Hello (Fr.) Art,
First of all, let me congratulate you for a job well done. You have done a masterful job of piecing together the history of what started as a handful of Milbukians finding each other in the Internet and leading to the developement of the now popular website the Milbuklegacy.com.  Like the pioneers of this website, we share that common yearning to again meet our high school classmates, teachers, personal friends and long lost relatives to at least say hello before we kick the proverbial bucket (so to speak).  The day I found out about the release of the completed book, I stayed up to 2:00AM excitedly parsing through the pages of the book "An Awakening".  I could have gone through the whole night reading it had Daisy not remind me of the time and about work the next day.  I know I will be going back again many more times in the following days to read the letters and passages more carefully.  I am happy to find the sections about the "sights and sounds of Milbuk", the questions and answers from the office of Weyerhauser company, the "Heroes section" and others.  I must admit, I have a few personal favorite sections in this book.  You know (Fr.) Art, after reading the pages of this book, a few questions came to me, like: What would it have been like if those trials and tribulations in Milbuk did not happen.  Will we still cherish the place like we do now or will it be taken for granted? If we were not driven away from Milbuk, will many of us who now lives elsewhere in the world, still find the courage to venture outside of our comfort zone?  There is one thing I know, my younger days living in Milbuk with my family was the best part of my life and still love the place for its beauty and simplicity.  God Bless the Milbukians.

Dear (Fr.) Art,
    A very nice book, a documentation that can be preserved for the younger ones to read and be inspired too. I did not get tired and read it from the beginning to end.  thanks so much.
                                   Li

Thank you, Bet, for the nice compliments.  All I did was to record what all of you have created through your relationships, compassion, interest and love.   The second part of the Milbuk Awakening will be the section entitled: In Their Own Words.  These stories are the contributions that certain Milbukians have been sending me during the past three years.  The memories are so interesting.  There is still time for members of the Milbuk community to send me their remembrances and recollections to be included in this second part.  Don't worry about the English.  Stories in Cebuano and Tagalog are accepted.  Thanks again.

We've heard the sad news of the passing of Estela Carzada, the sister of Oscar Carzada.  Let us as a community offer our prayers for the repose of her soul and ask the Lord to strengthen in faith the family of Estela in this moment of sorrow.
      During this Easter Season, we continue to hear the promised Good News of Jesus, Who said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life".  These words are re-echoed and repeated many times and in various ways in the Gospel read at Mass.  Read for your consolation the comforting words of Jesus as recorded in John 14:1-12.

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
 

Hello Billy!  Thanks for the message.  Yes, God willing, Mary and I plan to attend the Reunion in the Philippines, whenever and wherever it may be.  We are looking forward to seeing you and Expo in Chicago or wherever the group decides to meet.  All the family is well.  Patrick, our youngest just graduated from Monclair State University this past December and is presently searching for a job in the line of his profession.  All the Cebuanos are well and we meet regularly every month and even weekly.  I am still working on the revision of the book and plan to republish it under another title.  These are some of the titles that I am considering:  MILBUK  -  BACK TO MILBUK  -  THE THREE JOURNEYS  -  RETURN TO PARADISE LOST  -  MEMORIES OF MILBUK

    I want to open up a contest for the best name for this book.  Please send your suggestions to me on this blog site.   The core of the book will be a presentation of what life was like in Milbuk and the events leading up to and including the massacres, and the mass exodus of the people from the town.  The new addition to the book will be about the events leading up to the creation of the milbuklegacy website and the subsequent series of reunions that resulted.  Projections for the future of Milbuk will also be included.   Much of what many of you have sent me concerning your experience in Milbuk and the successes you have made of your life since the terrible events of 1974 will make up the latter third of the book.  Again, I thank you for your help and patience.

     We are only six or seven weeks away from celebrating the third anniversary of the Milbuklegacy website.  Reflections on what the website has meant to you will be deeply appreciated here on this blog site.  We take this opportunity to again offer our heartfelt thanks to the pioneers of this website, those dedicated men and women of Milbuk, who have made so many sacrifices, so that we may be in contact with one another.  Only the Lord Jesus can adequately reward you for all that you have done to bring happiness into our lives and the opportunity to renew friendships.

ART,
IAM NOW ANTICIPATING THE RELEASE OF THE SAID BOOK.HOPE IT WILL COME UP SOONEST POSSIBLY,OR AT LEAST MY EYES CAN STILL READ THEM KASI WE ARE GETTING YOUNGER NOW A DAYS.
ALSO ,IAM EAGER TO READ ABOUT OUR LITTLE MILBUK.
GOOD LUCK.....

EVELYN GARCIA

I am happy to see my long lost cousin Henry 3rd who lived in Milbuk, through this Websites, some of this Milbukians never dream of seeing through the eyes of the pioneers memories that there is a such place, created by Weyerhaeuser a little City (the Campo) with every thing on it. For those who remember we even have movies brought in from the States, we are looking forward in watching it every weekend, unless there was Typhoon coming otherwise the show must go on. Our Theater is on the front of the Grocery building by the sand. We bring our blanket and snack, drinks they are not provided by Basilan Lumber Company. Hey!! anyone remembers this while you live in Milbuk between 1956 to the 1965...Is that long time ago, way way back time. then every one from barrios came so they movies, so BLC moved to a Park , I remember it because it was  close vicinity to the house of my Classmate one of the Laraya's. That was really long time ago. Anyone from my class of'65 remember that episode of the life in Milbuk, during our journey in life...I love to hear it from you so, this young ones can relate to us oldie's...I love Milbuk, I grew up in Milbuk, I run around with my Grand Dad Henry Edward Neibert the pioneer. My life with my Grand Dad. He taught me a lot about money and clothing. I ask him one time in His shop on front of the Bungalow Grand Dad why are you always wearing that overall jeans? Then he would lovingly answer me, it's not what you wear tells about you, but how deep is your pockets. I have never forgotten that.  I once ask him? Why you never return back home to America? His answer was, I don't have relatives I can relate too, my Milbuk is my life and my relatives... So many of this I remember as a child growing up with the only one, and only one "The Owner and Pioneer Of Milbuk"  Henry Edward Neibert that I love. more of this is on my book coming soon...