Pray for the victims of Sendong

The news hit me when I got back online last Sunday. There were TOPpers who were being checked up on by other TOPpers. I didn't know what was going on. Then the articles that I read made my eyes grow bigger. It was seven days before Christmas. How could this happen seven days before Christmas?

652 Dead 808 missing in PH Floods was not the kind of news one should be reading several days before Christmas.The rain and the flash flood took so many by surprise when Typhoon Sendong hit their homes.

Manila Mommy listed the ways to donate and help out. 
Travel on a Shoestring lists the information here too 

I ask all to join me in prayer for the many lives lost and many that are still missing that they might find refuge in the Almighty or be returned to the arms of the ones they love.

Aming ama

Nawa ay gabayan mo kami

sa oras na tila nalimot na

ang init ng pagmamahal 

ng aming minamahal

nawa ay madala mo kami

sa tamang daan 

patungo sa aming nawawalang

kaibigan, kamag-anak

at kasamahan

tulungan mo po kaming tanggapin

na ang buhay ay may sugpungan

at muli pa ay buhayin ang pag-asa

na may bukas pa para bumuong muli

Hinihiling naming ang mga aral

na dala ng sakit at pagkawala 

ay hindi pumigil sa aming

magkaisang muli

Sapagkat muli pa sa iyong piling

sa takdang panahon

kami ay muling magkakasama

sa iyong kaharian magpakailanman.

Because we all deserve to be home this Christmas...If there are any information regarding helping and donation links and hotlines you are aware of, please comment here. Thanks. 

Louise Rui

7:31am Dec 19

Panginoon, nawa'y masimulan po ang araw na ito na puno ng pag-asa.
Dinggin mo po ang aming panalangin at kami po ay iyong patatagin.
Bigyan po ninyo kami ng sapat na lakas upang malagpasan ang mga matitinding pagsubok na sa amin ay nagdaan.
Hawakan po ninyo ang aming mga kamay upang makaahon sa trahedyang dumating. Sa iyong pagsilang kami po ay iyong yakapin at tulungang paghilumin ang aming mga damdamin.

Haplusin po ninyo ang mga puso ng mga nawalan ng minamahal at bigyan ng pag-asang makita ang mga nawawala.
Pagalingin po ninyo ang sinumang may sakit, at protektahan naman po ninyo ang mga wala. Humihingi po kami ng inyong kapatawaran sa aming mga kasalanan at sa pagtatapos po ng taon na ito, nawa'y yakapin mo kami ng iyong pagmamahal.

Sa iyong kaarawan kami po ay nagpapasalamat para sa mga buhay na naligtas at sa mga anghel na siyang nagbibigay pag-asa sa bawat isa at sa amin upang patuloy na lumaban at manatiling matatag.

AMEN.

+++

Update

Please read this poem or share it for people who are grieving and in pain.

A Saint's Prayer

Teaching Korean Students about the BUG-OUT BAG

My students who live near the Han River were shocked because of the amount of flooding that happened yesterday. Images of Ondoy swim in my head and I dare only to read the words and not browse the pictures.

When I tell them that things like this are not unusual in the Philippines and Filipinos are tenacious enough to live through it every year, I think some of them looked at us in a slightly higher level. They can't imagine having to deal with landslides that take whole communities away and wash away lives, sully homes and drown vehicles.

When I told my student about the BUG OUT BAG *expression of the day* some of them were attentive, others said we are okay, we don't need that.

http://www.rural-revolution.com/2010/12/bug-out-bags.html

I had to stop imagining their bodies full of flood water or starving in a corner of a relief station. I just insisted that they look into having one and adjusting it based on how many people there are in their family.

It wouldn't hurt to have those inflatable life rafts at your home, as some of my plurk friends realized when Typhoon ONDOY hit our country. 

I hope some of them listen. At the very least, it might not be too late for some of them. Thirty-eight died as of presstime. I hope there won't be more.