Reaching out from the heart.. to the typhoon victims...

Originally posted on October 6, 2009 via Multiply.com
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Posted 6 October 2009

Watching television coverage of the havoc left by typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng moves one's heart to tears for the suffering of the victims of massive floods, especially in the Metro Manila area. Families either lost lives or possessions, some of them both. How do you sympathize with the victims? In many of them, it's a sense of helplessness. Indeed, for every one of us, mighty or meek, rich or poor, young or old, we are just no match to the fury of nature. But come to think of it, we now reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference of our environment. Because we have not been responsible stewards of God's creation.

We will never be able to bring back lost lives, as a result of this catastrophe. But we can at least reach out to the victims to extend a helping hand and inspire in them some hope to start all over again. Because with God's grace, the sun will always come out again after every storm, no matter how destructive, for as long as we are still alive.

Some of my high school classmates (TNHS Class 68) decided to donate some cash for the victims through the GMA Kapuso Foundation of Channel 7. A classmate from the U.S.A., Mel Bobis, sent some cash. Yen and I (i.e. my wife was my classmate, too), together with all our children (Michelle, Christian, and Michael) came up with our family cash donation as well. We sent our cash donations today through the Metrobank account of GMA Kapuso Foundation. It may be a small amount but coming from our hearts, to live up to the Filipino trait of " bayanihan", especially in time of national calamities.

The strength of Filipinos is that we love to live, and we always trust in ourselves. Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

by Nick Isip