BUNGTOD-ANINAW AT DAWN
These are the images of Bungtod-Aninaw when one wakes up at dawn to greet the unfolding of morning. It is a majestic sight as one gazes towards the mountains that surround the plains of Camanga and its hills, including Bungtod-Aninaw.
(Note: If the reader wants to know how to get to Bungtod-Aninaw, in Camanga, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, kindly scroll down further to the first posting which was done in late 2007).
The morning sun rises above the mountain range across Bungtod-Aninaw. The soft light
of dawn - constituted by a myriad of colors from salmon pink to velvety purple - greets the eyes of the early riser. The light then illuminates the sights around the hill that include the greenfields, the chickens out for their early breakfast, the peasants' homes of Camanga and the buildings and gardens of Bungtod-Aninaw.
The sun rises higher in the east
across Bungtod-Aninaw; indeed,
a most beautiful sight to behold.
Truly a manifestation of God's glory and bountiful love for the whole of creation and humanity.
White herons - the birds with white feathers whose habitat include the whole
Zamboanga peninsula and the nearby Lanao provinces - are up early for
their flight back to where they came the previous day, even as the others
stay put around Tukuran. Hundreds of them come to this part of Zamboanga
del Sur to rest for the night, perched on branches of the trees on the hills
and plains of Camanga. As dawn arises, some of them begin their flight back to where
they came from. The rest remain in these fields. With their white exterior, they
provide beautiful contrasts to the greens and browns of the fields.
Fr. Reynante Jaectin, Bungtod-Aninaw's founder and builder,
stands by the cross fronting the multi-purpose hall of Bungtod-
Aninaw. A native of Camanga, Tukuran, Zamboanga de Sur,
he transformed their family's farm into Bungtod-Aninaw, the Jesus of the Resurrection Center of Spirituality (JRCS).
At present, Fr. Reynante, is associate pastor in the nearby parish
of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur. He also supervises three Catholic
parochial schools in this part of the Diocese of Pagadian, as well as serve as the Pastoral Coordinator of the same Diocese. Almost single-handedly, he planted all the trees that now grow on the slopes and across the hill. He also supervised the construction of the buildings, the road, the water system and everything that has now made Bungtod-Aninaw a place for retreats, recollections, seminars and gatherings.
Various fruit trees have been planted on the hill
facing the western part of the hill. Dozens of
banana trees - of various species - as well as
pomelo and suwa trees have been planted.
Some of these are already fruit-bearing.
Fr. Reynante pointing to the direction of Bungtod-Aninaw where a well was dug and has now become the source of potable water for the Center. He plans to convert the nearby mini-valley into a pond which could serve as place for reflection as well as recreation. A nearby water source could be tapped for such purposes. Acacia, narra and other hardwood trees have been planted on the slopes of this hill.
Early morning, the altar boys and girls of the parish of Aurora went out to the front yard
to play volleyball and various other games, as well as pose for the camera.
Knights of the Altar (boys and girls) from the parish of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur were around for a day of recollection. That morning
they were getting ready to go to the nearby
beach for a swim.
Fr.Reynante and the altar
boys and girls of the parish
of Aurora, Zamboanga del
Sur who came to Bungtod-
Aninaw for a recollection
day.
Inside the dormitory: two double-decker beds occupy each room. There is the shared washing area for all. To both sides are the separate comfort rooms for men and women. The door of
the dormitory opens up to the majestic northwest view of the hill.
Fruit trees planted on the hill a few years ago are now starting
to bear fruit. There are the pomelo and mango trees, but also macopa
and orange trees. The seedling of the orange tree was brought by
Fr. Reynante from Kulaman, Sultan Kudarat, where as a seminarian
he spent time with the Redemptorist Itinerant Mission Team (RIMT)
The kitchen, the hermitage (with Fr. Reynante's bike parked by its side) and two views
of the water tank. All occupy the southeast part of Bungtod-Aninaw, at the back of the multi-
purpose hall.
Bungtod-Aninaw is a hill made up of gardens. Some have been arranged to
provide supplementary beauty to the natural
gardens of the hill. The rest are left in their
natural state. To date, there is a rich
combination of palms, bushes, tubers, flowering
plants, multi-colored plants and the like. In the
glow of the morning sun, the plants sparkle and
manifest the beauty of the Creator.
At almost mid-day, the sky reveals in very deep blue hues the splendour of the heavens in December. In the southeast, rainclouds begin to make their appearance which could led to a dark sky by late afternoon.
Fr. Reynante is seen standing before the view of the northwest area of the
hill which is constituted by the ricefields of the village of Camanga.
Peasants' houses are built at the edges of the ricefields. Below he poses in front of the dormitory part of the main hall.
From the main hall of Bungtod-Aninaw, one can see the plains surrounding
the hill. One catches a view of the pond just outside the hall and as one looks out
beyond, the fields and the highway appear in the horizon. December days are
rainy thus, thus the lush green fields.
The day's visit to Bungtod-Aninaw on December 28 came to a close by
mid-day. Reynante and I had lunch. Once more, it was a visit that was most
enjoyable. After lunch he went to Tukuran and I proceeded on my journey to Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur, then on to Iligan City.
