Sendong was coming to town

Sendong was coming to town

By: Ernilda Lalaine S. Uy

Before the year ended in 2011, the Philippines experienced a massive disaster which caused by the typhoon Sendong which hits in Northern Mindanao, the Visayas and Palawan. According to the news, it was stated that Sendong brought more than a month of average rainfall within 12 hours. It happened during December 17 and it was 2 in the morning where the flood starts to climb in the whole city. Many house and families was destroyed, Many people died, and their source of living were all gone.

During that time, I was peacefully sleeping and having some rest in my own bed, the feeling that the Christmas is near, I was excited to my plans and hang outs for the coming day, while those families was currently in the middle of their tragic death praying to still have hopes to survive. When I heard the news the next morning, I was exhausted and felt guilty to what I am experienced versus to what they’ve experienced. I can’t even imagine seeing our neighborhood’s roof like a paper that will stumble due to the strong wind and heavy rain, when actually in Mindanao, one of the house in the city was carried by the flood.

In our country, we have been experiencing several calamities that really test our hopes and belief in God. To what happened, I’ve realized that the country must prepare to avoid for more further accidents. I've prepared some things to do when there is a typhoon or any calamity the may come, some of my guidelines where learned by reading some newspaper, internet, and journals which they tackle about the different suggestions and tips in order to survive when a tragic typhoon comes. When we heard that we’ll be experiencing calamity in our country, especially when your city is one of the targets, we tend to panic during or before the disaster. For some, they get harmed not because of the typhoon, but because of our carelessness. We should remember that when it happens, we should calm down, that, will I guess we’ll avoid further tragic that can happen. In some cases like having strong winds, we should check the possible flying objects such as light metals, woods and other dangerous things that could harm us. Sometimes, typhoons stay for long hours to recover or to stop, and we could experience extreme hunger, we should bring extra food and some clothes. It is necessary to indicate those because sometimes we need to leave our house and be asked by the rescue to be on the evacuation area. It is a common sense, on my opinion, that we should stay away from those areas like beaches, tides can go higher and can destroy surroundings or any other infrastructure. And as a Christian, or any religion would have, we should also pray for ourselves and families that whatever happen, in the end of the day, you and your family are complete and hope that everyone will survive to the calamity also for the tragedy to be ended. These things would not be save you from any harm, but for me, with this way, this could possibly help you in surviving from the calling of death. In addition, according to Matthew 24:22; when distress and anguish cometh upon you; as they did at that time with a witness, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans: what with the sword of the enemy without, and the famine within; together with the vast number of cutthroats and seditious persons among themselves; it was such a time of distress and tribulation as never was from the beginning of the world, nor ever will be.

This should be a good lesson for all of us working towards a better world. I guess to what happened for some people who had died, especially for those ones who helped to save others but still they ended up killed in the tragedy, was resigned to the fact that they were going to be die. They got enough time to think of their love ones, people who have faced the life without fear whatever the consequences of death, was a good people who was content and appreciative of the life they had. Rest in peace to all the victims and more blessed life to have for those who survived during those terrible days.