musings&mem'ries: The Inyam tree

At the start of the second half of the 20th century, an American missionary was sent to Mindanao to scout for a place to build a school based on a 16-point list, which included isolation in the country far from the city, the presence of sufficient arable land and abundant water supply among others. With several colleagues he motored to the heart of the island of Mindanao, and with some locals guiding them, the group found themselves on top of a hill. They checked the area and realized that it satisfied the guidelines in the list. With the realization that they had found the exact spot for the school, the group knelt on that grassy, windswept plateau, under a lone inyam tree and poured out their thanks to God. Never in their wildest dreams would they realize that many years later, in the same spot where they prayed, some unusual events would transpire.

The wild inyam tree that was witness to the first prayer on this hilltop, in about two decades, succumbed to the elements, wilted and died, and so another one was planted in its place. This one was more robust and it boasted a thick foliage even if the configuration of the branches didn't mimic the first one. This was when stories about this inyam tree were spun to the point that it became one compelling reason for some SDA folk from faraway places to come to MVC. These stories were also used in the proselytizing activities of some unscrupulous workers of this sect to prove the authenticity of the connection of their church to divine providence. A method that was deemed effective and fruitful with at least one retired teacher testifying that a dream about a cave sealed her decision to be baptized even when she made a vow not to abandon her Catholic faith before setting foot in the campus.

One story that they say was based on a dream by Mr. Mariano Abesta (a member of the original pioneer group), was about a huge cave that is located under this mountainous area that could hold an unlimited number of SDA church members. This cave they said is supplied with food stuff and water and all the amenities of a temporary refuge to keep this sect safe and fed until after the "time of tribulation," which they claim is the persecution of the SDA church by the Knights of Columbus of the Roman Catholic Church and other Protestant sects.

As a sun-burnt and hyperactive kid growing up here, I was really fascinated by this story. Much of my unoccupied moments were spent with some friends in search for the opening to this mysterious cave. We had each gully, cliff, crevasse and rocky outcrop mapped out and inspected. We practically knew every nook and cranny of this 1,200-hectare hilly land in the search for the cave. On one occasion we even met Mr. Abesta on his horse in one remote section who warned us about the dangers of encountering snakes among the boulders nearby. His cautionary advice only added kindling to our imagination that indeed his dream was true.

So where does the Inyam tree come in? Well, while the second inyam tree was being planted, some guys decided to add some granite boulders beside it to give it a rugged frontier look. So a couple of large rocks were taken from a different location to complete the landscaping of the inyam pioneer memorial.

One night in the early 2,000s, during one of those meetings when thousands of SDA church members converge in MVC, I received word that some delegates where planning to meet at the site of the inyam tree. As overall accommodations coordinator for this huge affair I was curious about the plans of this small group so I decided to join them incognito. At about 3:00, in the predawn darkness, people started arriving at the site, all clad in thick clothing since it was cold. When a good-sized crowd had gathered, a man started speaking and he rumbled through the 'history' of the inyam tree and the cave and declared that they were actually standing at the entrance of the cave. He claimed that the rocks were permanent structures here and that previous attempts to move them failed, because each time the blade of the bulldozer touched the rocks the engine would shut off. At that point I could not hold my indignation any longer and so I interrupted his speech and introduced myself while stating that my parents were pioneers and that I grew up here. He tried to argue, but stopped short when I said that originally there were no rocks here, but that they were just hauled from a different location to beautify the place. I then ordered them back to their tents so as not to rouse the other campers who wanted to sleep in peace, to which they grudgingly obliged.

Sixteen years from that encounter the second inyam tree started showing signs of disease and slowly followed the plight of the original tree. To keep the icon of the pioneering spirit alive on that site, three inyam saplings were planted amid elaborate religious fanfare with the participants dressed in their best formal clothes. There is no doubt that prayers for the lasting health of the three trees were said and that the small park would forever retain its significance as an icon of the pioneering spirit, and yet I am tempted to wonder; does the mystery cave and persecution mentality have anything to do with the religious activity that was attached to the planting of this three inyam trees? Why don your finest barong and kneel around in prayer just to plant a tree? Why are so many Filipino SDAs from far-flung places building their retirement homes in the surrounding communities?