My uncle Bobby…I’m not sure how I can fully express the nature of my uncle Bobby. He’s not too bright, that’s for sure. Lives in southern Missouri, an extreme fundamentalist Christian, used to drive a special ed school bus, lived with his mom until she died a few years ago, and his mom really didn’t let him get out much. He currently hosts a Christian talk radio show of some sort. I love my uncle, but he’s a very simple, very naive, really sheltered guy.
Anyway, so, a while back Bobby met a woman online. She lives in the Philippines. For the past couple years, he has said that he would soon be going there to visit her. Well, apparently, since he got some sort of insurance settlement, Bobby has decided he’s not going to just visit, he’s going to move there and start a church.
I don’t know a whole lot about the state of affairs in the Philippines. From the little reading I’ve done so far about it, it seems like most of the country is pretty safe, except for certain areas? Anyway, I’m wondering, is Bobby making a mistake? My family is pretty much freaking out, my mom’s convinced he’s going to get killed, and I’d like to reassure them that he’ll probably be okay if I can. Or get some information to help convince him not to do it.
So, to sum up, is it a bad idea for a none-too-bright, unworldly fundamentalist Christian to move to the Philippines and start a church?
I have lived in Cebu City, Philippines for the past two years, and I feel very safe here.
The only problem with an American living here is that the locals will assume that he is very wealthy because he is from America. The average Filipino earns about $5 a day, and so really any American truly is wealthy here. My fear for him is that since the people here are so desperately poor, is that he will have many people, probably including his girlfriend, try to take him for all the money that he has. He will encounter many people with many stories of why he needs to help them. The locals sometimes view it as almost a sport to see how well they can rip off the foreigner.
Anyway, I love the country and its people, and I hate to sound so negative, but a naive man and his money will very quickly be parted here.
I emailed my mom last night to ask her to find out where exactly in the Philippines he’s moving to, but she hasn’t responded yet. I’ll post as soon as she responds.
smiling bandit, that’s worrisome. I’ll pass that information on to my mother, hopefully she can at least warn him to be careful. Thanks.
She and her family are going to help relieve him of his money. I can almost guarantee it. When the money’s gone she’s probably gone, too. I’d give about 95% chance. But he’s a grown up and has to make his own decisions.
