Professional Documents
Culture Documents
APARRI CHRISTIAN
Philippine Mission Churches of Christ of Northern Luzon
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SPECIAL EDITION - NOVEMBER - 1972
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B0U9REAUX
"TOLUVER
McKINNEB
MAN6SKAU
PO. Box 49-Aparri, Cagayan
25th AUNIVERSARU
"IN APPRECIATION TO
CHARLES AND ROBERTA SELBY
for their quarter of a century-faithful
service to the Lord in the Philippines
June 22, 1947 - June 22, 1972. With
deep gratitude to our beloved mis
sionaries for their untiring efforts
to herald the good news, for their
love and courage, for the wonderful
testimony of their lives, andfor their
many achievements for Christ's
Kingdom. Presented this day, the
25th of August, 1972 at Aparri, Ca-
gayan, Philippines. "
The above inscriptionwas engrav
ed on a plaque and presented to
Charles and Roberta Selby at a spe
cial 25th Anniversary programat the
Seminary, August 25, 1972, by the
Aparri Bible Seminary alumni, fac
ulty, and staff. More than 300 peo -
pie attended this occasion, including
Mr. Selby's youngest sister, Lydia
Beckenhauer, her husband, Don, and
their daughter Jan, from Los Gatos,
California. Those present enjoyed a
feast of good things: delicious Fili
pino foods, and warmtributes to the
Selbys from their many friends.
BEGINNINGS
The Philippines is a lovely land
of brilliant sun and violent storm.
These extremes are seen in her pe
ople, too, for the smiling friendli
ness of the Filipino can change in a
moment to intense hatred. In their
religious life the paradox is even
more bewildering; the veneer of 450
years of Catholicismbarely covers a
desperate fear and worship of evil
spirits. Although the Filipino, like
his American brother, may worship
the gods of materialism, personal
prestige, and political and financial
power, in his religion he is taught to
worship God and offer to evil spirits ,
too, mutually contradictory prac
tices.
Obviously Filipinos need the pure
teaching of God's Word to cleanse
the superstition filled Catholicism
which more than 80% profess.
Charles and Roberta Selby sawthis
clearly when they came as the first
American missionaries located in A-
parri, Cagayan, in June, 1947. Lo
cated right on the tip of northern Lu
zon (large St island in the Philippines)
Aparri sits at the mouth of the Caga
yan River where it empties into the
China Sea. Still showing the devasta
tion of war in 1947, Aparri must have
seemedthe endof the world to the Sel-
bys and their year-old son, Lloyd.
But they plunged into the work, teach
ing in the local church. Charles spent
much ofhis first term walking from
village to village with Brother Pen-
eyra (the Filipino preacher who had
writtentothe States for amissionary
to come to Aparri), holding evangel
istic meetings in each village.
But Charles and Roberta could see
that evangelization of the Cagayan
River Vcilley could never be accom-
plishedby twomenalone. Theywould
have to teach others the Word of God,
training them to go out and preach.
In 1948 the Selbys along with Brother
Peneyra held Bible classes during
the week in the Aparri church build
ing. A son. Rick, was born to the
Selbys in Manila that year. They took
their first furlough in 1950, and Rob
was born in September,
When the Selbys returned in 1951,
they again held Bible classes in the
church, and in 1952 established the
Aparri Bible Seminary, A year later
Norval andDondena Campbell joined
the Selbys and together the two fami
lies worked: training teachers and
preachers of His Word. The Camp
bells remained until 1957 when they
left to begin a Bible college in Vigan,
ILocos Sur (northwestern Luzon).
Facilities have been expanded
since the beginning of the Seminary
to include property on which are lo-
catedthe following buildings: aSem-
inary building having 2 classrooms,
chapel, dining hall, library, offices,
and bookstore; a girls* dorm which
also houses the Lopezfamily; aboys'
dorm attached to three apartments
for Seminary couples and a Kinder
garten; six buildings housing mar
ried couples; a press room and shop.
The first student body numbered
35; this July 1972 the Seminary had
an enrollment of 116 students. Since
its beginning 59 students have grad
uated; 57 have receivedcertificates.
The faculty has increased with the
addition of Laureano and Rebecca
Lopez, William and NitaBagain, Ro
meo Gorospe, Leonardo Domingo,
Lina Barba, and Sid and Marj Boud-
reaux.
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A 5EMINAR9 COUPLE
Sid and Marj Boudreaux and their
four children joined the Selbys in
1964. From 1964-1968 Marj taught in
the Seminary, and Sid workedto de
velop land to be used for the estab
lishment of an agriciiltural Christian
high school. The original plan for an
agricultural school was temporarily
postponed while the two Christian
high schools in Isabela were being
built.
The Boudreaux*s returned from
furlough in 1970, and both taught in
the Seminary for two years. Now Sid
is engagedin taking care of business
for the Mission in Manila: customs,
registration, immigration, purchas
ing. Marj teaches two Greek classes,
English, and Choir in A. B.S.
Roberta and Scott are now attend -
ing Faith Academy, a school for mis
sionary children in Manila; they are
in the 9th and 7th grades. Jamie is
studying In the 6th grade at home un
der Marj*s tutoring, and Sharon at
tends the public school, a4thgrader.
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CHRISTIAN
KINDERGARTEN