“Open the door to Jesus” - News Updates - Montfort Missionaries Philippines

A powerful typhoon hit the Philippines last Friday November 8, 2013. Less than a month after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Visayas region, again the people of the Visayas experienced another calamity, a super typhoon with a local name “Yolanda” which is now considered as the world’s most powerful typhoon this year. Four days before it hit the country the government agencies warned the people of the impending danger that the super typhoon might bring to lives and properties.
The typhoon headed towards Samar, Leyte, North of Cebu (Daang Bantayan and Bantayan Island), Capiz, Aklan and Palawan before it left the Philippine territory. Though the Postulancy and Mission Community house is situated south of Cebu and was not directly hit by the typhoon the entire province was put under storm signal number 3. Works and classes were suspended and people were advised to go to safer places for shelter. At the back of our Mission and Postulancy House in Minglanilla, Cebu, there are many houses built along the coastal line.
Last Thursday November 7, 2013 our neighbors asked us if it is possible for them to stay in our house for safety. Reminded of the words of our holy founder Father de Montfort in Dinan, “Open the door to Jesus”, our community decided to open the door to our brothers and sisters who are in need of God’s protection and care at this time of natural calamity. In the afternoon of the same day, the postulants and the SMM Mission Team were busy preparing the ground floor of the house (session hall, half of the chapel, corridors) to be used by the evacuees. They also prepared food (dinner) for the people. At around 5:30 p.m. they started arriving in the mission house carrying their children, the sick and the old people. When everyone was settled, we all gathered around the image of Our Lady of the Way situated inside the house (center) and together prayed the Holy Rosary. After the prayer, dinner was served. That night we begun to feel the wrath of the typhoon. In the morning of the following day, November 8, 2013, we didn’t have power supply anymore. As early as 5 a.m., we were already preparing the food to be served for breakfast. After our morning prayer we had the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with them inside the chapel, then breakfast was served. After the breakfast, potable water, rice, canned goods and noodles were delivered at the mission house. It came from our neighbors who are well off and from the Baranggay (Local Government Unit) upon learning that we were accommodating 22 families. Some of them came to the house to help in the preparation and cooking. At around 10 a.m. we experienced strong wind that destroyed a portion of the roof of our house (center), so the water entered into the house, especially in the second floor, going down to the ground floor. This lasted for almost four hours. The good thing was that it did not bring much rain because if it did, the ground floor where we accommodated the people will be flooded. In the evening, before supper, we prayed together the rosary. Late that night, the electric power was restored. The following day November 9, 2013, was a new life and a new beginning for everybody. People went home praising God for His Protection. We thank God for the opportunity to be instruments of His love and care for His people, especially the poor and the sick. We thank Him especially for the grace to work together as one community, to be ready and available to give oneself for the good of others, to proclaim the Reign of God in the midst of uncertainty and fear, and to do everything in, for, to and with Mary for the Glory of GOD ALONE!
As of this time there is still no communication and power supply in the hard hit areas and most of them are isolated. Part of those hard hit places are our former mission areas: North of Cebu (Kinatarcan Island, Bantayan Island, Madridejos, Gibitngil Island and Kawit). After several attempts to contact them, it is only today, November 10, 2013, that we received information from these areas. The initial information we’ve got is that almost 90% of the houses were destroyed and that people have nothing to eat and drink anymore, and they are appealing for help. They cannot go fishing because their boats and nets were destroyed.
One of the hardest hit provinces is Leyte wherein the family of Fr. Roy Millano, SMM lives. We are trying to contact them but as of this time there is no communication system available. In the province of Capiz the families of Fr. Norwyn, SMM and Fr. Rey, SMM were affected while the house of our scholastic Bro. Ronald Baruela, SMM is totally damaged. With God’s grace and help from generous hearts, the people of the Visayas region are hoping to rise again from this experience with faith, hope and love for the glory of GOD ALONE!

-Bro. Federick B. Yumang, SMM


      

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