I don't mean to be a burden, but we live here in the Philippines, where the President recently announced that the police and military should shoot anyone who does not follow the quarantine ordinances (i.e. if they go outside). That is how overkill it is here. But that is a different story.
(1) I am sorry for the length here, but it is necessary to provide some background to this request.
(2) Let me begin with, within one week of the current crisis, my family and I were going to move to a new location in the northern area of the Philippines which is sparsely populated, with more nature, and a church where I might minister. But then, lockdown! We have been stuck here ever since. The original date was April 13, but true to form, the date was extended to April 30. That's not so bad because the Lord has been sustaining us here -- to His praise.
(3) However, the problem is that our neighbors are not very nice people. They play their music loud in the evenings when we are trying to rest. They have visitors and loud activities in their yard. They have a pool table outside that gets played every day and just overall unpleasant practices at times. We live in what you mght consider in the West, condominiums, though they are actually detached houses with little space between them. In our case, we are their only neighbors (there are only empty houses arund them except for ours).
(4) Once, a year or so ago, when this neighbor was having a party in the street and blocking my garage exit with a vehicle; I asked them to move it, and the man of the house got violent. His friends diffused the situation. But that is what I am up against here -- reason is out the window. Any attempts at speaking with him myself or others, such as the local housing association are met with his anger.
(5) We do not have much law or legal recourse to help us. We cannot just pick up the phone and call the police like we can in the U.S. without suffering some kind of revenge from our neighbor. Plus, our neighbor is connected somehow with the government and he sure fluants it.Not to speak evil of the man and his family, but they are known in the village as being disruptive to peace and harmony.
(6) We have endured this for two years off and on. However, now that there is a lockdown, and the entire city seems to be enjoying peace and quiet, we are not. It just adds to the stress, that after a long day of work, I am not permitted repose with my family because the pool table is going, loud voices are blaring, and the loud music is playing. Sometimes, I feel like I'm going to lose my temper, but I know, as a pastor, that is not the thing to do. But I am human, and it is further compunded because I have misophonia. So, this is really wearing me down. But even my passive wife is getting bothered by their disdain for public peace and order.
(7) The Philippines is known as a noisy country where people do not value quietness as we do in the West. When you visit, the people are known as hospitable. But, when you live with them, it is a different story. But I digress. It's been a hard place to live, work, teach, and minister in. That's why, after 20-plus years here getting worn down to the nub, I am planning to return to the U.S. or take my family to another country. Step one is just getting my family our of this toxic environment (there is a lot more not involving my neighbor that I could add -- maybe some other time) to another location. After that, we'll see.
(8) So, my prayer request is this: Please pray:
A. The Lord would save this family.
B. The Lord would give us relief from their near-nightly, un-neighborly disturbances.
C. Grace to bear this until we can leave (and that we might leave soon).
Thank you, dear brethren.
I WILL BE PRAYING FOR JESUS TO BLANKET YOUR HEARTS, AND MINDS WITH HIS PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING. WE ARE AN OLDER FAMILY SUBURB, AND FACED A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH NEW NEIGHBORS THAT MOVED IN. THEY IN THEMSELVES WERE QUIET AND PLEASANT, BUT THEY ENJOYED CONSTANT PARTIES AND THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO CAME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WERE RUDE, DISRUPTIVE. AFTER THE POLICE WERE CALLED AT 2AM FOUR WEEKENDS IN A ROW, AND AFTER MUCH PRAYER, THEY MOVED OUT FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEACE WAS RESTORED HERE. OUR JESUS IS ABLE JERRY!
KNOW THIS JERRY.. THE CSN PRAYER WARRIORS LIFTED YOUR PRAYERS INTO OUR JESUS HANDS!