Amen framester! It was so devastating to see what happened to Iligan and Cagayan de Oro last year and thankful that it was spared by typhoon Pablo's wrath with zero casualty now! It is very unusual for Mindanao to experience typhoon since we're near the equator and I used to believed I'm living in a typhoon-free area especially we are surrounded with mountains but all that changed when Typhoon Sendong last year and Pablo which is equivalent to a hurricane category 5 hit our country leaving billions of damages and killed many lives.
It's my first time to feel the strong wind but thankful to God that no damages were reported in my place except some livelihood. My heart and prayer goes to the people who are greatly affected by it, hundreds of thousands of people are homeless now. My heart broke to see kids who are orphaned now cuz their parents were flushed out by flood and still couldn't find their bodies. We have brothers and sisters in our church in those areas who are greatly affected too but thankful that they're all safe except their houses are totally damaged. Last week, my dad and some of the brothers in our locality went to visit them to give some financial assistance coming from other local churches including US but unfortunately the roads are not passable and went home but glad that finally they were able to get to them. I once was in one place in New Bataan (one of the areas that was greatly affected) when we had our outing with the young people after our Young people's conference around December 2010, such a nice place but right now that place was covered with rocks and the people who are seeking shelter on that place were all flushed out by flood.
So devastating and shocking to see the aftermath of typhoon Pablo and the damages it brought was just beyond our imagination , the mudslides, flash floods, landslides, the strong wind that meteorologists consider "Pablo" as an extremely rare weather event but so thankful that in difficult times like these people are united to extend their help and even other countries too.
May we continue to pray for the fastest rehabilitation on the affected areas and the healing for the pain it caused to the survivors knowing that their families, houses, livelihood are gone.I know this isn't the last but may God keep us all!
God says, "I will save those who love Me and will protect those who acknowledge Me as Lord. When they call to Me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with long life; I will save them." Psalms 91:14-16
