Just after I wrote my last post I observed an excellent example of the kind of hospitality I was writing about. The Translation Director in the Philippines has called a meeting of the Kalinga cluster (about 12 people) for January 18. He was looking for help with arrangements for food and lodging for those coming for the meeting. When I mentioned it to Christy she said, “they can eat and sleep here.” I wonder how many of us would be prepared on the spur of the moment to offer such hospitality, especially when we didn’t know most of the people involved. Of course putting up so many people will mean that several will need to sleep on the floor, but they will get the best this home has to offer.
We had another interesting experience that reminds us of how community works in the Kalinga culture. We heard of the passing of one of the older women here in town at 82. She and her husband were teachers in Allaguia, a village next to Asibanglan, when we lived there so we knew them a little. They were also relatives of Pedro, so Christy and Doleng suggested we go visit the family. The Kalinga custom is that when someone passes away the body is prepared in a coffin and then placed in the largest room in the house where friends and family gather to pay their respects and be present to the bereaved family. This lasts for several days. The bereaved family serve food and drink to the guests. The guests contribute to the cost by placing money in a container provided when the sign the guest book. Everyone sits around visiting and reminiscing. The husband and wife in this case had both been respected teachers in Kalinga for many years and all their children are educated professionals (doctors, pastors, etc.) so they have more means than many. In this case they had hymns and spiritual songs playing through a TV monitor, providing a solemn, respectful ambience. The members of this family are affiliated with various branches of the Christian faith, both Catholic and a variety of protestant churches, but in this time of grief they focus on their common hope in the resurrection. Major milestones like this are times when the community comes together in unity to walk through a difficult time together.
The past 2 days I have had some productive time with the translation team for which I am asked to provide consultant help, but I have also sorely missed my staff in Kitchener. When it comes to the most effective use of our new computer tools, I really lean on the younger members of our staff whose minds seem to absorb this technology so much more naturally. In spite of some struggles and frustrations with the technology, I felt like I was able to help the team make some progress. We will see each other again later in our time here when the entire Kalinga cluster is scheduled to meet here with the Philippine translation Director.
It’s Sunday morning here, the roosters busy doing their job to wake the town and the peddler of “pan de sal” (a Philippine breakfast favourite) is waking through town shouting his wares. When he comes to a house that wants to buy some, people just go out to the road to meet him. We will join Christy and Eduardo and their family for worship in one of 5 services at the Catholic cathedral. The Bishop is expected to be ministering at 8:00 and I hope to see him then briefly to make an appointment for next week for a courtesy call and to let him know about some of the events planned for this month. He will be especially interested in the visit of our friends working with the Peacebuilders Community ministry and I expect he may also offer some help with lodging for at least some of those coming for the Kalinga cluster meeting.
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