Written By Ana Marie S. Tiangco, Senior Writer-Editor, CBN Asia
Myrna Rendon, 42, like the rest of the residents of Barangay Pagnamitan, was hopeless, helpless, and clueless on how to start rebuilding their lives when Typhoon Yolanda struck. She was with her chidren Nicole James, 14, and Jenny Grace, 6, when the storm surge swept the village. Sherwin, her husband of 14 years, is in Kuwait, working as an electrician for three years already.
Before Typhoon Yolanda struck, Myrna was helping supplement the family income by making shellcraft accessories for export, earning Php 700 a month. A small piggery, which she and her husband started when they got married, also helped pay the bills and send the children to school.
Still, Myrna admitted that life was not easy—back then, and more so after the storm.
“Kulang pa din dahil mataas talaga ang bilihin at mahal ang magpaaral,” (It’s still not enough because the price of commodities is expensive and it is also costly to send the children to school) she said.
She recalled that her first prayer after the storm hit the Visayas was: “Lord, paano po ako makapagpapatayo ulit ng bahay?” (Lord, how will I be able to build a house again?)
Worse, her children refused to go back to school every time the skies turned dark and it started to drizzle.
In her last phone conversation with her husband, Myrna said Sherwin was very emotional and they shared a prayer that God would find people to help them in their moment of despair.
God heard her prayer.
Myrna was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of Operation Blessing’s housing project for Typhoon Yolanda survivors, in partnership with Pinoy Relief, a privately run foundation that provides funds and grants to other non-governmental organizations. To top it off, the model house was turned-over to her family as soon as it was finished.
“I see it as a miracle of the Lord that I was chosen to be the first recipient of the house from Operation Blessing!” a teary-eyed Myrna said.
The house, which was originally at 15 square meters, is now being expanded to 23 square meters to include a real bathroom and more living space. Twelve other houses are already near completion and is set to be turned over to other beneficiaries of Operation Blessing.
Today, Myrna is a picture of a happy wife and a happy mother.
“Dahil sa bahay na ibinigay ng Operation Blessing, nagagawa na ng mga anak ko na makatulog nang mahimbing sa kuwarto, makapag-banyo ng maayos at pakiramdam namin ay ligtas talaga kami sa aming bagong bahay dahil nakita naman namin kung gaano katibay ang pagkagawa dito,” (Because of the house that was given by Operation Blessing, my children now sleep soundly, they could use the bathrooms with more ease and we all feel safer because we have seen how sturdy this house was built) Myrna said.
Operation Blessing is hard at work constructing houses for the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in the province of Samar. You can lend a hand and help in the rehabilitation efforts being done in the Visayas. For more information on how to help Typhoon Yolanda survivors, please call or text these numbers: (+632) 477-7806/ 0939-9215543/ 0922-8036922/ 0917-5812603. Like and share Operation Blessing’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/obphil, or follow OB on Twitter, @obphil.
