Palawano

  • Pre-Entry
  • Pre-Evangelism
  • Evangelism
  • Discipleship
  • Phase-Out
  • Completed

About the People

The Palawano are a tribal group inhabiting the mountains in the south of Palawan. They are cultivators, forest-foragers, and hunters who somewhat resemble Malaysians. The Palawano language varies from region to region but seems to have similarities to Malay. Palawanos live in huts that they make from materials found in the jungle surrounding them. They live in family groups instead of typical villages and tend to live with the wife’s family group rather than the husband’s. These animistic people are controlled by their fear of the spirits, and the children are taught to fear them from their youngest days. Mainly illiterate but bright people, their youngsters have a yearning to learn. On the other hand, the adults have a fear of change and cling tenaciously to the ways of their forefathers.

Frontier Stories

Growing up in the Lord

Our first Palawano believers were baptized into the faith of Jesus as teenagers. They were babies in the faith and needed to be bottle-fed for many years as they grappled with how to apply the principles of the Christian walk to their lives and culture.

By: Leonda George
May 01 2009, 5:09 pm | Comments 0

Some Days are Like That

I woke up that morning with high hopes. I was almost finished with my work in the lowlands and was looking forward to an early departure so I could get home in time for my daughter Jilin’s fifteenth birthday party.

By: Kent George
April 01 2009, 5:13 pm | Comments 0

Field News: March 2009

This last Sabbath, I had the privilege of being back in the mountains and attending church in Kamantian. It was nice to be barefoot, sitting on the hard bamboo floor with little children crawling all over me.

By: Kent George
March 01 2009, 6:18 pm | Comments 0

The Good Race

This is the story of two everyday Virginia girls who lead normal lives and thought they might be able to do something to help someone else while they were at it. It’s a simple story, but it’s mine. My name is Christina.

By: Christina George
February 01 2009, 6:30 pm | Comments 0

Dursiyun

After studying the Bible with Dursiyun and watching her spiritual growth and conversion, I was extremely happy to witness her baptism in February 2005.

By: Leonda George
December 01 2008, 6:38 pm | Comments 0

New Opportunities in Palawan

My first trip to Kamantian began way back in 1995. I’ll never forget how overwhelmingly difficult it seemed at the time to climb up the mountain and into the valley.

By: John Kent
November 01 2008, 5:41 pm | Comments 0

Palawano Pearl

For many years, we have given our hearts—our lives—for the Palawano people. For years, we have rejoiced over their victories, cried over their failings and pleaded with the Lord for the salvation of the tribe.

By: Leonda George
October 01 2008, 5:47 pm | Comments 0

The Lovers

How can I summarize my recent trip to visit AFM missionaries, Kent and Leonda George? I think the best way is simply to say that I have been in the company of lovers: a man and a woman who have moved beyond looking at the Palawanos as if they are bodies to be counted in a baptismal tank.

By: John Kent
September 01 2008, 5:53 pm | Comments 0

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