Neighbour's Smoky Pile Ruins Church Service

I had to leave church early this morning because someone who's property is adjacent to the church started burning leaves. Looking towards the origin of the smoke you could tell they were probably burning them right against the wall. This church, like many in the Philippines, is virtually outside being barely protected by a roof and two walls. It's just too hot and the too expensive to have A/C blasting through a huge sanctuary.

Why? Why do that?  Why burn your stuff against the wall?  Or the house?  Why not do it in the middle of big dirt space where nothing else can catch fire? Take this lady for instance:

This is not the smoky pile form this morning. This is only an example.

Why would you do this? It makes no sense, is dangerous, and it makes your little garden look disgusting.

The Bible says: 

Revelation of John 15:8: And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

But there was nothing glorious about this smoke. It was more like this:

Proverbs 10:26: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

Just plain disgusting. A sting to the lungs more then eyes though. Thankfully it was the end of the service with only one more song and the benediction to go. So I went. 

Noise: Churches

Everything in the Philippines is loud.  Even the churches.  The Filipino knows nothing about sacred silence.  Everything he does, even the most solemn religious services, are celebrated with loud noise rather than silent prayer and meditation.

This church does not have a building.  They meet at a basketball court.  At 7am they start playing a CD of church bells through a sound system that is hooked up to a loudspeaker which broadcasts this noise all over the countryside.  It can be heard for almost two miles away.  

For nine mornings before Christmas the Filipinos gather together to sing carols, pray to the saints, and hear a sermon which is usually a political tirade and has nothing to do with Baby Jesus.  This too is broadcast all over the countryside starting at 3am and not finishing until 6am.  Instead of a peaceful sleep you are woken suddenly by the warbling voice of a priest singing "Feliz Navidad" and ranting against the government. And there's no road back to dreamland. Even in your own home you aren't safe from Roman Catholic superstition.

Every church building here has a huge loudspeaker on the top of the building or outside somewhere so that the entire surrounding area can hear their devotions.  They broadcast the entire service.  The singing, the preaching, everything. And it's all garbled.  What's being broadcast isn't even intelligible.  

The Filipino love of noise runs deep. Very deep. Soul deep. He cannot keep quiet for a second.  There is so much noise in this country it is unbelievable.  There is no escape from noise here.  Not even at church. And with the loudspeakers broadcasting each service there's no escape from the church either.