The Philippines could definitely use our prayers and support as they struggle to keep up with such a need for clean drinking water, food and shelter after the devastation left behind by Typhoon Haiyan (named “Yolanda” by Philippine authorities). They originally feared that more than 10,000 people have been killed. It seems that that number may have been too high and they now estimate that around 2,500 people lost their lives. In addition to the number of lives lost, it’s hard to wrap your head around the significance and collective anguish of 1 million people being affected and 673,000 people being displaced!!!
I wanted to share 2 sources of info I’ve heard recently about what we living here in Oman can do to help.
Y-Magazine, on their facebook page, shared this pic and this information: “Filipinos in Oman are organising a fundraising campaign for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Venue: Royal Hospital Accommodation. Date: Thurs Nov 14 (5pm-midnight) and Fri Nov 15 (8am to midnight), also on Thurs Nov 21 and Fri Nov 22. The Filipino Community Social Club (FILCOSOC) is organising a collection that will be dispatched this Saturday. You can call Rod Desciato on 95429893 and Clarence Carlos on 93672178 for more information.”
God bless my Filipina friend, Tin, who posted 10 options for helping on her blog, Expat in Oman. Please stop by her blog and consider one of the options listed there.
I can’t even imagine what it would be like to try and pick up the pieces and come back from such tragedy. The fact that this has occurred in the Philippines which has really moved from being my “2nd home” to the location I now consider HOME all the harder to imagine. I think that anyone who has any number of Filipino friends will know that (generally speaking) there is hardly a more caring and giving people than the Filipino. They give sacrificially around the globe to support loved ones back home, often under extremely harsh conditions. They wouldn’t think of telling their family back home of course. They want them to be happy and not to worry about whatever troubles they may be going through in order to put food on their family’s table or to put their loved ones through school. It’s rare for North Americans to even support their own parents let alone their siblings, but I often hear of Filipinos who support their cousins, nieces, nephews and anyone “within their circle”. Filipinos often take work that no one would EVEN DARE CONSIDERING and they often do it, not only without grumbling, but with warm smiles and a silent “God bless you” for sponsors/companies or families who couldn’t care less for their familly’s plight back home or even take a moment to consider their salary and what they are able to accomplish with it, helping others, when so many of us live such narcissistic lives in 2013!!! With all that being said, would you please consider doing something to help? Before it’s too late.
Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.‘ “
(New-born baby Bea Joy is held as mother Emily Ortega, 21, bottom, rests after giving birth at an improvised clinic at Tacloban airport Monday Nov. 11, 2013 in Tacloban city, Leyte province in central Philippines. Bea Joy was named after her grandmother Beatrice, who was missing following the onslaught of typhoon Haiyan. Ortega was in an evacuation center when the storm surge hit and flooded the city. She had to swim to survive before finding safety at the airport. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez))
Andy in Oman 