Psalm 112:6-7 “Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
At 4:40 a.m. on November 8, 2013, thousands were woken up by the strongest typhoon that has ever made landfall. Internationally the typhoon is recognized as Typhoon Haiyan but to the locals it is called, Super Typhoon Yolanda. Its bans affected all of the Philippines but it directly hit the city that I have been staying in for the past few weeks, Tacloban.
As I drove to Tacloban, I knew about the typhoon that had hit three years ago. I knew that it was an incredibly powerful typhoon that impacted thousands of people. What I didn’t know was the magnitude of the typhoon’s destruction. I had no idea that it would put Hurricane Katrina to shame. Yolanda’s winds were not only 20 mph stronger, but it also killed about 8,000 more people.
The image below is the largest mass grave. Following the storm, thousands of dead bodies decayed along the streets. A massive hole was dug in the cemetery and a bulldozer placed all of the bodies in the hole. Under the soil, around 8,000 people are buried; on top of the soil, only 3,000 white crosses line the area. If someone lost a loved one and never found the body, they assume the body is buried here. Some crosses are claimed by photos of deceased children.
As I looked out upon the crosses, a friend of mine started telling me personal stories about the typhoon. He first told me about his neighbor who is now studying to be a nurse. She had stayed home during the typhoon with her mother and child. The storm surge flooded her home and forced her to crawl through the manhole to the roof. She held onto her baby as her mother pushed her through the hole. The water rose too quickly and ended up drowning her mother as she was being pushed through the hole.
At this point, I began to understand the true impact of Typhoon Yolanda. Growing up in South Florida, I had a good understanding of hurricanes. I’ve endured many but I have also evacuated from a few. I know all too well the damages of hurricanes. But, what I have experienced doesn’t come close to what the Filipino people have experienced. I instantly broke down into tears as I started picturing the winds and 25 foot storm surge.
I turned my face away as my friend told me another story. He mentioned that many people had evacuated to the airport. However, the airport went under water from the typhoon. His friend and her parents clung to a floating couch as it got pushed out into the ocean. After a few hours, her mother couldn’t hold on any longer and let go. Quickly after, her father lost his strength and let go as well. The girl drifted back to the land and walked back to her town orphaned.
These stories really put the storm into perspective. As I have been living here the past few weeks, I have been honored to hear personal stories from some of my close friends. To say that my Filipino friends are some of the strongest people I have ever met is an understatement. One of my good friends told me how she stayed home with her nephews for the typhoon. She also invited her neighbor to stay with her. As the typhoon hit, she realized that they may not make it out alive. Immediately, she began to tell her neighbor about salvation through Jesus Christ. After hours of the water pouring down and the wind shaking her home, she cried out to God to make it stop. She told him she couldn’t take it any longer. A little while later, the storm stopped and her home remained unflooded. Instead of turning her back on God for making her experience the tragedy, she pressed into him. She found peace and comfort in him.
Everywhere I look, I can visibly see the impacts of Typhoon Yolanda. Still, the Filipinos are the most joyful group of people that I have ever met. Our conversations are filled to the brim with laughter. I adore playing with the children outside. Seeing their playful spirits you would never guess in a million years that they have gone through one of the worst tragedies in history. I personally know that they have lost many family members and friends because of the storm. But when they tell me stories about the typhoon, they speak between giggles. They cope with the typhoon by telling funny stories. The little girls couldn’t stop laughing when they mentioned that they didn’t have any underwear. They thought that it was the funniest thing to go to the mall in only an oversized t-shirt to get food and relief. The children feel blessed to have survived the storm. They know that God protected them and has a plan for them.
After the children finished telling us stories, they turned to one of my squad mates and asked him, “So, what is your greatest hardship?” He couldn’t possibly respond; instead, he sat there in shock.
It really puts it in perspective that we have barely suffered anything compared to what they have suffered. If these people can press into God while their lives are on the line, I can press into God when I face trouble. I have seen firsthand how God can bring joy out of our tragedies if only we ask.
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
P.S. Today is my last day to fundraise. I only need to raise $770 by midnight in order to stay on the race. Please pray for me to be able to raise the funds in time. I cannot express in words how much this experience has meant to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your prayers and support.
