The Advent of Hope

One of the most beautiful things about spending two weeks of November in the Philippines is experiencing their Christmas season.  Some people tell me they begin putting up decorations in September!  But that doesn’t mean they stop!  Filipino people LOVE Christmas, and they apparently continue to decorate all the way up to Christmas Day!

My favorite Filipino decoration, by far, is the paról.

Carina REALLY wants an orange one, as seen on the left.

A paról is an ornamental, star-shaped Christmas lantern. It is traditionally made out of bamboo and paper and comes in various sizes and shapes.  They were strung up all over outside, and often lit up.  In bright or neon colors, they were not the typical “American” version of what a Christmas decoration should look like.  They looked like they belonged at a Cinco de Mayo party instead.  But Christmas in 90 degree weather deserves an attitude adjustment, and they seemed entirely appropriate.  I desperately wanted to take some home with me, but they were far too delicate for international transportation.

Once I returned home, I desired to learn more about this enigmatic decoration.  As usual, the All-Knowing Wikipedia provided me with this excellent description:  “The design of the paról evokes the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Kings to the manger. It also symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and the Filipinos' hope and goodwill during the Christmas season.”

Wow.  That’s a lot of symbolism for a cute little star, eh?  And perfect for the first week of Advent; the week of Hope.

But I would say it embodies the spirit of the Filipino people themselves.  People who have a life expectancy which is ten years less than that of the average American, despite a diet and lifestyle which is much healthier.  There is an average of one doctor for about every 800 or so Filipinos.  So in the less developed areas, a doctor visit is completely unheard of.  They die from the simplest of diseases.  

Yet the people hope.

This is actually larger than the average home.
 Most are made from woven bamboo mats.

They hope for the future.  They don’t give up.  They work three or four jobs so their children can go to school, because even public schools cost money, and you cannot attend if you haven't paid.  But if you want your children to attend college, you want them to attend a private school.  So you work and work and work.  Because you know a better future is possible.  You don’t give up. 

And one day, you will probably stand in line at the U.S. Embassy with your child.  I saw the lines.  The people begin long before dawn, bringing their plastic chairs with them, the lines pouring down the stairs and far past the building itself; just to apply for a Visa.  Just for the hope of a chance of coming to America.  And they wait years to be approved.  Or not.  But they know that some are approved, so why not them?  

When was the last time I thought, “Sure, why not me?”

I sat there, in my hired car.  Which we paid for with our American money.  (The exchange rate is ridiculous there.  You can get someone to drive you wherever you want to go for mere dollars.  We hired a guy to take us out of town for three days.  Like a six hour drive out of town. It cost $100, and he slept in his van.  We invited him to go along on all our excursions, and he seemed to have a good time.  But I still felt like a slimeball, even though that was “normal procedure”.)  

Anyway, I thought about my status as an American.

Thatched roof.  Tangled power lines.
 Fire hazard?  You betcha.
And how many fire stations did I see
 while touring?  None.

We, as Americans, like to talk about our “rights”.  We like to fuss about illegal immigrants messing up our system.  But I felt guilty.  I receive so many benefits just because I happened to be born in a country that protects me.  Hey, in the Philippines, only 25% of the roads are even paved.  Remember that the next time road construction irritates you.  And even when they repair roads, they don’t put up caution signs.  We drove at break-neck speed up and down mountains, to find our side of the road suddenly blocked without warning.  Think about that the next time you are going around hairpin curves in Tennessee.  

And where were the police?  Without a taxation system in place, they funded themselves.  Now that’s a frightening prospect.  

Makes me glad for taxes.  Actually, when looking at many of the advantages Americans have, the reason we have them is because we are taxed.  Nothing made that more clear than when questioning Filipino people about certain things like medical care, education, electricity, and road construction.

And Lawyers?  Want to fuss about them in America?  The lack of safety in the Philippines is so completely frightening; it is amazing I survived mentally.  There is no concept at all of the need to regulate how many people get onto a mode of public transportation.  They just pile on, hang on, ride on the roof, hang onto the back…the drivers don't care.  They can fall off and nobody will sue them!

I personally witnessed an accident where a truck ran over a motorcyclist.  We were in an accident ourselves.

Yet, we were the only ones who even seemed bothered by it all.  This was their normal.

Normal day at the beach?  Nope.  Manila's homeless population,
packing up their stuff in the early morning before they get booted
from their evening resting place.  Every evening, the shoreline becomes
a small city and every morning it disappears.

American “normal” is so far away from what is “normal” for the rest of the world.  I recently read an article in Forbes, which gave statistics that showed even the poorest of Americans are richer than 70% of the world's population. (http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/06/01/astonishing-numbers-americas-poor-still-live-better-than-most-of-the-rest-of-humanity/) Even those living in poverty in America are rich compared to the rest of the world.  Yet our Philippine friends still hope. They still hope.  

So why am I  so quick to give up?  I must need a dose of Filipino optimism!

 

Carina.  Being...Carina.

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31