Zamboanga the Movie

I just got back from a concert, organized by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, in the jungles of Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. All I can think is how cool and unbelievable that sounds!

That is probably the best way to describe the concert (or “Filipino Festival of Life,” as I like to call it), cool and unbelievable! To hold a concert of this magnitude anywhere, let alone the jungle, would be an accomplishment. The generator, which supplied the power for the show, looked like a relic from World War II as it stood hidden in the bush, cleverly soundproofed by egg cartons and plywood.

The concert was appropriately named “A Gift.” The CFCA families of the Zamboanga project treated it as if it was a gift, many traveling far distances for many hours not only to attend the concert, but also, in the weeks leading up to the show, to help pitch in any way they could. A field, large enough to accompany the 10,000-plus people (and a few Filipino cobras) that attended, needed to be clear cut.

A magnificent stage was designed and built. Food, oh the food, that had to be prepared for all the artists and workers! No real event happens in the Philippines without food and dance! Many of my favorites from the show were the people in attendance!

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with some CFCA scholars before the show who later danced a number at the concert, and also there were the two sisters to whom I gave disposable cameras. By chance, I gave them to people who wished they had a camera (it is funny how the right people find each other sometimes) and I was really touched when one of them said that these photos won’t be just for them, but rather, they would share them with the community.

I think that statement speaks volumes about the kind of people one will find in the Philippines. They are some of the kindest, most hospitable folks in the world. Many Filipinos might be small in stature and have few possessions; however, their hearts are as big as giants and possess much joy and love.