At home in Bukidnon, it was already raining in earnest. I asked the van driver to enter the gate as I couldn’t jump over the water flowing over the canal. You see, to get to my driveway from the highway, one had to cross a culvert which had sunk many years before due to continuous road grading. So in effect, it itself had become a shallow canal. Likewise, our garage, which is on a downward slope from the driveway, was already brimming with about 1 cm of water.
In the midst of despair and heartbreak, we come across stories of hope and selfless giving. Let me tell you a few:
Story #3: Pigs Can Swim! (and other stories)
There is the young man who, after losing practically his whole family to the flood (five nieces and nephews died, while two are still missing), chose to return to the site of his tragedy to help other people. The boy in this picture was rescued from a mango tree.
And then did you hear about the 6-year-old girl who was rescued in Camiguin after two whole days at sea? She doesn’t know how she got there, except that when the flood waters rose, all she did was “I rode a pig.”
Posted by my friend, Eper, on Facebook: “Malaybalay city. A group of teenagers approached us and asked if they can still donate for the sendong victims. (St. John’s has been a drop off center for donations in Malaybalay.) The money they donated came from their caroling. Also last week, a group of students from St. James went around to carol and bought canned goods and bottled water from the earnings. These they donated for the victims of the flood.”
“SIX dump trucks containing P2 million worth of groceries were sent by the Davao City Government to the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Tuesday, along with four other vehicles to complete a ten-vehicle convoy. The remaining P2 million will be in cash.” — From the People of Davao City
These are stories that keep us going. They are the ones that fuel our desire to help, to give and to pray for blessings. It hasn’t rained since that fateful night, though there are forecasts of another impending storm following the same path as Sendong — I like to believe that it is a result of the whole city praying collectively or privately, but fervently that the low pressure area will just pass.
Still, relief centers call for help — for medicines, banigs (straw mats), blankets, and volunteers. Feeding Programs that move around the affected areas continue to require ingredients and funds for fuel. And of course, we cannot mention all the names of those computer addicts on Facebook and Twitter, who, for one reason or other, cannot donate or volunteer directly to the relief efforts, but instead, take the information posts of others and REPOST them to help disseminate updates. You, along with the thousands of volunteers and donors, are the true heroes in this calamity.
May God Bless you and yours this Christmas and may you enjoy a Wondrously Progressive New Year!
Do you want to help? Follow this link for information: http://bit.ly/helpcdo. Thank you very much!
Life in the Bukids 