The news, the photos can somehow touch you to help, be it cash donations, share goods, repack goods, include in prayers or personally deliver.
THE NEED TO HELP
The Iloilo National High School has been the drop point of donations from all over Iloilo for accepting, re-packing and delivering goods to Northern Iloilo. INHS-School Of the Future students also shared a day of their baon for the victims and gave goods, such as noodles, canned goods, coffee, chocolate drink, rice, bottled water and clothing. SOF teachers give in money to purchase biscuits, With that unselfish act by these students (and teachers), I myself would like to deliver goods to the farthest part of Iloilo, Carles. The suggestion came from my Tita (a local of Isla Gigantes) that the residents have not receive any help only helicopters on aerial survey and news men to monitor the island. People from the Islands not only are hungry but have lost their homes and motorboats or rowboats as well.
THE RESPONSE TO THE NEED
Early morning of November 17, 2013, we (I, my aunt, 2 cousins and 4 of my students) rented a van to load 15 sacks of clothing, few boxes and sacks of goods (from the second floor of FJ building) to get us to Estancia wharf. The loading and uloading of goods from a 2-motor engine to a smaller motorboat to get us to Sitio Danao-danao in Barangay Gabi, Isla Gigantes is tiring, but when we saw people gathering around us as we prepare for distribution is so overwhelming, we even forgot we have not taken our lunch!
THE MEDIA HYPE
"They say" you put yourself in danger going to these affected areas, truckloads of relief goods have police/army escorts to go with them since recipients are like ravening wolves when they saw aid coming. We came with goods together with our escort, our God and his army of angels! What a joy to see cooperative residents patiently waiting for their name to be called and be given goods we brought. They say some of then ate coconuts for breakfast, lunch or dinner for a week of waiting for help.
THE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
I have heard stories of fellow teachers, friends, students of the their dreadful experience on Yolanda's wrath but to personally see what has happened is so sad. You will see children along the road waiting for passerby to throw or drop coins to them, you will see signage "HELP, we need food and medicine" and even "Mapalad ka Napoles...", you will see damages to homes, trees and schools.
My cousins and Aunt drop by check on my Aunt in Ajuy. She relates tearfully what she experienced during the typhoon, alone and scared. Crying as we travel to Sara up to Estancia, the more damages revealed in our sights. 2 hours of land travel is over and another 2 hours of water travel is waiting, waiting to unravel more of Yolanda's wrath!
This first-hand experience of giving goods is so heart-warming. As we hand in 1 pack of food and 2 packs of clothing, residents of Sitio Danao-danao responded with glee, the thank you, the handshake, the smiles are so memorable!
THE CHALLENGE
The call for help is still up, you can still help! May it be in kind, cash or whisper a pray, the victims of Yolanda's wrath need that! The need to help and share is always there, go share your blessings and be blessed!
