Living in the Philippines, for the last six months, has taught me a lot! More than I could have ever imagined. I have observed, and recorded in my mind the people, their lives, their world. I foresee, one of these days, the residents here showing up in a story somewhere.
I have tried my best to settle in, and get comfortable, which is difficult when you are a pampered American. I have done what I could to fit in, but looking so different than them, some wouldn’t let me. Like today, at the time of this writing, I was cursed and the old woman made a spitting motion at my feet three times. I’m not saying I know racism in its fullest now, like some do in America, but I have experienced a taste of it, and it doesn’t taste too good. On the flip side, I have made friends, who call out my name whenever they see me out on the streets. That’s a good feeling no matter where you live!
As I made this place home, there were days I was jolted when the realization hit me, Mark, this is not your home. You’re an alien, a sojourner. Just passing through, for a specific time and purpose. For that matter, America is not my home either. I’m an alien there as well, just passing through for a specific time and purpose.
So where is my residence?
“So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” Ephesians 2:19 (ASV)
After I accepted Jesus, my forwarding address was in heaven, God’s kingdom. As a residence of that land, I have full rights to everything the kingdom of God offers. I’m an heir to the King of Kings. I fit in. Everyone is accepted, no matter how weird they are on earth. Racism doesn’t exist! With nothing but love there, I am making heaven, my last stop.
Copyright © 2019 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.
In my last blog, I mentioned being in the Philippines. On that trip, one thing that really caught me off guard, was how hard it was to try to blend in. For instances, when in a grocery store I was looking for chili to put on hot dogs. They took me to the hot sauce isle. Then trying to speak their language was a disaster most of the time. They have a phrase there when you are trying to speak a foreign language, and doing a poor job of it, your nose bleeds. My bled a lot! The most difficult part was trying to accept how they do things there. At times, it felt like a part of me was dying. To quote Seinfeld, “If the two worlds collide, the George you know, will no longer exist!”
On a recent trip to the Philippines, I saw a lot of life I had never seen before. I experienced several new things as food, phrases, and culture. One thing that I couldn’t help but notice was the local rival to McDonalds, Jollibee. It has what McDonalds has as well a local favorite, chicken with rice and gravy.
brady, mark a. 