Filipino Migrant In Saudi Arabia:

[cappie]

Filipino migrant in Saudi Arabia: exploited and mocked for her faith
Santosh Digal
A Filipino domestic worker describes as "a prison" her experience in Saudi Arabia. For seven months she was not allowed to leave or have a bed to sleep on. Because of her Christian faith her salary was reduced. Forced to fast during Ramadan.

Manila (AsiaNews) - "My Life in Saudi Arabia was like a prison and the anguish of those moments was unbearable." This is the story of Norma Caldera, a Filipina domestic worker who emigrated to work in Saudi Arabia and escaped after seven months of constant harassment due to her Catholic faith. "Every day I got up early to pray – she tells - and every time my colleagues and employers saw me they began to insult and mock me for my Christian faith."

Like 10 million other Filipinos, Norma was forced to leave her country to seek work abroad. For 17 years she worked in Hong Kong, but the crisis has forced her again to leave to go to Saudi Arabia to work as a maid in a family. The Arabian country employs around 200 thousand Filipinos. These as well as being exploited and poorly paid, are subject to verbal and physical violence because of their Christian faith. The last case concerns a girl, Sylviane Hugilon Baser, who died in mysterious circumstances. So far, Saudi authorities have refused to provide explanations about her death and to return the body to the family which has been lying in a morgue for months.

"When I told my employers that I was Catholic and wanted to die a Catholic, the first thing they did was lower my salary from $ 1,000 to 700," says Norma. "During Ramadan – she continues – they forced me to fast with them. For me it was difficult to work with the same pace without being able to eat. But unfortunately I had no choice. " The woman adds that in the seven months of work she was not allowed to leave, even to go to Mass on Sunday. She also did not have her own room or a bed to sleep. The only place to rest was the kitchen floor or a tent pitched in the backyard.

"I lived this occasion, praying and having faith in God - she continues - I was willing to make this sacrifice to be able to pay for my two daughters education."

On 29 December, the woman returned to the Philippines, five months before the expiry of the contract. Norma says that he will try to find work at home or in another non-Islamic country.

[tnavarro61]

oh what a bad experience. I am glad she's home. There are still Catholics who are willing to die for their faith. I'm proud of the Filipina!

[HisChildForever]

The religion of peace.

[Hassan]

[quote name='HisChildForever' date='01 January 2010 - 11:36 AM' timestamp='1262363803' post='2028110']
The religion of peace.
[/quote]


[img]http://liberalslikechrist.org/NaziPriestsSaluteHitler.jpg[/img]



Of course, when confronted with the public and embarrassing affiliation many prominent members of your Church had with the fascist governments of mid-twentieth century Europe, you will reply that one cannot cast aspersions on the whole religion for the individual failings of its members. Which is why your statement here is so ironic.

[ThePenciledOne]

[quote name='Hassan' date='01 January 2010 - 05:14 PM' timestamp='1262380494' post='2028172']
[img]http://liberalslikechrist.org/NaziPriestsSaluteHitler.jpg[/img]



Of course, when confronted with the public and embarrassing affiliation many prominent members of your Church had with the fascist governments of mid-twentieth century Europe, you will reply that one cannot cast aspersions on the whole religion for the individual failings of its members. Which is why your statement here is so ironic.
[/quote]

It's easy to point fingers.

[HisChildForever]

"Ignore" is such a simple, simple word to understand.

[HisChildForever]

[quote name='cappie' date='31 December 2009 - 08:04 PM' timestamp='1262307896' post='2027979']
[b]The Arabian country[/b] employs around 200 thousand Filipinos. [b]These as well as being exploited and poorly paid, are subject to verbal and physical violence because of their Christian faith.[/b] The last case concerns a girl, Sylviane Hugilon Baser, who died in mysterious circumstances. So far, [b]Saudi authorities have refused to provide explanations about her death and to return the body to the family which has been lying in a morgue for months.[/b]

[b]"When I told my employers that I was Catholic and wanted to die a Catholic, the first thing they did was lower my salary from $ 1,000 to 700,"[/b]says Norma. [b]"During Ramadan – she continues – they forced me to fast with them.[/b] For me it was difficult to work with the same pace without being able to eat. But unfortunately I had no choice. " The woman adds that in the seven months of work she was not allowed to leave, even to go to Mass on Sunday. She also did not have her own room or a bed to sleep. The only place to rest was the kitchen floor or a tent pitched in the backyard.
[/quote]

How terrible that this woman suffered such persecution for simply being a Christian in an Islamic country.

[OraProMe]

[quote name='ThePenciledOne' date='01 January 2010 - 04:29 PM' timestamp='1262381369' post='2028175']
It's easy to point fingers.
[/quote]

Awwwwwww adorable.

Edited January 2, 2010 by OraProMe

[OraProMe]

[quote name='HisChildForever' date='01 January 2010 - 04:37 PM' timestamp='1262381870' post='2028181']
How terrible that this woman suffered such persecution for simply being a Christian in an Islamic country.
[/quote]

Every religion is capable of something like that. Every human has the capacity for evil and mistreatment of others. You are aware that in the Papal States Jews used to be forced into Ghettos and made to stand outside churches listening to sermons?

How terrible that those jews suffered such persecution for simply being a Jew in a Catholic country.

No religion is immune so I wouldn't start pointing fingers, HCF.

[HisChildForever]

[quote name='OraProMe' date='01 January 2010 - 09:39 PM' timestamp='1262399965' post='2028290']
Every religion is capable of something like that. Every human has the capacity for evil and mistreatment of others. You are aware that in the Papal States Jews used to be forced into Ghettos and made to stand outside churches listening to sermons?

How terrible that those jews suffered such persecution for simply being a Jew in a Catholic country.

No religion is immune so I wouldn't start pointing fingers, HCF.
[/quote]

Excuse me, but WHO is "pointing fingers"? An article was posted about the persecution of Christians in an Islamic country, and I am simply responding to it. No fingers need to be pointed, the facts are already out on the table.

[Happy_Catholic]

[quote name='Hassan' date='01 January 2010 - 04:14 PM' timestamp='1262380494' post='2028172']
[img]http://liberalslikechrist.org/NaziPriestsSaluteHitler.jpg[/img]



Of course, when confronted with the public and embarrassing affiliation many prominent members of your Church had with the fascist governments of mid-twentieth century Europe, you will reply that one cannot cast aspersions on the whole religion for the individual failings of its members. Which is why your statement here is so ironic.
[/quote]

Hhehe, that Bishop (?) on the far left looks like he's half asleep!

Anyway, since you're ragging on teh Catholics for the sins of the past, are you going to be going after the Germans as well, seeing as their the ones who started the whole Holocaust thing?

[Happy_Catholic]

[quote name='cappie' date='31 December 2009 - 08:04 PM' timestamp='1262307896' post='2027979']
Filipino migrant in Saudi Arabia: exploited and mocked for her faith
Santosh Digal
A Filipino domestic worker describes as "a prison" her experience in Saudi Arabia. For seven months she was not allowed to leave or have a bed to sleep on. Because of her Christian faith her salary was reduced. Forced to fast during Ramadan.

[/quote]

I have a couple of Christian friends, one a Philipino who worked in Saudi as nurses. The Philipino lady said she got a lot of slack, but she thinks it was because she was "Asian" as opposed to being Catholic. But they lived in compounds away from the general public markets and stuff, and weren't allowed to venture out anyway. Though, she said they did have their own masses in their rooms and common areas.

But it is a wake up call to a lot of us Christians in the "West", what attacks on our faith do we suffer? Atheists asking us about God lifting rocks and stating our former Church leaders were Nazi collaberators? Are we locked up and tortured? Our bibles burned? Are at risk of matrydom in America or some other cushy Western nation?

I read a graphic novel about a Chinese man who found God and was horribly persecuted and tortured, imprisoned and such for his faith, which he never turned from. How many of us could stand as firmly? And what do we do to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering in such countries? Whinge about it on the internet?

[Hassan]

[quote name='Happy_Catholic' date='01 January 2010 - 09:51 PM' timestamp='1262400712' post='2028298']
Hhehe, that Bishop (?) on the far left looks like he's half asleep!

Anyway, since you're ragging on teh Catholics for the sins of the past, are you going to be going after the Germans as well, seeing as their the ones who started the whole Holocaust thing?
[/quote]


I'm not 'going after' anyone. My point was that it is easy to make snarky comments about the Catholic Church's claim to be a religion which teaches altruistic love for one's neighbor and peace, at least until Christ return with a vengeance, given the affinity with and support for many Catholics lay people and high ranking Church officials gave to the European fascist movements, most people here would correctly point out the logical disconnect between the individual actions of come of the net population of Catholics who have ever lived, and the Catholic religion as a whole, in all its localized and official forms. HCF would be the first to point this out. Yet she will do the very same thing for other faiths. At east those faiths she has some personal hatred of.

[Hassan]

[quote name='HisChildForever' date='01 January 2010 - 09:47 PM' timestamp='1262400451' post='2028295']
Excuse me, but WHO is "pointing fingers"? An article was posted about the persecution of Christians in an Islamic country, and I am simply responding to it. No fingers need to be pointed, the facts are already out on the table.
[/quote]


Yes, and your response[i]"The religion of peace."[/i], despite its insightful observations it lends to the plight of minorities in Saudi Arabia (by the way, non Arab/non Saudi Muslims also face discrimination in the country), was the 'finger pointing' referred to.

[Hassan]

[quote name='ThePenciledOne' date='01 January 2010 - 04:29 PM' timestamp='1262381369' post='2028175']
It's easy to point fingers.
[/quote]


I think Winchester has competition, I mean that in a good way.