My team was sitting in the upstairs
living room when the rain began. It wasn’t like the storms at home
that sneak in and begin with a little pitter-patter and gradually
increase. It started rather suddenly. Calm and clear one moment, and
the next a deluge of water is pouring down on our little piece of
paradise. The rain here brings more than just water for the lush
tropical trees and plants. It also brings with it a sense of peace, as
it silences all of the usual street noises. There seem to be fewer car
horns beeping; fewer children playing in the streets; fewer dogs
barking; even fewer roosters crowing. Cooler breezes coast in on the
heels of the downpour and the temperature drops several degrees, making
it almost tolerable to sit outside the reach of the ever present
fans.
Apparently this rain is more than usual. It is noted
as a Tropical Storm by the name of Higos. In reality, it is little
more than a day of rain. As pleasant as the rain is now, I can only
wonder about the effects it will have on the city and these islands as
a whole. I tend to think of rain as cleansing, renewing and restoring.
But it seems different here. The rain sits on the ground and from it
seem to emanate all the smells of the street that have been lying
dormant for the last few days. It almost makes the street seem
dirtier, not cleaner. And how much water is too much here? For the
people who live in the tin shacks and homes made of scraps, do those
shelters stave the rain off for more than a few moments? Or is the
rain here so frequent at this time of year that everyone has learned
how to stay cozy and dry? I don’t know yet. But in the coming weeks,
I hope to discover much more about the wonderful people living here in the
Philippines.
Again, stay tuned for pictures and videos.
Right now we have all fifty-one of us staying here with one internet
connection, so bandwidth is hard to come by. Half of the group is
taking off on Saturday for other ministry locations, and then I will
have a chance to upload some images!
