Nanay Lita lives in Barangay Siha, Municipality of Borongan, Eastern Samar. As Typhoon Ruby was raging, and her home was beginning to flood, she placed her 2-month-old baby inside a washing machine, hoping the washer would serve as a makeshift boat. Thankfully, she and her baby survived.
But their house and coconut/rice farm (their main source of livelihood) was in a state of utter ruin due to the mud inundating everything. It will take a year for her coconut trees to recover. She told us, “Kung wala ng darating na relief goods magugutom kami lahat dito. Wala na kasi kaming pagkukunan ng pagkain at pagkakakitaan na nilimas lahat ng bagyo.” (“If there are no relief goods coming, we’ll be hungry. We have no more source of food and livelihood and everything has been taken by the typhoon.”)
Many people in her community are in a state of despair upon losing their homes and their sources of livelihood. Some have lost everything they own except for the muddy clothes on their backs. They have been wearing the same clothes since of the storm, which passed a week ago. They are in dire need of food and clothing.
Nanay Lita and her community need all the support we can give.
As a bit of short term relief, and by way of raising the morale of these traumatized survivors for the long task of rebuilding, a donation of 500 pesos will provide a decent Christmas meal for a family of five in one of the Ruby-devastated areas.
HERE’S HOW TO HELP:
- In the United States, please send your donation to the Mennonite Central Committee.
- In Canada, please donate to the Mennonite Church Canada.
- In the Philippines, please send your donation to PeaceBuilders Community.