We made it! We’ve actually been here about a week and a half (whoops) so I figured it was time to update y’all!
I didn’t know what to expect when coming to the Philippines but have quickly found myself engulfed in the rich culture and kind people. The first few days we were here came as sort of a shock. We had long travel days to get to the city of Tacloban where we’re living for the month at Kids International Ministry (KIM) but it was totally worth it. We’re right along the ocean and get to spend our days building a Sunday School room at a church, feeding the surrounding villages, and playing with the kids in the community.
Some of the kids we regularly play with at the church we’re building at.
WOmanistry got to chop down bamboo to supply the wood for the Sunday School room.
What I didn’t anticipate were the heartbreaking stories I’d hear from the people we’re working with and serving. On November 8, 2013, the Philippines were rocked when they were hit by Super Typhoon Yoanda, the strongest tropical cyclone to ever make landfall in history. Every person we meet has a story about where they were the day the typhoon hit, the family they lost in the storm, the ways they’ve rebuilt in the years since. I couldn’t help but feel ashamed whenever I was asked “What did you hear in the US about the storm?”
How many of you remember hearing about the storm?
How many of you can take a stab at how many lives were lost?
How many of you can remember the footage broadcasted?
Yeah, me either. But I can remember Hurricane Katrina, the effect it had, the lives lost. I remember the footage, I remember the fear.
It was a slap in the face to think that this wasn’t something that happened a long time ago or something that happened when I was little. This happened while I was in college, I should remember.
But there’s something I can do to fix that. I can start talking about it. See, even some of the national statistics are off when they’re googled. National reports say that around 6,000 lives were lost but if you ask anyone who actually lives here, they will tell you that over 20,000 lives were lost to Yolanda. Four years later there are still people missing.
As I stood at one of the mass graves for the victims of the storm (so far we’ve seen five), I couldn’t help but think of my own brothers, my mom, my grandpa. How would I feel if they were one of the people lost to the storm? I turned to look at our driver, knowing his brother was buried in that field, wondering what was going through his mind.
Mass grave for the victims of Yolanda. The number of crosses are less than the number of people buried there.
All the homes above were destroyed when a ship was thrown ashore by the storm surge. The reconstructed homes are built by plywood, sheet metal, and tarp.
I say all of this not to guilt or shame anyone, but to challenge you. Research this storm, become more aware of the things going on around the world, and do something about the ache in your heart as you read some of the stories.
If you can give monetarily, give.
If you can go serve, go.
But even if you can’t do either of those things, you can pray.
Pray for the people effected by this storm, pray for the people on the ground helping them, pray for the souls of those lost. Find another tragedy in the world and pray for that, too. You may not see the fruit of that prayer, but it doesn’t mean that the Lord isn’t ripening it just outside of your line of sight.
All the love from the Philippines,
Katie Mere
