This is my story - 88 Philippines

88 – Visit to Leyte – Emergency relief and meetings

Leyte, an island in the eastern Visayas is typhoon-proned, averaging about twenty annually. The year we were there typhoon Uring killed nearly seven thousand people in Ormoc city due to a burst dam. As usual the local The Salvation Army sprang into action. Officers and comrades were immediately on the scene of disaster. The Salvation Army Medical Mission of Metro Manila joined forces with the GMA Broadcasting Company Incorporated, a local Television station airlifted food, clothing and medicine for distribution among the victims. My wife and I decided to join the relief teams in the scene of action and experience first hand working in such scenes of disaster.

We left home early one Saturday morning at 4.00 a.m for the airport, left the vehicle in the car park for our THQ driver to pick it up later in the morning. After an hour’s flight we arrived at Tacloban City. The Corps Officer was at the airport to meet us, and we travelled together by jeepney to join our relief team in distributing food parcels. We then moved to Canti Mawa, 60 kilometres away to give help and counsel to more victims. The typhoon had destroyed some 300 homes and now the villagers were staying in makeshift tents.

A few years earlier a strong typhoon had devastated the village of Nula Nula, thirty kilometres from Tacloban City. The Salvation Army came with relief and that was the beginning of Tacloban Corps (church and community centre). At the time of our visit, the hall had only one wall behind the platform. We could see the sky through the hole in the roof, so you can imagine what it was like during meetings in the rainy season. And it poured cats and dogs the whole weekend we were there, so during the meeting the whole congregation had to ‘play musical chairs’ shifting from one place to another to avoid getting wet. The rain did not dampen the resilient spirit of our people.

Despite the adverse circumstances, the people entered wholeheartedly into their worship. Soldiers were enrolled and recruits accepted. There was much rejoicing, praising the Lord, testimonies and as usual, the meeting ended with seekers making their way to the Altar or Mercy Seat. It was a great sight to behold.

One good thing, after the meeting there was no hall to lock up, no window to shut, no door to close. The sparse furniture comprising small platform and benches were quite safe. No one would take them.

The Corps Officers were a young newly married couple. They were very enthusiastic and their lovely spirit warmed our hearts. The quarters was a very old wooden hut; the only bedroom was the size of a double-bed with no door, but only a torn curtain. There were holes in the wall which were covered with balls of old newspaper. The bed was made of bamboo slits and covered with cardboard from paper cartons and a grass mat served as a bed sheet. They very kindly offered us their one and only bed room while they slept outside in the tiny sitting cum dining room. Being taller than the average Filipino, I found I could not stretch my legs straight for the two nights we spent with them. Never mind, it was good to be billeted with the officers than stay somewhere else which might be more comfortable. We were there for just the weekend, but the officers were there all the time throughout their term of service.

On the day of our departure, we woke up at 4.00 a.m. to the noise of chickens and pigs just outside our window. No alarm clocks were needed! When my wife went to pick up her uniform hanging on the wall, it was soaking wet from a leak, so she had to leave in other dry clothes. Anyway we were happy their new hall and quarters would soon be ready thanks to the Canadian and Bermuda Territory for their gift. We were always grateful to the overseas territories for their prayerful and financial support.

On our return to Manila there was a letter from the Divisional Director of Women’s Organisations of the Northern Victoria Division, Australian Southern Territory. She told us that their ‘Helping Hand’ money was coming to the Philippines. This was a real answer to prayer and we were able to set this aside for quarters’ furnishings for Tacloban and another Corps.

That year when we celebrated Christmas, the manger scene was truly significant for us having stayed in similar surroundings. – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9. Our folk may be poor, but they were rich in blessings.