Life after typhoon Ondoy

Philippines
October 14, 2009 9:57pm CST
Typhoon Ondoy is not the first disaster I encountered in my life but it gave me a deeper insight about life. Right after the flood, I realized that every material things I worked hard for for many years can be easily swept into nothings in just a few minutes. Many lives were lost, infrastructures were destroyed and I felt like I am starting from the scratch again. I feel like crying but I know I got to be strong...surely after all the things that happened to me and my family, something good awaits us in the end. I believe, that there is always a rainbow after the storm. I just have to think positive and never give up! So for all those people out there whose lives has been inflicted also by some disaster, with positive attitude, we can make it. Just do your best and pray always. I will pray also for my family and for all those others trying to get on their feet once again after the storm.
3 people like this
6 responses
@rsa101 (38115)
• Philippines
19 Oct 09
That is really true now is the time to be stronger than any other days. I would say I am one of the lucky few victims that were also hit but not that serious compared to others. The water rose quite fast but it did subsided also rather very fast as well. So the damage was not that much compared to many that really lose almost everything they have. In my case there are times that I feel sorry for myself but just by seeing the many that got even worse that mine I could not complain anymore because I still feel I am blessed to have survived the flood with no or almost no damage in my house except for some books and old pictures I have in the house. I consider myself a victim but still happy that all my loved ones are still with me. I could never complain anymore but be thankful.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
if there's one thing that this disaster taught me, that is, never fail to show your care for others because you'll never know when it is too late
• Philippines
18 Oct 09
Hello anneshirley, this trials will make us strong. God will not give us something that we can not handle and surpass. Good thing you have a positive outlook in life. Just keep on praying and soon you will be able to stand up again after the disaster. God bless
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
thank you!
@landi927 (657)
• China
15 Oct 09
I'm sorry to hear what you have experienced. And I'm so happy to know that you are getting over from this disaster and have a very good attitude to your life.I am not a person with too many stories. I even haven't experienced any big events in my life. But I do believe, there must be somebody in the world who are more tragic than me. If so, the bag thing happened to me is nothing.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
Though disaster strike us, I still believe I am more fortunate than others because we have means to start all over again unlike others who not only lost their properties but also lost their love ones.
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
16 Oct 09
hi anne. i am so sorry to hear that you are one that were affected by the recent disaster. i really cried watching tv news reports, those people who lost their loved ones, their homes, their source of income. i pity those people in the evacuation areas, those people lined-up for relief goods, begging for food. well, i hope this will end and no other disaster to come. i know we will survive, but not that soon. and trauma is in the people now. i hope you too will get up soon, just like what happened to those people near and affected by pinatubo's eruption in 1991.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
thank you so much, I still feel lucky that we did not end up in the evacuation center and I have a positive outlook that sooner, our life will be back to normal
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
15 Oct 09
So sorry to hear that you are one of the victims of Ondoy. But I admire your spirit dear! Right you are, for every storm there is a rainbow and surely God is already working on every bits and pieces to put back your whole life into good order again. Just trust God and don't lose hope. He always allow disaster to come into our lives for a reason and that reason is always for the good of those people who love God and are the called according to his purpose and for those who do not love God, disasters are meant to punish and to bring them into repentance. Yes sometimes we can not understand because God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and his ways are higher than our ways. But surely, for as long as our life is right with God and for as long as we know how to acknowledge our shortcomings and know how to repent and ask forgiveness God will always forgive and will allow the sun to shine again. God is just showing the people that we should not stop looking unto Him, and we should start seeking God and knowing God more and more instead of seeking for the material things which can perish in a blink of an eye. We should stop living for the world but we start living for Jesus from now on so that God will once more show his mercy and will allow us to build a new life after the storm. Here is a reading from the book of Psalms which can give you peace in the midst of this calamity: Psalm 46 verses 1-11 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah MAY YOU TRULY FIND PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THIS STORM THAT CAME INTO YOUR LIFE.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that verse you shared with me.
@calai618 (1773)
• Philippines
15 Oct 09
Glad there are people like you who is in that state of mind despite the incredible dissaster the two typhoons have given. I have a lot of friends and relatives who are still in trauma after what happened. some of them cry everytime it drizzles and when it rains hard, everyone panics. Children from my neighborhood suddenly got sick after the typhoon because of trauma too. My family is a victim too because we were flooded waist-deep for the first time. we are new to that so we didn't know what to do but luckily we have 3 floors in our house so there's less stress. though we were flooded, i still consider my family very lucky because there are a lot more people who suffered more than us. lives were lost and houses were suddenly gone. After the typhoon, i realized how unprepared we were wen such calamities come. i started panic buying and I can't deny that I am still very scared. Until now, I am still buying stuff we might need if that type of situation comes again (God forbid). I have been completing my first aid kits and survival kits and I am now in the process of looking for life boats and life jackets. I believe that there is no such thing as "overprepared" so i am trying to do everything that i can. it's never too late.Most importantly, I am glad a lot of people are going back to their faith. there was this one streamer i read in Marikina which says, "we lost 4 million assets but we gain 10 million more faith" or something to that effect..very very true. though it is sad that some only pray when there are negative things happening, it is still good to know that people still recognize the higher being. like i said, it is never too late.. God bless all of us and God bless the Philippines!!!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
6 Nov 09
I do agree with you that there is no such thing as being "overprepared" and about that line "we lost millions of assets but gained billions of faith", I do believe in it. Because though our church here is flooded, many people still attend the mass even if they have to stand on flooded water for one hour.