Within the sleepy coastal town of Salay in the southern Philippines runs a current of hope that is quietly—yet demonstrably—transforming the community. Through the vision and determination of one woman, the once war–ravaged and impoverished town is experiencing unprecedented growth.
Loreta Rafisura, sixty-seven, has lived in the small fishing town most of her life. Situated on the coast of Mindanao, Salay is home to some 20,000 people. With ten brothers and sisters, Rafisura felt the pressures of growing up poor. She had always wanted to be a doctor, but studied nursing instead because her family could not afford medical school.
“Since I was a little kid I have wanted to serve my people—to serve the Lord through serving my people,” she said.
Rafisura received a Bachelor of Science in nursing in Manila, where she worked at the main hospital. She later participated in an exchange visitor program to work as a nurse at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for one year and at a hospital in Chicago, Illinois, for another year.
“During my two-year stint in the United States, my eyes were opened to the whole world,” she said. “I had such a great experience meeting people of different cultures.”
Rafisura’s experience also made her realize how impoverished Salay was. Back to Salay she went, to serve as a public health nurse. Upon her return, she met her husband, a doctor. The husband–and–wife team worked to provide public health services to the community.
Civil Unrest
In the 1980s, the New People’s Army (NPA), an insurgent group in Mindanao, staged a series of rebellions against the local government in the mountains of Salay, displacing and injuring many residents. Rafisura and her husband took care of the hundreds who were injured.
“It was very difficult. During this time, people came to our house begging for food. It really touched our hearts and we wanted to do anything we could to help,” she said.
At the time, Rafisura had been battling cancer and underwent a mastectomy. She used her recovery time to study the community and to work with government agencies to build a plan for sustainable development. In a remote town with little industry, the task was quite a challenge.
