Typhoon Yolanda - Scratching Wounds

It has been days since the super typhoon Yolanda tore everything from the parts of Philippine land. Typhoons have been regular in this country, but this time it's different. This time, it was overwhelming enough to kill people of trauma.



"Tacloban, a city of about 220,000 people on Leyte island, bore the full force of the winds and the tsunami-like storm surges. Most of the city is in ruins, a tangled mess of destroyed houses, cars and trees. Malls, garages and shops have all been stripped of food and water by hungry residents." (theepochtimes) Tacloban was declared "ground zero" by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Eric Wanenchak; everything is completely wiped out.



It was not only Leyte that suffered from Yolanda (Haiyan), of course. There were a lot more islands completely destroyed. And according to the news, death toll was estimated to reach 10,000. How in merely a day could a typhoon create such damage?



Last night, as I was watching the news, trying to understand the situation and holding back tears, a man interviewed yelled over in desperation, "Wala nang natira. (Everything is gone.) This is a dead city! This is a dead city!" Then a father going over the cadavers was featured. He was wearing a tattered black muscle tee, covering his nose and mouth with only a disposable mask. In bloodshot eyes, he searched for his wife and child among the dead bodies scattered, and decaying all over the streets. When he was asked what he was doing among the bodies, he answered shakily that he only wanted to see the remains of his family. I couldn't breathe. Seeing a man cry of terrible loss and pain would probably be among the most painful things to see. But I refused to change channels and insisted on hanging on to the reports.



The United Nations was said to have released $25 million for the victims of the typhoon. Sharon Cuneta, a Filipino actress, in tears announced to donate 5 million pesos. Every TV channel featured packing of relief goods. But hearing from the people of Leyte over the news last night, I learned that not even a small pack of canned goods has made it to their town. I winced as the reports showed the victims looting grocery stores, pharmacies, and rice storehouses in desperation.



"I told him [Pres. Aquino] all systems are down," Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said. "There is no power, no water, nothing. People are desperate. They're looting."



"Dili biya jud ko kriminal. Dili biya jud ko mangawat. Pero wala man ta tay mahimo. Kailangan man ta mabuhi!" (I am not a criminal. I never steal. But what could I do? We have to survive!) A young man appealed in front of the camera. He was only one of the hundreds of men who broke in storehouses just to get their families something to eat. Even the authorities refused to stop them, explaining they knew how hard it was for the victims, starving for three days without help from the rest of the country.



"Maskin isa lang jud ka sako sa bugas, wala jud! Wala pajud ni-abot!" (Not even a sack of rice made it here yet!) another man yelled in frustration.



I know government and non-government agencies are still working on it, but it's just frustrating to know that the most affected people get the help lastly, and in such a slow pace. Medicine is terribly lacking and more injured survivors are getting closer to their finish line. It is just too difficult to handle as of now.




According to SunStar, a mass burial has been planned to take place this Sunday, November 17, even without identifying the masses of dead bodies. Most of the bodies are barely recognizable, but they do not have a lot of time to identify them. They are rotting and would be affecting the survivors' health, thus the decision to bury the dead as soon as possible. I grimaced at the horrific tragedy that had slammed across the nation. In less than a year, all sorts of calamities had struck the whole country - wars, typhoons, earthquakes, flooding, and some more typhoons, flooding, and destruction. Yes, in less than a year. As I am writing this, Typhoon Yolanda is going further away from the Philippines (and into Vietnam), yet another typhoon makes its way inside our territory: Typhoon Zoraidah. It wouldn't be as deadly as the former, but with all the trauma, this might be too much to take for the others.




This should no longer to be taken granted. This is the time we take up our armor and pray fervently, in anguish, to the Lord for the country. For mercy. For deliverance. For comfort. For peace.




I honestly am broke right now but not giving anything to the victims tears my heart. So last night, I told my sister to take out the clothes she would want to donate as I would, and remit it over at school. I've realized that I had always stayed safe inside my bubble, writing and reading, minding my own little set of problems to take care of, with the food I never seem to run out of, but miles away from me, people are suffering, dying out of pains and wounds in body and in spirit.




After reading this, you're probably feeling the same way too. Being only a student, I wrestled with my thoughts, extracting ideas on how to help the people affected by the typhoon. It seemed impossible for me to offer help, other than praying for them, but the Lord reminded me that I was a Timothy - it didn't matter how old I was nor how much I own. As long as my heart was filled with His love, I could always give generously without thinking of how much I could do with my possessions. Yes, you're feeling the same way too, I know! You might have something to share along with the Lord's love, no matter how big or small it is; I invite you to share the Lord's blessings to you to them, my dear brothers and sisters.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Matthew 25:40

Earlier, I searched for agencies and organizations where I could invite you to send your donations to, and I found this list at The New York Times. May the Holy Spirit lead you to wherever you'd send His love through.

Philippine Red Cross

The Philippine Red Cross is accepting donations and coordinating disaster relief on the ground throughout much of the central Philippines. The organization is posting updates on Facebook and Twitter.

World Food Program

The World Food Program, which provides emergency food aid to families and children, is accepting donations online and through PayPal.

Unicef

The Philippine branch of Unicef, the United Nations Children’s Fund, says that children affected by the typhoon need urgent access to drinkable water, medical supplies, food and shelter. It is accepting donations online as part of an emergency typhoon appeal.

Save the Children

Save the Children is accepting donations online to respond to the needs of children and families. The group said that 10 percent of each donation will be set aside to help prepare for future emergencies.

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)

The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders),explains on its website that it has emergency teams in Cebu (the Philippine city with the nearest fully operational airport to the disaster area) and expects “to have a medical team on the ground tomorrow, Tuesday, in Tacloban, a town devastated when the typhoon first struck the coast.”

Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development

The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development is seeking volunteers and accepting donations to respond to the typhoon’s destruction. Donations are accepted online. It is also posting updates about relief efforts to Twitter.

Gawad Kalinga

Gawad Kalinga, a Philippine nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty, is accepting monetary donations as well as nonperishable goods such as children’s vitamins, rice, kitchen utensils and blankets. The group is accepting donations via credit card through its “give now” page. It is also posting updates on Facebook and Twitter.

The mGive Foundation Philippines Typhoon Disaster Relief Fund

The United States State Department announced a partnership on Monday with The mGive Foundation Philippines Typhoon Disaster Relief Fund, organized by the mGive Foundation, an American 501c3 public charity that collects donations for victims of the typhoon via mobile phone. Wireless subscribers can text AID to 80108 to give a $10 donation, which will appear on the donor’s wireless bill or be deducted from their prepaid balance.

Finding a Loved One

If you are looking for information about a specific person in an area affected by the typhoon, Google has set up a person finder page, which can also be accessed by mobile device or text message. If you have information about a specific person affected by the typhoon, you can also use the person finder page to share it.

For New Yorkers

As NBC News reports, there are more than three million Filipino-Americans and the community is actively raising money for disaster relief. New Yorkers can attend coming fund-raisers at Purple Yam, the Ditmas Park restaurant run by Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa, the former proprietors of Cendrillon in SoHo.