When I try to sum up my experiences in the Philippines last week, two prominent words encapsulate the trip: overwhelming hospitality.
I have never in my life experienced such an extreme overflow of genuine love from total strangers. Countless home cooked meals, multiple hand woven hats, endless smiles and hellos, dozens of thank yous, and about 15 musical/dance performances were offered to us throughout the week. We were in the Philippines to serve (and we did), but I am quite sure that the people there served and touched us as much, if not more, than we impacted them.
A few brief stories to illustrate the love I referred to above: one of the skilled workers on the house building site, Juanito, was a carpenter skilled in wood carving. He took the time and money to carve intricate designs into a bar of soap for each of us on the trip. In other words, Juanito took about 3 weeks worth of wages and about 15 hours of time to carve all 17 of us soap designs. He stayed up late the night before we left and rushed to our hotel early the morning of our departure to give us his generous gift.
Another brief example of the connections we built with the people: one of the most meaningful aspects of the trip was the constant interaction we had with the kids in San Luis (the small community we built the homes in). Most of the families in the community had 5 or more children and kids lined every scaffolding at the work site as we fumbled about with plaster. Each time we paused our labors, they shouted hello or asked if we were okay. I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Hi M’am Sarah” or “Happy early/late birthday M’am Sarah” from tiny joyous faces. Every time a camera was pulled out, kids were leaping to smash their bodies into the frame. As the week continued, I began to trust certain kids with my camera and they ran around digitally capturing their lives—the animals, the houses, their friends. As we pulled out of the work site for the last time, the kids chased our van in a mass handing us flowers they had ripped from tiny gardens and shouting out their love for us. Their beautiful faces reflected their deep faith in God and their willingness to share everything they had with others. Their eyes and grins will forever be engraved in my heart.
One of the things that I really appreciated about the trip was the attention that our hostess, Pastor Adriana, paid to making sure we had a rounded experience. We really saw a wide range of aspects life in Aurora. We spent time on site, experienced many steps in the building process, got to be present for a house dedication, and had the opportunity to tour several completed (and lived in) homes. Apart from the work, we visited the local high school and technical college, spent time with the mayor and municipal council members, surfed the famous Baler beach waves, hiked up to the waterfall that powers the area, and stopped at a memorial for tsunami victims.
Overall, my trip to the Philippines was an amazing experience. I came back exhausted yet revitalized. As with all the other mission trips I have been on, I was struck by the way that people in poverty have their priorities straight. The Filipinos I met showed me what loving God and loving other really looks like.
