Storm stories....

Storm stories.....


This morning this letter was among my inbox emails....from the organization, Walk Through the Bible.....what determination, faith...of our brothers and sisters in areas affected by various storms....I am sure we could hear similar stories of the victims of the tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, all over the world...some aren't alive here to tell their story...they didn't make it through the earthly disaster....but went Home instead....  

The storms of our lives come in different shapes, sizes, events....wind, disease...water....people...other natural disasters ......they are traumatic, life changing.....mind altering......

They teach us different life lessons.....we pray for help, recovery...peace...and the answers come in different forms, some we want and others, not....we usually want it our way, wrapped up in a neat little package...

I know that God uses every life storm for our good, even though at the time we may not see it..and it may be a very long time before we see the good...there are events on my life, I am still looking for the good....but I cling to that promise....I don't see the whole picture.....like God....I just have to trust and love God, and hope.....


Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:28-29
New International Version (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.


We Sang Hymns of Worship

A Story of Survival in the Philippines

Thank you for praying with us for our Walk Thru the Bible family in the Philippines. We are beyond grateful to know that our national director, Federico Primavera Tancongco (Fetan), and his family are safe. Fetan sent us this incredible story of survival several days after Typhoon Haiyan hit his home.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. There has always been this informal brotherhood between Filipinos and Americans. It comes up from time to time. The US government and US based NGOs were on the ground even before the typhoon hit.

The impact of the disaster is mind boggling. We are all waiting for news of our relatives some of whom just survived a 7.2 earthquake last month in Bohol.

I empathize with the victims. In 2009, when Typhoon Ondoy slammed into MetroManila, I had to leave my car in Makati and walk through 10km of waist deep and chest deep waters to get to my family. Our subdivision was already in neck deep waters and I had to climb up and through our second floor window. The storm was raging fast and I calculated that our three story townhouse would be underwater in three hours. We went to the roof to survey our options. We cut sheets of blanket to fashion rope to guide us across to a 5 story condominium on the other side of the street. We sang hymns of worship as we prepared the rope. The road we had to cross was a raging river of debris and floating trash. Before I crossed to tie the other end of the road to the condo building on the other side, we prayed and said good bye to each other and I told my kids that if I did not make it, never ever to blame God, that it doesn't matter how we die, each one is doorway to glory.

One by one I ferried my wife, Dell, three kids and two house helps at the very height of the storm in almost pitch black darkness, howling winds, and fighting the current, all the while afraid that cramps might overcome me after walking 10kms.

I had no idea that people from the all over our street and those trapped on the branches of a nearby mango tree were watching us as we crossed. After my family was safely across, someone shouted, "Attorney! please help us!" I fixed my flashlight where the voice was coming from, there were 15 people on the roof of a bungalow next to our townhouse. I swam back to transfer the other end of the rope to tie it closer to them. One by one I ferried my neighbors. By now the water was 16 feet deep and at the level of the electric wires. I used the rope to guide me as I swam backwards so as not to drink the floodwaters. When I was ferrying a pregnant woman a cockroach crawled up my face. I could not let go of the woman or of the rope and finish the job. Others called out to me. I had to give a hacksaw to a friend who was trapped by their iron grills at the second story of their house. (I keep tools and emergency equipment underneath our bed). A neighbor who had given birth 5 days earlier was trapped with them. They were able to cut themselves free. All told I ferried 25 of our neighbors. (Most manila dwellers do not know how to swim and were afraid to help. A retired military man got home from security guard work and was able to help me after the 21st save.) Because of adrenaline I did not realize that I had a lot of cuts from the debris that was hitting me. We all slept sitting in the staircase of the 5 story condo.

The storm stopped after four hours. Some 4 people died in the surrounding subdivision, mostly trapped inside homes.

When the water started to subside to 10 feet we returned home. My sister sent a rescue team. As Dell put on her shoe to leave with the rescuers, her foot felt something inside her shoe. She pulled out a sleeping live snake! she screamed and threw it across the room. In our trip out of the village my son's inflatable raft capsized but recovered.

A friend who was in New York lent their house to us. After getting dried up my sons went to the nearest church to help pack relief goods. All this time I saved my cell phone battery wrapped in vacuum packs and saving it to send text messages at top of the hour. I sent an email to our relatives in US, Canada and France to tell the whole story and to assure them that we were safe. Unknown to me one of my sisters shared my story with her news organization. The editor decided to people to vet the story. While I was at a hardware depot getting stuff to fix my house, I saw a magazine on the typhoon. I decided to get one for memento for my children. As I was reading it while lining up to pay. I saw our story. I called my sister to scold her. Looking back I shouldn't have. That story opened doors for me lead others to the Lord.

But, my experience is nothing compared to the stories we are getting because of Storm Yolanda .(Philippine name for the recent typhoon, which according to CNN was 3x the force of Typhoon Katrina.)

My family is volunteering to help Operation Blessing, a Christian relief organization, pack care packages.

We are tracking down WorldTeachers who may be affected. Communication and power is down.

Thank your government and your people for being always the first to assist us. Thank you for your prayers. Continue praying.

In His Grip, Always.