Have you ever thought about what it would be like to go to a time when electricity wasn’t around or there was no running water, air conditioning and the niceties that we enjoy today? I have to admit, just by the opening comments, you are probably saying to yourself, “no, and I don’t want to!”

It is hard to believe that there are still places like that in the world today. It is also hard for us to imagine what that would be like… I had the opportunity to travel to Mt. Pinatubo (a volcano) to visit people that do live that way - the Ayta people.

One of my good friends, Dr. Felipe Cuyugan, a “country” physician invited me to travel with him as he made his rounds to one of the villages. Dr. Cuyugan is a government-hired doctor who has been working with these people for nearly 20 years now. When he started, the people were not really receptive to him. However, over time, they saw that he really cared and he earned their trust.

The Ayta people are a peculiar people. They are considered the “FIRST” people in the Philippines. As a matter of fact, they are likened to the American Indian in that way. There are some distinct characteristics though that separate them.

First, they are nicknamed the “little people”. This is because they are much smaller than normal Filipinos. Most Ayta people rarely get taller than 4 feet and probably weigh about 80 pounds soaking wet - and that’s the BIG Aytas! Some tribes are very tiny and are like 8 year-olds in body comparison.

Further, the Ayta people have their own language. It is most difficult to communicate with them. Dr. Cuyugan has learned to communicate over the years, but even with translation, it is very difficult to communicate beyond simple information.

If one wants to share an idea or concept, it must be done so in a very simple manner using drawings and figures that they can relate to.

The Ayta children were a real blessing. They really enjoyed the candy that was given to them.

The people are NOMADIC. Meaning that they are roaming people. I am not saying that they roam all the time, but it is not unusual for them to settle in an area and even set up a village and then one day leave for better ground! They live off the resources that are available from the land and also have become somewhat dependant on some of the services provided by the government.

The Aytas really don’t have much use for money. As a matter of fact, up until a decade or so ago, it was rare for them to even know what it was. In 1991, things did change as Mt. Pinatubo erupted and displaced thousands of Aytas to the “lowlands” and forced them to enter towns and communities because their homes and resources were destroyed by the volcanic ash. It took months for the ash to be removed which was several feet deep in many areas of the Philippines. During that time, the Aytas had no choice but to interact with others. Many of them suffered because of the language barrier and resorted to begging to have something to eat. At that point, they became familiar with money, alcohol, and other worldly things that have polluted their culture. At that point, the Philippines government designated them as a special minority group so that they could receive assistance for medical care and food. In addition, they worked to help them get settled back into their communities.

The main resources that Aytas use for trading is the making of charcoal. They make it in the mountains the “old fashioned” way by slow-burning the wood underground for about a week or so. They use this to trade for other basic needs. In addition, they do grow crops for consumption and live mostly on bananas and roots as their main food source. I saw caribou (likened to oxen) in their village, dogs and 1 baby chicken in the arms of a child (it appeared to be a pet). Otherwise, the food sources appeared to be grown.

The villages still operate on a DOWRY system. In other words, if a man sees a woman that he wants for his wife, he must go to the father and “trade” stuff for her. Usually, it is 5 or 10 caribou. If the man can raise that and bring it to the father then he gives the daughter to the man. If not, then he waits for someone else to come along! Also, polygamy is still practiced in the Ayta culture to a degree. Some men may have 2 or 3 wives.

Government sponsored school near Ayta village

I was able to visit with them and bring some candy to the children. It was really a blessing to interact. I wanted more than anything to share the Gospel with them, but Dr. Cuyugan stated that even with interpretation that they would not understand unless I had pictures to show them.

They do not even read or write, so even giving them a bible does no good. I was told that there was a visiting Christian who came one time and handed out bibles without having a means to explain what it was. Dr. Cuyugan came back the following week and many of the people were using the pages for tobacco paper. He immediately gathered all the bibles from them…

Although I was disappointed that I couldn’t share the Gospel with them, I did show them the LOVE of Christ and made some friends and planted some seeds of Christian love with them. It is my hope and prayer that next time I will be able to develop a special “plan of Salvation” program in picture form and share that with them. Please help me pray for that. I really want to see them won to the Lord. In addition, help me pray that we can identify some of the more intelligent people who would be good candidates to teach to read and write. The Calvary Church in Angeles City has reached a few of the Aytas in a village not far from this one and is trying to teach one person to read and write. So, remember them.

Overall, my experience was wonderful. I never imagined that there were places like that still in the world!