Lakan & Lakambini

Dann (Lakan) & Joji (Lakambini) are peacebuilding missionaries commissioned by Mennonite Church Canada. They are assigned to the Philippines to lead a team of inclusive development consultants whose various tasks are framed in Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) Principles and Practices. Their work is embodied in a non-profit organization called PeaceBuilders Community Inc. They also co-founded CoffeeForPeace.Com, a for-profit business corporation, to help indigenous farmers in the Philippines produce, process, and market their products in accordance with inclusive and sustainable development principles.

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PBCI-CFP FAMILY HOLDS ‘DAY OF GRATITUDE’: TO THE CREATOR, TO THE JOURNEY OF BECOMING, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO THE CREATION

18 December 2023. In the tapestry of our existence as members of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee for Peace (CFP), gratitude serves as the golden thread that weaves together the fabric of our lives. It is a powerful force that connects us to the Creator, the journey of becoming, our community, and the vast creation that surrounds us. In this season of remembering the Birth of Jesus Christ in the context of the 2023 ethnic cleansing and genocide in the Land of Palestine — his country of birth, we spend a day of reflection together. We delve into the profound significance of expressing gratitude in these various dimensions of our existence. Gratitude goes beyond mere politeness or saying “thank you”; it is a heartfelt and intentional practice that can have transformative effects on both individuals and communities.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/12/pbci-cfp-family-holds-day-of-gratitude-to-the-creator-to-the-journey-of-becoming-to-our-community-to-the-creation/

THE ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY INVITED US TO SHARE OUR LOVE STORY

The Arrupe Office of Social Formation — the social formation arm of the Ateneo de Davao University — invited Joji and me as one of their resource speakers last 28 February 2023, for the event entitled “Love Stories: Paano Umibig sa Panahon ng Ligalig? The Way of Love in Troubled Waters”. This event is one of the activities in commemoration of the 32nd death anniversary of Jesuit Father General Pedro Arrupe. Our talk was part of a series of short talks and performances inspired by Fr Pedro Arrupe’s “fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything” and is grounded in Christ’s most fundamental teaching: love. Joji and I were so grateful for the privilege of sharing our harmonious view of love — that of loving the Creator, loving our being, loving others, and loving the whole creation.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/02/the-ateneo-de-davao-university-invited-us-to-share-our-love-story/

CANADIAN PEACE LEARNING TOUR PARTICIPANTS ACCOMPANIED US IN OUR FIELD WORK

At Mennonite Church Canada, they refer to this as Peace Learning Tour Philippines. For us at PBCI-CFP Team, we see these partners and friends as faith-siblings who did accompany us in our field work. This field trip happened last 13-22 January 2023. Norm Dyck led the group — Andrea, Anita, Brent, Dorothea, Dorothy, Edna, Lois, and Rose. They travelled with us, the Inclusive Development Team of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. and Coffee for Peace (PBCI-CFP IncluDev Team), and visited some of our field partners in Mindanao. The tour included visiting Davao Bible Community, our local church partner; the Talaandig Indigenous People’s community; the Obo Manobo IP community and our common partner, the Energy Development Corporation; the Tri-People’s Farm owned by Romy and Lulu Elusfa; and the Bagobo Tagabawa IP community. We concluded the tour with a rest and recreation day at the Paradise Beach Resort.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2023/01/canadian-peace-learning-tour-participants-accompanied-us-in-our-field-work/

FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AND MINISTRY TRANSITION BRING JOY TO US AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

2022 was like seeing the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. We felt we were getting out of the darkness of 2020-2021 paralyses due to Covid. Joji was able to visit and bond with our three adult children and eight grandchildren last Fall. They bring so much joy to our lives. Meanwhile, the operations of Coffee for Peace (CFP) in the context of the new realities are being appreciated by the global social enterprise community. The Field Operations Team of PeaceBuilders Community, Inc. (PBCI) revived our on-the-ground projects with various community partners. With both the PBCI Board of Trustees and the CFP Board of Directors, we reviewed the past 16 years of justice-based peace and reconciliation ministry in Mindanao and we all agreed that this Philippine ministry is now entering into a leadership transition phase.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2022/12/family-development-and-ministry-transition-bring-joy-to-us-as-we-journey-through-the-pandemic/

THE TRIBAL COUNCIL OF THE BAGOBO TAGABAWA CONFERRED HONORARY TITLES TO OUR TEAM 

During the final day of the National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, which is celebrated every October, the tribal council of the Bagobo Tagabawa invited us to attend their final ceremonies. We were told that, among several events of the day, “there will be a ceremony to officially include us as members of the tribe.” They actually surprised us by conferring honorary leadership titles along with our ritual membership into the tribal community. For this sacred embrace, we express our deep gratitude to the Indigenous Political Structure, the clans, and the families of the Bagobo Tagabawa people. By the Creator’s grace and mercy, we commit to fulfill the duties and responsibilities implied in this honor.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/10/the-tribal-council-of-the-bagobo-tagabawa-conferred-honorary-titles-to-our-team/

PEACE AND RECONCILIATION THROUGH INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Like eagles with renewed wings in our 60s, we feel re-energized as we were signing up for a new three-year term as church-based peacebuilding workers. We did a content analysis of our current work as partners in this ministry, as married couple, and as fellow professionals in our respective fields. The dominant terms that floated were Peace and Reconciliation, Inclusive Development, and Social Entrepreneurship. Once more, we’re able to define and to clarify the basic concepts and activities involved in our Covenant of Service (2021-2024) with Mennonite Church Canada Witness. We are grateful for this blessing and are excited to be entrusted with an exciting set of field responsibilities.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/05/peace-and-reconciliation-through-inclusive-development-and-social-entrepreneurship/

FOUNDING LEADERS OF KAPEYAPAAN FARMERS ASSOCIATION IN ALEGRE START THEIR TRAINING

The founding leaders of Kapeyapaan Farmers Association in Barangay Alegre (KFA-Alegre), Bansalan, Davao del Sur started their six-month training. This program happens from January to June 2021. The participants are among the strategically qualified group of farmers. We have secured proper coordination with government authorities and the provincial tribal leadership regarding our purposes, objectives, and operational procedures, especially our compliance with public health safety protocols.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2021/01/founding-leaders-of-kapeyapaan-farmers-association-alegre-start-their-training/

FOR US, THE ADVENT EXPRESSES OUR JOURNEY IN CHRIST-CENTERED PEACEBUILDING

We join the Christians around the world in celebrating the Advent or Coming of Jesus. During the four Sundays preceding Christmas, we lit the candles on our Advent wreath. Hope. Love. Joy. Peace. Then on Christmas Day, we lit the Christ candle. For us, this progressive lighting of candles symbolizes our journey in Christ-centered peacebuilding. This expresses our sense of expectation. This is our witness and a declaration of the coming of the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ!

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/12/for-us-the-advent-expresses-our-journey-in-christ-centered-peacebuilding/

PBCI ORGANIZES FOR IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM DISASTER RESPONSE IN CAGAYAN VALLEY

We are raising funds for the families and communities affected by Typhoon Ulysses that caused floods and destruction of homes among thousands of families here in the Philippines. PBCI will focus on Northern Luzon, specifically Tuguegarao City and the heavily flooded Cagayan Valley. As of Saturday, 14 November 2020, the Tuguegarao Command Center reported that the whole city was submerged underwater, affecting 30,332 families, submerging the home of 28,676 families, with only 536 evacuated into LGU evacuation centers.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/11/pbci-organizes-for-immediate-and-long-term-disaster-response-in-cagayan-valley/

OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATES AS SIHAYA AND ALDREN EXCHANGE MARRIAGE VOWS

18 November 2020 — Earlier today, Aldren Banal and Sihaya Ansibod exchanged their marriage vows before the Creator and before a limited number of family members and friends. The wedding was held at the Ascension of the Lord Parish in the Archdiocese of Davao. There were only 25 people who were invited due to the necessary public health protocols. However, the rest of the family and the community joined later and celebrated the new united life of Aldren and Sihaya.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/11/our-community-celebrates-as-sihaya-and-aldren-exchange-marriage-vows/

WE STARTED A DIALOGUE WITH TESDA-XI TOWARDS A JUSTICE- AND PEACE-BASED FARMERS’ TRAINING PROGRAM

We started having a dialogue with Regional Director Lorenzo G. Macapili of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in Region XI (TESDA XI). Today, Monday, 28 September 2020, he visited the Malipayon Peace Hub, our post-harvest processing plant. He laid down the requirements and processes towards TESDA’s accreditation of our farmers’ training programs. While firmly standing on our spiritual convictions and ethical principles, we will seek to comply with all the requirements and procedures shared with us.

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/09/we-started-a-dialogue-with-tesda-xi-towards-a-justice-and-peace-based-farmers-training-program/

‘COFFEE FOR PEACE CAFE’ REOPENS WITH APPROPRIATE PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY PROTOCOL

We’re happy to announce that Coffee for Peace Cafe, our social enterprise in Davao City, is now open again. This coffee shop had been closed for five months due to CoViD19 lock down. After reconfiguring our operations and integrating public health safety protocol, we’re ready to serve you. Welcome back!

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Permanent link to this article: https://peacebuilderscommunity.org/2020/08/coffee-for-peace-cafe-reopens-with-appropriate-public-health-safety-protocol/

OUR GLOBAL PEACE COMMUNITY

We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.