typhoon

Its been a sad couple of days for the country im now calling home.

The TV screens that fill department stores and homes over the 4000 inhabited islands have been flashing with the images of family's torn apart by flowing waters. Red bleary eyes pleading to be reunited with there lost children. Texts filled my Inbox from friends saying that the dump site had flooded 100's of friends and family have lost there homes. They are living in the school and have no food with only the clothes they are standing in. The reality of the news struck home 95 dead thankfully none of the people who had already touched my life but still a waste of human life in country already struggling with hope for the future. I felt useless on a an island who although had suffered from the typhoon no where near to the extent of that in manila. Today i organized to split some money to send to Payatas mostly for food but also for any other relief it could give the total was 10000 pesos which just short of 100 pounds which doesn't sound a lot but in these terms it is and hopefully it brings some kind of relief.

My experience during this typhoon was scary enough. Residing in Negros we were only at the tail of the tornado and what started as just a storm slowly came the reality of what was really happening. The rain fell heavy for most of the day the wind howling it had blown over sugar cane trucks which gave the impression this was not just a part of the "rainy season." The power went out at eleven we stayed in the house a day of peering out the window watching the rain hit glass with nothing else to do i filled the house with the sound of my guitar. We made the decision that daccutan were probably having a bit of a rough time being so close to the sea so went down to the spend the night and give support. The power was still out when we left at 8:30 pm we piled into the back of the cab as i sat with my legs dangling out the back we drove the dark streets. We passed house after house and store after store filled only with the orange glow of candle light for two towns the power was out. We got down to daccutan and it was practically pitch black the rain had eased off we wondered the village looking for friends with nothing but the dim lights on our phones. We got to the small bamboo nipa hut that was kind of a headquarters for the youth. We set a single candle in there and gathered bed clothes as there was still no power we decided it would be cooler to sleep in the hut. instead of the safe concrete youth center which usually powered electric fans. We lay on lumpy mattresses joking for hours as the wind started to whip the trees out side until it began to build into a really strong force it blew out our candle and we sat in the dark nervous giggles circulated. Deciding to see this as the time to sleep i set my head down too hot to sleep and slowly being bitten to death.

I woke up to rain lashing my face hard a terrifying sound of wind smashing against tree's. I looked around at the worried face all with sleepy eyes. They slowly began to rest there head back down moving around to be out of the line of fire and covered there faces with the sheets they were balled in the sound haunted me and i struggled to get back to sleep and from the distinct lack of snoring as to before i could tell it was haunting them too.

Everyone was up early the rain still fell hard butt he power was back now and so came the harsh reality of the disasters to strike manila. We all thought our selves lucky to only of had a bad nights sleep and nothing more we all went on hesitantly with the days plans waiting to hear back from friends in manila to be reassured of there safety and situation.

a bad couple of days for the place im now calling home and truly a test to my will of wanting to help people even in the most devastating conditions. These last couple of days although incredibly hard to swallow have only made my will stronger tenfold.