Child’s faith

A child’s mind never fails to amaze me.  They have the most authentic, spontaneous, innocent and worry-free mind.

I’d proven it so many times with different children I talked with. My recent personal experience with a child who amused me was when I met a two-year-old Baby Girl. I met her during the community-based Child Friendly Space (CFS) of World Vision.

CFS isa pyscho-social intervention for children in emergencies. It is a five-day activity, an-hour every day, for children to release their fears and to share their dreams and survivor stories from the devastation they experienced.

The baby girl who I met, just like so many other children, was so bubbly. Her facial expressions were so animated. Listening and talking with her bring amusement. 

While she was with her friends, at her age, shared their dreams and experiences during and after Typhoon Sendong (International name: Washi), I overheard her saying, “Tagaan man mi ug balay ni Lord,” (Lord will give us a house). 

I was so stunned with what and how she said it. She said it full of guts and faith. She doesn't have any doubt on the way she said it.

Out of my amusement and curiosity with what I heard,  I went closer to their group and talked with them. It was then that I found out that baby girl's family is one of the many displaced families. Their house was swept away by the heavy flooding brought by Typhoon Sendong. 

When asked where their house was, she said, “Nahimong suba among balay,” (Our house became part of the river). I asked her where their house is located, and Baby Girl stood up and raised her right hand pointing it to where the river is located.

I followed the direction of her hand, and saw the devastation. It is like a ghost village with big rocks, logs, an old acacia tree and debris. There was, not even a house still standing. 

Baby Girl used to live in Tibasak, Macasandig, a place in Cagayan de Oro City, in the southern part of the Philippines, where most people used to live. It was once a huge community but unfortunately those people living there are now displaced, living in the evacuation centres. A lot of people are dead and others are still missing.

I asked the baby girl where she temporarily lives. She held my hand and accompanied me to their house.  She welcomed me to the covered court with the entire family.  She lives in a very small makeshift house. The walls are made from used sacks and used blankets. I assume those were from donated relief goods given to her family. “This is our home,” she says. 

When asked where she wants to live Baby Girl says, “Gusto ko sa bukid among balay,” (I want our house to be at the top of the  mountain).

I was teary-eyed listening to her. At young as she is, the baby girl knows what she wants and knows where she and her family can live safely.

She knew what happened to her and her family.  But she doesn't have any worries as she has a strong faith and believes that in time they can be sleeping in a safer place with no flooding to wake her up.

The baby girl taught me to sometimes think like a kid, with no worries, no doubts and just to have a strong faith; just like a child’s faith.


Thanks Baby Girl for the inspiration you bring. You blessed me, truly.

One-of-a-kind Christmas Season!

Two months ago, I thought of spending a lone and solemn Christmas getaway in a place where I don’t know anyone as I want to experience and feel a lonely and painful Christmas season. 


I want it to be away from friends and even from family members  to personally  experience the ‘not-the-usual’ Filipino Christmas season.  As we traditionally spend our Christmas season  catching up with our loved ones especially during  our traditional early morning Misa de Gallo, Noche Buena, and  Media Noche. 

I know this plan sounds weird but doing it would answer the curiosities I have on my mind. The curiosities of how it is for people who don’t have the choice but to spend Christmas season alone, just like prisoners sleeping behind the cold bars and Overseas Filipino Workers who are tied up with their contracts abroad.

I want to be in the shoes of the prisoners and/or   OFWs who are spending the anticipated Christmas celebration without their loved ones.

After two months, December came, a killer Typhoon Sendong (International name: Washi) hit my hometown of Cagayan de Oro and the town of Iligan.

Typhoon Sendong left us with devastation. It left us thousands of homeless, thousands of missing and killed thousands of people. Even my relatives and friends were affected- my grandparents were missing for more than ten hours, my friend's family member died and my neighbor  including her children are  missing until know.

With the devastation, my Christmas getaway plan was totally shifted and twisted. It is a time to mourn and a time to respond.

No one can argue. It is a call of duty. The organization is having a relief operation in time for Christmas season. 

I cancelled my Christmas getaway plan and preferred to be in relief operation mode. My entire Christmas season was spent in  a relief operations. I was hooked with a busy schedule capturing stories and do media engagements. The deadlines, early morning wake up calls, late night sleeps and  travels around the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan made me so exhausted but I never regret of doing it as I find fulfillment in doing community service.

And since, my plan is to spend a lonesome and painful Christmas season, I decided to spend my Christmas and New's Eve countdowns at the evacuation center to complete the experience and to clear the curiosities I have on my mind.

Christmas Eve

I can never forget my experience of spending my Christmas Eve in the evacuation center of Macasandig. I was with my photographer friend Dustein Sibug at the evacuation center starting at 11:00 evening. up until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.

Just like Jesus who born in the manger, Typhoon Sendong affected children and families celebrated Christmas at a congested evacuation center, it is for me a new version of a manger.

There were no foods on the tables, as they don’t even have tables, All of them are just sleeping in the cold floor using recycled karton (boxes).  Most don't even have blankets and pillow. It was not a comfortable sleep. It was not an ordinary Christmas that Filipinos traditionally celebrate.

Christmas Eve in Macasandig evacuation center

 It was a silent Christmas Eve for almost everyone at the evacuation center as some didn’t just simply lost their homes, but they struggled for their lives and even lost family member/s and even have family member/s that are still missing until now.

Seeing them in a congested evacuation center with photos of missing people posted around the wall, and hearing survivors sharing to their fellow survivors how they survived are heartbreaking scenes that I can’t take for long.

What I saw broke my heart.  I can even notice and observe with my five senses how painful it is to celebrate Christmas when you were left with nothing.

If I am on the shoes of these evacuees, forbid it to happen, the feeling  is  more than spending Christmas season behind the cold bars of the jail and OFWs who are tied up with their contracts abroad. It was much more than the pain I anticipated to experience.

Dustein  and I were walking around, then we saw children playing with firecrackers. We went near them and listened to their stories.

Everyone, Dustein, me and the children, were standing at the tennis court. And there was a silent boy who caught our attention. He was Almir.  The 12-year-old  Almir survived from the strong flood waters that swept him away but he unfortunately his 6-years-old brother Axel is still missing until now.

Armil lives in Cala-cala, the hardest hit place where all houses in their neighborhood were literally washed out and where most people died and still missing. Armil’s narration is heartbreaking and painful that I can even hardly take.

This is Almir. Thanks Dustein Sibug for the photo.

Here is Almir’s story:

“I lost my brother at the fourth bridge (in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City) while were struggling to survive. My brother was holding me tightly, with his shoulders around my neck, but unfortunately my brother drifted because of the big waves, as big as the houses hit us.

 The last word I heard from my brother was when I asked him if he is still fine. Then he answered that he was already tired,” Almir narrates.

Almir was teary-eyed narrating his story. I can totally feel the guilt and helplessness that he is going thru. Almir is confused. He is trying to convince himself that he won't be able to see his younger brother anymore and the thought that what if his brother survived and is now safe from what they went through.  Almir, as the eldest, takes care of his other brother Alexander, 9, who fortunately survived from the devastation. Both live with their Aunties since their parents broke up.

Spending my Christmas Eve at the evacuation center is unforgettable. The pain is much more than what I anticipated to experience. Seeing and hearing those I just shared is I guess, more than the prisoners and OFWs feeling of spending Christmas alone.  

And New Year’s Eve came. 

As I wish to complete the experience, I spent my New Year's countdown at the evacuation center again while my family is happily welcoming New Year at home. 


When arrived at the evacuation center, I was seeing families having a small media noche but most of the evacuees just slept with it.

I was looking for a place and  was sitting on the bench while tweeting what I saw and observed. It was still a silent night for the evacuees, just like how they spent their Christmas Eve but it is better than what I witnessed during Christmas Eve.  


I am so inspired and touched to hear everyone at the evacuation center greeting a 'Happy New Year'.  I totally seen hope there, and it was infectious.

While I was busy observing everyone, I saw a child eating her media noche - a biscuits with milk in the glass-  alone while everyone in her family were watching firecrackers and fireworks outside the evacuation center. 


I went near her and conversed with her. She is Princess.  


Just like other evacuees, 7-year-old Princess’ parents and four of her siblings welcome the New Year at the congested evacuation center. (Her siblings have  in fact skin infections around their body just like any other children and elderly. It is believed that infections spreading among the evacuees are due to poor ventilation, unsanitary conditions and potable water shortage.) 

Princess' family are uncertain until when they will be staying in a congested evacuation center but, still, the family has high hopes that they will recover from the devastation the soonest. The family believes that 2012 will be a good year for them. And they are sharing the good vibes with a  'Happy New Year' greeting for all of us. (Check the video below to hear Prinecess' greeting)

Spending the anticipated special nights - Christmas and New Year's Eve- with the affected children and families is heartbreaking, painful and priceless.  What I witnessed were one of the most painful I ever experienced last year.


For me, Princess and Almir's experiences were to much for them to take considering their age, especially for Almir who is until now grieving for his missing brother Axel. But these children are taking things with high hopes.  I see hope in these children and their braveness is admirable.


My experience made me feel and understand how cruel life can be. But these children I met gave me priceless lesson and taught me that life must go on despite cruelty it may  bring us.  These children made me realize that our God has better has plans for us. They give me reason to hold on to God's promise written in Jeremiah 29:11

" For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


My curiosities were answered! I felt the pain that I've been wanting to experience and I had been  curious of. What I felt was actually more than what I anticipated for. (Take note: Friends, I am reminding you to be careful with what you wish for.) But more than the experience, it taught me a lot of lessons.

My Christmas season last year was 'not-the-usual'  but it was one of the best  I  ever experienced. It was a sad season especially for Kagay-anons but definitely one of the best and memorable one for me and for everyone.

From a communicator’s eye (My World Vision relief operation experiences)

The pandan leaves at their back used to be their refuge .

I’ve been capturing stories related to devastation whenever World Vision Philippines responds to typhoon related events for three consecutive years now. And in every relief operations there are stories of survivors or certain scenarios that always breaks my heart.

When we responded for typhoon Ketsana three years ago, I met a child having tantrums in one of the evacuation centers. The mother said she that the child has Down syndrome and was uncomfortable to live in one of the overcrowded and noisy classrooms as they don’t have other place to live since their house was still submerged in flood waters.

Last year typhoon Megi hit Philippines; I was deployed in one of hardest hit province where I met the most resilient children on earth. The indigenous children with their families found who found refuge in the shrubs of pandan leaves for eight hours of strong winds and heavy rain.

This year when twin typhoon Nesat and Nalgae hit the Philippines, I was again deployed to capture the stories of the survivors, especially the children affected by the devastation.

In one of the hardest hit villages, seeing a very young child placed in a white-colored pail floating in the flood waters while her mother was falling in line to receive relief goods broke my heart. The innocent child looked so cheerful as if she was in a floater in a pool.

The child inside the pail is 9-month-old Iris. She couldn’t help her excitement when she finally got to drink clean water to quench her thirst, this was obvious by how she drank the water from the orange plastic dipper used by her mother right after they arrived home bringing the relief packs good enough for two weeks. The packs included a tub of biscuits, canned goods and two bottles of six liters distilled water. For them the bottled water is the most important and priceless gift they received.

Iris is not the only child of 36-year-old Aira. When I visited their house, I was welcomed by two children at their improvised gate made of used galvanized iron. They were sitting in the improvised floater made from an old ice-box.   The 2-year-old twin daughters looked so sickly compared to their 9-month-old sister Iris. The twins have been sick for a week after the typhoon hit their village. Twin sister Aivy had been suffering from fever while Irene had been vomiting.

Mother Aira 36, believes that this is because of the contaminated water they’ve been drinking. “For the past days, there is no water coming out from the faucets. And the local systems are all submerged in flood waters,” Aira shares.

According to the villagers, for two weeks they do not have access to clean water and cannot even purchase drinking water anymore. Some even get drinking water from the swimming pool of their neighbor and the water from the rain.

The family cannot do so much but to just depend on the relief goods given by kind-hearted people.  Aira’s husband works as a bicycle driver in their village. “My husband temporarily stopped from driving. No one is riding on the bicycle because of the above the knee water,” Aira shares.

This is also the case of their neighbor who had found refuge at the truck owned by their neighbor. Liberty’s husband cannot also work since the water is still above the knee. The family lives at the garage of their neighbor, inside the blue truck. They are three families with eight children, in the truck that serves as their bedroom, kitchen and living room.  It is their home until the water in their own home will subside.

While waiting for that to happen, two of their children Kelvin, 10, and Kenken, 8, are enjoying the flood of waters just like Iris. Kelvin and Kenken have been practicing to swim and float in the flood of water. They never mind how dirty the water is that can cause harm to their health.

But despite the plight of these families, they still feel blessed and hopeful that they survived and see people who have been helping them. “The goods provided are very helpful. We do not have to worry anymore on what food to prepare. We can now focus to find ways how we can get back our lives to normal,” says Liberty.

These families are still uncertain when their lives gets back to normal and when the floods of water will subside as the rain keeps falling especially now that there is another typhoon approaching the Philippine vicinity. 


Capturing stories related to devastation is depressing especially if you get to hear stories of survivors on how they survived and are coping up from the devastation caused by typhoons. But the opportunity of hearing hopeful families and helping them is worthwhile, it brings joy to my heart, especially if you see people waving their hands and hearing them saying, "Salamat po" after receiving the relief packs.

But If I happen to see these devastations again next year, It will be too much to see and too much for Filipinos to experience, especially the innocent children who thought that swimming in the pool of flood waters, floating inside a floater and finding refuge at the pandan leaves are fun to experience.

I hope we will be spared by the devastations next year and to the years to come. And it will just happen if everyone, including me will do his/her share to mitigate these devastations; by being prepared, help and support like-minded groups/organizations that advocates for disaster risk reduction. There are actually a lot of groups who are working hard to reduce disasters; And World Vision is one of those organizations who advocates for the cause and involves children by making them our partners for a child-focused disaster risk reduction.

Arnel Alipa, a World Vision sponsored child and DRR  youth advocate.

See here is Arnel Alipao’s story. He is a World Vision sponsored child and a Disaster Risk Reduction advocate: 


http://worldvision.org.ph/advocacy/world-vision-sponsored-child-speak-un-general-assembly-child-focused-drr Just yesterday, Arnel talked about DRR in a child’s perspective, during the commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and ASEAN Day for Disaster Management. 


I am advocating and doing efforts for DRR. I hope to hear your support and be with us so that no one will experience the devastation these children experienced. Let us step up for Disaster Risk Reduction!

As of this writing World Vision was able to help more than 8,000 families in four provinces who are affected by Typhoon Nesat and Nalgae that hit Philippines last month. World Vision Philippines aims to respond to 32,800 affected families.