An archive from September 2009 - unpublished: Thanksgiving and Prayers Days After Typoon Ondoy

Expect to read several topics ranging from thanksgiving, rantings and ravings!

Saturday, September 26, typhoon Ondoy struck our country concentrating its fury on NCR and Rizal, particularly Marikina City, Pasig City and San Mateo. The rain was the heaviest in more than four decades since the 1967 typhoon that flooded the whole metro. Neighboring cities and provinces were never kept safe from the rages of typhoon Ondoy - Quezon City, Pampanga, Manila, Laguna and even the southernmost regions of the land.

Power is finally back after more than 48 hours of blackout. I was expecting to be back to work and deliver a normal daily routine. Nonetheless, that's not possible after the typhoon. Numbers of main roads are impassable and bridges are still blocked by big debris of bamboos, cotton (kapok) trees, roofs, lumbers, washed out houses, thick mud, cars and sorrowfully... casualties! Yes, cars are all over the place and dead bodies, too! Typhoon Ondoy seemed to enjoy ravishing the houses of our poor countrymen...

Thanksgiving evolves around God's divine protection. My family and I are safe - our house was barely moved by the heavy rains and strong winds. I heard that some members of my family's church also survived the typhoon from the danger that curdled their bloods the night they stood cold and hungry on their rooftops.

Thanksgiving to His saving grace, preserving our father as he tried to traverse the violent blows of Marikina river last Saturday. Hundreds of people were stranded - vehicles can go as far as Katipunan and reaching Riverbanks, Marikina left the commuters no option but to walk and struggle against impetuous current that drove some people to the gushing direction of the flood toward Provident Village. He crossed the wide Marikina River along with hundreds of stranded people, hanging tightly to the rope that was tied from end-to-end of the bridge. It took our dad several hours to make it home - walking more than 15 kilometers - soaked in a smelly and muddy waters. He narrated how he went through it all that one stormy night.

Thanksgiving and glory and honor still be given to our Almighty God for the very purpose He had for allowing such event to happen. He is sovereign enough to be questioned for His reasons; merciful enough to make us overcome hurdles along the way; gracious enough to still give us second chances and much more chances to grow amidst difficulties and become more mature as we traverse this road of life according to His ways.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011