I received this essay from one of my yahoo groups. According to that e-mail that I received last February 23,2009, this essay was originally composed by a Korean named Jaeyoun Kim. The sender of that e-mail wants us to pass this essay to all filpinos for us to realize something about the current scenario of our country Philippines. This goes for all Filipinos all around the world. Don't hesitate to leave your comments after you read the essay.
MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES
Jaeyoun Kim
Filipinos always complain about the corruption in
the Philippines . Do you really think that corruption is the big problem in
the Philippines ? I don't think so. I strongly believe that the problem is
the lack of love for the Philippines .
Let me first talk about my country, Korea . It might help you understand my
point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest country in the
world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was
destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.
Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for
Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of
famine. My father & brother also died because of famine.
Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your
imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans
really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with
patriotism.
Koreans did not work just for themselves but also
for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the
spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the
government to reform Korea . He tried to borrow money from other countries,
but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investor because
the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had
only three factories. So, President Park sent many
mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to
build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience.
In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow
money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and
cried there as they saw the President Park . They asked to him, 'President,
when can we be well off?' That was the only question everyone asked to him.
President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well
off if everyone works hard for Korea , and the President
of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea . So,
President Park was able to build many factories in Korea . He always asked
Koreans to love their country from their heart.
Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA
came back to Korea to help developing country
because they wanted their country to be well off.
Though they received very small salary, they did their
best for Korea . They always hoped that their children would live in well
off country.
My parents always brought me to the places where
poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand
their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in
the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that
we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood.
Have you cried for the
Philippines ? I have cried for my country several
times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so
many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid
prison. What made me sad in the prison were the
prisoners who do not have any love for their country.
They go to mass and work for Church. They pray
everyday. However, they do not love the Philippines . I talked to two
prisoners at the maximum-security
compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right
after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a
new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines .
Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our
wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were
distributed their
profit to their employees fairly so that employees
could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their
children.
When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and
wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines , I
completely lost my faith.
I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable
situations in the Philippines . Street kids always make me sad, and I see
them everyday. The Philippines is the only
Catholic country in Asia , but there are too many poor people here. People
go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has
been changed.
My parents came to the Philippines last week and
saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present
Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so
many beggars and street kids. When we went to
Pagsanjan Falls, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun.
However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would
not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the
boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a
boat and enjoyed it.
But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love
for them. My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was
very young told me that if we just go to
mass without changing ourselves, we are not
Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.
She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good
things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love
from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as
they love God, so that the Philippines will be well off.
I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos
should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should
start from person. Love must start in everybody,
in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to
love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new
eyes.
I discover that every person is worthy to be
loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes
possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and
relationships. It changes the world. Please love your
neighborhood and country.
Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do unto Him. In the
Philippines , there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is
God who is crying for love.
If you have a child, teach them how to love the
Philippines . Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and
country.
You already know that God also will be very happy if
you love others.
That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.
Jaeyoun Kim
Filipinos always complain about the corruption in
the Philippines . Do you really think that corruption is the big problem in
the Philippines ? I don't think so. I strongly believe that the problem is
the lack of love for the Philippines .
Let me first talk about my country, Korea . It might help you understand my
point.
After the Korean War, South Korea was one of the poorest country in the
world. Koreans had to start from scratch because entire country was
destroyed after the Korean War, and we had no
natural resources.
Koreans used to talk about the Philippines , for
Filipinos were very rich in Asia . We envy Filipinos.
Koreans really wanted to be well off like Filipinos. Many Koreans died of
famine. My father & brother also died because of famine.
Korean government was very corrupt and is still very corrupt beyond your
imagination, but Korea was able to develop dramatically because Koreans
really did their best for the common good with their heart burning with
patriotism.
Koreans did not work just for themselves but also
for their neighborhood and country. Education inspired young men with the
spirit of patriotism.
40 years ago, President Park took over the
government to reform Korea . He tried to borrow money from other countries,
but it was not possible to get a loan and attract a foreign investor because
the economic situation of South Korea was so bad. Korea had
only three factories. So, President Park sent many
mine workers and nurses to Germany so that they could send money to Korea to
build a factory. They had to go through horrible experience.
In 1964, President Park visited Germany to borrow
money. Hundred of Koreans in Germany came to the airport to welcome him and
cried there as they saw the President Park . They asked to him, 'President,
when can we be well off?' That was the only question everyone asked to him.
President Park cried with them and promised them that Korea would be well
off if everyone works hard for Korea , and the President
of Germany got the strong impression on them and lent money to Korea . So,
President Park was able to build many factories in Korea . He always asked
Koreans to love their country from their heart.
Many Korean scientists and engineers in the USA
came back to Korea to help developing country
because they wanted their country to be well off.
Though they received very small salary, they did their
best for Korea . They always hoped that their children would live in well
off country.
My parents always brought me to the places where
poor and physically handicapped people live. They wanted me to understand
their life and help them. I also worked for Catholic Church when I was in
the army. The only thing I learned from Catholic Church was that
we have to love our neighborhood. And, I have loved my neighborhood.
Have you cried for the
Philippines ? I have cried for my country several
times. I also cried for the Philippines because of so
many poor people. I have been to the New Bilibid
prison. What made me sad in the prison were the
prisoners who do not have any love for their country.
They go to mass and work for Church. They pray
everyday. However, they do not love the Philippines . I talked to two
prisoners at the maximum-security
compound, and both of them said that they would leave the Philippines right
after they are released from the prison. They said that they would start a
new life in other countries and never come back to the Philippines .
Many Koreans have a great love for Korea so that we were able to share our
wealth with our neighborhood. The owners of factory and company were
distributed their
profit to their employees fairly so that employees
could buy what they needed and saved money for the future and their
children.
When I was in Korea , I had a very strong faith and
wanted to be a priest. However, when I came to the Philippines , I
completely lost my faith.
I was very confused when I saw many unbelievable
situations in the Philippines . Street kids always make me sad, and I see
them everyday. The Philippines is the only
Catholic country in Asia , but there are too many poor people here. People
go to church every Sunday to pray, but nothing has
been changed.
My parents came to the Philippines last week and
saw this situation. They told me that Korea was much poorer than the present
Philippines when they were young. They are so sorry that there are so
many beggars and street kids. When we went to
Pagsanjan Falls, I forced my parents to take a boat because it would fun.
However, they were not happy after taking a boat. They said that they would
not take the boat again because they were sympathized the boatmen, for the
boatmen were very poor and had a small frame. Most of people just took a
boat and enjoyed it.
But, my parents did not enjoy it because of love
for them. My mother who has been working for Catholic Church since I was
very young told me that if we just go to
mass without changing ourselves, we are not
Catholic indeed. Faith should come with action.
She added that I have to love Filipinos and do good
things for them because all of us are same and have received a great love
from God. I want Filipinos to love their neighborhood and country as much as
they love God, so that the Philippines will be well off.
I am sure that love is the keyword, which Filipinos
should remember. We cannot change the sinful structure at once. It should
start from person. Love must start in everybody,
in a small scale and have to grow. A lot of things happen if we open up to
love. Let's put away our prejudices and look at our worries with our new
eyes.
I discover that every person is worthy to be
loved. Trust in love, because it makes changes
possible. Love changes you and me. It changes people, contexts and
relationships. It changes the world. Please love your
neighborhood and country.
Jesus Christ said that whatever we do to others we do unto Him. In the
Philippines , there is God for people who are abused and abandoned. There is
God who is crying for love.
If you have a child, teach them how to love the
Philippines . Teach them why they have to love their neighborhood and
country.
You already know that God also will be very happy if
you love others.
That's all I really want to ask you Filipinos.
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