Written By Sheena Ferrer, Writer, CBN Asia
Is there life after a catastrophe?
Carilyn Borer, a 12 year old kid from Alangalang, Leyte said, “Definitely!”
It was raining hard, the night was cold, and the wind was raging throughout the city.
There was utter darkness and the tumultuous storm demanded to be felt. Carilyn felt she needed to do something. She was skinny and helpless, however, she had no choice but to look after her siblings. She had nine brothers and sisters but she couldn’t count on her parents to help care for her siblings.
They wanted to but they couldn’t because they, too, are helpless. They couldn’t see anything. Oscar and Bevelyn Borer, 65 and 35 years old respectively, are both blind and they can’t protect their family.
As tragic as things seemed, the Borer family survived the catastrophe. Some hid under the kitchen sink while others were under the table embracing one another the morning after the storm.
It was the time when Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines and wreaked havoc. A lot of people died, houses and properties were washed away, plants were destroyed, lives and families were shattered. They kept on asking, “What’s life going to be like after this?”
New Hope to Begin With
Providing food on the family’s table is already a struggle for them. When the typhoon happened, they thought it would be all the more impossible to continue living. With nine little stomachs to feed every day, the Borer couple, Oscar and Bevelyn, already gave up hoping.
Then one day, when their daughter Carilyn was on her way to school, she saw a huge truck with a phrase that says, “Operation Blessing. Because We Care.” That phrase excited her.
“I felt really happy when our teachers allowed us to line up and smell the warm meals that they were preparing. It made me even happier when they allowed me to bring my siblings and let us share a decent meal,” Carilyn said.
Their parents were amazed when they heard about the feeding program happening at the nearby school.
With Operation Blessing’s (OB) feeding program, they wouldn’t have to worry about their children’s meals for the entire school year. They can now go to school without thinking about what food to eat.
They saw how the school and Operation Blessing were trying their best to give them a reason to believe and hope that they can begin again. “We started looking for places where we can ask for help. Since my husband and I are both blind, it’s really hard for us. We just depend on the money and food that other people give us,” Bevelyn shared.
“But when OB showed us that anything’s possible when you work hard, we tried our best to look for decent jobs like cleaning our neighbors’ house, singing in crowds, and sometimes even begging for coins just so we can buy something to eat,” she said, “It’s hard, but we need to try and work double time for our kids.”
“This feeding program has helped the kids to perform well in class,” Mary Grace Caldosa, school teacher said, “They are always excited and they really enjoy eating with their classmates. We thank OB for helping us help our students.”
Because We Care
Operation Blessing aims to provide nutritious meals and monthly healthcare to undernourished children, as well as free education, and improved parental engagement through its Children’s Programs, namely Bless-A-Child and Back-To-School.
To date, there are already 32,822 children who have undergone trauma counseling and have enjoyed Superbook screening; 13,080 beneficiaries of supplementary feeding in 70 schools; 5,140 attendees of Holiday of Hope and Cheers activities; 7,906 attendees of Happy Kids Camp; and 146 beneficiaries of Back-To-School and Bless-A-Child programs.
Do you want to bless a child today and turn their dreams into reality?
Your partnership with us can make a difference! You can give online: http://www.staging2.obphil.com/home/give-online/ through banks: http://www.staging2.obphil.com/home/give-through-banks/ or you can call these numbers for further information about the program: (+632) 477-7806 or 0920 497 5558 or 0922 806 6922 and 0917 581 2603.
