Immediate Responses & Temporary Solutions to Long-Term Problem

When I was in the Philippines a month ago, most of the Metro and the areas that I have went to look back to normal. The billboards are all up again on EdSA, everyone is back to work/school and there are not a lot of volunteer locations anymore since people have to go back to regular programming.

Ondoy was not in the news anymore or as much. Elections are coming up and so campaigning has begun and people are talking about political moves/hopes/worries. But from what I have seen, most things are back to normal again and I am actually hearing more news abroad about people helping than from people back at home.

So what now, Filipinos? Are we just going to provide temporary solutions to long-term problems? What can we do in order to be better prepared in the future?

Today is another opportunity to help our country

It's not about being recognized and acknowledged for one's efforts, but knowing that our small acts of kindness contribute to a larger act of love for our country.

I am constantly updating the links tabs on the right hand side of this blog. I hope that they are both useful and simple enough for you to easily determine what you need to know. The list continues to grow and  I appreciate your patience and contributions. Keep them coming!

Today is a great day to save someone's life!

Lighting a Candle in a Dark Room: Reflections from Last Night

Fr. Tony Ong celebrated mass at the Holy Trinity Chapel in Beaverton, OR last night at 7:30pm to gather the Filipino community in prayer and love for the victims of the recent Typhoon Ondoy that has devastated various cities in the Philippines. There was an estimate of 49 attendees who came and shared their sorrows upon the unexpected loss of their family members' livelihood and homes.

Despite having deep worries and concerns about loved ones affected by the disaster, the group also expressed hope and steadfast faith in the Lord as God will help us get through this unfortunate incident and provide strength and love in this difficult time. Mass goers at Holy Trinity Chapel last night was able to raise over $1,100 and chose to donate this amount to Ayala Foundation as the vehicle for cash donations.

Thank you to Fr. Tony for spiritually leading the group and allowing us to share our inmost thoughts and concerns about our loved ones back at home. Thank you also to Franz and Monette Mallari for organizing the mass and calling everyone to gather in prayer. Thank you to those who shared their thoughts and personal information about their loved ones back at home who were affected by typhoon Ondoy. Thank you to everyone who attended and donated what they could at the mass.

Although the disaster is devastating and heartbreaking, we should be reminded that we are not alone in our sufferings. As we share our happiness with God, we also share our sufferings with the Lord. We are not alone in our hurts, frustrations and fears. We gather as one community to help others in every possible way that we can by donating money, goods, time and support. Our strength lies in our love for our God, our country and each other. We need to show that love is present in our lives especially in times like this. We need to remind ourselves that we are not alone in this and that, by helping each other, we are manifesting God's love to those in need.