We arrived in the Philipines  on March 7th.  The airport in Tacloban city on the Island of Leyte was still in tatters in many respects but we are told it had enormously recovered from its state immediately following the four hours of 235 Km winds with gusts of 275 km from Typhoon Haiyan on November 8, 2013.

As you can imagine, there is little which can withstand such powerful forces. Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) was merciless and brought with it a storm surge up to 18 feet high. Some of the survivors said that the waves following the storm surge were as problematic as the surge itself. They came in filled with debris including animals, andpeople, both living and dead. The water rushed in like a raging river. When it rushed back out, it carried even more with it.

We came to the Philippines to spend four months with World Renew’s Haiyan disaster response team. We see devastation. We see pain and trauma. We also see amazing resiliency. We see immense gratitude. We see people working very hard. We see “bayanihan”.

Bayanihan (buy-uh-nee-hun) is a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective. Neighbours helping neighbours. It is a way of life.

We see it in individual survivors. We see it in the 10 communities or baranguays where we serve. We see it in the way World Renew collaborates with the baranguays or villages. 

World Renew is now completing a Cash-for-Work program which offers modest cash compensation in exchange for work done on projects chosen by the community to aid in their recovery and enhancement. The participants have repaired roads, cleared drainage ditches and rivers, cleaned up garbage, repaired day care centres and schools, removed rubble, cleared, prepared and planted community gardens. The list goes on.

What is truly amazing is that all this is being done when they have lost their homes, possessions, and usually their livelihoods.  What they have not lost is bayanihan. We find the Filipino people respectful and kind, welcoming and committed. What a privilege it is to walk alongside them!

What’s next? Livelihoods and shelter are up-coming. House design is in the works and the baraguays are considering what livelihood projects would be most helpful for us to carry out. Psychosocial counselling will resume as well. We serve under the capable direction of Mona Saroinsong, an experienced Project Manager who is masterful at community collaboration and helping people make mutual decisions, which enable the survivors to work together for good. Bayanihan.

Cash-for-Work participants shared some of their plans for their earnings:  

  • Buy medicine
  • Pay off debts (e.g. cell phone time)
  • Purchase food –  rice, milk, fish, fruit
  • Pay for chain saw services to cut lumber from fallen coconut trees to be used in house repairs
  • Buy shoes for a daughter who is graduating in two days time

Please pray for these precious people. 

Pray for their healing as many lost friends and family, along with worldly possessions. Many live in makeshift shelters or tents. Many still suffer from post-traumatic stress.

Please pray for wisdom and discernment, for health and energy, for sensitivity and hope!

Just for fun, here are a few interesting tidbits from our life in the Philippines:

  • We eat with a fork and a spoon; no knife.
  • Modes of transport include tricycles (motorbike with a covered sidecar), bicycle taxi (bicycle with a covered sidecar), Jeepney (colourful bus-like Jeeps)
  • We had some temporary pets in our apartment! Masses of termites covered our floor and lost their wings. They were easily swept out the door!
  • Open air ‘restaurants’ appear after dark. Our favourite sells skewered chicken legs, pork cubes and chorizo sausage and of course rice (which is served with every meal).

Blessings, 

Ron and Lauris Fuller

World Renew Volunteers
IDR Typhoon Haiyan Response