On April 28, we headed to the mountains of San Carlos for a celebration with the Bukidnon Organic Farmers Association (BOFA). We reached out to a group of priests to send someone to say mass to kick off the event. One priest would have sufficed but Bishop Gerry Alminaza showed up with Rev. Fathers Julius Montaño, Johnrey Jakosalem and Angeles Gidayawan, as well as their seminarians and choir! To us, the number of religious personnel who graced us with their presence that day was symbolic of all the blessings of the farmers.
The women of the community worked hard to prepare for this event. They made the flower arrangements that decorated the altar area, and they cooked delicious food for the 200 or so attendees.
After the mass, we turned over farming equipment including a power tiller as well as equipment for the food processing plant that is currently being built. The priests blessed the equipment, and we prayed that the community would use these blessings well.
We thank Sunlife of Candada, Hilti Foundation and its local counterpart Base Bahay Foundation/Base Builds for making this dream of an on-site production plant come true.
