TIA

These are my roommates and coworkers Leila and Amy. They are both great and have helped make transitioning to the Philippines so enjoyable!

Amy (on the right) recently introduced me to a phrase: TIA. It's usually accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders or a sigh, even occasionally a rolling of the eyes. Roughly translated, it means "This is Asia."

This simple phrase comes in very handy. I will demonstrate:

• My domestic flight is 1 1/2 hours late (and counting) and I have an international connection... TIA.
• My friend (a girl who works with the peace corps) paid 4$ for a haircut and was given a mullet... TIA.
• I found some amazing granola cereal with dried fruit in it and it only cost 3$ (about half of the normal price for cereal) but the day after I opened it the ants in my house considered it an open invitation. There were only about ten that I could see so I poured a bowl anyway and put the remaining cereal in the fridge to kill the rest of the ants so I could eat it later... TIA.
• "How old are you?" "How much money do you make?" "Who pays your salary?" "Where is your husband/boyfriend?" "Why are you single?" "Buy me a gift" and "You like to marry a Filipino?" are questions I hear daily, mostly from strangers, but only because those who are not strangers have already asked me these questions... TIA.
• Rice for breakfast lunch and dinner is doing a serious number on my digestive system... TIA.
• If you see something you like, might want in the future, or want more of in the future, you buy them all now because you will most likely never find the same ones again... TIA.
• Just when you think there is no possible way they can fit one more person on the jeepney (public transport) three more get on... TIA.

And then there are the wonderful things...

• "I really worry about you because you have no family here in Cebu so if you ever get lonely, please come stay with us"... TIA.
• Friends (girls mostly) grabbing your hand as you walk or stand next to them... TIA.
• All inclusive eating and sharing of meals and snacks and everything in between... TIA.
• Not being the only person to put on long sleeves when the temperature drops below 80 degrees... TIA.
• Fresh fruit everywhere... TIA.
• A love for word puns and laughing about absolutely everything, just because life is full of joy and friends and family... TIA.

This is Asia... and I love it!

Whys and Hows and Whats

Interacting and working with victims of crimes will, and should, cause one to reflect on the why’s and how’s and what’s of life, and of God. Why would God allow this to happen? How can God be good if he lets innocent people suffer? What can be done when most efforts seem to produce such small amounts of effectiveness in the grand scheme of oppression and problems surrounding us? God calls us to fight for justice, and the work here is doing exactly that, but it’s easy to start becoming offensive and bitter when the aftermath of suffering surrounds you daily.

I’m reading a book that addresses some of these issues entitled Out of the Whirlwind. The Author, Mark A. Tabb, doesn’t talk about victims of crimes or trafficking, he discusses tragedy in the life of a Christian, when there are no real answers to the Why questions surrounding them. The following excerpt struck me hard:

I know God is good, but must God always be good to me before I trust him? If so, I am in trouble because God cannot and will not always do that which appears from my limited human perspective to be loving and kind. At times his actions will seem harsh and painful. They must be if God is to act in ways that are truly good. George MacDonald describes this paradox in At the Back of the North Wind. The book tells the story of a boy named Diamond who develops a relationship with the North Wind, who represents God. The boy wants to go away with the beautiful North Wind because of the goodness she’s showered upon him. Diamond tells her:
“Well, I will go with you because you are beautiful and good, too.”
“Ah, but there’s another thing, Diamond: What if I should look ugly without being bad -- look ugly myself because I am making ugly things beautiful?—What then?”
“I don’t quite understand you, North Wind. You tell me what then.”
“Well, I will tell you. If you see me with my face all black, don’t be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like a bat’s, as big as the whole sky, don’t be frightened. If you hear me raging ten times worse than Mrs. Bill, the blacksmith’s wife—even if you see me looking into people’s windows like Mrs. Eve Dropper, the gardener’s wife—you must believe that I am doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for my hand will never change in yours if you keep a good hold. If you keep a hold, you will know who I am all the time, even when you look at me and can’t see me the least like the North Wind. I may look something very awful. Do you understand?”

I’m not sure if I understand, Lord, and I know I don’t like it, but I’m willing to trust you anyway. And I pray that you will use me to help “make ugly things beautiful.”