Funny Story: As we’ve been going to these 5 communities with
ICM each week, I’ve gotten to hold a LOT of really cute Filipino babies! (I’ve resisted stuffing them into my backpack and bringing them back home
with me, so you should be proud!) LOL. However, I have had a couple of rather unfortunate moments. One day I was holding this little boy in my lap across the room from his mother while Joy was teaching the
class…when all of the sudden my lap felt very warm…and WET! YES, he had peed on me. (Warning: Most Filipino babies DO NOT wear diapers!)
Four or five days later Taniuska was holding one of the pastor’s 3 week old
son. She asked me if I wanted to hold him and of course I gave an enthusiastic, “Yes!” As we are doing the baby pass-off and his bottom is in the crook of my right arm and I am moving his head into my left arm, he decides that I am a good place to use the restroom as well! Everybody (including myself) laughs hysterically while pee rolled down my arm and drips onto my jeans and feet and I try to quickly pass him off to his dad.
We told the pastor that this was the 2nd time that week it had
happened to me, and he said that means that I will be getting married within the next year!? LOL
Other than the fact that Filipino babies don’t wear diapers, I’ve
learned many more interesting facts!
The Philippines is a mixture of Spanish and Asian cultures…let’s call it “Spasian”. Several hundred years ago Spain conquered the Phili
ppines; therefore much of their culture has been influenced by the Spaniards. All of the different dialects spoken here use many of the same words that Spanish uses such as familia, Dios, tiempo, hora, etc. It’s been great to at least be able to pick a few words out of a conversation! Filipinos are also a much louder people group in general, which definitely reflects more of the Spanish rather than the Asian side of things. Besides these two examples, the little stores on every street that sell coke and other snacks, the gesture of people pointing with their lips, and also the fact that at the ripe old age of 23 I’m pretty much considered an “old maid” all show off more of the Spanish side of the culture!
As far as the Asian part of it…the women carry umbrellas not only for rain, but also to protect them from the sun; every vegetable does something
specifically good for some function in your body; squatty potties can be found
in most any public place; and of course, the country is actually located in
Asia!
It has been incredibly fascinating for me to see these
cultures come together into one as I have spent time both with Asians and Hispanics
and have fallen equally in love with both cultures!
