#yolanda ph

in light of what has happened in our country this song has been in my heart, a comfort. a reminder that despite all the horrible things that has happened God is still God.

"God is too wise to be mistaken

God is too good to be unkind

So when you don't understand

When don't see his plan

When you can't trace his hand

Trust His Heart"

i could not even begin to describe the calamity that has struck the country because of typhoon haiyan (locally known as yolanda). there was a talk of storm surge with supposedly waters that would reach up to 6 meters high but according to news reporters that were there the announcements could not even compared what the real storm surge is. abs-cbn news reported that the water from the ocean literally swallowed up most of the city of tacloban, then go back to the sea and back again. tacloban is the only most reported place that was destroyed but in reality leyte and samar has 40 something baranggays in coastal areas. these has not been reported and few have only been visited because the roads are impassable.

one of the island hit by the typhoon, bantayan islan (photo from FB friend)

blah. i could go on and repeat all the stuff that has already been reported and is circling arounf in FB about what is going on now not only in leyte and samar but also in bantayan island and capiz, etc. 

it is heart breaking to watch the news. even opening my FB page is not so pleasant and fun anymore because of all this reports of what is happening in the visayas area. 

this video is from ABS-CBN aftermath assessment of the damage the typhoon made in the city of tacloban

i remember sitting in front of our windows during the time the typhoon's landfall and saying, "well that wasn't so bad after all" because cebu city is "spared". i did not know that major lives has already been taken by that horrific typhoon in other islands.

i saw one post on the internet 2 days before typhoon haiyan/yolanda was to make landfall that said, "what is all the ruckus about, who needs the Philippines anyway'!

US Medical Mission Team arrive in tacloban city! (photo from FB)

my goodness! i could not believe that someone really thinks that way. our country is not just a far away asian country!  it is a country of people. people with souls. families. communities. children. goodness, innocent children!

 i can't go on!

i made such a dramatic comeback in WW. it's been a while since i last posted because i was really busy.

but right now asking for everyone's prayer and help is one of the few things i can do for my beloved people.

on a lighter note: bohol island who has suffered a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake is now back on it's feet slowly recovering from the havoc that the quake cause. panglao island survived that calamity unscathed.

here's a few photos:

Alona Northland Resort

Balicasag Island near Panglao (taken by cousin Aqui Reyes)

Sister in Balicasag Island taken by Aqui Reyes

fun in Panglao by Aqui Reyes

Here's how you can help : Post from CNN

boring excitement

spent my whole 5 days in the confines of a conference hall listening to trainers from Compassion Manila office. learned a lot and it was not as boring as i thought it should be. when i asked margie to let me go i thought i was entering martyrdom... ask her and everyone else at work i'm not very good in blending in with the older crowds that composed the project directors of 20 or so local projects in the visayas region.

towards the end though i have had a change of heart, i felt excited of going back to the center and tell my team all the encouraging stuff the group did and learned. i was especially touched by this video of a korean pastor who did not think it beneath him to shine shoes in order to support the 7 children he was sponsoring. i cried buckets over that and i tell you im not a cry baby.

i work firsthand with the kids... doing field and hands on work and most of the time it feels kind of monotonous doing the everyday stuff we're doing at the office.... the letters, the case studies, the home and school visitations and usual weekly classes.... then with this training/conference i was reminded of the end purpose why i do what i do. the children have all big dreams... to be an engineer, to be a general in the army, to be a president like obama, to be miss Philippines, etc.... the poor children that are our beneficiaries have little or no opportunity at all to reach their dreams unless someone reach out and help them. thank God for kind-hearted, amazingly generous sponsors who never tire of giving what they can out of the abundance of their hearts. what we do on our end, as field people, are just a small portion of the whole thing that is :

... bragging would be a good thing if i say that we already have children who once were wide-eyes, runny-nose beneficiaries and are now co-laborer in the Lord... that's our proudest moments... if all the sponsor can only see the impact of what they have done and are still doing, the kind words in their letters, the small stickers they send, the small gift every christmas, the musical card they send for birthdays, the pictures - the offering of prayers for the family. its not just for their sponsored kids - i've seen mothers and fathers cried because the sponsor of their children told them, "you are my family" or you are my daughter or my son".

one sponsor sent a hundred bucks and was confused when she recieved a letter from her child that they are thankful that she sent them the gift because they were able to buy a house. a house!? she wrote back, "how come? it was only a hundred bucks!" Yes! they bought a small house... with leaking roof and holes on the bamboo floor... but it was finally theirs! they have been praying for it ever since they could remember and the the sponsor made the little boys and his whole family's dream come true.

"there is no thing as a small gift" --- in my personal opinion, appreciated or not every gift that is given makes a huge difference in the lives of every child - the child's family and ultimately the community.

like i said i change my mind about the conference. boring and monotonous? a tinies bit (lol). exciting and challenging? yes, check! check!
I am helping change the lives of the little ones and if that does not excite me i better find a thoroughly boring job like banking? (no offense meant, i hate numbers :-D)