Back in the beginning of April, I (Hilda) spent three days traveling into our three different communities with our trauma care trainers. Prior to that, I had arranged with a Trauma Care organization here in the Philippines and the Burlington office, to have two psychotherapists go out into the areas we are working with to help teach a group of people in each community to identify and intervene for trauma victims.

You see, the damage here is still very real, both physically and emotionally. The suicide rate is a concern, the children wake up with bad dreams, and the people are stressed when a tropical depression brings rains and wind. Trauma is real and we need to address it.

So, after helping to arrange the logistics of all the trainings, I spent three days on the field with the counselors as they instructed a group of leaders in each community how to identify and assist people dealing with trauma. We are also planning on future events to further equip these leaders.

"The suicide rate is a concern, the children wake up with bad dreams, and the people are stressed when a tropical depression brings rains and wind. Trauma is real and we need to address it."

While in the communities with the therapists, I also took the time with a colleague, to visit several families with special needs.

Meanwhile, John was busy with the logistics of getting World Renew officially identified and recognized for our involvement here. We need this so that the various NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) can work together and co-ordinate our relief work. We want to make sure that no one is left out and that no communities receive duplicate assistance.

John also spent time meeting with an architect, manager and other officials to start up our shelter program. They are in the process of preparing plans for the housing that will be built by World Renew. This is a huge part of the project as there is such a need for new housing as well as repairs to many existing homes. The final plans for the housing we will build are almost complete.

A livelihood program is also underway, with fishing being the main livelihood. We have held meetings with the ‘Fisheries Department’ and cluster meetings on livelihoods to help establish the needs of each community. Our team of four community organizers, hired many enumerators to do surveys in the various communities. Back in the office, we also hired additional staff to encode and interpret the results. It is very important that all the results of this work are made visible to the communities so changes and additions can be made. Again, we don’t want anyone overlooked.

A staff meeting on Thursday gave us and our program manager the updates from all the field staff and helped to set the course for the following week. All of our staff on Panay Island are hardworking and very committed to the work which needs to be done. Our meetings give us a chance to reflect on the work we do and refresh spiritually, emotionally and physically for the work expected of all of us.

"Relationships are a big part of this project. Everywhere we go, we visit and we engage and we laugh and we cry."

Friday and Saturday led to more office work and a meeting with all the local NGOs. There were bills to pay, spreadsheets to build, reports to write and finances to account. It is a busy time at the office and we recognized that we need to hire more staff to help. This meant that we also spent part of Friday and Saturday reviewing applications to fill some vacancies. By Saturday afternoon, we had to leave the office work to go pick up and deliver some supplies. Sunday morning we visited one of our supporting churches as we returned home.

Our Canadian Senior Project Manager, Grace Wiebe, arrived from Canada and spent four days with our project manager, ourselves and our staff. With her, we reviewed the work completed and plan for the work to come. As our project expands to fill another void, we pray for the strength and wisdom to go a little further. We review the budget and financials and discuss all the reports needed to be done. We take a day to travel to one of the communities to build relationships and attend official ceremonies.

Relationships are a big part of this project. Everywhere we go, we visit and we engage and we laugh and we cry. We have walked upon the narrow ledge between rice fields and over bamboo bridges to visit needy families. We have sat on many bamboo seats in homes and listened to stories and felt the tears of many survivors. We have climbed hills and cement walkways to see the work accomplished by recipients of our Cash For Work projects. We have been blessed by getting to know many wonderful people.

We have also established relationships with dignitaries, with mayors and captains of the communities. We have eaten many dinners with chiefs and we have eaten with beneficiaries. We have eaten things we recognize and things we wish we did not recognize and also things we do not recognize. But we have eaten and we have eaten well.

We wish you all a Blessed Easter as we celebrate our risen Lord.

Blessings,

Hilda and John VanGyssel

International Relief Managers