Exhausted and much to do but here’s a quick update on our ops here on the ground:
– Day 1 we got in to Manila and staged gear (medical and food supplies). I am leading a team of 4 support specialists as an advance party plus a doctor and a communications engineer. We had some meetings with local businessmen about securing needed assets for movement.
– Day 2: Today we secured some much needed support. We have enlisted the dedicated support of Philippine police and Special Forces to help us with protecting our movements in Tacloban. I had a meeting with a major corporate CEO and secured the warehouse, vehicles, and office space needed to run our operations out of Manila headquarters. Then, had a meeting with the press attache’ of US Embassy PI. Next, we went to the HQ for all Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) where we secured dedicated military airlift capabilities to get our personnel and equipment onto the ground in Tacloban.
– Day 3 (Tomorrow): Tomorrow I am providing escort for our doctor into Tacloban. I am bringing numerous cases of equipment, food, and medical supplies. I will link-up to resupply our forward team who has been here since Tuesday without aid. Then, I will work on securing transportation and storage so that we can sustain operations. We have 70 medics and disaster response personnel who will be arriving in Manila on Monday and I am paving the way for their arrival into the disaster-stricken area of Tacloban. Tonight we are packing and taking care of essentials for an early departure in the morning. The situation in Tacloban is getting quite sporty as people lacking food, water, and medical care get desperate.
That’s about it for now without getting into too many details. Your prayers are really appreciated. I asked for an urgent prayer request for the first time ever in my life this morning and we literally moved mountains that I thought would take forever to move. Thank you.
Please consider supporting my World Race as I am down here doing the best I can to bring aid and support to people whose lives have been devastated by this disaster.
I’ll be out of internet for a while once we leave Manila.
Here’s some of what our team is doing here on the ground:
God bless,
Dave
