It was heart wrenching and inspiring, all at the same time.
It felt like we were entering a war zone as we reached ground zero in Isabela. As we reached the first town, we saw a Shell gas station structure almost completely dislodged from the ground! It was scary to think that something that big could be dislodged by the strength of the winds and we were all bracing ourselves for what we would find on-site.
As expected, the devastation was widespread, especially in Ilagan and Tumauini, the two priority sites that we initially listed. According to our GK hero, Tito Elmer Cadiz, these were the two badly hit areas. We saw long stretches of the highway, several kilometers long that had leaf-less trees and not a single electric post standing straight. But more than the physical destruction, it was the difficult ordeal that the families had to go through as "Juan" raged through their homes, and the pain of losing everything that really pained all of us. Going through one GK community after another, we talked to the families and each one of them had a different story to tell. Just one massive supertyphoon, but so many painful stories of real lives, real families, real parents and real children all fighting to survive and having to wake up the next day with practically nothing and the realization that it is back to square one, all over again for most of them.
I was lucky to have my camera with me, and I took a video of a conversation that I had with a GK resident in our GK community in Tumauini, Isabela. In this community of 100 homes, ALL the families lost the roofs of their homes. But it really only becomes real to you when you see their face, their pain, but also their courage.
But I cannot imagine what it must be like to feel so helpless as you see the wind tearing down the roof that you are praying will keep your family safe. I can't imagine what it must be like to see your small children taking refuge under the kitchen sink, while you watch out for perfect timing when you can run to safer ground while you see debris and metal flying everywhere. And it is heartbreaking for me to even think about what it must be like to see your children soaking wet and trembling in the cold with nothing dry to wear. And to have to sleep that night not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
And if going through all that was difficult, it is clear to me that it is even harder when they woke up the next day. Typhoon "Juan" may have left, but they must now pick up the pieces.
I shudder to think what could have happened to them if we had not relocated them from the dangerous areas they were living in and built these sturdy homes for them. Even the big structures in Tumauini lost their roofs due to the strong winds that "Juan" brought. Now the challenge is for us to help them get back on their feet and put a roof over their head, in the literal sense of the word!
During the Expo, we launched Kalinga sa Bayan and we said that we would now share the GK way with everyone, and offer to help not just our GK communities but whole towns and cities. And just a few days later, God shows us an opportunity to really put this into practice with Typhoon Juan! This reminds me of that planning session in Clark way back in 2002 when we said we would build 1,000 homes that year. It was an ambitious number for the small, rag tag team that only had less than 30 communities, but we ended up building close to 2,000 homes that year! As we cross the threshold of our first seven years and step forward in faith to the next 7, I can see God's hand moving mightily once again and He is once again showing us the way.
With the help of Tito Elmer Cadiz and in coordination with Mayor Arnold of Tumauini, we have launched
KALINGA SA BAYAN :
LABAN KAY "JUAN," PARA KAY JUAN
This is Gawad Kalinga's campaign to to help the families severely affected by Typhoon Juan.
And because of the generosity of our partners and friends who simply refuse to leave our countrymen behind, we have a wonderful opportunity to really help these families get back on their feet by helping provide roofs for the families that were affected by the storm.
Even while we were there, many of them were beginning to pick up the pieces. Some, like this boy Jordan, was so inspiring and his actions brought tears to my eyes. He was barely eight years old, almost the same age as my young son, and I saw him fixing their family's roof. I asked him, "Bakit ikaw ang nag-aayos ng bubong ninyo?" (Why are you the one fixing your roof?). He pointed to his dad and said, "Kasi po naaksidente yung tatay ko nung bagyo. May malaking sugat po yung paa nya, kaya ako na muna ang gagawa nito." (My father hurt his foot during the storm, so I offered to do this myself."
Some families were already picking up the damaged GI sheets and were putting that and other scraps to create makeshift roofs. Others who were not able to collect enough scraps simply built temporary shelters beside their home just so they could have a roof over their heads. It is good to see them taking control of their lives and not losing hope despite the overwhelming challenge they just faced.
But given their limited resources, this is the best that they can do by themselves. And that's why the call of Gawad Kalinga is for us to be our brothers keepers - let's not leave them behind! Our volunteers are already getting ready and mobilizing for a build next week. With the help of everyone, we can make sure that these families have roofs over their heads, built sturdier so that it withstands bigger storms and we'll also be teaching families how to secure it better.
The dream that we have is to be able to install roofs for all the 160 families in Tumauini and Ilagan. I have no doubt that God will not fail those families and He will use us mightily to make their dreams come true.
This was our last moment with the Kapitbahayan residents of GK Tumauini, and you would never be able to tell that these are the victims of typhoon Juan.
Yes, those are bright smiles. And it is pure grace.
Our presence brings them hope. And although we cannot promise them material blessings (although they are sure to come), it is the fact that we are there for them and that we will simply never give up and leave them behind is the reason behind those bright smiles despite what they went through.
In the end, it is the relationship that we have built through these years that matters. And it is precisely because of this genuine friendship that we continue to do what we do. Because no storm can be stronger than the bond that we have built. No adversity can overcome the greatness and nobility of the Filipino spirit. And although there is much that we will still go through together, nothing can break our faith in our great God who continues to provide and care for His people through the hands and hearts of so many people who genuinely care for the poor.
It is these hands and hearts that make the work of GK truly heroic, truly noble, and truly God's work. I was not able to take their picture, but en route to Isabela, we passed by Nueva Vizcaya and found out that several Kapitbahayan members (GK residents) from Dupax del Norte were there since 7 AM and wanted to come with us to find out how they could help. They had food packs with them and were mission ready, just like us - eager to help their fellow Kapitbahayan because they had been spared from the storm.
"By their fruits, you shall know them," says the Bible. And although the world may look at our homes or programs that truly make a difference in the lives of our poor countrymen, it is when they rise up and realize that they have been blessed and can be a blessing to others that is the true measure of our success. And I thank the Lord for showing us the beautiful fruits of His work done through the countless GK heroes throughout the world. It is always a privilege to work in the Lord's vineyard with all of you.
Let's always be our brothers keepers. Walang Iwanan!
