Written By Bryan P. Arquiza, Writer, Operation Blessing Philippines
SAN JOSE, TACLOBAN CITY – Twenty-five year old Elvin Lim still remembers the harrowing experience. Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) brought torrential rains and strong winds that wiped out their entire house. Nothing was left, it was completely devastated. Even more painful, it claimed his father’s life.
“Tatay has been missing for more than a year and we have already given up and stopped hoping that he’s still alive. My last memory of him was seeing him struggle to save himself from the raging floodwater,” Elvin sadly recalled.
“It really breaks my heart that I could not do anything to save my father. And after all that has happened, I really don’t know how to start our new life from scratch,” Elvin added, sobbing.
Every day became a constant battle of survival for Elvin and his siblings.
As the family’s breadwinner, Elvin also works as a part-time construction helper in the afternoon and joins his neighbors to fish at night for him to provide food for his siblings and to try to start things anew after the floodwaters receded.
Hope restored
Operation Blessing Philippines remains true to its mission of helping and blessing, especially for those who are in great need. More than 144,817 families, including Elvin’s, have been given immediate relief and livelihood assistance, thank you to the generous gifts in cash and in kind of OB partners.
U
nder Operation Blessing’s livelihood assistance, a beneficiary enters into a return of investment agreement. He decides how and when he would pay back the business capital loaned by Operation Blessing—free of interest. This return of investment would fund another small business for a potential beneficiary.
When Elvin saw his new pedicab (cycle rickshaw), he shed tears of joy. “Thank you for helping us! It’s nice to know that there are people like you who are always willing to help,” Elvin said, teary-eyed.
Elvin was given hope to start again. He has been blessed with the opportunity to rise above the shambles brought by the world’s strongest typhoon and life’s challenges.
MORE THAN JUST RELIEF GOODS
Because of debilitating calamities, it would be hard for evacuees to return to their normal lives. But with the help from faithful partners like YOU, Operation Blessing can bring hope and smiles to our affected kababayans!
Call Operation Blessing’s Manila trunkline at (02) 477-7802 to 04 to know how you can partner with us.
