~'Washi all Away' by Missionary Kelley Dibble

Washi all Away

'Twas the weekend before Christmas
And all through the town
No one believed the Weather Man's frown

"The typhoon will come
It is on its way"
But no one believed
One word he did say

You've likely read the report(s) by now. I haven't yet. We were on Guam Island when like a thief in the night tropical storm Washi struck the island of Mindanao (not Luzon where we reside).

"Did you hear about the typhoon that struck Cagayan de Oro?"

Mindanao? I thought. On Mindanao? I thought they never get typhoons or tropical storms. But it was gravely true.

For three days they were warned. It won't affect us down here, they yawned, slapping the snooze button as they turned over on their mats. No one prepared, no one believed, no had one listened.

In a recent report by our district presbyter of Northern Mindanao is line after line of horrifying news. Most are five words divided by a comma. To you and I "house destroyed, all belongings damaged" are ink on paper, images on a screen. Just another report.

Iligan City (pronounced ill ee GONE)
Ramirez family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Caputol family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Gatin family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Bangcon Family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Maglasang family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Siarot family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Cadampog family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Apalla family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
L. Apalla family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Tutor family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
G. Tutor family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
A. Tutor family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Saa family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Actub family: belongings/clothes damaged
Canoy family: some belongings damaged
Abelardo family: belongings damaged
Englatiera family: clothes soaked with mud
Cobillo family: clothes/belongings soaked with mud

We don't see the faces,
nor feel the mud,
can't smell the mold
or hear the heartbreak.

The report concludes with:

Cagayan de Oro City (pronounced cah guy ON day OH row)
Rullida family: house destroyed, all belongings damaged
Quidet family: clothes/belongings soaked with mud

The church and parsonage were flooded and some belongings are damaged. We presently have no electricity.

The church has donated P7,000 for food assistance to those affected. Some of the brethren donated rice and canned goods.

If anyone is interested in helping, it is desperately needed and greatly appreciated. . . .

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is . . .

bright?

We hope to either go or send funds to help. That's the least we can do! Thank you for your prayers for these precious people.

- from the Blog http://kelleyhighway.blogspot.com/ written by Sis. Kelley Dibble, missionary to the Philippines and South Pacific.
Used with permission of the author.


*Note! Picture added by editor of this blog.