Written By Astrid Raisa Subingsubing, Writer, Operation Blessing Philippines
“Sobrang lakas ng hangin, kakaibang hangin kasi sumisipol siya sa sobrang lakas niya. Pakiramdam naming lahat katapusan na namin at ng buong sitio. Parang mamamatay na kami dahil sa lakas ng hangin na may kasamang ulan, (The wind was so strong, it even whistled loudly as it blew. We felt like it was the end of the world. We felt like we were going to die from the strong wind and rain,)” said Ana Liezel, 19, the eldest of the nine children of Raul and Marites Avila of Brgy. Esteves, Casiguran, Aurora. Ana Liezel will be undergoing the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) welding training program in Manila. Raul, 42, is a construction worker, while Marites, 38, used to be a mason and is now a housewife. They also collect snails to sell.
“Natakot ako sa mga araw na ‘yon. Lahat kami nanalangin na habang nasa ilalim ng lamesa, (I was scared those days. We were all praying while taking shelter under the table,)” she related. They had already evacuated before Typhoon Lando (Koppu) hit their province, but even the evacuation center was not spared, and so the typhoon found them huddled under a table, up to five families under each one.
“Ngayong wala na ang bagyo at naalala ko ang nangyari, natatakot at kinakabahan ako. Kahit konting ulan lang, takot na kami, pakiramdam namin may Lando nanaman, (Now that there is no more storm, when I remember what happened, I still get scared and nervous. Even just a little rain scares us already, we feel like it will be another Typhoon Lando,)” she shares.
She still thanks the Lord, though, that their family is all safe, despite how their house toppled over and their roof was blown away. She is also thankful to Operation Blessing for being the first to hold a medical mission in Brgy. Esteves after the typhoon hit. She shared that after the storm, almost everyone in their area got sick. Many got wounded, came down with fever, colds and cough. Ana Liezel herself had fever when she came to the medical mission. Most of her family also got sick. But they were able to have themselves checked and get medicine at the medical mission.
Since the storm destroyed their home, she says shelter is their primary need, along with food to eat. Help their family out. Learn how by calling us at 477 7802 to 04 and 06. You may also give through banks (http://www.staging2.obphil.com/home/give-through-banks/) or credit card (http://www.staging2.obphil.com/home/give-through-credit-card/), or you may drop off your gifts-in-kind at our office (http://www.staging2.obphil.com/home/give-in-kind/).
Together, let us rebuild the hope of families like Ana Liezel’s.
Contributor: Kristine Gado, Children’s Program Coordinator; Photographer: Jo Ivan Llaneta, Volunteer
