another chapter in my philippine story

[carey masci]

Hello Mentor 9/12, I am finally getting the chance to thank Nancy Doremus for posting a few of my emails on the 9/12 List that I sent to her while I was in the Philippines. Yes, I am still writing about my trip I took last month, it made that much of an impression. If you want to read more about the trip go to my fun site and click on read my blog, its www.gogobus.cc. A few of the things that really stick out in my mind was what the people think of America and Americans. Almost everyone I met the first thing they said was OH American, rich, lots of money, here corruption. In America you can buy a nice car and drive anywhere. Everyone thinks highly of us for our charities and spreading freedom. And quite a few after only a brief conversation said I was their ticket to come here. Ruth (she is the friend I went to visit) and her friends are all Christians and most dream of coming to the US. I was told by her brother Pastor Jun that all little kids dream of going to America. The house we stayed at had a tiny convenience store in the front room. You don't come in, just order what you want from the window. I bought a bag of chips and gave him a dollar. I said is that OK. He replied that's to much. I said well in America a bag that size would be a buck so keep the change. He looked at it and said this is going on the wall. Numerous times I was saluted. Kids yelled at me HEY JOE! I received an email from a family that Ruth and I stayed with. The email said, We miss you, its our first time to have an American visitor in our house. I never traveled over seas before this and never realized what a big deal it is, at least in the Philippines, for someone to meet an American. And friends don't worry I represented America well, well... OK so they did call me Mr. Bean quite a few times for making them laugh and doing silly things like trying to eat a banana leaf, hey it was in my dish, besides that though, I was a good ambassador. I even made googly eyes at a few Muslims, especially at the two Muslim women with a boy at the hotel. They looked at me as if they just saw George Bush himself. I waved and as the elevator was closing I made a funny face at them. Then there was the old Muslim woman sitting with, I assume, her daughters in front of us on the plane. I had that old woman laughing so hard but her daughters gave me looks that weren't to endearing. Oh well, the old woman liked it, she seemed so sweet. In all I found Filipinos very friendly, hospitable, hard working and an allie of ours. I really enjoyed my stay, I miss them. God Bless America! Carey this bottom paragraph may be to political for this site but i wrote this for my blog on, www.gogobus.cc , and also i think its important for people to read. side note: I am trying to get my friend here for just a visit. I am finding it very hard to do so. I called a congressmans office for advice. His secretary sited the reason why its is because so many people stay and don't go back home. Now think about this friends. I remember what Lou Dobbs said one time about amnesty. He said if you are trying to come to America legally get to the back of the line suckers. Tell me if this makes sense. They are complaining because people over stay their visits or don't go back home. Well why should they? Is America enforcing their laws? You want vistors to go back home make the penalty so harsh they will return to their country, start arresting illegals and stop allowing sanctuary cities. If you did that honest people like my friend and her brother who want to come strictly for a visit and to preach at a few churches then go back home would be allowed to do so. Common sense has left this nation .