One Sunday afternoon on Jan. 24, a garden of gratitude was offered in a worship of thanksgiving at the historic frontyard of Katipunan Hall on the Silliman campus.
The vintage architectural landmark was the original home of the Mission Hospital established by Presbyterian missionaries Dr. Henry W. Langheim and his wife Eleanor, a nurse who was also teaching English, Reading, and Writing at Silliman.
The original small building of the Hospital was built in 1903, and this one now called Katipunan Hall was completed in 1915.
Called “The Presbyterian Mission Garden” this piece of manicured lawn happens to be on the right spot, as it is sandwiched by the old Mission Hospital and the Elementary School — significantly pointing to yet another historical dimension: when Silliman opened as an elementary school on Aug. 28,1901, with Drs. David and Laura Hibbard as the founding pioneers of this Presbyterian mission. 
The garden is a gift from Rolando V. and Helga Vogt Magdamo, lifetime members of the St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Reno, Nevada, who are now enjoying their retirement here in Dumaguete.
Rolando is a Sillimanian since birth. His parents were Guillermo T. Magdamo and Mercedes Venturanza-Magdamo.
Guillermo taught at Silliman beginning in 1916, and was among the Filipino pioneers in zoological research and education. He also handled Bible classes in high school.
Mercedes, on the other hand, was among the pioneering faculty members in Music, who joined Silliman as Voice and Piano teacher in 1938. She was the first Filipino dean in Music, when she took over Geraldine S. Cate, founder of the Conservatory, who left Silliman in 1941.
In 1946, Guillermo as full professor was appointed head of the Biology Department.
Rolando’s parents served Silliman until 1952. Guillermo and Mercedes were both inducted posthumously as Heritage Builders of Silliman in 2009.
Rolando’s famous sister is Priscilla Magdamo, one of the founders of the Campus Choristers, and a pioneer in ethnomusicology in the Philippines.
Priscilla, now a state artist in Vermont, was awarded Outstanding Sillimanian in 2002.
The beauty of the garden goes beyond the landscape; it is Rolando’s sense of gratitude that’s being planted here. It is also Silliman’s monument of honor and of thankfulness to the Presbyterian faith workers who established the foundations of excellence in teaching, preaching, and healing.
Three big rocks are the main features of the garden. These rocks, as the inscription says, mark the three joined elements of The Mission: “a SCHOOL to TEACH the wonders of the God’s World, a CHURCH to PREACH the wisdom of God’s Word, and a HOSPITAL to HEAL the wounds of God’s people and work for healing of all in God’s earth”.
The Three Rocks also mark the University’s motto via veritas vita — the great promise of Jesus Christ.
Another interesting feature of the garden is the carillon which will provide music through a hidden system.
The idea of music, as Rolando had recalled, will bring one old campus tradition of Angelus music. The system is devoted to those of us who cherish sacred music, and at some of its sounds slots, music would come from downloaded recordings for the youth to experience a more contemporary version.
I wish, however, the evening lights of this garden will be as subdued and concealed as the music system. The lighting which looks like it’s openly “blooming” from the ground does not look as elegant; and the tri-color is screaming for attention like it was a free barrio fiesta disco.
It took more than a hundred years for such a remarkable idea to be born. It had to wait for a University President with a great sense of history and with thankfulness endlessly flowing from his heart fountain of faith, for such a beautiful idea to come to fruition. Thank you, President Ben Malayang.
Such a meaningful gesture also had to wait for the homecoming of a caring and loving son named Rolando.
It came with the sincere hearts of the silent workers: creative builders, rock movers, transport drivers, plant gatherers, and the maintenance gardeners.
The Mission Garden is finally here, and it opened at the right time with the historic gathering of Presbyterian mission workers in Asia this January.
The honor of their presence in this Garden fellowship drove me to tears -— I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of God’s orchestration beyond our own measure of time.
My angel bro, Gabriel, was right: “There is no such thing as ‘too late!’”
That Sunday on Jan. 24 was indeed “the day that the Lord hath made”.
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Author’s email: karlmike@yahoo.com
