I’ve started this entry every night, only to fall asleep
after barely a sentence or two. There
are so many things I’d love to share but for the sake of getting something
posted, here’s just a couple of them with some initial pictures that I really hope will
upload... More to follow but hopefully these provide an idea of the magnitude of the damage in certain areas.
Number one impression, and one that has been repeatedly reinforced from
basically every interaction we've had, is the remarkable character of the
Filipino people. Yesterday marked the 2
month anniversary since the typhoon touched down in Tacloban, and it’s amazing
to see the incredible recovery that has already taken place. As I’d noted in the first post, the response
effort following Typhoon Haiyan is now beginning to shift away from disaster
response into the longer term recovery and development phase. The international community has definitely assisted
in this work, but I've really been inspired by the amount of progress that is attributed
back to the local people and government.
Number two, the Samaritan’s Purse team here is truly awesome
and I’ve likewise been greatly encouraged by them. I guess I wasn’t sure what to expect upon
arrival but what I found has definitely been a blessing. I look around the room and the international experience
within the collective group is truly remarkable. As is often the case, I find myself so
humbled to work on such a gifted team.
Ranging from coast to coast to coast, I’m pleased to announce that
Canada, and BC in particular, is very well represented here. We have about 25 expats and probably 40
locally hired Filipino staff in the Tacloban office, and another 50 or so casual
labourers working at the warehouse. There
are dedicated teams for Food, Nutrition, Shelter, WASH, Logistics, HR and IT so
you can imagine that it’s quite a hub of activity each day with all the different
groups and ongoing tasks.
Even better than the technical expertise and abilities
though is the heart of these individuals.
About half are like myself, short termers who vary from 3-6 weeks, and the
other half are long term SP staff, many of whom came directly from other international
assignments. I find that my world sometimes
tends to shrink to the immediate work at hand, especially when internet access
is somewhat limited. But one of the
items that the team here in the Philippines most frequently pray for is the escalating
conflict in South Sudan. I have so much
I can learn from this humble group.
Lastly, Tindog Tacloban has kind of become the slogan, or
war cry perhaps, for the recovery post Yolanda.
It means, Rise Up Tacloban, which perfectly describes what is happening
here today.
First couple photos on the main road after leaving Tacloban airport.
Area near the ocean, which the government has now ruled cannot be rebuilt within 40m of the shoreline.
Christmas Tree made from plastic bags, a symbol of hope and strength among much physical destruction.
Thanks for your support so far!
Wes
