Have you ever experienced feeling wrecked because of a calamity, an earthquake or a typhoon perhaps? Have you ever questioned God about his purpose for giving you trials?
Well, if you do and you still managed to survive until this point, you're blessed.
Blessed are you who are tested. Lucky are thou who are not.
And great are those who recognize their blessings.
It had been almost a week now since the typhoon Ondoy hit Metro Manila and other nearby areas. But the aftermath of the situation seem to cause a deafening echo. We are lucky for we were able to reach our shelter soon before the storm caused us harm. My mother happen to go to Baclaran then when the typhoon cause floods in the area where she is. She was stranded in the Coastal Road for a number of hours due to the high flood water level. The idea of my mother being stranded is fatal. In addition, my sister sent me a message that she would be staying at work because no vehicles could pass the route she normally takes to reach our boarding house. She said that she's just fine and is even worried about me. I, however had this little adventure in reaching our boarding house. But that would be a different story.
Luckily, all went well. I reached home at around 7 pm the day the storm hit Metro Manila hard. My father texted me that my mother reached home at 6 in the morning. My sister arrived late in the afternoon the next day. While watching the news on what were happening then, we have seen how others had been really devastated by the typhoon. How bad they felt to loose their home and worst their loved ones. It pains me to see their sufferings. While I sit comfortably at the receiving area of our b-house, others are expressing pleas for help.. others are even mourning. I felt that I should be moving. I felt the urge to help and to do something.
It was around Tuesday then when a co-teacher of mine (Mam Mel) appealed to consider becoming a volunteer. My response is fast and positive. I am agitated by the thought of helping. My blood seem to rise to my head and my heart seem to pound harder than usual. I call the feeling "the urge". The volunteer work was set to start the following morning. Unfortunately, my body seem to be complaining that am. I really felt weak and my head seem to be turning. Perhaps its because I stayed late and my body still needed rest. That was it. I had to decide. I informed them that I can no longer join. And I felt sad about it. That same morning, an initiative has been made by a housemate of ours. They will be going to the National Head Quarters of the Red Cross of the Philippines. I said I will be joining them so as to fulfill my calling. For some reasons, I was not also able to join them...
I seem to be not really into this. Perhaps, it might not be the right time. yet.. When they returned a few hours later, they brought news about being re-scheduled. They said that they were told to come back on Thursday. That was it. I was not able to contribute anything and I don't feel good about it. The days passed with me doing a little of this and that. When Thursday pm came, a housemate invited me to join the lot who were already serving at the Red Cross. I, on the other hand am simply doing some blog entries and sending messages to my students on how they could extend help to their fellow PNUans who were affected by the typhoon. I did not know that one of my housemates is not yet at Red Cross. When he arrived, he asked me to join them. I gave little reasons this and that but he still managed to convince me to join the group... And that was the start of the beautiful experience...
We arrived at the Red Cross Head Quarters at around 10 pm. I saw how sweaty most of them are. I felt that I would be like them sooner-sweaty and tired. We saw that some of our housemates who participated in the Volunteer Work were already busy doing tasks we are not acquainted of. Before joining them, I hesitated for I considered the thought that I should register first before I would be allowed to work. But luckily, I managed to do both - register and start working. At first, we were hesitant to do a thing. We don't know anything and we might do something that would not be desirable. So we looked for somebody who could give us instructions. Then, we were given instructions. Since I am not yet registered, I have to do that first. I was instructed to go to the third floor to do it. I managed to register fast. My companion on the other hand started sooner. Soon after, I managed to do simple tasks. I observed for some time (around 2 minutes) and was able to learn how things were going. It's like a simple routine of doing this and that. Repacking goods and carrying them at some specific areas.
Everywhere I look, I see youths working. Some were resting but they definitely did work. I really am inspired by the idea of becoming a volunteer. I saw how they managed to stay late to do those routine tasks for the victims of the calamity. We were like happy factory workers. LOL. I managed to meet a number of the youths, chat with them, mingle with them and do tasks with them. All along, I never dared ask questions as to who they are or where were they studying. Instead, we talked about how to do things. How to help catalyze the process of repacking. As I observe them do their tasks, I managed to come up with ideas of speeding up their process of doing things. For instance, canned goods and noodles in a plastic had to be removed before putting the plastic of rice. The canned goods and noodles would be picked up again and would be placed in the plastic with the plastic of rice. I thought that instead of removing the goods from the plastic, we should instead use the plastic to transfer the canned goods and noodles to the plastic with rice. I showed them how to do it and they believed that it was a lot better. and that was a plus point.
All the time I was there, I managed to do a lot - an efficient worker. I considered the ticking time as precious. They called for a break for some time and foods were distributed. I hesitated to taste the food and chose to drink water instead because I know that I am a volunteer and I should not be receiving much for doing things. In addition, I had a heavy meal and I am not hungry at that time. Had I been, I could have taken a sandwich or two (or perhaps a siopao).. LOLs.. Part of our group - the SRC group who arrived earlier than us decided to go. They did. We decided to be left since we still have not complied to what we felt would be considered as minimum hours of service. My companion said that we should be there until 1 in the morning since he would still be working by 8 am. When 1 am came, he said that we should leave. But I felt that I could still do more. I decided to be left and so he went home alone. I enjoyed being alone. I managed to be able to mingle with other groups and was able to exchange smiles with the rest of the volunteers. I felt happy and I felt that my heart is into it. Not so much of thinking but more of actions and work. hahaha.. Unfortunately, all the goods had been packed fast. hehe. They said that that night had been a fruitful one. If I am not mistaken, more than 5 000 packs of goods had been made. gee... a record indeed. haha...
When all had been done, I still did not leave. I expected for more work to do. We engaged in a motivaional activity - the break clap. It was fun... We also had that when we were in SRC last 2007. I know that I am not so good in break claps... Actually, most of the activities that involve bodily kinestetics. But I managed to enjoy it. I asked one of the leaders if there would be something more to do. But she said that there was none left for the mean time. I decided to go home for I felt a little awkward knowing that most of them went there in groups and I was left without any acquaintance. That eneded my memorable experience of becoming a certified volunteer. The experience is worthy and is really worth doing again.
Well, if you do and you still managed to survive until this point, you're blessed.
Blessed are you who are tested. Lucky are thou who are not.
And great are those who recognize their blessings.
It had been almost a week now since the typhoon Ondoy hit Metro Manila and other nearby areas. But the aftermath of the situation seem to cause a deafening echo. We are lucky for we were able to reach our shelter soon before the storm caused us harm. My mother happen to go to Baclaran then when the typhoon cause floods in the area where she is. She was stranded in the Coastal Road for a number of hours due to the high flood water level. The idea of my mother being stranded is fatal. In addition, my sister sent me a message that she would be staying at work because no vehicles could pass the route she normally takes to reach our boarding house. She said that she's just fine and is even worried about me. I, however had this little adventure in reaching our boarding house. But that would be a different story.
Luckily, all went well. I reached home at around 7 pm the day the storm hit Metro Manila hard. My father texted me that my mother reached home at 6 in the morning. My sister arrived late in the afternoon the next day. While watching the news on what were happening then, we have seen how others had been really devastated by the typhoon. How bad they felt to loose their home and worst their loved ones. It pains me to see their sufferings. While I sit comfortably at the receiving area of our b-house, others are expressing pleas for help.. others are even mourning. I felt that I should be moving. I felt the urge to help and to do something.
It was around Tuesday then when a co-teacher of mine (Mam Mel) appealed to consider becoming a volunteer. My response is fast and positive. I am agitated by the thought of helping. My blood seem to rise to my head and my heart seem to pound harder than usual. I call the feeling "the urge". The volunteer work was set to start the following morning. Unfortunately, my body seem to be complaining that am. I really felt weak and my head seem to be turning. Perhaps its because I stayed late and my body still needed rest. That was it. I had to decide. I informed them that I can no longer join. And I felt sad about it. That same morning, an initiative has been made by a housemate of ours. They will be going to the National Head Quarters of the Red Cross of the Philippines. I said I will be joining them so as to fulfill my calling. For some reasons, I was not also able to join them...
Sigh...
I seem to be not really into this. Perhaps, it might not be the right time. yet.. When they returned a few hours later, they brought news about being re-scheduled. They said that they were told to come back on Thursday. That was it. I was not able to contribute anything and I don't feel good about it. The days passed with me doing a little of this and that. When Thursday pm came, a housemate invited me to join the lot who were already serving at the Red Cross. I, on the other hand am simply doing some blog entries and sending messages to my students on how they could extend help to their fellow PNUans who were affected by the typhoon. I did not know that one of my housemates is not yet at Red Cross. When he arrived, he asked me to join them. I gave little reasons this and that but he still managed to convince me to join the group... And that was the start of the beautiful experience...
We arrived at the Red Cross Head Quarters at around 10 pm. I saw how sweaty most of them are. I felt that I would be like them sooner-sweaty and tired. We saw that some of our housemates who participated in the Volunteer Work were already busy doing tasks we are not acquainted of. Before joining them, I hesitated for I considered the thought that I should register first before I would be allowed to work. But luckily, I managed to do both - register and start working. At first, we were hesitant to do a thing. We don't know anything and we might do something that would not be desirable. So we looked for somebody who could give us instructions. Then, we were given instructions. Since I am not yet registered, I have to do that first. I was instructed to go to the third floor to do it. I managed to register fast. My companion on the other hand started sooner. Soon after, I managed to do simple tasks. I observed for some time (around 2 minutes) and was able to learn how things were going. It's like a simple routine of doing this and that. Repacking goods and carrying them at some specific areas.
Everywhere I look, I see youths working. Some were resting but they definitely did work. I really am inspired by the idea of becoming a volunteer. I saw how they managed to stay late to do those routine tasks for the victims of the calamity. We were like happy factory workers. LOL. I managed to meet a number of the youths, chat with them, mingle with them and do tasks with them. All along, I never dared ask questions as to who they are or where were they studying. Instead, we talked about how to do things. How to help catalyze the process of repacking. As I observe them do their tasks, I managed to come up with ideas of speeding up their process of doing things. For instance, canned goods and noodles in a plastic had to be removed before putting the plastic of rice. The canned goods and noodles would be picked up again and would be placed in the plastic with the plastic of rice. I thought that instead of removing the goods from the plastic, we should instead use the plastic to transfer the canned goods and noodles to the plastic with rice. I showed them how to do it and they believed that it was a lot better. and that was a plus point.
All the time I was there, I managed to do a lot - an efficient worker. I considered the ticking time as precious. They called for a break for some time and foods were distributed. I hesitated to taste the food and chose to drink water instead because I know that I am a volunteer and I should not be receiving much for doing things. In addition, I had a heavy meal and I am not hungry at that time. Had I been, I could have taken a sandwich or two (or perhaps a siopao).. LOLs.. Part of our group - the SRC group who arrived earlier than us decided to go. They did. We decided to be left since we still have not complied to what we felt would be considered as minimum hours of service. My companion said that we should be there until 1 in the morning since he would still be working by 8 am. When 1 am came, he said that we should leave. But I felt that I could still do more. I decided to be left and so he went home alone. I enjoyed being alone. I managed to be able to mingle with other groups and was able to exchange smiles with the rest of the volunteers. I felt happy and I felt that my heart is into it. Not so much of thinking but more of actions and work. hahaha.. Unfortunately, all the goods had been packed fast. hehe. They said that that night had been a fruitful one. If I am not mistaken, more than 5 000 packs of goods had been made. gee... a record indeed. haha...
When all had been done, I still did not leave. I expected for more work to do. We engaged in a motivaional activity - the break clap. It was fun... We also had that when we were in SRC last 2007. I know that I am not so good in break claps... Actually, most of the activities that involve bodily kinestetics. But I managed to enjoy it. I asked one of the leaders if there would be something more to do. But she said that there was none left for the mean time. I decided to go home for I felt a little awkward knowing that most of them went there in groups and I was left without any acquaintance. That eneded my memorable experience of becoming a certified volunteer. The experience is worthy and is really worth doing again.
I got swety, I know... I got stinky... aww.. But I am certain that I was able to help.. In my own little ways...
