In the Midst of the Storm

If you haven't read my post about my previous trip in the B'Laan tribes in Saranggani, better read it here.

The typhoon "Frank" who recently flooded a lot of areas here in the Philippines also struck Saranggani province, there were some casualties, and the saddest was the passengers of MV Princess of the Stars a passenger boat of Sulpicio Lines, until now, they were not able to retrieve all the bodies trapped inside the boat.

The first time I visited the place, I was amazed by how it looked like at night, we arrived there during the night because we just came from another location at the other side of the mountains. The place was filled with fireflies and kids were serenading us with songs of praises sung in their native tongues. It was like Jesus' graceful entrance in Jerusalem...without the donkey.

When nature strikes, you can't do anything...but pray, for your safety, and that it would stop soon. When typhoon Frank hit Saranggani, the place where we were ministering were destroyed, homes, even the the church they use for their Sunday Service..destroyed, look the the images below of the church before and after the storm..

This was their church when we last visited. And this is what has been left now....

The Lao Church after typhoon Frank

When I saw these images from our Shamah Tribal Mission Coordinator, Rev. Wen Gallardo, I was moved and devastated with how much damage the storm caused. Damage and trauma...all in one place. The first thing that came up on my mind and I tried to ask my self these questions, "How are these people taking this?", "Do they feel that God has turned His back on them?", "What will be their lives like after the storm?".

Questions that I really need to answer or at least find an answer, I needed to see for my self. The roads were vanished, the team who recently went there must take a different route to send help for the people of Lao and at least comfort them, and tell them that God would never turn His back away from them...they only need to believe that. And I don't know personally now, if they really would...

The way into Lao Tribe, eroded by the river



A different route to Lao Tribe

This little girl was fetching water to drink

Rev. Wen Gallardo contemplating on the debris..of what's left for the people of Lao



The team praying for the people of Lao

"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
- Matthew 18: 20

There were a lot of Filipinos who were homeless after the storm, a lot of people around the world looking for help after each storm, a lot of people needing food to feed their hunger, water to quench their thirst...and apart from those people...only care LESS...

If you care, kindly include them in your prayers...we know that God is always at work, and He allows things to happen for a specific purpose, for His glory to be shown for His power to be manifested in the midst of His people.