Two days without water and food

For three weeks Rannieh Mercado travelled the Philippines on behalf of the UEM to support the coordination of UCCP's relief work. He reports about devastated villages and about a unprecedented willingness to help in the country.

Bodies are still being retrieved

More than 6,000 people have died officially, but several thousand are still missing. Every day new bodies are retrieved, Rev. Mercado. Even on the compound of the church owned Bethany hospitals bodies were found last week, including those of babies. The people who survived the catastrophe, are deeply traumatized.

Farmland destroyed

More than one million houses, churches, schools and other buildings are destroyed. the farmland is heavily affected, too. Many poeple, who normally live from coconut trees now probably have to wait for up to ten years before new trees bear fruit.

Wasser rose and rose

Almost unimaginable is the fate of Reverend Noel Balo and his wife. As the flooding reached their house, they took refuge in the toilet, the most elevated part of the house. Although inside the toilet, the flood level had almost reached the height of their heads. Somehow, they were able to escape from being drowned. However, a boulder of debris has blocked the door of the toilet and they could not open it from inside. For two days and two nights, the couple were trapped inside the toilet without any food and drink. All they had three times a day was to pray and pray and pray. After two days, a member of the church had come in order to find out the pastor’s situation. It was only then that the couple were known to have been trapped inside the toilet. With the help of other members, Rev. Balo and wife were being rescued alive.

UCCP helps

There are many stories like that in these days, and not all of them ended well. But there is hope in the Philippines, and unprecedented willingness to help there and worldwide. With the support of UEM the UCCP distributed several thousand relief packages, solar generators, solar lamps and chainsaws which are necessary for the rebuilding of houses.