FiliPa e.V.

Unsere Seele von FiliPa e.V.
Marcelino Gamutan
*9. Jan 1948    +27. Jun 2021

Wir sind immer noch fassungslos über die Nachricht, dass unser geliebter Marcelino, engster Vertrauter, philippinischer Papa, die Seele von FiliPa e.V. und der Ursprung allen Engagements in diesem Verein, diese Welt sehr überraschend verlassen hat. Nach wunderbaren Abschiedsreden von seinen Töchtern, langjährigen Wegbegleitern und engen Freunden durften auch wir uns über geschlossenen Grenzen und tausende Kilomenter hinweg, von ihm verabschieden. Heute hat er seine letzte Reise angetreten, daher möchten wir ihm ein paar Worte und Momente die wir immer in uns tragen werden, widmen. Seine Mission, sein unermüdlicher Einsatz, sein Vermächtnis wird weiterleben, das ist das Versprechen, das wir uns über Jahre hinweg gegeben haben. "Führt diese Mission fort", im Namen von Mama Maria - jetzt auch und besonders in deinem Namen, Marc. Der Schatten seines Todes wird noch lange über allem liegen, gerade deshalb bringen seine Töchter Licht ins Dunkel, die zusammen mit anderen Mitstreitern auf den Philippinen und uns hier, diese Mission und seine Projekte weiterführen werden. Besonders und vor allem, weil der Dienst an den Ärmsten und Vergessenen seine Lebensaufgabe war. 

Ruhe in Frieden, lieber Marc. Wir werden uns bemühen die Projekte in deinem Sinne fortzuführen. 

Im Gedenken an den Initiator, Ziehvater und unseren Freund MARCELINO GAMUTAN in ewiger Verbundenheit:

In great Honor of Sir Marc, your Dad, Granddad, Brother, Uncle, - my Papa in the Philippines, the man whose heart belonged to so many, especially the poor, the impecunious, …

The man who lived most of his live full of dedication to others, that’s how we got to know him. The team of FiliPa who tried to support his mission, the plans and strategy he created over many years. His great concern was to build a network of close friends and relatives, who can be a home – in case he can no longer be there. Something I never wanted to pay attention to, even though I knew this day will eventually arrive. He travelled with me up and down Mindanao on his red, old and really broken motorcycle, which was a symbol of freedom. Until the day he gave it away to someone who needed even more than he did. …. Many early mornings we left for his, for our mission - the big dream. To see students, meet families, bring food, support both financially and mentally - bringing confidence to those who were about to lose it. To open up the doors of education and give the potential of a brighter future. I loved to encounter all of these wonderful people and to get to experience so many wide-open doors. They are all people who became close friends and family to me, to us. 

There was this stubborn man and the hard-headed ‘German-minded’ Anna who both just didn’t want to accept that some things don’t or ‘supposedly’ aren’t working. We can violate the system – we will – for the ‘good cause’. We knew we won’t always make friends with this attitude, sometimes he was exhausting in the ways he fulfilled his mission – but at the same time together with many others, we created proud and talented midwifes, nurses and doctors. That was the dream, and we dreamed big, together with others in the Philippines as well as here in Germany. 

We sat days and nights to create plans, to philosophize about the boarding house, the birthing center, the house where we all could come together. We wanted all of this sooner, but the pandemic came and messed up our plans. Whenever I was there, we were together twenty-four-seven … I don’t even want to think about ‘going home’ having you, Papa not there. Who will bring me to the girls, who will tell me what to do, what not to do, bring me to the court early morning, eat pandesal with me … give me confidence, telling me to be more patient and create plans trying to make this world better, a little bit better. 

You wanted me to return as often as possible, I told you to come in August to go ahead in our mission. There is hardly anyone else whose work for the lives of others I adore more than yours. You set an example for us to follow-up what you created. I pray deeply and will continue to work hard to make sure we as a family will continue our mission – your dream – our dream of giving many more boys and especially unattended girls what they deserve – education to stop the vicious circle of poverty.

With lots of tender and loving care, we as a family will follow your dream. I love you so much, you opened up a world to me I would have never encountered without you – please stay with us from high above – in Mama Mary’s name. Rest in peace, even though it is way too early for all of us. 

With love Anna