Iligan Aid
Flood Update
We returned late on the 2nd January from the Philippines, having spent most of New Year’s Eve/Day in transit in Malaysia (Christmas Day was spent in transit at Manila/Singapore airports). The first thing I did the next morning when I woke was to thank God for our home!
The situation (report last week in December from the Guardian Newspaper group)
‘Washi’ (typhoon and subsequent flood) first hit northern Mindanao (Philippines) on 16 December, with the coastal cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro worst affected. The death toll now stands at 1,249, with many more still missing. More than 700,000 people in 56 towns and eight cities were affected, more than half of whom need relief assistance. Some 54,000 people are in 53 evacuation centres around the affected area, while another 400,000 are staying with friends or relatives but still in need of assistance.
An amazing team
I want at this stage to honour my small team: Garry Condie 20+, John Croxon 20, Kyle Malherbe 19 and Sam Smith 20. All of the team not only personally sacrificed their own money (one literally spent his life savings to go) but also gave up their ‘Christmas time’ for the sake of others. They were truly amazing and kept going at a ‘break-neck speed’ to get as much done as possible. We were joined by some of our contacts from Cebu and we also worked alongside local churches.
People have lost every material thing they possess, escaping with only the clothes they wore to bed that night. Many of them cannot be taken in by friends and relatives, because they are all in the same situation; there are no social services etc. Many of these people could barely afford food/medication before the flood! Sadly we did not find anyone, out of the thousands we met, who had any kind of insurance.
So many sad stories
We have put together a short DVD, the link is at the end of this update.
I could tell you so many sad stories, like the single mum who had four children: two drowned, one was found alive many kilometers away, the other is still missing…by now presumed dead. One young girl told me how she had been looking after two toddlers (her niece and nephew) whilst her older sister worked in a nearby city. She said it all happened so quickly and in the dark, sadly she was only able to hold on to one of the children, the other was literally washed out of her hands. There was also the story where over 40 people ran to a concrete building expecting to be safe…only one survived as the building broke up and was washed away.
The money donated
Before we went, we raised over $7000 in five days, we also had $500 worth of boots, tools etc. given to us by a friend and while we were there, another $2000+ came in. None of this was from any government department or relief agency, every cent came from individuals and families who wanted to make a difference.
With the money we bought and made up several hundred food parcels, purchased tools (shovels, spades, etc., yes stores did put up their prices!), and thousands of dollars worth of medication (fortunately you can buy everything over the counter from anti-biotics to certain anaesthetics). We had 300 large cooking pots brought in from another town, this was all we could get our hands on.
Our medical team (Sam a 3rd year paramedic and myself ex-firefighter and first Aid qualified!) diagnosed and treated approximately 450-500 people for flood-related illnesses such as stomach bugs, flu like symptoms, rashes, fungal skin problems, lacerations, cuts, and other ‘stuff’. When we could not help or saw people who were very ill/needing hospitalisation, we gave them a sum of money for an initial visit to the hospital, (you have to pay for everything in the Philippines). People kept coming, we would have to leave each time we ran out of medication.
The other half of the team repaired/rebuilt many homes (we were going for maximum effect, trying to help those who were helping others) and where the locals could do the jobs themselves, we gave some of them money to buy the required materials. We even ‘employed’ people for a few days to help us. It was hard to see and hear stories without trying to help in some way.
There were some donations of rice and secondhand clothes from government agencies, but many times only hundreds rather thousands of people were the recipients.
Before we left, we negotiated and rented the second floor of a warehouse where we accommodated and committed to supporting 10 families for the next six months; these are people who have lost absolutely everything. We constructed/compartmentalised the floor area and each family has approximately one 2.4m X 2.4m enclosed area to sleep in at night. All the families will share a communal area for cooking (we bought stoves, chairs, made tables, etc. for them). They have one toilet for males and one for females… for about 60- 80 people so far, oh yes and no showers there!
We want to send money to help the local church keep these people fed, etc. Most of these people had little income before. Two of the families each had an old sewing machine, another cooked and sold food on the streets, now they have nothing to earn an income.
We are also moved by the stories of children who are now orphans, many losing siblings as well. Most of them are reported to be in the evacuation centres dotted amongst the thousands of people there, receiving no personal care and comfort for their loss.
What next?
Our help and support must continue as so many have no way of changing their circumstances.
I know some did not hear and some felt it was too late to give…well it’s not!
Please still consider giving to help so many who have lost everything.
We are also making enquiries about setting up an orphanage, which would obviously require ongoing financial support.
God bless you all, thank you.
New Philippines Video
Simon
Further donations can be made to:
Impact Christian Ministries’
CUA
BSB: 814 282
A/C: 30803934
ABN 67 124 700 349