KOTA KINABALU: Hidden among rows of oil palm trees in Sungai Manila, Sandakan, a small rural chapel drew more than 200 Catholics on Friday (April 18) for a moving Good Friday mass steeped in tradition and quiet resilience.
Located some 30km from Sandakan town, the chapel — built decades ago by local estate workers and farming families — was filled with villagers, returning families, and nearby residents marking one of the most sacred dates in the Christian calendar.
Catholics observe the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, a solemn ritual where many kneel or bow before the cross to honour Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and express gratitude for the gift of salvation.
Among the congregation was 74-year-old Bibiana Gitom, who moved to Sungai Manila more than 40 years ago from Tamparuli to work on an oil palm farm.
“I remember walking for over an hour with my family, trying to find a church,” she recalled.
“That’s when I came across this chapel. Since then, this has always been our place.”
The 3pm service began with altar boys carrying a simple wooden cross through the chapel’s grounds, followed by readings from the Bible and prayers led by lay leaders.
Church chairman Linus Sondungan said the turnout was larger than usual, with many people taking time off to return home.
“Today is considered the peak because many are on leave and have a chance to come back,” he said.
“On regular Sundays, we usually see between 100 and 150 people.”
He said while many who attend now live and work in surrounding estates, the chapel has become a spiritual home across generations.
“It may be far from town, but for many of us, this is home.”
Deacon Ricki Boy Hasim, who grew up in Sapi Nangoh, Beluran, said the setting reminded him of the simple village churches of his childhood.
“This isn’t new to me,” he said.
“My grandfather’s house and the churches I knew growing up looked just like this.”
He said that unlike urban parishes, which often rely on professional contractors and bigger budgets, rural churches like this one survive through community initiatives.
“If someone wants to start something, they ask around, find a friend who knows a bit, and do it together,” he said.
“It’s all gotong-royong — people giving not just money, but their own energy.”
The community is currently raising funds to build a small conference room beside the chapel. A charity dinner to support the project is planned for next week and will be held at St Mark’s Church in Batu 12 due to space limitations.
Ricki hopes the wider church community will take notice — not just of the need for better facilities, but of the quiet, enduring faith that continues to thrive far from the city’s lights.
