A Sultan's Dream for Wao Part 2  

Christians, but different

With such a history of conflict, one of the biggest surprises for the residents was when help came in the form of Christians, previously only associated by many Muslim residents with the migration, dispossession, and decades of conflict.

Now, these Christians have come to write a new history, to build homes for the Muslim would-be residents of GK Darussalam.

He continues, "They're very thankful to Gawad Kalinga that - even though they're Christians - they have come here to help the Muslim community."

As a leader of many, he has seen just how invaluable such direct action has been in opening the minds of poor and uneducated families to a reality where Muslim and Christian can coexist peacefully.

"For Muslim families here in Wao, maybe the best thing to do is introduce them to GK." He says, "That's why we selected the poor and uneducated Muslims to become GK beneficiaries, so that they will learn GK and accept GK, and learn that the intentions of Gawad Kalinga are good."

"Before, in Wao, it was Muslims and Christians fighting. Now with Christians coming in to help the Muslims, it's a way of educating the closed Muslims that there is a solution: Even though they're Christians they're still helping the Muslim community."

"For the most uneducated Muslims, GK is a way to educate the community - not only the houses but also the education programs. GK opens the minds of the closed minded Muslims."

A Faith Community

The Sultan notes that for many Muslims who join rebel groups, they seek in the first place to preserve a strong sense of their Islamic faith and culture.

"They start joining a rebel group mainly to follow and protect the faith of Islam," he describes. "In Islam we have five pillars of Islam, so they follow that. They joined a rebel group not mainly to fight against people but to protect their faith. Our plan for our people is to help them embrace the faith of Islam more fully."

And in an example of exceptional interfaith cooperation, the work of Gawad Kalinga has in turn become a foundational factor in turning lives around. Though most GK workers are Catholic Christians, the work in Muslim Wao has not been one of forcing their faith on others, or providing help conditional upon conversion to Christianity.

In the face of such, unexpected common ground has been found.

Through the work of GK, including programs such as education and values formation, the community is being strengthened even though their practice of faith is different from most of the GK workers.

"The Muslim community considers Gawad Kalinga as a third level for living life." Saripada notes, continuing "Because on the first level is God, Allah, Almighty God; the second level is the religion of Islam and their people; and the third level is Gawad Kalinga."

"Those are the things that are helping our people live and work as a Muslims" he says.

A Legacy of Peace

For Sultan Saripada and many of his Muslim constituents, their prayers are for peace in Wao, a restoration of their livelihood, and a restored relationship with their land. Moreover, they desire that their land be known not for conflict, but for peace, community, and achievement.

"We want for people to say that, even though they're Muslim and Christian, they can work together," Saripada notes, "We're praying for peace and unity in Wao."

In addition to working for peace, Saripada is working to strengthen the faith of his people. Along with improving access to regular Filipino education, the Muslim community is praying and striving for greater madras (Islamic) education, wishing to retain a strong faith and culture in future generations.

For the Sultan, working with and accepting Gawad Kalinga into the community of Wao is also a legacy he can leave to the future generations. Where decades past have been marked by conflict and violence, he sees a brighter future ahead.

"GK is a legacy for me, because it brings love and peace back to the community."

And as we sit inside a nearly-complete Gawad Kalinga house, volunteers from all around the Philippines work alongside Wao locals, striving through bayanihan to raise up homes for impoverished families. Alternating Muslim prayers and Christian praise songs ring forth from the PA system, an unlikely combination of sounds floating through the picturesque construction site.

"We're thankful for the 130 houses." Sultan Saripada says, "This work shows that Christian and Muslim can work together, stay together and live together with no war, and no troubles."

"GK is the only solution to the problem - to help Muslim and Christian unite," he says.