THE PHILIPPINES

     There is a tremendous amount of beauty to be found in The Philippines. It's 7100 plus islands hold many wonders, from enchanting waterfalls to white sand beaches found only in dreams of those who have never visited there. Coconut palms sway gently in the warm ocean breeze, and the magical lure of these islands beckon all to come and enjoy an adventure in a tropical paradise. The culture is one of intrigue and mystery, from the streets of it's modern cities to the dense jungles, and atop the many mountains that cover the land. No other people in any country of the world hold as many smiles as those found on the faces of natives of The Philippines. The country has various tribes of people, and all have a firm belief in God. Family life and the love for one another are highly important to them, and sharing of all things is a way of life. Especially among the poor. Yet, with all the beauty and appearance of contentment seen there, severe poverty exists in the midst of it all. Most of it will not be seen without taking a longer and deeper look at things. The people of The Philippines are filled with pride, and many hide their desperation with their smiles. Many accept their hunger and hardship as being God's will. With no hope of change, those who are lucky continue to smile and thank God they have made it through another day.

     Throughout the entire country of The Philippines hunger is found. Many children, as well as adults, die weekly either from starvation or lack of medical care. Many go for days on end without food. Finding clean drinking water is a blessing. Corruption and bribery run rampant from the simplest of jobs to the highest offices of the land. Many businesses do not pay their fair share of taxes. Yet, the poor are taxed. Food costs continue to rise, and jobs are impossible to find. Tribal families have been forced off their land for use by the government and large corporations that only care about profit and personal gain. Death squads roam the land killing ones who stand up for equal rights or speak words against the government, including Priests, teachers and students. No one ever seems to be charged and prosecuted for the killings, and the government ignores it all.

     The island of Mindanao, which is one of the main suppliers of food for the entire country, is the least recognized, and surprisingly a region that suffers the most from hunger. The Bucketful Of Rice food program, headquartered in Alabama USA, has been concentrating on this region since early 2004, and continues to feed hundreds of children and adults who suffer from hunger on a daily basis. There are no jobs, and many people are homeless. The children suffer with hunger and lack of medical care.

     The islands of The Philippines hold many beautiful sites, and are inhabited by beautiful God-fearing people. You will find many smiles there. If you look beyond the smiles, beyond the beauty of the mountains, waterfalls and sandy beaches, you will also see hundreds - if not thousands - of people rummaging through garbage dumps who are starving to death. These are people who are ignored by their own government, and others in the world. One bread roll, or one cup of rice per day will help save a life. There is no hope for these people without help from others. And yet, they continue to smile because they know at least God loves them.

Mark Collier ~~ Bucketful Of Rice ~~ Florence, Alabama USA

The above statements are the personal opinions of Mark Collier and do not necessarily reflect the feelings or opinions of any other person associated with this website or the Bucketful Of Rice food program.

Visit Mark's Blog Site at http://mark-bucketfulofrice.blogspot.com . Join in on the discussions.