Ruth Cardillo Robinson's Obituary
Ruth Cardillo Robinson
December 20, 1940 - January 20, 2025
Hidden Meadows, California--Ruth Cebuano-Cardillo Robinson died while on a video call with a missionary from her children’s nonprofit in the Philippines. After being rest assured that the children’s ministry would continue, a tear rolled down her face, she released her daughter’s hand and breathed her last breath.
Ruth was the youngest of 13 children and was preceded by her parents Pedro Pajaron Cardillo and Marciana Arevelo Cebuano Cardillo. Ruth is survived by her husband, Nathaniel “Nate” Robinson, her eldest daughter Grace Joy Reid (Carlton); her youngest daughter Esther Ruth Robinson Venema (Erik); and her five grandchildren Carlton, William, Elizabeth “Lizzie”, Yvette, and Leslie.
Ruth was born on December 20, 1940, in Palompon, Leyte, Philippines. Ruth’s Christian Faith had been a big part of her life since the beginning, as her family was the first converts when Reformed missionaries from America had evangelized in her hometown. Ruth grew up serving others at a young age in her brother’s church and as a child, she would get up at 6 o’clock in the morning to sell her handmade crafts at the market. A traumatic event that spearheaded her service to others was during the Second World War--Ruth’s life and her entire family’s life were spared from a Japanese firing squad in Leyte. Standing in front of the firing squad while riding on her mother’s shoulders, their rifles froze. Her mother—a prayerful, godly woman-- was smiling and at peace, and had just reassured Ruth that God’s hand was going to block the bullets.
Ruth was an innovative person who created her own boundaries through a loving, caring, kind, and compassionate way. She started a children’s ministry in a garbage slum in Tondo, Manila and gave that thriving ministry to her mentor Pastor Manong Catan for it to continue.
Ruth received a full scholarship to Silliman University in Dumaguete (Negros Oriental); but turned it down because she was challenged by the President of the Far Eastern Bible Institute of Asia Bible College “FEBIAS” who spoke at her chapel at Silliman, to live a life of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being a light and minister. She was given the name “Pastora” and “Bible Woman” because she was reaching out to others like Christ, praying for them, and spreading the gospel in prisons, among fellow young people and the elderly, and among tribal groups in remote villages in the mountains.
Ruth had a beautiful singing voice and had won several vocal competitions. She was asked to sing on the radio and was chosen to sing at a big festival featuring Pat Boone. A young airman had noticed her beauty and her beautiful solo voice at church. On April 11, 1967, Ruth married Air Force tech sergeant Nathaniel Robinson in Manila and had her honeymoon in Camp John Hay in Bagio.
Ruth encouraged Nate to complete his college degree and go into the ministry. He became a chaplain, and his military career took Ruth to across four states and to Germany. As a social worker in the Army, she ministered to many families and especially to foreign wives of military from Europe and Asia. Ruth provided parenting classes to young mothers, counseled women, taught cooking classes to General’s wives, directed three choirs, taught English classes to foreign wives of army soldiers and provided them with transportation to healthcare and the grocery store; and lastly, Ruth was advocate for abused women and was integral in preventing several suicide attempts. She received several awards for her community service and creating international festivals with music, food, and dance.
Ruth spent her retired years in Colorado, Arizona, and California, founding Children’s Concern International, “CCI Philippines,” a children’s development organization that works with impoverished communities of fatherless children and provides them with education (she sent hundreds to school), food (provided food programs to hungry kids), clothing (including shoes and gently used and new clothes) and medical missions' outreaches (using known medical professionals in the PHL and from the US). In September-October 2024, Ruth returned to the Philippines to meet with AMG International missionaries and leaders to hand over the baton to AMG Philippines (CCI Philippines) to continue her work with CCI Philippines for the Lord.
Nate and Ruth retired on a lovely property with citrus trees in Mesa, Arizona where they were members of First Presbyterian Church of Mesa. In 2021, they moved back to California where they had started their journey 58 years ago. They resided at Meadowbrook Village Christian Retirement Community. Ruth attended Maranatha Chapel in Rancho Bernardo where former choir members from her church in Manila from the 1960s attend. In 2024, Ruth moved to Hidden Meadows for health reasons, where she was cared for 24/7 by her daughter and son-in-law until the end.
The funeral service and reception will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, February 8, 2025, officiated by Pastor Daniel Bentley at Maranatha Chapel, 10752 Coastwood Road, San Diego (Rancho Bernardo); open casket viewing is on Friday, Feb. 7 from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at Alhiser- Comer, 225 S Broadway, Escondido, CA 92025. Graveside Burial ceremony will be held Monday, February 10 at 2:15 p.m. (Lane 2), officiated by Ruth’s hospice chaplain and Army Chaplain Joseph Paglinawan at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to continue Ruth’s work and legacy in the Philippines:
Gifts can be made to:
AMG International
Attn. AMG PHL/Children’s Concern International 6615 Standifer Gap Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
[put “CCI Philippines” in memo of check or in “additional gift instructions” for online donations] https://www.amginternational.org/project/AMG-Ministries-in-Philippines
Donors can also select the “I am giving in memory of Ruth Robinson”
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