at first, i thought it was a joke.
i was reading a thread in facebook between a former high school classmate and her husband (who is away because he works with the Department of Foreign Affairs). she was asking for help. she wrote that she and their two little boys were on the roof because flood waters were rising so fast. the downpour was also relentless.
the rain is normal, i thought, however hard and seemingly endless. but the rising water? very highly unlikely.
little did i know that in a matter of minutes, everything will be wiped out of the face of the earth. houses, vehicles, pets, entire villages and most of all, lives.
an average of 20 typhoons and tropical storms hit our archipelago every year. but despite this and the abject poverty that came along with being a third world country, we still manage to smile for the cameras. we have always been a happy, resilient people. nothing will ever quell our positivity and fighting spirit.
Typhoon Washi (or Sendong) struck my hometown, Iligan City, in the southern part of the Philippines, around midnight on the 16th of December, 9 days before Christmas. as of this day, almost 1,000 people have died and thousands more are left homeless.
i am so far away from home but everyday since that day this happened, my thoughts and spirit are with my people. i will try my best to celebrate Christmas despite my heavy heart.
my friends, please say a prayer for Iligan.
with much love,
Beverlyxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment