Typhoon Yolanda was a tragic and devastating act of nature.
To say that this disaster was anything less than hell on earth is an
understatement. The Philippines and the world are hurting and we want someone
to blame. We can blame the chaos unfolding on global warming, or the poverty in
the Philippines, or poor disaster management; but this is just talk. This is critical
analysis and this is numbers. When we are finished talking, the victims have
less water, less food and less hope.
Here in Cebu Filipinos are not talking, they are mobilizing.
Hundreds of volunteers are organizing and distributing donations to the
affected areas. Surges of more people
who want to help are spilling out of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development Offices. Instead of turning their hurt into blame and useless
criticisms, they are turning their hurt into action and service. Yesterday I
worked side by side with Filipinos who were frantically packing donations. The
helplessness I felt watching the news just a few hours earlier, turned into
hopefulness and purpose.
For many Peace Corps volunteers we have struggled to find
meaning and purpose behind our work here. We are often frustrated with the cultural
differences, complex populations and financial restrictions. Yolanda changed that.
Our purpose is clear. So let’s not talk, let’s move.
(For those who want to donate from abroad try the Red Cross or the World Food Programme.)
