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The Badjao Missionary Team (BMT) is a vision the Lord gave to His servant Apostle Success Kanayo Uchime, a Nigerian missionary-journalist serving under the Philippines based South East Asia Mission Teams (SEAMIST).
The Apostle is really a core missionary, this is so because while in Nigeria, he was seriously involed in mission having worked as a rural cross-cultural missionary among the Ejila Awori people of Ogun State, Southwest of Nigeria. In fact his work there actually started in 1997, with many fruits to atest to it and for more information on this Ejila Awori mission project, please click on this link below: http://sites.google.com/site/kmoejilaaworimissions/about-us
Then this idea about the Badjao project started in 2007, when the Apostle came to the Philippines for a short training under the World Missions Training Center (WMTC), in Cebu, to prepare for going to China for a missionary work, although the China mission didn't workout after all for so many reasons. Then he was leading a team of other Nigerian and Filippino missionaries to the Badjao settlement in barangay Lo-oc in Mandaue, the little seaport just at the foot of the Lapulapu bridge. And we're rightly informed then that those Badjao were formerly somewhere in Alaska in Mandaue, but were displaced as a result of the reclamation going on there then.
The work there stopped because the Apostle had to go back to Nigeria, in order to bring up his entire family for yet another training, this time under SEAMIST, hoping to proceed again to Thailand afterwards for a long-term mission assignment. But when that movement couldn't workout also, as it did with the China trip, again for so many reasons, the Apostle and his family had to settle down in the Philippines concluding that God wants them to be there for now.
So, on coming back to the Philippines in 2008 along with his entire family, moreso when going to Thailand wasn't feasibl, the Lord started to remind him again of his uncompleted mission assignment in 2007, among the Badjao settlement in barangay Lo-oc. And flowing from that reminder and anointing, the Apostle had to recommit himself to the Badjao project. To learn more about the Apostle and his other missionary activities since coming to the Philippines please click here www.kmointer.webs.com OR www.seamist.org/uchime
And in order to fulfil that clarion call, he has to set up the Badjao Missionary Team as a movement that'll enable him accomplish his old-time dream of reaching the Badjao people wherever they may be found in the Philippines. By implication therefore, he's the team leader of this great vision that'll see lots of the Badjao worshipping the Almighty Jehovah all to His glory!
The Team comprises both Filippinos and other nationals, who're ready to sacrifice all for these forgotten and neglected people - the Badjao. And this's a Team you must identify with, hence their activities - soul winning, touches the heart of God so much!
He's working alongside his wife Ngozi Cynthia Uchime and their four kids and as stated earlier, they're missionaries serving under the Philippines based South East Asia Mission Teams (SEAMIST), a registered, non-stock mission agency in the Philippines and the United States of America (USA) also. For more information on SEAMIST please click here www.seamist.org
The Badjao Missionary Team is not an organization as most people usually think, but rather it's a movement the Lord Jesus is using to impact a people very close to His heart - the Badjao tribal people. It's a movement that'll spread all over the Philippines and beyond.
The Badjao Missionary Team is directly affiliated to SEAMIST and Kingdom Missions Outreach International Inc. (KMO) all being mission organizations working in the Southeast Asian nations.
 Apostle Success & Ngozi Uchime, the Nigerian missionary couple
reaching the Badjao tribal people
 The Nigerian missionary family during their pre-field training at South East Asia Mission Team (SEAMIST) office, Philippines in 2008.
 The Apostle and his team in 2008 ministering to the people.
THE GREAT SEARCH FOR THE BADJAO PEOPLE!
A survey report by BMT
It was really a great adventure for us here, as we made a very long and desperate search for the Badjao tribal people in the Philippines, a memory that will always linger and linger in us for a very long time. That reminded us how God came down from His heavenly aboard searching for the mere man He had created and put in the Garden of Eden.
We in the Badjao Missionary Team (BMT) (a group of missionaries and evangelists dedicated to reaching the Badjao people wherever they may be found in the Philippines) was very eager more than ever before to locate the Badjao settlement in Daanbantayan, the very north of Cebu province– the people the Lord has mandated us to reach with the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brief Information On The Badjao People The Badjao people are a nomadic seafaring people, originating from the Samal Tribe, on the island of Mindenao, in the Philippines. The people are notable for spending most or even all of their time on their fishing boats - the reason why they’re often referred to as Sea Gypsies.
They as a result move from one settlement to the other in search of greener pastures. So locating them is often times very tasking and challenging. There settlements are usually shanties and slums that are very far separated from the rest of the people. They’re highly marginalized, abandoned and neglected to say the lest, with no one ready to assist them out of the poverty stricken life they’ve learned to live with.
It needs to be observed that since the early 1970's, the fight for independence has resulted in massive relocation of the Badjao people to other parts of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
But despite all these difficulties in locating the Badjao people, the BMT members took it upon themselves to fish out these Badjao people who’re staying in Daanbantayan. So on Saturday, August 1, 2009, we took off on a missionary journey in order to do a preliminary survey work among these people.
Departure From Our Liloan Base Leaving our base in Liloan around 5.00 am, we boarded a Ceres Liner bus heading to Daanbantayan and arrived there about 9. 00 am and then we chartered a tricycle to Maya where the Team was reliably informed that the Badjao are.
But to our utmost surprise the people we met in Maya – where there is a little seaport, a usual aboard for the Badjao, informed us that the Badjao had left the place a long time ago. There and then we’re asked to go check them out in Bakhawan, very close to the cemetery - another location in Daanbantayan.
On getting there, we’re told again that the Badjao people are no more there, that they usually show up during major fiestas to beg for arms from visitors and other foreigners. At this point we were already exhausted and weary, but just as King David in the Bible, we encouraged ourselves in the Lord.
Though worn out, we didn’t give up our desperate search for the Badjao. We were so convinced that the Lord was leading us and that we must get a good report back home and based on that conviction; we kept up our search by asking a lot of people. And lo and behold people around informed us that the Badjao can be located in Bogo city – a place we bypassed on our way to Daanbantayan.
The Journey Back To Bogo City What we did was to muscle up again and traveled back to Bogo city with the next available Ceres Liner and just there beside the bus terminal are the Badjao! The people are not so difficult to identify, mere seeing the shanties and slums will definitely tell you that you’re in the home of the Badjao people.
There and then we breathed a breath of relieve, praising and thanking God for leading us to the “home” of the Badjao and immediately we went into action by walking around the shanties, with the people peeping from their huts to behold these foreigners who’ve come to evade their privacy. Some picked up courage to come out to wave to us – may be we might be the very first black people they’ve seen all their lives.
As our style is we had to ask God to lead us to someone or some people (a seed-family) that’ll receive us and that paid off, at once one of them beckoned on us and ushered us in to his “apartment.” And that is Mr. and Mrs. Pilayo a lovely couple indeed, leaving with some of their grand children and a nephew – Bro. Alex, who we understood is already a Christian.
We rejoiced with him and ministered to the whole family, and willingly they committed themselves to the Lord and were willing to have us come back again for Bible study. There and then we scheduled Thursdays for our follow-up visits, when we’ll hold Bible Studies with the family, with hope that through them we’ll be able to reach out to their other kinsmen.
Our Findings We discovered that being nomads, the people only retire in the evenings, between 6 pm and 8 pm and that any meaningful ministration there must be within this time frame. We also discovered that this Badjao in Bogo arrived there a long time ago from Alaska Mambaling, somewhere in the south of Cebu, probably as a result of the reclamation work done in the place then.
We further discovered that there present aboard in Bogo City is also a reclaimed area, but what we didn’t know is how long they’ll be allowed to occupy the place, since they’re always ejected from a place when a meaningful development creeps in. And this is one of the greatest dilemmas of the Badjao people, which the government of the Philippines needs to address squarely if the people must be integrated back into the system which they once played an active role. The Great Setback
As we were about to rejoice that we've finally discovered the Badjao in their location in Bogo city, we were stunned to our face when two weeks after our last visit, we discovered that the Badjao had again moved out of Bogo. Where they're headed to this time around we couldn't ascertain, but one thing remains we're out to work among these people!
So as we were thinking what next to do, we got information that in Dumaguete there're lots of Badjao there and based on that information the Team set out again to the city of Dumaguete and there before us are the Badjao, doing what they know how to do - begging for arms. With this, we've sighed a sigh of relieve and we've since then started thinking, waiting upon the Lord on what should be our next line of action in Dumaguete city.
Our Future Plans For The Badjao in Dumaguete The Badjao Missionary Team on arrival home from this great search for the Badjao has come up with lots of mission strategies that would help in reaching the people there. And one of the plans is to start a weekly Bible study as mentioned earlier, through it we'll be able to minister both to the spirit soul and body of the people, through what might be termed holistic missions.
We've since started to request for relief materials like clothing, beddings, foodstuffs, medicare etc, that'll be used in ministering the love of Christ to our beloved Badjao people. It's also our intention to be around the people all the time and this we can only achieve by relocating our base or office to Dumaguete City in the nearest future.
This action becomes necessary hence the people are nomads, and can only be tracked down in the evenings when they retire from their arms begging escapades. And as we had pointed out earlier any meaningful and effective ministration among these people must be within this period of time!
We've also started to think on how we can kick-start a livelihood project or a vocational school that'll empower the people, thereby taking them permanently out of the streets where they spend a good chunk of their God given time. What's more we're to commence a discipleship training through which we intend to raise Badjao disciples, who'll in return continue to lead their people to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ in what would be known as the Badjao church. Your Support! Our Team can never achieve all these without your very support – prayer, emotional and what’s more financial support! You’re therefore encouraged to send across to us your financial support through our affiliate organization here in the Philippines, the South East Asia Mission Teams (SEAMIST) - a registered non-stock mission agency in the Philippines and the United States of America (USA). And please be reminded and assured that those giving to us from the US will get a tax exemption from their giving.
And to give now, all you do is to click the link below and there indicate the project (Badjao-Bogo Project) you’re giving to and the good Lord will reward you effectively in Jesus name. Amen! Click here now to give: www.seamist.org/give.php
In Conclusion We went, we saw, we fought, we conquered and we also returned safely! And we’re able to accomplish these, not because we’re so great, but because our God is so great in us! The Lord loves the Badjao hence He also died for them that they might have life and also have it to its fullest!
Note: Please you’re permitted to republish this article in any media of your choice with proper attributes to the Badjao Missionary Team Philippines. And to learn more about the Team, please visit our website by clicking on this link below and you’ll be right there: http://sites.google.com/site/badjaomissionaryteam/
By Apostle Success Kanayo Uchime Websites: www.kmointer.webs.com OR www.seamist.org/uchime Email: kanayo@seamist.org or kmo4missions@yahoo.com Tel: +63 9089857499, +639324712532 Yahoo messenger: successkuchime@yahoo.com |