Typhoon Odette 2021!

On December 16, 2021, we evacuated from our humble house to our Church building. Our church leaders announced already days ago that all members in the Lahug ward will evacuate to the chapel because of a strong typhoon coming, it's typhoon Odette. We live at the riverside and landslides are possible, we immediately prepared to evacuate and go to the evacuation centre made by our church leaders which are in the chapel.

It was raining on December 16, after we had lunch, we left, and our whole family was picked up here by the car of our colleague from the church.

When we arrived at the chapel, the rescuers were already there preparing and welcoming the people who were coming. We were the first family to come there. At 7 p.m., the strong wind started, until about 9 o'clock it was so strong.

I was trembling with fear, I was really afraid of what I was hearing outside, the wind was so strong, the sound of the wind mixed with the sound of yero(roof) flying outside. It was like nature was angry, the wind was really strong, and it was the first time in my life that I witnessed such a strong wind. The wind is stronger than the rain.

It took a long time before the strong wind was over, and I can't sleep. I'm thinking about my family in Bohol, our house there is just a hut and it's very old, I'm thinking about our house here if we can still go home the next day because my parent's inlaw's house is an old house and it's not concrete.

Our imagination including my inlaws and hubby's imagination is so far away hahaha. We imagined that the roof of the house had flown away and whatever we had in mind. I think after midnight the wind calmed down so I fell asleep.

The next day December 17, 2022, before breakfast, my father and brother in laws came home with hubby and they checked our house to see how it was.

They came back for a long time, it was lunchtime, when they came back they smiled and said that there was no damage to our house but there were a lot of leaves entering our house. They said it took them a long time because it was difficult for them to get on the road because of the fallen trees and electricity poles in the middle of the road, but it's a good thing they were able to get through on a motorcycle.

We were really happy to hear that news so we immediately went home and started cleaning and that's when we started without water and electricity. It took a month before our electricity and water were restored here.

It's a miracle, the Lord covered our house so it wouldn't be damaged. We prayed then and God's promise is true that if we are faithful and continue to be honest and faithful to him, he will not abandon us in times of calamity. We are not perfect disciples of Jesus Christ but we are striving every day.