So for those of you who did not know I am a military brat. My Dad served our country in the US Air Force for 22+ years and I always tell him one of the greatest gifts he gave me was the travel and the experience of other cultures. I also grew up in a multicultural family...quite possibly more common than you may realize. I think each family has its own "culture" and whenever you bring two histories together within a new family...its similar to a multicultural experience. But I grew up in a typical, if you will, multicultural home. My father is from Central Oregon (Bend/Redmond) area. And my mother is from a province of the Philippines called Cebu.
I was born in the Philippines and we then moved to Washington, Oregon, Kansas, and right before I began elementary school we moved to Guam. We then moved back to the Philippines where we lived til I turned 13 and then we were ND bound.
Some of my most vivid memories of my childhood involved my time in the Philippines. I already knew the Easter with church services, chocolate bunnies, and eggs, ham dinner, and family... my American Easter. But I think it is no mistake that God placed me in the Philippines in that very important time in my life those preteen years. That time of discovering who you are and what you believe. In the Philippines, Easter is a tremendous experience and had a serious impact on who I am today.
You see I believe Christianity is evident in Easter here in the States but its kind of buffered if you will with the politically correct commercialism of the holiday. In fact my beautifully honest little Luke said to me when I asked him "why do we celebrate Easter" ... "You know Mom, cause Jesus died then he rose, it was a miracle...oh and cause the Easter bunny needs to bring me a treat" Confused...poor kid. When I tried to correct him...he says "but Mom the Easter Bunny is everywhere"...True buddy so true.
Back to the Philippines...I often think faith concepts in a third world countries are more extreme due to poverty and lack of education. They put so much faith into things so much literal translation. There is also a very large mystical factor. In NO way am I saying there is some fault in this its just different. Genuine belief, by that I mean they do not need a scientific explanation, proof. The have faith so they believe. They believe so they have faith. Its simple, its beautiful. Easter time in the Philippines involves a more of a Passion of the Christ kind of feel to it. Men literally nail themselves to crosses and journey down main streets. They wear crowns of thorns, jab there sides with spears...for shock value...NO. Instead so that they can experience some of what their Savior did for them. So they can get a small sense of what it was like for Him to give the ultimate sacrifice for us. Fascinating.
As a young girl...that was a tremendous concept. A lot to think about. It put a large desire in me to figure out what I believed and why. A journey I will tell you about another time.
As a parent who does not have the opportunity to give my boys an on the spot cross cultural experience, I struggle with how to show them that there are more ways to view Easter than the way we see it here. I envision us sitting together when they are all teenagers and watching the Passion of the Christ. A movie that I think is an important thing for each of us to watch. I also want us to enjoy the family ham dinner, chocolate treats, and worshiping together...oh and Grandma Aldersons chocolate bavarian cream pie....amazing! All in moderation of course. The balance of it all is key and I pray for balance in all aspects of our life. I want them to have the experience of our traditional Easter but I never want them to miss the BIG picture of it all. Oh balance how you elude me :)
So tell me how you Celebrate Easter...How do you explain the bunny? In elementary school language please....I get the symbolism from an adult perspective. I want to put it in kid termonlogy. I would also love to hear about your traditions.... :)
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