In distant lands, love is expressed differently… but understood in the same way.
From one continent to another, I´m learning to be born again
“The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country… and go to the land I will show you'” (Gen 12).
Can you imagine what it was like for Abraham to leave everything he knew—his home, his people, his culture—to launch himself into the unknown?
I also had a similar experience when, after 12 years in Argentina, God invited me to leave for a new land: the Philippines.
From Latin America to Asia… what a leap it has been! Although the journey wasn’t through the desert, it is a long inner journey: learning a new language, opening myself to another culture, allowing myself to be shaped by a new way of seeing life.
Did you know that language reveals a lot about how a people think? I’m discovering this day by day, and I want to share two experiences that have touched my heart:
From “I” to “We”
Here, it’s very common to hear: “Sino ang kasama mo?” (Who are you with?). Even if you’re alone, the question insists on the “we.” Being part of a group, a family, is essential.
I experienced this with Jimbo, a 7-year-old boy in catechism. He kept his snack untouched. I asked him why, and he said, “It’s for my brother Angelo. He hasn’t eaten yet.” Thinking of others first, even when he’s so young!
Hospitality as a way of being
When you visit homes, the first thing you hear is: “Upo kayo” (Sit down!). Even if they have very little, they will always make room for you.
On a mission, I met Dina, a grandmother who cannot walk and lives in a very small space that she also uses as a kiosk. She greeted us with a smile and insisted we come in… she even offered us her wheelchair!
Setting out, like Abraham, wasn’t just about changing countries, but about letting God expand my heart through what is new, the different… and profoundly human.
Because even if the language, customs, or gestures change, in distant lands, love is expressed differently but is always recognizable. And that love transforms.
And you? Where is God waiting to show you his love, even if it’s expressed differently?
Virginie Brigant SEMD Philippines
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