Tuesday, January 13, 2009

What An Experience!

Hey guys, it’s been ages since the last time I updated this blog. Just been busy lately with all the packing and moving. Finally, at last, we’re here in the Philippines! It’s good to be home after more than 5 years of being away and lived in a foreign land. We’ll be staying here for a while and we’ll start a ministry for the Lord. That’s one reason we moved here. In the meantime, we already went to some places here. The next day after we arrived in Manila, my hubby together with my siblings, nephews and bro-in-law went to the Mall Of Asia. It was my first time to see this mall and it’s so humungous.They said it’s the biggest mall in Asia. One day is not enough to see all the stores there. We ate lunch in the food court and we roamed around the mall. We even rode their free ride and it took us around. We did some shopping, mostly groceries and flip flop for me and house sandal for my hubby. We stayed in the mall to kill the time because we waited until 6:30 PM to drive home because my bro-in-law’s van was color coded that day. The van was parked infront of the hotel where my hubby and I stayed for the night.

We left Manila at 6:30 PM and before we exited Manila I drifted off to sleep because hubby and I were not able to sleep the previous night because of jet lag. Then I was waken because of a very loud voice. Two highway patrol officers had chasen our van and my bro-in-law had to pull over. My bro-in-law was surprised what’s his violation and one of them said that he was on the wrong lane. He spoke so harsh and he then asked for the driver’s license of my bro-in-law. The van’s window was open and the officer had seen my hubby in the window. My sister got off the van and approached one of the officers. She pleaded to excuse her hubby and not take his driver’s license. He didn’t listen so my sister went inside again. Then I can’t help myself but plead too. My bro-in-law said he will just pay right there and then because it’s a lot of hassle to go back again to Manila from Pangasinan and get back his license. Besides he’s working and he can’t drive without it. So he offered to pay a thousand under the table but the officer didn’t accept it. Would you believe he wanted P3500 as under the table payment. He had seen my hubby and crooked officers here in PI thought that all Americans got lots of money. How disgusting! My bro-in-law made a bargain and ended up paying P2500. He said “nakibalato lang ako”.

It’s a shame how these crooked highway patrolmen operate in Manila and that was the second time my hubby had witnessed it. The first time was during his first visit to the Philippines. Nakakahiya talaga ang mga buwaya sa kalsada. Matakot kayo sa karma. I had to replace the money that my bro-in-law had to pay so he can concentrate driving. It was really a bad experience for him. Their van broke off in the express way the night they’re supposed to pick us up in the airport. He tried to repair the van but he wasn’t able to so they had it towed to a mechanic shop. He and my siblings and my 2 nephews spent the night in the van and waited until it was fixed. Then they came to the hotel where we stayed. My bro-in-law apologized to my hubby for the bad experience that he had seen there in Manila regarding the crooked highway patrolmen. What a way to make a living! My youngest brother had observed that they covered their name tags so it can’t be seen. I fet sad for them because they’re on their way to hell unless they repent from their sins and accept the One who died for them.