Cyberchurch and Filipin@ Migrants in the Middle East

Abstract

Allan is a Methodist Christian who works in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He used togo regularly to a Sunday Holy Communion service in the Philippines, but he can no longer do this because Christians are prohibited from worshiping publicly here. Those who do worship risk incarceration and deportation. He once participated in an “underground” church worship service that was held in the basement of a house. Congregants were fetched from their homes and brought inside the venue so that nobody would notice the big gath ering taking place inside. Because it was risky, he stopped joining this underground gathering. For his spiritual nourishment, he now finds the Internet most helpful, including the sharing of quotations on Facebook and listening to worship concerts on YouTube— especially healing concerts. He also gets online spiritual direction from his father, a Methodist pastor. This is irregular, though, as it takes place only when he visits his sister’s home, where there is a laptop and Internet connection. One problem he finds with participating in an online Eucharist is the five-hour time difference. It would be better, he said, if the worship was videotaped and uploaded, so that migrant workers like him could access it in their time off.

The symbol @ is used instead of o/a for Filipin@ to avoid the latter’s gender-specific connotation