1977-1978 – The Beginnings
- How it started
It all started when the Central Diocese of the Philippines Episcopal Church (at that time Metro Baguio and Metro Manila were an undivided diocese) decided to hold an Evangelism Seminar in Easter School, Baguio City on December 26-30, 1976. St Stephen’s Parish was requested by Bishop Benito Cabanban to lead the seminar, and took charge of the entire program. We invited good speakers, sung meaningful songs, and conducted small group Bible studies. 8 or 9 delegates from SSP led the small group Bible studies. All the participants were spiritually renewed, and they had a hunger for God’s Word. At the end of the 5-day Evangelism Seminar, the participants (all adults) who came from various stations of the Diocese said their companions back home needed also the Bible studies, and requested some of the SSP delegates to go back home with some of them and spend 3 or 4 days conducting small group Bible studies in those stations. We did that on April 1977 right after the second Diocesan Evangelism Seminar. Thus was born the first SSP (St. Stephen’s Parish) Benguet Missions.
- The pioneers
These were the pioneers. We were split into four teams, assigned to Antamak Tram and Acupan Mines in the Goldfields, Pico in La Trinidad, and Lepanto Mines. (Combined report of Grace Lim Chua [1977-’78, 2000], Ruth Lim Uy [1977-‘80], Dr. Jimmy Chua [1977-93], and Dr. Romeo Chu [1977-‘89])
Grace Lim Chua Dr. Romeo Chu Peter Uy
Ruth Lim Uy (HwiHua) Dr. Rodrigo Chan Josephine Go
Dr. Jimmy Chua Robert Chua Bertram Lim
1979-1981 – The Second Wave
- More invitations
The Diocesan Evangelism Seminar in Easter School, Baguio continued for several years. More delegates from more stations attended. Likewise, SSP sent more delegates also to lead the small group Bible studies. Again, at the end of those seminars, the Benguet delegates requested SSP delegates to go home with them and conduct Bible studies in their stations.
- More SSP Mission Teams
This time we were more in number, and servicing more stations. So we were split into many teams, and went to the Mountain Trail as well as the Goldfields, both in Benguet.
- List of SSP Mission Team members – 1979-1981
Combined report of Irene Lim Tran (1979-80) and Vangie So Tiu (1981-2000)
BENGUET –Antamok Tram, Acupan Mines, Virac Lumber yard, Philex Mines, Lepanto Mines, Mankayan, Sinisip, Sayangan, Madaymen
Ptr Irene Lim Tran Rev Patrick Tanhuanco Grace Lim Chua
Prof Ronald Chua Rev Paul Tanhuanco Ruth Lim Uy
Dr. Jimmy Chua Vangie So Tiu Robert Chua
Dr. Romeo Chu Pauline Ng Chu Peter Uy
Dr. Rodrigo Chan Merry Chan Peter Pua
Dr. Max Uy Michael Shaw Winston Sayson
Alfonso Torres Bertram Lim