Since moving to my permanent housing I have experienced several monumental "firsts."
Last weekend I experienced my first typhoon. It didn't turn out as exciting as I imagined; we simply were stuck inside for the latter half of Sunday and most of Mondaywhile it rained incessantly. The first night we experienced a brown-out for four hours which afforded us the opportunity of making and eating tuna macaroni and cheese by candlelight (Yes I could almost imagine myself in a five-star restuarant).
On Tuesday I was able to visit a biblestudy held by one of the church members at Benguet State University for her fellow administrative office workers. I was invited to teach the Biblestudy throughout my stay here and I gladly accepted. Most of the women who attend are young moms who have only recently committed their lives to Christ. They were so kind and excited to have me teach their group.
When I think about having the freedom to develop lessons for these women I feel several different emotions. First of all, I feel so energized. I'm excited about sharing all the things that God has taught me and continues to teach me from His Word. What a privilege to be able to pass on the wisdom that has been handed down to me! I also feel very responsible. I want to remain true to the Word and sometimes I really debate over what Biblical writer was trying to convey. I also know I must first put in to practice what I tell these women. Finally I feel challenged. There is something within me that so passionately wants to offer these women something true, something deep, something that they have never considered or understood before, something lifechanging, something that will make them turn around and exclaim, "What an amazing God we serve!" God is so great and all too often we fail to convey that in our teaching. I know it must first stem from a personal conviction and understanding of His greatness, so I pray that I might grow in my worship and wonder of God and somehow I pray that it would overflow into the lives of these women.
Yesterday, I experienced my first time of being invited into a public school to proclaim the gospel to the students! The Filipino pastor here made connections with a local public school and we were allowed to present the gospel in the fifth grade class as part of their "character" development classes. The school informed Pastor M. that we could not teach "religion" but here it seems that "religion" means promoting a certain church group rather than presenting truth from the Bible. Pastor M. asked me to develop and perform the presentations.
I stayed up late Tuesday night putting the finishing touches on the visual aids and the content of the message. One of Filipino girls staying with me taught me how to fold a piece of paper into a heart, so I began each presentation by a paper-folding demonstration. The kids were excited when they were able to recognize what I was making. I explained to them that just as I had created a paper heart, God has created each one of us and placed a "heart" within us. I had made two large red hearts and had written on them "Love God" and "Love Ourselves." I asked the other short-termer to be part of my illustration and we taped the "Love Ourselves" heart on his chest. I exlained that the purpose of our hearts is to love God, but instead, we are all born with hearts that love ourselves. Becuase our hearts love the wrong thing, everything that flows out of our hearts is sinful. I then taped up small black splotches onto the "Love Ourselves" heart taped on B's chest. As I did so I named off several sins that the kids would have been familiar with. At the end, the "Love Ourselves" heart was covered with black splotches. I then explained that we have a problem becuase our hearts love the wrong thing and are filled with sin. God is just and must punish our sin. He does that both in our lives - by causing us to feel empty inside or foiling our plans - and after our lives - by sending us to an eternity in Hell.
I then asked the kids if they knew of a solution to this problem. A few brave but shy kids raised their hands and explained that we could promise to do good things. I then explained that although that is a good idea, we are incapable of producing good works from a bad heart. I explained that in America we like to eat apple pie. If I had a wormy apple and decided to cut it up and use it to make a pie, would they want to eat it? They all wrinkled up their noses and shouted, "No!" "Why not?" I asked. They replied, "Becuase it came from a wormy, yucky apple!" I explained that the same is true about the "good works" our bad hearts produce. They seemed to finally begin to understand. "The problem is that we need a new heart," I explained. I then proceded to tell them that God's solution to our problem was to send His Son Jesus to this earth. Jesus is both fully God and fully man and He is the only one who has ever had a heart that completely and only loved God. As a result, all that he did was good. In fact, he was entirely sinless. Becuase of this He was able to die and take on our sin, bearing God's punishment in place of us. After three days, Jesus rose again to prove His victory over the power of sin and death. He has the power to give us new hearts, ones that really do love God. As a result, we can live lives that are pleasing to God and when we die, we can experience eternal life in Heaven with God.
After explaining all this to the kids, I offered to pray a prayer of salvation and invited them to join along if they desired to have new hearts. I expected them to pray silently, but to my astonishment, they all prayed aloud after me in unison! I was amazed and a bit flustered. I don't know if their eager acceptance of Christ was the result of an Americano telling them that it was a good thing to do, or if the Holy Spirit was working in their lives. As I sat down and looked around the room as Max reiterated what I had said in the kids' native dialect, Ilocano, I experienced a great peace knowing that the Lord had some of His own elect in that room and I trust that He had used what was said to draw them to Himself and that He would preserve their fragile faith.
After the fifth grade presentation we had a "merianda" of coffee and muffins. Pastor M. then informed me that the sixth grade teacher had heard that we had presented in the fifth grade class and wandered if we could come and do a presentation in his class? What a blessing. So we went ahead and presented again to the sixth graders! The teacher listened from the back of the room as well. It sounds like the teachers of the lower grades also got wind of our presentations and would like us to come back in the following weeks to present to the younger kids as well. What an amazing work of the Lord!
My final "first" of this week was the opportunity of witnessing the birth of nine puppies! The dog of the missionaries whose house I'm staying at was pregnant and when I walked outside yesterday and she wasn't there to greet me, I wondered if she was giving birth. I found her in her dog house and she had already had one puppy. It was about 5:00 pm. I called to the lady who watches over the grounds and she and her husband came and helped pry the roof off the dog house so we could see what was happening and help out if necessary. The dog, a black lab, did very well and around 8:00 pm gave birth to her ninth puppy! Needless to say, we had a rather un-restful night as the house girls and I monitored the puppies, making sure all of them got a chance to eat. However, the opportunity to hold one of these precious newborn pups is worth the lack of sleep in my estimation! I couldn't help but marvel as I watched how God made dogs to give birth without any lamaze classes or prior training! And people say we evolved!
Thanks so much for your prayers. I feel so privileged to be here and have so many opportunities minister!
Please pray that we will be able to return and continue our gospel presentations and further Biblical training in this public school. Pray that the kids will truly understand and that God's Word would take root deep in their soul.
Also pray for the high school/college-aged girls biblestudy I will be leading on Sunday night. This week will be my first time giving the lesson and I will be speaking on Luke 3. Please pray that God will open my eyes to see the truth of His Word that He wants presented to these girls. Also, pray that I might be wise in developing practical illustrations and specific applications that speak to these girls' lives. I desire so badly that they might truly gain a deeper understanding of their Maker and that their lives might boldly reflect His presence.
Also, pray that they might feel safe to be honest regarding the struggles in their lives. I know that one of them has an alcoholic father and a mother who is pregnant with her fifth child. Her and her family live in a squatter house with no electricity. They will most likely be kicked off the property within the year and they do not know where they will go. I know that many of them have very real fear and pain that they are struggling with and I hope that they can find support in our little group.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Photos!
Here is the link to view some of my photos that I have taken so far:
http://picasaweb.google.com/alethea516/TwoMonthsInThePhilippines?authkey=6WKTN_nqJXs
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/alethea516/Baguio?authkey=3St36DRyGXs
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Moving
Last Friday night I moved to my permanent housing, which is the residence of one of the SEND Missionary families. They left for furlough on Monday and have graciously offered their home to me while I am here. Two teenage Filipino girls, N. and D. are staying with me at the house. These two work as the house helpers when the missionaries are home, and they are taking care of the upkeep and acting as companions to me while they are away. I am so grateful for their company and help. I've always considered myself good with directions but I have been completely humbled here. I can't distinguish one twisting, single-lane road from another. All the houses look like the same tin-roof/cement shack, and none of the jeepney routes are clearly marked. Even the destinations written on the outside of the jeepneys are often incorrect. Without D. to take me everywhere I'd spend most of my time here just trying to figure out where I'm at and how to get to my next assigned location. The girls have also given me a much greater glimpse into the culture which surrounds me, for which I am grateful, though it has not been without difficulties.
For example, yesterday, I got up at 6 AM and hopped in a taxi to go along with N. to her 8:00 AM college computer class. Becuase Filipinos are just now starting another school year, the teacher showed up, went over the rules, and then dismissed the class early. N. commented that her teacher seemed nervous over having an Americano in the classroom. I felt a bit out of place, but as usual, the Filipino students were friendly.
After class, D. and I left to go to the Palankay, or the out door market. This is where most of the Filipinos buy their food. It is much cheaper than the supermaket at the mall and has fresh produce from the mountain villages. It's quite the experience as the place is huge, incredibly crowded, and smells less-than-delicious. Two things make the Palankay rather trying for me: the stress of trying to make sure no one pick-pockets me and the pestering I receive from beggars and sellers alike, thinking that I have lots of money to dispense with because I am obviously an Americano. Regardless, I still appreciate the experience and enjoy the challenge of trying to find the food that I and the girls will need for the week. So far I have particularly enjoyed fresh coconut, mangoes, and pineapple, all of which are much tastier than what's available in the U.S.
After we were finished at the Palankay, we took a taxi to pick N. up on her lunch break so the girls could buy some shampoo, soap, "Colgate" etc. We barely got N. back in time for her 12:30 class, the traffic once again being the culprit.
After we dropped N. we went back to the house. After we got back from the market, I decided to be ambitious and try my had at making Adobo, a common dish in the Philippines. I'm realizing that a main ingredient in all Filipino dishes seems to be fat. I had cut up the beef that I had found in the freezer, being careful to trim off the fat and tendons, etc. When N. and D. walked in they kindly stepped in and corrected all the mistakes I was making. They were appalled when I commented that I was going to feed the fat and tendon pieces to the dog. "Oh Po, that's good. We'll use it." So they chopped it up into tiny pieces and fried some rice with it. I opted for the plain rice. I'm coming to understand that in a culture where most people are too poor to buy much meat, fat is the next best thing.
It's been interesting trying to cook in a completely different culture where most ingredients that are familiar to you are not available or are extremely expensive. One of the most obvious foods that is missing is milk. Most Filipinos have grown up on powdered milk. Only in the past few years has liquid milk become available. It is imported from New Zealand and is heat-treated so that it does not require refridgeration until after its opened. You can imagine that it tastes like it too! Along with the absence of milk is most other dairy products that we take for granted in the U.S.
Also, yesterday the water bill for the house was due. Here in the Philippines you cannot simply write out a check and drop it in the mail. No, you have to go in person to the Water District headquarters and stand in line until they personally receive your cash. Before they left, the missionaries had asked the girls if they knew where to take the bill and if they would mind taking care of it while they were gone. The girls kindly agreed, saying that it would be no problem.
So yesterday morning when I reminded D. to pay the bill I find out that she does not know how to get to the Water District and that she will not go without N.. But N. has class from 8-5. D. and N. agree to take it after N. is finished with class. I thought this seemed like a plausible solution until I realized at 4:00 PM that the Water District closes at 5.
Fast-forward to 4:30. D. and I are sitting in a taxi, stuck in traffic. I'm trying to get to Benguet State University in La Trinidad to meet a woman who leads a Bible Study on Tuesday nights. I have no idea where I'm going or if I'll be able to find her when I arrive (she wasn't responding to my texts). I can't stop worrying about the water bill, so I finally turn to D. and say, "Why don't you go ahead and get out and catch another taxi and go to the Water District by yourself becuase we won't be able to make it there before 5:00, okay? D. smiles and says, "Ok." But I waited for her to make a move to get out. Nothing. "So why don't you go ahead and get out here okay?" I said. She smiled and nodded. "So....get out." I said. "Ah no, Po," she replied with a smile. "Uhhh, what?" No response. She just smiled more and acted a bit uncomfortable. You can imagine my bewilderment. Evidently she was adamant about not going alone and at the same time did not want to cross me.
Needless to say, we arrived at the university at 5:00. The water bill was now late and we were left wandering around the campus trying to locate the administration meeting to meet J., only to find out that she had already left. We trekked back out to the main road and stood in the rain for 15-20 minutes. I was texting furiously trying to figure out what to do next and D. was watching for a Taxi. Unfortunately everytime we were able to flag one down they for some reason refused to take us to Gladiola Street. Finally, the third taxi agreed and we were off to another biblestudy where I watched two adorable but rather active Filipino children as their parents tried to have biblestudy over their squeals on the other side of the room. After an hour and a half of trying to occupy the children indoors with two balls and a few plastic Easter eggs (yes, it took quite a bit of creativity) the biblestudy was over and I was able to work up the nerve to ask Amy, the missionary whose house we were in, if I could use her Vonage phone to phone Ken. I woke him up. It had been a chaotic and difficult day for me and Ken, as groggy as he was, was kind enough to patiently remind me that things weren't so bad, and that I can trust the Lord to work out such things as late water bills and miscommunication.
We both were feeling the strain having a rather steady flow of communication completely cut off for a few days, without any promise of it being resumed. Amy reminded me that if I had come twenty years ago the only correspondence I would have with him was snail mail which would have taken twenty days to write and receive a response! I suppose we're spoiled with the internet, but I sure do miss him regardless. Please pray that we both can be faithful to do the work God has called us each to and not be crippled with missing each other. I expect the Lord to strengthen our relationship as a result of our time apart and the growth that we both experience separately. Also, please pray that the Lord directs me clearly in what He wants me to do each day. So far, I feel like so much time is occupied with just trying to live here, let alone do a lot of what feels like productive ministry. I truly desire to see God do an eternal work in my own heart, in the hearts of these girls who are living with me, and those who I minister to.
A few days ago Brett and I shared our testimony with a woman from the village of Kadaklan. I struggled through it as we were sitting on stumps in the middle of a dirt yard with chickens clucking at our feet, dogs fighting, and children running around. It was pure chaos, and I had trouble thinking coherently to say the least, let alone convey those thoughts clearly. However, after we shared, Pastor M. talked with the women who were listening for quite some time in Ilocano. By the end of the conversation one of the women was asking to receive Christ. Please pray that her conversion is authentic and that she will participate in our biblestudy this week in the village.
* I have changed the names I had previous posted to initials after a dear friend suggested that perhaps I should be more discreet. Thanks :)
For example, yesterday, I got up at 6 AM and hopped in a taxi to go along with N. to her 8:00 AM college computer class. Becuase Filipinos are just now starting another school year, the teacher showed up, went over the rules, and then dismissed the class early. N. commented that her teacher seemed nervous over having an Americano in the classroom. I felt a bit out of place, but as usual, the Filipino students were friendly.
After class, D. and I left to go to the Palankay, or the out door market. This is where most of the Filipinos buy their food. It is much cheaper than the supermaket at the mall and has fresh produce from the mountain villages. It's quite the experience as the place is huge, incredibly crowded, and smells less-than-delicious. Two things make the Palankay rather trying for me: the stress of trying to make sure no one pick-pockets me and the pestering I receive from beggars and sellers alike, thinking that I have lots of money to dispense with because I am obviously an Americano. Regardless, I still appreciate the experience and enjoy the challenge of trying to find the food that I and the girls will need for the week. So far I have particularly enjoyed fresh coconut, mangoes, and pineapple, all of which are much tastier than what's available in the U.S.
After we were finished at the Palankay, we took a taxi to pick N. up on her lunch break so the girls could buy some shampoo, soap, "Colgate" etc. We barely got N. back in time for her 12:30 class, the traffic once again being the culprit.
After we dropped N. we went back to the house. After we got back from the market, I decided to be ambitious and try my had at making Adobo, a common dish in the Philippines. I'm realizing that a main ingredient in all Filipino dishes seems to be fat. I had cut up the beef that I had found in the freezer, being careful to trim off the fat and tendons, etc. When N. and D. walked in they kindly stepped in and corrected all the mistakes I was making. They were appalled when I commented that I was going to feed the fat and tendon pieces to the dog. "Oh Po, that's good. We'll use it." So they chopped it up into tiny pieces and fried some rice with it. I opted for the plain rice. I'm coming to understand that in a culture where most people are too poor to buy much meat, fat is the next best thing.
It's been interesting trying to cook in a completely different culture where most ingredients that are familiar to you are not available or are extremely expensive. One of the most obvious foods that is missing is milk. Most Filipinos have grown up on powdered milk. Only in the past few years has liquid milk become available. It is imported from New Zealand and is heat-treated so that it does not require refridgeration until after its opened. You can imagine that it tastes like it too! Along with the absence of milk is most other dairy products that we take for granted in the U.S.
Also, yesterday the water bill for the house was due. Here in the Philippines you cannot simply write out a check and drop it in the mail. No, you have to go in person to the Water District headquarters and stand in line until they personally receive your cash. Before they left, the missionaries had asked the girls if they knew where to take the bill and if they would mind taking care of it while they were gone. The girls kindly agreed, saying that it would be no problem.
So yesterday morning when I reminded D. to pay the bill I find out that she does not know how to get to the Water District and that she will not go without N.. But N. has class from 8-5. D. and N. agree to take it after N. is finished with class. I thought this seemed like a plausible solution until I realized at 4:00 PM that the Water District closes at 5.
Fast-forward to 4:30. D. and I are sitting in a taxi, stuck in traffic. I'm trying to get to Benguet State University in La Trinidad to meet a woman who leads a Bible Study on Tuesday nights. I have no idea where I'm going or if I'll be able to find her when I arrive (she wasn't responding to my texts). I can't stop worrying about the water bill, so I finally turn to D. and say, "Why don't you go ahead and get out and catch another taxi and go to the Water District by yourself becuase we won't be able to make it there before 5:00, okay? D. smiles and says, "Ok." But I waited for her to make a move to get out. Nothing. "So why don't you go ahead and get out here okay?" I said. She smiled and nodded. "So....get out." I said. "Ah no, Po," she replied with a smile. "Uhhh, what?" No response. She just smiled more and acted a bit uncomfortable. You can imagine my bewilderment. Evidently she was adamant about not going alone and at the same time did not want to cross me.
Needless to say, we arrived at the university at 5:00. The water bill was now late and we were left wandering around the campus trying to locate the administration meeting to meet J., only to find out that she had already left. We trekked back out to the main road and stood in the rain for 15-20 minutes. I was texting furiously trying to figure out what to do next and D. was watching for a Taxi. Unfortunately everytime we were able to flag one down they for some reason refused to take us to Gladiola Street. Finally, the third taxi agreed and we were off to another biblestudy where I watched two adorable but rather active Filipino children as their parents tried to have biblestudy over their squeals on the other side of the room. After an hour and a half of trying to occupy the children indoors with two balls and a few plastic Easter eggs (yes, it took quite a bit of creativity) the biblestudy was over and I was able to work up the nerve to ask Amy, the missionary whose house we were in, if I could use her Vonage phone to phone Ken. I woke him up. It had been a chaotic and difficult day for me and Ken, as groggy as he was, was kind enough to patiently remind me that things weren't so bad, and that I can trust the Lord to work out such things as late water bills and miscommunication.
We both were feeling the strain having a rather steady flow of communication completely cut off for a few days, without any promise of it being resumed. Amy reminded me that if I had come twenty years ago the only correspondence I would have with him was snail mail which would have taken twenty days to write and receive a response! I suppose we're spoiled with the internet, but I sure do miss him regardless. Please pray that we both can be faithful to do the work God has called us each to and not be crippled with missing each other. I expect the Lord to strengthen our relationship as a result of our time apart and the growth that we both experience separately. Also, please pray that the Lord directs me clearly in what He wants me to do each day. So far, I feel like so much time is occupied with just trying to live here, let alone do a lot of what feels like productive ministry. I truly desire to see God do an eternal work in my own heart, in the hearts of these girls who are living with me, and those who I minister to.
A few days ago Brett and I shared our testimony with a woman from the village of Kadaklan. I struggled through it as we were sitting on stumps in the middle of a dirt yard with chickens clucking at our feet, dogs fighting, and children running around. It was pure chaos, and I had trouble thinking coherently to say the least, let alone convey those thoughts clearly. However, after we shared, Pastor M. talked with the women who were listening for quite some time in Ilocano. By the end of the conversation one of the women was asking to receive Christ. Please pray that her conversion is authentic and that she will participate in our biblestudy this week in the village.
* I have changed the names I had previous posted to initials after a dear friend suggested that perhaps I should be more discreet. Thanks :)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Beautiful Baguio
Tuesday, Brett (another short-termer) and I boarded a Deluxe bus headed for Baguio city, Philippines. For the next 4 1/2 hours I sat mesmerized, squinting my eyes against the too-bright sun. I was so tired but every time I managed to pull my eyes away from the window and close them for a moment, I couldn't resist popping them back open, kind of like a jack-in-the-box from my childhood that would pop out whenever I tried to secure it under its lid. I watched as we drove by rice fields being plowed by water buffalo, through small villages where the haphazard shacks of a house met the two-lane road. I, as a rider, could peak inside to see a Filipina taking a siesta in a hammock. Another appeared to be checking her sister's hair for lice. Little boys were playing basketball on the hard-packed mud floor of a nearby lot, and when one glimpsed a white woman through the window of the bus, he got a huge grin on his face and motioned to his friends.
I am beginning to realize that I am experiencing what it is like to be a celebrity for the first and last time of my life. Filipinos love the West and they love Americans. They believe that the epitomy of beauty is having white skin. I had to laugh when I went to the cosmetic aisle of the department store and witnessed row and row of skin-whitening soap and lotion. Quite the opposite of our Neutrogena "Natural Glow" skin bronzers! This desire to be white is also what drives Filipinas to bring along an umbrella whenever they head out of doors.
Filipinos also love Americans becuase they think that we are rich. When I went to the open-air market today I was constantly reminded of this as the vendors specifically targeted me. "Shoes, ma'am?" "Vegetables, ma'am?" Then there were old beggar women who would shuffle up to me and tug on my arm asking for pesos. Sometimes they were rather insistent and would follow me for a while. The problem is that often these women are part of a syndicate. The money that they earn does not even go to them but to those who have hired them.
I have never been around so much need. The people here are so very poor and it is heartbreaking to try and decide who to give money to and who to refuse. Amy took us to governmental hospital here in Baguio to see thirteen- year-old Jose who has cancer. He and his mother and younger sister were waiting to find out if he would be allowed to receive his next chemo treatment. His family is very poor and they do not have the money for the treatments. During one of the first treatments, a nurse pulled out Jose's IV and dripped chemo fluid onto his arm. It burned his so badly they thought they would have to operate. Becuase the doctor was afraid of a potential lawsuit, she agreed to let Jose receive the treatment on debt. After several treatments his family is in more debt than they may ever be able to pay off and they are just waiting to be refused more treatments.
So there we were sitting outside on plastic chairs in the hallway waiting for the doctor's response regarding this next treatment. After waiting an inordinate amount of time during which the doctor appeared to simply be taking a break, Jose's mother was called into the makeshift office and was told that Jose would not be receiving any more chemo treatments unless they could pay for them. Jose's mother came back into the hallway. She related the news to Amy in Tagolog but I could tell from her facial expression what the response had been. Amy asked if they would agree to give the treatment if she had 1000 pesos ( a little over $50). The doctor agreed! Brett, Amy, and I pooled together our pesos and ended up with 2000 pesos to give her. She was embarassed and so happy at the same time. The walk back from the hospital to Amy's house was silent as we all tried to take in what we had just experienced. I wish I could give more! I think I'm going to try and give any leftover money to his family at the end of my trip.
I am beginning to realize that I am experiencing what it is like to be a celebrity for the first and last time of my life. Filipinos love the West and they love Americans. They believe that the epitomy of beauty is having white skin. I had to laugh when I went to the cosmetic aisle of the department store and witnessed row and row of skin-whitening soap and lotion. Quite the opposite of our Neutrogena "Natural Glow" skin bronzers! This desire to be white is also what drives Filipinas to bring along an umbrella whenever they head out of doors.
Filipinos also love Americans becuase they think that we are rich. When I went to the open-air market today I was constantly reminded of this as the vendors specifically targeted me. "Shoes, ma'am?" "Vegetables, ma'am?" Then there were old beggar women who would shuffle up to me and tug on my arm asking for pesos. Sometimes they were rather insistent and would follow me for a while. The problem is that often these women are part of a syndicate. The money that they earn does not even go to them but to those who have hired them.
I have never been around so much need. The people here are so very poor and it is heartbreaking to try and decide who to give money to and who to refuse. Amy took us to governmental hospital here in Baguio to see thirteen- year-old Jose who has cancer. He and his mother and younger sister were waiting to find out if he would be allowed to receive his next chemo treatment. His family is very poor and they do not have the money for the treatments. During one of the first treatments, a nurse pulled out Jose's IV and dripped chemo fluid onto his arm. It burned his so badly they thought they would have to operate. Becuase the doctor was afraid of a potential lawsuit, she agreed to let Jose receive the treatment on debt. After several treatments his family is in more debt than they may ever be able to pay off and they are just waiting to be refused more treatments.
So there we were sitting outside on plastic chairs in the hallway waiting for the doctor's response regarding this next treatment. After waiting an inordinate amount of time during which the doctor appeared to simply be taking a break, Jose's mother was called into the makeshift office and was told that Jose would not be receiving any more chemo treatments unless they could pay for them. Jose's mother came back into the hallway. She related the news to Amy in Tagolog but I could tell from her facial expression what the response had been. Amy asked if they would agree to give the treatment if she had 1000 pesos ( a little over $50). The doctor agreed! Brett, Amy, and I pooled together our pesos and ended up with 2000 pesos to give her. She was embarassed and so happy at the same time. The walk back from the hospital to Amy's house was silent as we all tried to take in what we had just experienced. I wish I could give more! I think I'm going to try and give any leftover money to his family at the end of my trip.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Today Alex, the SEND representative here in the Philippines, drove us around Manila. We visited two churches. You can read about one of them at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Agustin_Church,_Manila. I enjoyed looking at the stone architecture. I've never seen anything so old before! After touring the church we looked around the courtyards of an old Spanish/Filipino mansion. It was so beautiful. I wanted to just sit and let my imagination run wild with what it might have been like to live there. Unfortunately we weren't allowed inside today. Otherwise, Alex informed me that I would have been able to a view my first tandem toilet (they say Filipinos don't like to be alone).
By the time we reached the second church I was rather car sick and after being hit by the combination of high humidity, sewage, and exhaust smells, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep my breakfast where it belonged. Thankfully the nausea eventually subsided, but taking my cues from other Filipinos I saw, I decided that this would be the last day I walked around Manila without a handkerchief to breath through!
The second church was the "Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene" in Quiapo, Manila. You can see a photo of its exterior here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiapo_Church. I got rather teary when I watched devoted Filipinos worship the idols housed there. The church is home to the "Black Nazarene." You can read more about it here: http://blogwerx.net/2008/01/08/the-feast-of-the-black-nazarene-of-quiapo. They have long since enclosed the idol with an ornate glass casing, but they've allowed the idol's wooden foot to protrude through the glass so worshippers can touch, kiss, and weep over it - all of which we wintessed. It made me angry to see that expense of the idols. Their robes had gold thread embroidery and many of them had hands and faces of ivory. Small offering boxes were everywhere. It reminded me of the 16th century practice of indulgences against which Luther fought so vehemently. Unfortunately it's still alive and well today. It's hard to watch such poor people give the little money that they have to inanimate idols. Perhaps what it harder is to see the hope they place in things crafted from wood and stone. I was shocked to hear that the church's replicas displayed outside of the ten commandment left out the second commandment "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." Instead, they split the last one into two commandments. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house" (Commandment 9) and "you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s" (Commandment 10). Alex explained that Filipino Catholics are warned not to read the Bible apart from the guidance of a priest or nun. Therefore few of them realize how greatly they are being mislead.
This was my first exposure to idol worship. The experience reminded me of Paul's speech in Acts 17:
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was( full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said "What does this babbler wish to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities"—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean." 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. 22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankin life and breath and everything. 26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28for "'In him we live and move and have our being'
as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
I think I understand more now the passion that drove Paul to preach the gospel to such religious but terribly mislead people. I hope to have the opportunity to do the same.
When we left walked outside into the courtyard of the Quiapo Church vendors people were everywhere selling mini idols of the "Baby Jesus" as well as "healing herbs." Alex informed us that among the herbs being sold was one which was used to abort unwanted children. How ironic.
One thing that is interesting about Filipino Catholicism is that it focuses only on the baby Jesus and the Suffering Jesus. Of all the idols we viewed none pictured Jesus' life or resurrection. As a result, the Filipinos view Jesus as someone to be patronized more than to be obeyed. They also fail to see the significance of His life and the impact it is intended to have on their own.
Filipino Catholics also revere Mary to the extent of often including her in the Trinity. We saw several idols of the "Holy Family" - God the Father, God the Mother, and God the Son. Filipinos see Mary as a compassionate mother who will extend grace when Jesus would not. Just as at the wedding in Cana, Jesus always does his mother's bidding. Therefore, much of their worship is directed at Mary.
After our exposure to Filipino Catholicism and culture, we headed back to the SEND Guest house. Later we decided to have our first ride on "the public" which included a "tricycle" (a moped with a side car http://www.pbase.com/cmanaginged/image/74931633). Believe it or not we fit four people on the tricycle! We also rode on a "jeepney" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepneys in order to get to the world's sixth largest mall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_City_North_EDSA.
It's amazing to me that the Philippines houses some of the largest malls and yet is a third world country. Alex explained that, as in most developing countries, the middle class is absent here - the rich are extremely rich and the poor are extremely poor. Most of the poor survive on 2 dollars a day or less. Most of the mall employees make about $6-7 a day. Evidently the rich own and support the malls and are making a fortune off of them. The poor flock there simply for the air conditioning and a place to hang out with friends.
By the time we reached the second church I was rather car sick and after being hit by the combination of high humidity, sewage, and exhaust smells, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep my breakfast where it belonged. Thankfully the nausea eventually subsided, but taking my cues from other Filipinos I saw, I decided that this would be the last day I walked around Manila without a handkerchief to breath through!
The second church was the "Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene" in Quiapo, Manila. You can see a photo of its exterior here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiapo_Church. I got rather teary when I watched devoted Filipinos worship the idols housed there. The church is home to the "Black Nazarene." You can read more about it here: http://blogwerx.net/2008/01/08/the-feast-of-the-black-nazarene-of-quiapo. They have long since enclosed the idol with an ornate glass casing, but they've allowed the idol's wooden foot to protrude through the glass so worshippers can touch, kiss, and weep over it - all of which we wintessed. It made me angry to see that expense of the idols. Their robes had gold thread embroidery and many of them had hands and faces of ivory. Small offering boxes were everywhere. It reminded me of the 16th century practice of indulgences against which Luther fought so vehemently. Unfortunately it's still alive and well today. It's hard to watch such poor people give the little money that they have to inanimate idols. Perhaps what it harder is to see the hope they place in things crafted from wood and stone. I was shocked to hear that the church's replicas displayed outside of the ten commandment left out the second commandment "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." Instead, they split the last one into two commandments. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house" (Commandment 9) and "you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s" (Commandment 10). Alex explained that Filipino Catholics are warned not to read the Bible apart from the guidance of a priest or nun. Therefore few of them realize how greatly they are being mislead.
This was my first exposure to idol worship. The experience reminded me of Paul's speech in Acts 17:
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was( full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said "What does this babbler wish to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities"—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean." 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. 22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankin life and breath and everything. 26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28for "'In him we live and move and have our being'
as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
I think I understand more now the passion that drove Paul to preach the gospel to such religious but terribly mislead people. I hope to have the opportunity to do the same.
When we left walked outside into the courtyard of the Quiapo Church vendors people were everywhere selling mini idols of the "Baby Jesus" as well as "healing herbs." Alex informed us that among the herbs being sold was one which was used to abort unwanted children. How ironic.
One thing that is interesting about Filipino Catholicism is that it focuses only on the baby Jesus and the Suffering Jesus. Of all the idols we viewed none pictured Jesus' life or resurrection. As a result, the Filipinos view Jesus as someone to be patronized more than to be obeyed. They also fail to see the significance of His life and the impact it is intended to have on their own.
Filipino Catholics also revere Mary to the extent of often including her in the Trinity. We saw several idols of the "Holy Family" - God the Father, God the Mother, and God the Son. Filipinos see Mary as a compassionate mother who will extend grace when Jesus would not. Just as at the wedding in Cana, Jesus always does his mother's bidding. Therefore, much of their worship is directed at Mary.
After our exposure to Filipino Catholicism and culture, we headed back to the SEND Guest house. Later we decided to have our first ride on "the public" which included a "tricycle" (a moped with a side car http://www.pbase.com/cmanaginged/image/74931633). Believe it or not we fit four people on the tricycle! We also rode on a "jeepney" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepneys in order to get to the world's sixth largest mall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_City_North_EDSA.
It's amazing to me that the Philippines houses some of the largest malls and yet is a third world country. Alex explained that, as in most developing countries, the middle class is absent here - the rich are extremely rich and the poor are extremely poor. Most of the poor survive on 2 dollars a day or less. Most of the mall employees make about $6-7 a day. Evidently the rich own and support the malls and are making a fortune off of them. The poor flock there simply for the air conditioning and a place to hang out with friends.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Entering Manila
I'm sitting here in the tile-floored lobby of the SEND International Guest House in Metro Manila. I boarded a Boeing 777 from O'Hare headed for Tokyo, Japan at 12:00pm on Friday, June 6. I knew that there were two other guys who were on the flight headed to the Philippines with SEND as well. Thankfully, at one point on the 13 hour flight to Tokyo Japan, I happened to recognize one of them when he got up to get something out of his carry-on. It was encouraging to know I wasn't flying half way around the world completely on my own!
When we arrived in Tokyo, we enjoyed the incredible quiet and order of the airport after such a long flight. It was fascinating to me to notice how culture is so apparent even in an international airport. Even the stewardesses looked uniform and professional with their tailored suits, colorful neck scarves, and hair pulled back in a neat bun!
After four hours of waiting we were allowed to board our Boeing 747 for the four and a half hour flight to Manila. I was nodding off before we even left the runway. We touched down in Manila at 10:00 pm local time (10:00 am on Saturday, June 7th, Central time). What a jolt to come from the Tokyo aiport to the Manila airport! The Manila airport was mass confusion. When we got of the plane we were herded into a huge room where we waited en mass to go through customs. No neat lines, just a sea of sweaty, noisy, smiling people.
I was rather nervous going through customs because while on the plane I realized I had two canisters of pepper spray in my checked* luggage. I had read on the United Airlines flight that we took for Chicago to Tokyo that pepper spray was a prohibited item and was not to be in either our carry on baggage or checked baggage and was not to be taken through customs. I realized on the plane that I could either worry about it or hand it over to the Lord and give Him the opportunity to prove once more how faithful He is. Thankfully, He did just that. The customs official just laughed when I set the pepper spray in front of him and said, "You must be expecting some excitment here!" He then handed the spray back to me and let me proceed through the rest of customs. I was so relieved!
At 12:00 pm we finally made our way out to the departure/arrival pick up area. Like everywhere I've been in the Philippines so far, it was crowded, hot and smelled like exhaust. We met up with a representative of SEND and he drove us to the SEND guest house. The ride was madness. People were hanging out of open "jeepneys" and Alex, the representative, told us there are only two rules of driving in the Philippines: don't hit someone and don't get hit yourself! When we arrived at the guest house I was given my own room and had access to a hot shower, which was sorely needed!
I'll be here at the guest house until Tuesday. Then I will take a four hour bus trip up to the city of Baguio where I will spend the rest of my time here in the Philippines. Thanks so much for your prayers for safe travel. I could feel the Lord looking out for me as he directed me to find the other short termers on the flight to Tokyo and enabled me to pass through customs without any trouble. Please pray that I will learn to humbly adjust to the culture here.
When we arrived in Tokyo, we enjoyed the incredible quiet and order of the airport after such a long flight. It was fascinating to me to notice how culture is so apparent even in an international airport. Even the stewardesses looked uniform and professional with their tailored suits, colorful neck scarves, and hair pulled back in a neat bun!
After four hours of waiting we were allowed to board our Boeing 747 for the four and a half hour flight to Manila. I was nodding off before we even left the runway. We touched down in Manila at 10:00 pm local time (10:00 am on Saturday, June 7th, Central time). What a jolt to come from the Tokyo aiport to the Manila airport! The Manila airport was mass confusion. When we got of the plane we were herded into a huge room where we waited en mass to go through customs. No neat lines, just a sea of sweaty, noisy, smiling people.
I was rather nervous going through customs because while on the plane I realized I had two canisters of pepper spray in my checked* luggage. I had read on the United Airlines flight that we took for Chicago to Tokyo that pepper spray was a prohibited item and was not to be in either our carry on baggage or checked baggage and was not to be taken through customs. I realized on the plane that I could either worry about it or hand it over to the Lord and give Him the opportunity to prove once more how faithful He is. Thankfully, He did just that. The customs official just laughed when I set the pepper spray in front of him and said, "You must be expecting some excitment here!" He then handed the spray back to me and let me proceed through the rest of customs. I was so relieved!
At 12:00 pm we finally made our way out to the departure/arrival pick up area. Like everywhere I've been in the Philippines so far, it was crowded, hot and smelled like exhaust. We met up with a representative of SEND and he drove us to the SEND guest house. The ride was madness. People were hanging out of open "jeepneys" and Alex, the representative, told us there are only two rules of driving in the Philippines: don't hit someone and don't get hit yourself! When we arrived at the guest house I was given my own room and had access to a hot shower, which was sorely needed!
I'll be here at the guest house until Tuesday. Then I will take a four hour bus trip up to the city of Baguio where I will spend the rest of my time here in the Philippines. Thanks so much for your prayers for safe travel. I could feel the Lord looking out for me as he directed me to find the other short termers on the flight to Tokyo and enabled me to pass through customs without any trouble. Please pray that I will learn to humbly adjust to the culture here.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Leaving on a Jet Plane...
Now that I have gotten engaged (you can read more about that at http://www.kenandaudrey.com/), taken four finals and written 500 papers, traveled to Virginia and Pennsylvania, and packed up my room for my family's big move in July, I am madly stuffing my 50lb suitcase and debating over which of my summer shirts will be the coolest when I step off the plane into the 100% humidity of Manila on June 7th.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak with Mike Ballast, who heads up the church in Baguio where I will be serving. He and his wife Carolyn planted the church four years ago and church has grown to 150 attendees. Baguio is home to 7 universities and colleges so the evangelistic opportunities among young adults are endless. About thirty college age individuals are currently attending the church, and my job while I am there will be to disciple the young women who are part of this group. From what I hear, we will be using some materials published by Navigators. I'll also be participating in evangelism, attending most other church functions, eating at the home of every church member, and getting to know the people and culture. Mike said I may be asked to speak at the women's fellowship for the month of July. I truly enjoyed sermon prep and delivery for my Message Prep for Women class at Moody this past fall semester. I'm looking forward to having more opportunities learn to exhort women in a way that brings glory to Christ.
Mike said that they would be renting a small furnished studio apartment for me while I am there. I'm both thankful to have a place of my own and a bit intimidated. Filipinos are highly social people. Being alone is one of their greatest fears, and they naturally expect everyone else to feel the same way. This can be a blessing and a curse for someone like me who is an introvert at heart and is trying to rapidly adjust to a foreign culture! At the same time, it will be interesting trying to figure out how to adjust to Filipino life on my own.
As I look ahead to serving in the Philippines, I find myself doubting whether I'll be of much use there. As I sat in the Adult Bible Fellowship I attended at East White Oak this morning I was thought, "What a shame as Bible student I don't know my Bible better than I do." Later in the church service I found my mind wandering to how the sanctuary could be decorated for my wedding! I feel so privileged that God has called me to go and that you all have confirmed this call on my life with your prayers and giving. I want very badly to be a steward worthy of the good news that Christ has entrusted to me.
Please pray that in the struggles that lie ahead that I would turn to the Lord in prayer and His Word and experience His presence in a deeper and more intimate way than ever before. Please pray that my will will be graciously bent more and more until it is in line with my Father's. Pray that I might disciple these women in a way that is reflective of the truth of scripture and that I might model this truth authentically in my own life.
On the more practical side of things, please pray for safe travel and and smooth adjustment to the culture.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak with Mike Ballast, who heads up the church in Baguio where I will be serving. He and his wife Carolyn planted the church four years ago and church has grown to 150 attendees. Baguio is home to 7 universities and colleges so the evangelistic opportunities among young adults are endless. About thirty college age individuals are currently attending the church, and my job while I am there will be to disciple the young women who are part of this group. From what I hear, we will be using some materials published by Navigators. I'll also be participating in evangelism, attending most other church functions, eating at the home of every church member, and getting to know the people and culture. Mike said I may be asked to speak at the women's fellowship for the month of July. I truly enjoyed sermon prep and delivery for my Message Prep for Women class at Moody this past fall semester. I'm looking forward to having more opportunities learn to exhort women in a way that brings glory to Christ.
Mike said that they would be renting a small furnished studio apartment for me while I am there. I'm both thankful to have a place of my own and a bit intimidated. Filipinos are highly social people. Being alone is one of their greatest fears, and they naturally expect everyone else to feel the same way. This can be a blessing and a curse for someone like me who is an introvert at heart and is trying to rapidly adjust to a foreign culture! At the same time, it will be interesting trying to figure out how to adjust to Filipino life on my own.
As I look ahead to serving in the Philippines, I find myself doubting whether I'll be of much use there. As I sat in the Adult Bible Fellowship I attended at East White Oak this morning I was thought, "What a shame as Bible student I don't know my Bible better than I do." Later in the church service I found my mind wandering to how the sanctuary could be decorated for my wedding! I feel so privileged that God has called me to go and that you all have confirmed this call on my life with your prayers and giving. I want very badly to be a steward worthy of the good news that Christ has entrusted to me.
Please pray that in the struggles that lie ahead that I would turn to the Lord in prayer and His Word and experience His presence in a deeper and more intimate way than ever before. Please pray that my will will be graciously bent more and more until it is in line with my Father's. Pray that I might disciple these women in a way that is reflective of the truth of scripture and that I might model this truth authentically in my own life.
On the more practical side of things, please pray for safe travel and and smooth adjustment to the culture.
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