan. 23, when 12 members of the Delta District UMC, under the leadership of Pastor Paul Cabotaje of the Jackson United Methodist Church, departed from San Francisco to embark on a month-long project to provide medical and dental care for the poorest of the poor in the Philippines," said Bosworth.

The team consisted of Pastor Paul and Virgie Cabotaje, Ken and Jane Bosworth and Kelsea O'Connell of the Jackson UMC; Lisa Brown and Katie Arrington-Smith of Manteca St. Paul's UMC; Pastor Alex Cambe of Sutter Creek UMC; Edna Buss of Evergreen Valley UMC in San Jose; Ruby Bago of the Fresno Christian Fellowship; and Delta District Superintendent Rev. Ted Virts and his wife Charlene.

"Although team members remained in the Philippines for differing lengths of time, depending on their ability to be away from work, they were able to provide medical and dental care for over 4,000 people, mostly in remote villages on the island of Luzon," Ken said.

Missions, which are open to people of all religions, were conducted in six different locations, he said. Two were at large churches in Tarlac and in Solano, where the poorest residents were bussed to the mission sites for treatment; one was in an extremely poor barrio of Mania; one was in the very small town of Santa Maria; and two were in remote mountain areas.

Mission dentists pulled the teeth of patients sitting in an old chair in a grove of trees on the islands of the Pacific Ocean country, Ken said. "The work was done in a forest near some small villages with just an old parachute put up to provide more shade."

One of those, the village of Baguingey, was accessible only by foot, on a two-mile trail of mud, Ken said. The local villagers met the trucks that carried the missionaries to the end of the road and carried the medical, food and hygiene supplies to their village on their heads, while the missionary team slogged through the mud for nearly two hours. Some of the missionaries were delivered to the village by sled pulled by carabao, or water buffalo.

Ken said they would spend the first part of each sojourn to the town gathered around a water pump, to wash away the mud, before starting to set up the day's work.

"In addition to providing medical and dental care, the team distributed over seven tons of rice to needy families, and toys, tooth brushes and toothpaste to about 1,800 children," he said. "It is essential to provide food to the neediest families in order to reduce the chances they will sell their medications for the money to purchase food."

They also distributed 2,000 tins of sardines and 1,000 packages of noodles.

"I thought it was significant that in serving over 4,000 needy persons in six mission sites, we never encountered beggars," Bosworth said. "We did run into a few near our hotel in Manila, but the village people who were the recipients of our mission efforts were polite, dignified, industrious people who just barely eke out a living.

"In the remote villages, we were presented with gifts in return for our services," he said. "The gifts were typically a few vegetables grown in the people's own gardens. These fine people felt it was important to honor our efforts by giving us what they could afford to give.

"I had one very moving experience when leaving the poor village of Baguingey," Bosworth said. "A young woman came up to me and gently took me by the arm.

"She didn't say, 'Thank you for the food' or 'Thank you for the medicine' or 'Thank you for the toys, or toothbrushes, or soap.' She said, 'Thank you for coming to our village.'

"Like most of the people we met, their relationships are built on the people connection," Ken said. "Personal relationships are everything. What a wonderful experience."

The mission will be an annual affair, he said, with leadership continuing to be under the direction of Pastor Paul Cabotaje of Jackson UMC, he said.

Bosworth said that many thanks are due to the large number of contributors who made the mission possible.

Donations included funding and/or gifts of toys, toothpaste and tooth brushes were provided by individuals representing United Methodist Churches in Sutter Creek, Jackson, Stockton St. Paul's, Manteca St. Paul's, Delano, North Sacramento, Chico Trinity, San Jose Calvary, Stockton Central, Ft. Jones, Etna, Fremont St. Paul's, Sacramento Florin, Oroville First United Methodist Church, Auburn Pioneer, Anderson Trinity, Geneva Ave. San Francisco, Berkeley, Fresno Christian Fellowship, Taft, Los Altos, Evergreen Valley and San Jose.

In addition, funding was received from the following independent sources: Marshal Meriam, Charles and Rain Bosworth, Tom and Abha Bosworth, Barbara Dargatz and Bob Grant.

Information concerning the mission can be obtained by calling Pastor Paul Cabotaje at 223-1884 or Ken or Jane Bosworth at 295-4830.