"Look back with Gratitude,
Look around with Pride and
Look forward with Confidence."
Lord Baden Powel,
Founder of the Scouting Movement
Today, we look back with gratitude to honor great and loving parents -- to us his family, our parents will always be great. They gave themselves that their children, grandchildren and following generations may have a Godly heritage.
We look around with pride but with humility. None of us is affluent, none of us is perfect. We are aware that our parents did not ask for riches from the Lord. They asked for wisdom, knowledge and understanding. With gratitude to the Lord, He has given us their children different blessings of different gifts. With our diversities of talents we dedicate them to praise the Lord.
We look forward with confidence -- that with the legacy of faith they have given us, we are confident that God's grace will be sufficient to carry us in all our aspirations, needs, trials, despairs, hopes and success through life.
Monico Pestejo Faralan was born on May 3, 1886 to Julian Faralan and Basilia Pestejo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. They were engaged in a small business for a living. They were pious people for as Roman Catholics they had images in their homes. He was orphaned at the age of 12 and was brought up by his uncle, Elias Pestejo in Bangued, Abra. He finished his elementary education in that town and soon became a Public School Teacher.
Eventually, a neighbor and a belle of the town, Barbara Pableo soon captured his heart. Not to be outdone by his numerous rivals, they eloped to get married at the age of 20 and 19, respectively on September 1, 1906.
Lorenzo Pableo, an Escribano at the Provincial Capital was his father-in-law. He was one of the first converts to protestantism in Bangued, Abra. He would not accept him into his family if he will not accept Methodism, and so he acceded.
Soon after finishing his Seminary education in 1909, he was stationed first in Narvacan, then to Magsingal, Ilocos Sur; San Nicolas and Badoc, Ilocos Norte; Alcala, Cagayan; Echague, Isabela; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and Santiago, Isabela. He was always building churches and parsonages through self-help and resourcefulness. I often wondered of his ingenuity. I could remember how groups of men go to their homesteads to cut trees, saw them into boards, then a small chapel and a nipa hut parsonage was erected.
As children, we often complained because there were difficult adjustments for us in school such as social and environmental adjustments. We were victims of prejudice but Father would always tell us that 'one could not kick against the pricks'. Then he would chide us to sing "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord".
In an area where there are now ten or more pastors, Father during his time was alone. Imagine the vastness of the area of Echague, Jones and Cordon including their barrios which was Father's assignment. Those were the early 'twenties' and one could only travel by horseback or carts so Father secured two horses for his personal use. Our father was cited by the General Conference as the "Pioneer Horserider Preacher of the Philippines" as the counterpart of Peter Cartwright, the "Pioneer Horserider Preacher of America". This appeared in the Christian Advocate and the Naimbag a Damag (both were the Evangelical Magazines at that time). In fact, it was the joke in the family that even horses were converts because they were used in his itineraries that Father could even loosen the reins and sleep on their backs riding.
He bacame an Elder of the Conference. At that time according to the Discipline you must undergo several stages before one becomes an Elder of the conference.
He retired when he was 65 years old with more than 40 years in active assignments. After he retired he was assigned weekend pulpits in Cordon, La Paz, Cabatuan and Divisoria, Santiago. It was on one of his Saturday visits among his members in Divisoria that he was stricken with hypertension while riding in his scooter right on the National Highway near his Church. His own members lovingly brought him to his home. He was on a wheelchair for almost five years. Thus - perhaps the Lord willed it so that he could rest physically to look back and enjoy the memories of his past years that were dedicated to the glory of God.
He trained us, his children to be active in his evangelistic work. During weekend nights we had cultural performances at home as a sort of our training. We composed the church choir, an old version of the modern Family Evangelistic Team of Rev. Rex Humbard. We the older ones filled in as Sunday School Teachers while the young ones helped in the cleaning of the church, ringing the church bell and inviting children to the Sunday School.
Father was a realist. One time, Father, Rebecca and I while on our way home from an Evangelistic itinerary on horseback, were lost on the way. The night was so dark that Father had to get down from his horse to feel the path. At a distance we can see a speck of barrio lights. Then Father said "Such is the life of a person lost in sin but the light of God beacons". Then we would sing together "He Leadeth me" and "God will take care of you".
Father loved nature so much that I always see him most of the time prepare his sermon and bible study under the trees or outdoors. There were times that he smiled by himself as soon as he discerned a spiritual truth. We have the "Siled ti Cararag" (Prayer Room) in our home in Santiago. When he was not around, you can be sure that he was there in the "Siled".
Father believed in the Ecumenism. The Catholic priests as well as Ministers of other sects were his friends. On public programs Father would pray the invocation, the priests the benediction and vice-versa. When father died, the La Salette Fathers came to vigil and attended his burial service in San Mateo, Isabela.
Father was a very busy man. He had his self-help projects of gardening, poultry and piggery. He had his hobby of photography which helped boost his income. He had always time for his bible studies, readings and visitations. I often wondered how he could cope up to all of these only to find out that he had wonderful sense of priorities. He put his church responsibilities and obligations above all things. He always impressed us of the verse "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you."
Father was a foremost Minister but he was as well a loving father and husband. He was a good provider in the sense that we had sufficient food and other needs. He always managed to attend all our school performances to give us inspiration. Even when he became a grandfather, he would not fail to visit his loved ones wherever they lived.
Father lived a faithful life. He died at the age of 80. Thus ended the mortal life of a man of God. A Patriarch of faith and love. He will always live in our hearts. The Lord has multiplied his seeds of seven children; 46 grandchildren and 61 great-grandchildren.