Over in Singapore after Ondoy

Since we began our appeal for aid yesterday, my phone has been ringing off the hook the whole day. Everyone's asking lots of questions and want to know more.

So here's what happened before the appeal. The papers have been publishing over the weekend about Typhoon Kestana. We got reports about how bad things were in Manila. But we didn't hear anything from May, Jay and everyone else. So you know how sometimes the news reports focus on just one little area but the whole of Luzon continues on in oblivion. By Monday we started to see pics of familiar places flooded, familiar names. We tried to contact May. Couldnt reach her. So we thought it wasn't that bad since they weren't calling us. Then we heard \Rizal province had been affected and a small alarm went off. Then by Monday night there was a mention of Montalban and by then alarm bells were ringing loud and clear. By Tuesday morning we were on the net and news was coming out about Montalban and very familiar names. San Jose, Sub Urban... then Erap City! My hair stood on end. http://paradoxicleyline.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/montalban-under-state-of-calamity/
Desperately called Mayb. By this time, she too was trying to contact me.

May was on MSN. So was Jay. May, our dear coordinator, is stuck at home. She can't walk for the past week due to an infected wound from an accident. Being at home the whole weekend, she too was unaware of the damage outside her home... as you would have read from her posts. By Tuesday afternoon, finally there was word from Erap City. Ate Baby had come out to Payatas to see Tita to get help for teachers  who had lost their homes. She wasn't able to say much. Communication network in Payatas not that great either. But what we knew was Erap City was hit, homes have been destroyed. There's no electricity and no water.
but it was not submerged.Also no aid was coming into those areas affected.

Still very sketchy. May now had a new job description for the rest of the coming days. Stay home, by the phone and on the net and update everyone, connect everyone (Jay, me, Daryl, the rest of acts29, Ate Baby, etc) and pass info on.. Great plan right?

I thought of perhaps of going during the weekend or the following week. But then Jay came online and asked me to pray for the teachers and students who lost their homes. Jay would not say something like that unless he really needed us to pray! So that's when I decided... I will go to Manila asap and ask whoever in the exco could go. Then Jay tells me he plans to check out the situation in Erap on Wed morning... that means Jay doesnt go to work on Wed?? which is like the whole day already gone cos he would stop by Payatas, pick up Tita and then go to Erap and so on.

So I told Jay we would come on Thursday afternoon. and he said he would pick us up and take the day off too. Take Thursday off too? Woh. Now I'm not just hearing things and seeing things from the media.

So bit by bit May gets news and things start to look bad. teachers only have roofs. houses washed away. only mud left. people living on the streets. no electicity still. no drinking water. By tuesday evening, we had started asking around for things like blankets, clothes, etc as requested by Jay

By Tuesday night, we were ready to book our airtickets. Daryl could go. Debbie not sure.. too much work but would try and me, yes. thanks to iggy.. life saver.. who is free enough these coming 4 days to take over all my classes. At 10pm, I was suddenly reminded of my passport. Only had 5 months validity. Oh no! what do I do? I started calling people. Asking them if they had tried renewing in a day. Everyone laughed.. yes Daryl too.. I remember his words, "Who do you think you are?"... no one's going to give you a new passport in 24hours. I went to bed sad. But one of my favourite t-shirts says, "Look who's behind me all the way."... Jesus.. ok just trust in Him.

Today (Wed morning) 830am I am at ICA. This time i'ts my turn to ask Jay to pray for me. The outcome? They are giving me a new passport! I collect it at 10am tomorrow and I can make it in time to catch the afternoon flight. The people at ICA are really great for being so kind and understanding. T

1230pm! finally Jay calls. He's checked Erap out. He's got pics too. There are places in Erap where the mud is as high going from the waist to the neck. The whole isle on the creek is gone. About 50 families have nothing left but mud in place of houses. People are reusing water and taking water from the creek. there some volunteers giving out aid but not much. Seems to be that all our students (150 of them) can be accounted for.
Sadly in Payastas Lower dumpsite has been hit too. the place is Isang Dakot. We had youths who had homestay there. Jay was not able to get there. Not much word from there. Other than 30 families live there and their homes are destroyed.

This is the way to Isang Dakot (in the background)

We pray for the safety of everyone. We will be on our way tomorrow afternoon and arrive in Manila by 545pm. I trust Singapore Airlines to get me there before the sunsets.