I must confess...

*Heads up, this gets political*
I'm a little sad today.
Not because I miss everyone (which I do), or because I missed halloween (They actually celebrate "All Saints Day" aka "Dia de los Muertos" here in the Philippines, and I'm thinking of going to a cemetery tonight to check it out,) or even that I'm completely missing out on this season of The Office.
No, no. My heart is heavy in the fact that when the American people nominate Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States in 3 days (according to the current polls), I will have no one with whom to revel in the victory with. I think I can hear my mother shed a tear as she reads this.
Maybe it's not so much that as it is that when I overheard a conversation between Angel, one of our leaders at MercyLink, who is also a Filipino woman, and Emily, one of the girls on my team, about who Emily had voted for, she said McCain. I would have been fine if the conversation had stopped there. Whatever, white republican christians will be white republican christians. No, what upset me more is when Angel mentioned Sarah Palin, and Emily said, "YES! That's why I voted for him, I really like her."
I know everyone is reading this to see how I'm doing out here, and I'm sorry to bring politics into this, but, man... my heart sank. I simply cannot stand the woman.
Anyways, I pretended not to hear the conversation, but today when we were cleaning up the new facility, Rupert, another one of our leaders who is from New Zealand and is actually Angel's husband, asked who we thought was going to win the election. Emily and Jennifer, my other female team-mate, who hales from Texas, both reluctantly said "Obama", but that they both wanted McCain. I was silent, since I was cleaning at the other end of the room and wanted just to listen to their stances. Rupert agreed with them, not saying that he thought McCain's policies would be better for America, or that he would make a better leader, but that "Obama, y'know, it just sounds like Osama. That's kina scary, innit?"

People, I'm all for the political process. I believe that if the majority of Americans want things one way, so be it. If you disagree with a candidate's policies or ideals, great, you have that entitlement. But to succumb to the fear and ignorance that comes from such a statement as that is just completely asinine to me.
Llama sounds like Osama, does that make Llamas evil terrorists?

Gosh, I'm sorry to get into all this, but I believe as Christians we are to speak in and respond to Love, NOT fear. Christ did not come and die so that we may fear Him, but He did so because He loves us, and so that we could know that love and, in turn, love Him. I feel that the McCain campaign, as well as many evangelical Christian leaders coming out of middle America right now are to be ashamed for the way they are invoking fear. It is a desperate attempt to control peoples' minds and is downright shameful, and it is definitely NOT a step forward out of the last 8 years we've seen of fear-mongering in our country.

I believe that Jim Wallis addressed it better than I when, in the recent newsletter from Sojourners, he stated:
"When religious leaders sound so desperate and seek to stoke fear and hate, they have lost their theological perspective by putting too much of their hope in having political power. It is that loss of power and control which seems to be motivating the current campaign of desperation and fear now being waged by so many conservatives. Instead, scripture points to a better way:

For "Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord." (1 Peter 3:10-15, emphasis added)

With that reminder that Christ is our ultimate hope, let us pray that, on November 4, the need for change will finally prevail over the appeals to fear."

With that, my hope is that America will vote this Tuesday out of hope for change and the pursuit of what is right, instead of out of fear.

Thanks for bearing with me. And for goodness sake, go vote!

In love,

Marleigh

P.S. In some good news, I met our new teacher for next week, who will be teaching us herbal medication. Some of us went out to where we're having our medical outreach next week, and on the way back him and I had a chat and asked who I was voting for. When I told him Obama, he smiled and said "GOOD! I think he is a good man, he is good for America." So, at least I'll have him next week to smile with!