by Crislyn Felisilda, Field Communications Specialist, WV Philippines
The holiday star decors (local term parol), Christmas wreaths, and glowing lanterns of various colors, shapes and sizes illuminated the Upper Balulang streets to usher the feeling of the season to at least 300 temporarily sheltered families from the hard-hit village of Puntod.
“I used to feel excited during Christmas because it’s my birthday too but not this year anymore,” Rosemarie regrets after her mom explained that they’ll be celebrating Christmas at the evacuation center.
The Upper Balulang covered court is among the 10 evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro after Typhoon Washi (local name Sendong) displaced more than 30,000 residents in the city. “The flood took away all our belongings, our home,” Rosemarie laments.
Living at the evacuation center gave Rosemarie and other children long sleepless nights. “It’s noisy and we only slept on a hard cardboard. We feel back pains in the morning,” complains Rosemarie.
While she had many friends at the evacuation center, she explains that most of the evacuees want to spend Christmas in their homes because it’s happier there. “Normally, my mom cooks our favorite biko (sweetened sticky rice) and pancit (noodles) during this special day,” Rosemarie delectably recounts as she stares blank into space for a few moments.
Though faced with the bleak aftermath of the storm, Rosmarie still remains optimistic and finds a reason to keep smiling. You can help other young survivors such as Rosmarie! http://bit.ly/helpsurvivors
Despite the difficult circumstance, Rosemarie believes that whatever they need, God will provide. “That’s what my Lola Nila (grandmother) told me and Lola was right,” she said confidently, adding that she and other evacuees appreciated the relief packs provided by World Vision.
Rosemarie, along with more than 200 families received much needed relief packs to assist them on the road to recovery. Send your help now!
World Vision distribute food, non-food, water and hygiene kits to the displaced families and targets to reach out to 10,000 families more in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. A Child Friendly Space will also be set to provide psychosocial support to the hundreds children who experienced the disaster. Providing educational assistance such as school supplies are also looked into as most of the children's learning materials were washed out or damaged beyond repair.
Asked what Rosemarie's wish for her birthday, she answers brimming with delight, “God already gave me an advance birthday and Christmas gift. He protected us from the horrible flood,” Rosemarie vividly grateful as she shares why. Our family was able to climb the mango tree before the rampaging flood mercilessly destroyed our house.
“I held my other five younger siblings tight so that we won’t fall from the tree,” she recalls. Rosemarie and her family have yet to determine how they will celebrate Christmas and her 14th birthday in one occasion.
“In the end, it doesn’t matter where we are as long as we’re together," she confidently wraps.
You can bring Christmas joy to families such as Rosmarie's. Send your help now!
