“How can I gain my life back before this disastrous event?” was the first question Marites asked of the Lord upon seeing her house struck down by the storm.
Even after 8 months since Typhoon Odette (Rai) hit Visayas and Mindanao regions, many families continue to struggle to rebuild their homes. They lack the funds needed to make repairs and have difficulty making both ends meet.
This is a sad predicament for Marites Lumpas, 30, a mother of three whose house was severely damaged because of the typhoon.
Marites was one of the beneficiaries of the government’s livelihood assistance in San Antonio, Southern Leyte. For three years, she was able to make her small-scale enterprise grow, giving her extra income to support her children’s education. Unfortunately, it was also ruined in the onslaught of Odette.
“Only the flooring of our home was left after the storm… I was filled with despair and anxiety. Even the mini store I have put up to help my husband in providing for our needs was lost,” she said, crying.
Through the coordination efforts of Operation Blessing Japan and Katayama, our Disaster Response Team has turned over hundreds of galvanized iron (GI sheets) to families hard-hit by Odette. Among them was Marites’ who was given 20 roofing sheets for the uncovered area of their house.
“I am truly grateful and happy for this big blessing. Thank you to all the donors for being a part of the solution and a source of hope for many people like us who continue to struggle,” Marites said.
If you are interested to partner with us in delivering aid to our disaster-affected kababayans, you may visit our website at www.operationblessing.ph or contact us at 09399215543 for more details. #OperationBlessing #DisasterResponse #TyphoonOdette #SouthernLeyte
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