A War and It’s Stories

Bombing

Sundays are my reflection days.  It has been that since I was in grade school.  My family and I used to attend mass together on Sundays until my sister decided she has other things to do on Sundays and my father took his job as a driver.  My mother and I continued going to church together (because I was part of the church choir) until I got a job in another city.  Even so, Sundays remain to be the days when I ponder over things and realize mistakes, hurt, etc.

Yesterday (a Sunday) I opened my Facebook account and saw a series of picture chronicling the journey of my high school friend in Libya.  We haven’t spoken to each other for a long time so when I heard that he went to Libya I was a bit shocked.  The last news I heard about him was that he was working as an English Professor in a college here in our province.

We, Filipinos, tend to think that working abroad is the solution to our poverty (which is, in a way, true).  Our teachers, nurses, engineers and other skilled workers often dream of working in the US or UK or anywhere else in the world except in our own country.  I can’t blame them.  My first ever job as a Process Engineer made me earn 8, 000 Php in the first 6 months.  Cheap, right?  I also passed through a phase of wanting to take a job abroad.  So I understand some of my countrymen’s point of view on working outside the Philippines.

Anyway, my friend was there when the war erupted.  And his decision to stay in the war-stricken Libya even when there was a chance to escape made me say, “Oh, what a foolish, foolish decision.”  But who am I to say that?  He worked there as an English teacher before the war.  After it, he became not only a wise teacher but a humane one.  He showed a character that made me think of bravery and compassion.  His decision to volunteer in a hospital made me admire him more and had me thinking about how selfish I tend to be for always trying to stay in my comfort zone.

AS THESE WERE LAUNCHED FROM SOME KILOMETERS AWAY HITTING MISURATA GROUNDS, PRAYERS WERE MY ONLY SHIELD AND THEY'RE PROVEN AS THE SAFEST ARMOUR.

THESE ARE WHAT TORTURED US DURING THE DAY FOR FOUR MONTHS (MARCH-JUNE).

I’m featuring him in my blog because he’s one of those friends who made me realize how blessed I am to be a part of his life.

*My friend gave me his permission to use these photos and he also sent me an essay he wrote about his journey which I will post after this.