Mixed e-Catch

Posts Tagged ‘Typhoon Sendong Donation’

Exactly 33 days ago, two cities in Region 10 in Southern Philippines have been devastated by the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Sendong. It was December 16, 2011. The most unfortunate part of it was, my family’s home in Villa Angela Subdivision in Barangay Balulang and my older sister’s house in MABASA Lower Balulang have been affected. None of the things inside the houses were saved, but thank God my family’s lives were spared. However, we knew a lot of relatives, friends, and church family throughout the many barangays in CDO and in Iligan who have been affected as well.

 

Being far away from CDO, my desire to extend my helping hand can not be realized if I continue to grieve and be sad over what happened. I wanted so very much to help my family and friends and sending financial help is the best way to do so.

 

On December 19th, I made a post in this blog “Help CDO and Iligan Victims of Typhoon Sendong: Donate Now!” and I shouted a lot of pleas at my Facebook wall asking for financial donations from kind-hearted people in the blogosphere and I am thankful that I was able to get positive feedback from many of my friends. In total, my Paypal account was able to receive $365 from just blogging comrades, checks from personal, family, and church friends here in the US totaling to $450, a very special amount from The Malak Family– our family friend in Illinois who sent out a check to especially help my older sister whose house was washed out, a peso cash from my friends around the world totaling to P18,500 which friends from Australia, Qatar, Japan, and Canada directly deposited to my BDO Account in Philippines which is currently in the hands of my sister who braved the flood, and in-kinds and goods from Cebu and from dear and helpful friends in Davao City, Philippines– my 4th year high school classmates and teachers, and Emzkie‘s mom, too. Because of the overflowing blessings, my desire to help out surely was put into reality.

 

My sister’s family who traveled from Davao to CDO after Christmas last year was able to bring all the goods from Davao and distributed the things to the flooded location in Balulang. We distributed a total of P30,000 of cash to 20 families that we know who badly need them, donated P5,000 cash to Carmen SDA Church who never stopped giving out help to anyone who go and asked help from the church, sent P10,000 cash to two families in Iligan City who I knew badly needed help, too, and then, the two loads of goods were handed out to 200 families in Lower Balulang.

 

These are the least that I can show to document the HUGE help that you guys have extended:

In all honesty, until I saw the photos that my family sent me after the flood when they were giving out the help and when I personally heard from all of my sisters in CDO  that they’re fine and trying to recover, that’s when I felt relieved and comforted. I am so happy and thankful for my family in CDO for doing this for me.

 

And to all of you who have sent out your financial donations, too– I have not mentioned your names here, but the angels in heaven surely rejoiced when they listed your names in the Book of Remembrance for having been able to extend your helping hands in times when it was badly needed. Thank you very much!

 

Recovery is still not over for my family and friends and all Kagay-anons who were victims of the flooding, but knowing that there are kind souls far away that think of them, it shall help the journey a little easier. God bless everyone who helped out! Every amount was big enough, because I placed everything in The Master’s Hands!

I am sure it is not new to you anymore when you hear of Typhoon Sendong or Tropical Storm Washi. It’s been the talk of the town for Filipinos and the international media. Unknown to many but known to most of my friends, my family in Balulang and Macanhan Carmen, as well as so many friends in Cagayan de Oro City are victims from the said typhoon.

 

At 12 midnight on that unfateful Friday night, my family had to brave a knee-high floodwater that got inside our residence in Villa Angela Subdivision (Balulang). With too much prodding of my Brother-in-Law to go out of the house and seek shelter at the neighbor with a 3-story-house, all of the people in our home was able to get out. Accordingly, within just a minute, the water rose until waist-level. It signaled a disaster to all of them.

 

Within just some blinks, they have seen how the waters destroyed and damaged their homes. In the morning, eerie scenes showed an unimaginable devastation that CDO has gone through. There was a barangay that got completely washed out, homes were destroyed, lives were lost, dreams were shattered, and hopes were deemed not there anymore. A neighbor’s house in Villa Angela Subdivision where ours also stood looked like this after the mud flood:

I can imagine our home too look the same as above. I just couldn’t see a snap of it because accordingly, my sister wasn’t able to save their camera.

 

Inside the subdivision where we lived, this is the road going to our house:

And the dike by the road when you leave our barangay looked like this:

 It spells devastation and so much loss. And that’s just in Balulang. The calamity stole a whole lot of spots and corners of Cagayan de Oro City and the next big city which is Iligan.

 

Now I am appealing for help; not only for my family who lost so many things but for others and for the entire Mindanao that was a victim of the storm. If you have the heart and the hand to share, you can directly click the image below to be directed to the Philippine Red Cross Foundation:

Or click the image below for a more direct donation to go the CDO and Iligan victims via CDO and Iligan Bloggers:

…or you can contact me directly for more information or for direct donations to my family and friends who were vastly affected. I accept Paypal donations to [email protected] or check payable to Recel Duarte. I assure you that every donation I received and will receive went and will go to the victims and God will surely be recording all the good deeds you have extended or will extend in helping your brothers and sisters in dire need. 

 

Thank you very much!