I received an e-mail from a Chinese student this week regarding the tragic hostage drama. Last month, he came to the Philippines and stayed in Baguio for two weeks. He met new friends, visited interesting places, and, most important, found his new faith in Christ. In his e-mail, he expressed his sentiments about the tragedy and asked several questions about “puzzling Filipino attitudes.” Below is my letter to him, understandably edited for public consumption:

Dear H Xiao,

“The hostage drama that ended with the killing of eight Hong Kong nationals was really tragic! Filipinos too were saddened, angered, and shamed by this event. The President of the Philippines already appeared on TV apologizing for what happened. He also sent a high-level delegation, consisting of the Vice President of the Philippines and top government officials to Hong Kong and Beijing to express the sentiments of the Philippine government and the nation regarding this sad affair. Yesterday was also declared a day of mourning here in the Philippines for the victims of the tragedy and for their bereaved families. All Filipino flags were at half-mast. In Hong Kong itself, Filipinos there have held prayer vigils and Masses for the victims.

“The Philippine government and the police have accepted the fact that they have made mistakes in handling the hostage-taking. Even the Philippine media was thinking that perhaps they should have acted more responsibly. Lives then should have been spared! Investigations are now going on, and the results have to be acceptable to both the Philippine and Hong Kong governments.

“Now, this is an answer regarding your question about the police and students posing for picture-taking at the scene of the crime and that some of them were even smiling. The same was a smiling picture of the President. You suggested that they should be lighting candles and praying there and not having a kind of picnic. You wondered if their hearts were so numb or if they were just plain hypocrites! The President already explained in a TV interview that he hoped his smile would not be misunderstood as being insincere about his real sentiments. He was indeed saddened by the whole affair, he said. It was just his personality to smile now and then. As for the police and students posing for picture-taking, I agree that it was out of place. But, I don’t think they meant to disrespect the dead, and much less to make fun of the whole affair.

“If you live long in the Philippines, you would understand the Filipino character. Sometimes, in the midst of a serious discussion, someone cracks a joke. During funerals, you would notice that not all look sad or are weeping. Some would be having a spirited discussion; others, smiling and even joking. This is not considered a lack of respect for the dead or a disregard for the sentiments of the bereaved. All of these are ways for people to cope with pain and suffering! In other words, when people are faced with the dark side of life, they try to balance it by looking at the brighter side. So, they smile, crack jokes, or do whatever eases their pain and suffering. It is similar to the experience of one who whistles a happy tune while walking in a dark alley. It is a way of numbing one’s fears.

“Let us be wary of racism! The evil act of one man cannot be imputed to a whole nation. The whole Filipino nation cannot be held responsible for the death of the eight Hong Kong nationals. Most Filipinos, too, are wondering how this could have happened and how to prevent such evil in the future. As Christians we strive for understanding, peace, and unity among all people. We also pray for forgiveness for ourselves and even for our enemies. Hatred will lead us nowhere. Love will lead us to overcome evil in our world today.

“I hope you will still come to visit the Philippines next summer. Your friends and I will be glad to see you again and to bring you around. Keep smiling! God loves you!”