Saturday, January 22, 2011

First Rain, Now the Mud

Here are some updated photos of what our friends are dealing with at God's Town, Philippines. As Linda said they even make mud look good, they are such beautiful people.  By their smiles, even in the midst of cleaning up after this disaster, they just have beautiful spirits and deal with whatever they must. I'm not sure how much I'd be smiling let alone laughing among this muck! And I'll remind you, unlike here there is no FEMA, no Red Cross to their rescue or recovery, they are basically on their own.

I still don't know about little Ming Ming the cat, I did learn they lost their new puppy.  I'm also yet to learn about what "things" they lost; appliances etc.  If I also find out, which I suspect might be the case, I'd like to raise some funds to replace any of their entertainment items they might have lost; TV, DVD player, Sebio's drums, Dan's guitar etc. Linda is going over in March so I plan to send some money to replace any of those types of items. I know they may not seem like a high priority but personally I feel, they are kids and should have things that make them happy and entertain them.

Here are the latest photos....

That appears to be Abraham (left) Sebio (right).
Notice the makeshift tools in several of the photos.
















Dan & Eric cleaning and repairing a bed.














Someone said Emma must be an Angel and a
happy one at that!




Eric (left) and Sebio (right)

Jacob doing a bit of surveying it appears.


Appears everything that could be salvaged has
to be cleaned and probably all by hand.
Emma just soldiers on, probably with a smile.

And seriously, would you be laughing?
Not sure I would!


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

There Don't Seem to Be Any Words

I'm really not sure what to say. I was so happy sharing pictures with all of you about the trip but now I must share some that make me very sad. I believe having been there with the kids and staff of God's Town and feeling like a part of their family it has an entirely different meaning for me.

The following pictures were sent to Linda I believe by Purie's son Kenneth. Here is part of the message that accompanied the pictures:

...the whole San Jorge is in water now good for the house beside up-hill and highway the are safe of the water, the houses who are near the field are still in water...the two building are still in water knee deep in the outside of the building, the water beside the wall are still high 5 feet high the first day was so high even outside the building almost 5' 4" feet high specially if you are at the back of the building. we use the tarpualine to cover us outside that we were able to sleep a little sleep...Thank God everyone are safe except Delia she got fever I gave her ASPRIN that help her. we still have rain but not heavy rain that will stop the water to dry up. any way we will up load you more updates photos

P.S Jacob made a little canoe from a babana tree and use it to roam around the property...but I stop him because the water is so dirty. the Boys did a great help. Dan take good care of the Pigs and some of our boys. Delia and Emma do the washing of the clothes and clean the building little by little with ken and his friend.


Thank you. help us pray for the sun to shine.
 


Look how high the water is. This is right outside where I stayed.



Makeshift living quarters.
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 I do believe that is Jacob!


I'm not quite sure who this is, Junald perhaps, but take note of
Moses the dog in the back there. I hope Ming Ming is ok.

That's Purie and I'll remind you the room I shared with
Becky is the doorway on the far left in the back.

And thru all this I swear that is a smile on someones
face in the back.


I already had thoughts running through my head but Linda added to the list of "what abouts" I was having: as in what about the refrigerator, what about the sewing machine, what's in the water they are having to walk and stand in, where are they going to the bathroom...and the list goes on.

They have been thru floods before. I never thought of the other affects of floods but last time everyone got foot fungus. I have no idea if Sebio or any of the kids are getting to school, I'm thinking no but I'm not sure. If everything is flooded how could they get there. To say I'm worried about everyone is an understatement.

My dear friend Kristine in CA asked what could be done. I wish I had an answer. I hope the box Aaron and I sent gets there soon since it has food in it. Since the only type of package we can send is a flat envelope I'm going to look for vacuum sealed foods that will mail like Spam, tuna etc. I'm also going to send over some sealed packs of aspirin etc. And anything else I can think of that will mail in an envelope and could be useful. I'm also open to suggestions of what might be useful and fit in a flat envelope.

I'll keep you posted and put up more pictures. Linda can wire funds over so if you'd like to make a monetary donation checks should be made to One Heart and a notation that it is for God's Town specifically.  Donations can be sent to the church at:
 PUCC, 56 Banks Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17103

For now I'm taking the water tower thermometer down. I know that process was started at some point by more important issues and necessities have cropped up. That might be another "what about" to add to the list. Thankfully the answer to one question what about everyone's safety has been answered at least for now.