someone told me "i was just checking your IQ. turns out to be zero."

haha. typically sundeep.

anyway, i had an interesting dialogue with him over lunch. one of the topics was why i am going home this december. i told him Christmas is important for me and my family. he told me," yeah, for me too, because of the gifts"..or something like that. then i kept quiet and pondered for a while on how i should respond. clearly, we have different beliefs. after a five-second deliberation, i asked him "but Christmas is much more than gifts right?". To which he replied "Yeah, maybe for you..something about religious stuff..".

And a door was opened. The perfect opportunity to evangelize..something i have never done before. But a part of me was apprehensive of telling him about my faith. what if he gets offended? he might feel that i am not respecting his own beliefs. another thing is that i am not exactly the best example of a Christian. i must practice what i preach right? which is quite hard to do. i'm afraid i might give him distorted images of how a Christian should live. but this tiny little voice persists that i just try..and i willingly obliged.

so during the bus ride on the way home (yes, i call KR my home. here.), i asked him "hey, do you believe in God?"

he fumbles for words. "oh..that is one question i cannot answer.." and after a few moments, "yeah, maybe i do,sometimes.but the problem is, i do not pray. my mother even gave me two religious booklets which i haven't read yet.""

"oh..so what do you do when you have problems? who do you run to? or you just endure it all by yourself?"

"ok, maybe i pray. when i have problems. hey, you pray EVERYDAY?"

"yeah..i talk to God just like the way i talk to a normal person."

"oh really? what do you tell him?"

"well..everything. about what's going on. or asking for help.."

"are all Filipinos like that? because i also see ivy's msn nick which is always about God..like i won't be afraid of anything because i have my God.."

"um..sort of..because the Spaniards conquered the Philippines, right?..and they brought Christianity to us." (ok, that is what i remember from Soc Sci in high school..should be correct right? haha)

anyway, at this point, we already reached our bus stop and alighted from the bus. i didn't immediately bombard him with the tenets of Christianity..but i hoped i got him curious about my faith. and may the thought of God's existence linger a little longer in his mind.