Our Lady of Assumption Parish Priest, Fr. Hans Magdurulang distribute food to street dwellers of Manila at the height of typhoon Carina. Our Lady of Assumption Parish

MANILA -- The many challenges that majority of Filipinos bear today have resulted in a more driven, competitive people, whose mindset is to excel or outwit each other.

But this character automatically disappears whenever a calamity strikes, such as what was brought by the habagat and typhoon Carina.

At Victory BGC in Taguig City, which is part of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), 18-year-old Mark Gabriel Rabara was rushing to place a loaf of bread in every relief bag which also contained canned goods, noodles, laundry powder and sanitary kits.

18-year-old Mark Gabriel Rabara, a relief operations volunteer in Victory BGC.

The goodies must be delivered to typhoon victims in Cainta, Rizal immediately.  

Mark said their community in Pateros was also flooded, but he still chose to volunteer in their ministry’s relief operation, seeing this as an opportunity to serve those in crisis.

Allotting his personal time for the needy, according to Mark, is emotionally and spiritually rewarding.

“God’s grace po na makapag-serve sa mga nasalanta po... masaya, kasi ibinigay po sa atin ni God yung opportunity na mag-volunteer, tapos iga-grab mo na lang talaga sya... mag-pray po kayo at huwag po kayong mawawalan ng pag-asa, kasi may plano si Lord sa inyo,” Mark told his fellow youth who are also having a hard time due to the effects of the typhoon and the monsoon rains.

(It’s God’s grace to serve calamity victims and I’m happy because God gave me the opportunity to volunteer, that all I needed is to grab it. Let’s pray and not lose our hope because God has plans for us.)

Sixteen year-old Joaquin Agoot meanwhile chose to be a part of a relief mission, knowing in his heart that he loves to serve people, especially these days when life is harder.

(L-R) 17-year-old Rolly Miraflor and 16-year-old Joaquin Agoot say that serving the needy is their calling and mission.

“Calling talaga ni God na tumulong ako. Kasi I already had experience helping people kasi dati akong Boy Scout. Ngayon, I’m helping out people as much as I can kasi alam kong mas lumalala na ang sitwasyon natin,” Joaquin said.

(It’s my calling to help because I already experienced helping people as a Boy Scout. Now I’m helping out people because the situation now is getting worse)

For 17-year-old volunteer Rolly Miraflor, seeing people happily holding their repacked loots bags makes his heart full, even if the typhoon victims have no idea that he packed it for them.

“Masaya po dahil nakakatulong sa mga nasalanta,” Rolly said.

(I’m happy to help calamity victims.)

RESCUING FELLOW FILIPINOS 

Since Thursday, 120 volunteers have been taking turns in repacking relief goods for typhoon Carina victims at Victory BGC, and many of them opted to take a leave from their work so they will have the time to help, according to Administrator Pastor Mark Tusoy.

He said the relief goods are distributed to their local church members, community areas, relatives of church members, evacuation centers, and others in need.

Tusoy has acknowledged the fact that life these days is more difficult amid the many challenges.

But helping the needy using limited resources also has its own reward, Tusoy said.

“I  think pagka na-experience mo mismo ang grasya ng Panginoon... pag nagu-umapaw yun, yun din ang magmo-motivate sa yo to help other people... I guess ito din yung panahon din yung, where Christians should be alive and sold to the nation na ipakita rin yung pagmamahal ng Panginoon sa ibang tao through sacrificial leading, helping in times like this,” he said.

(I think if you have an overflowing experience of God’s grace, that will motivate you to help other people. I guess this should also be the time that Christians should be alive in showing love for others.)

“Naa-appreciate ko rin yung tayo as a Filipino, nagka-kanya-kanya tayo, na minsan nagkaanya-kanya tayo. Pero pagdating sa kalamidad naman na ganito, it unites us also to help other people who are in need,” he added.  

(I appreciate us Filipinos, that even if we don’t usually mind each other, we immediately unite once calamity strikes.)

Their ministry, according to Tusoy, is also offering their time to listen or attend to the personal, emotional, or spiritual concerns of people who feel down.

All they need to do he said is to reach out to them via  their social media handles @victorybgc, he said.

PRIEST SAYS CRISIS TIME IS THE BEST TIME TO SERVE AND HELP

At the height of typhoon Carina’s onslaught, the Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Asuncion St., Malate Manila was also flooded, and church staff and volunteers were rushing to save packed school supplies intended for indigent students and food packs for families and street dwellers.

The flooded church and roads did not stop the parish priest, Fr. Hans Magdurulang, who sought help from the local fire station to bring his team to flooded areas in the city so they could give the people hot meals and other needs.

Magdurulang also distributed hot meals to inmates and personnel of a Manila jail facility.

The church will resume aid distribution even to non-Catholics, Magdurulang said.

He said that part of being a good person is to recognize the needs of others.

“Yun pagtulong po sa kapwa, lalong-lalo na sa panahon ng kalamidad, ito yung the best time for us to become a Christian. The best time for us to become human. Na ipapakita natin na kahit may sarili tayong pangangailangan. Kahit na sarili tayong kakulangan, kaya pa rin nating gumawa ng kabutihan,” Magdurulang said.

(Helping our fellowmen during calamities is the best time for us to become a Christian. That even if we also have our own needs and we also lack some things, we can still do good deeds.)

“Huwag kayong matakot, huwag kayong madamot. Walang tinawag ang Diyos na pinabayaan Niya,” he added.

(Let us not be afraid. Let us not be selfish. God does not abandon those He called.)

While also acknowledging the bigger challenges that typhoon victims have to bear these days, Magdurulang asked them not to lose their faith.

“Huwag nating sabihin na ang Diyos ang may gawa nito, ang Diyos ang may gusto nito. Kasama natin ang Diyos para ibangon tayo mula sa pagsubok na pinagdadaanan natin. Para ibaiik ang araw sa buhay natin,” Magdurulang said.

(Let us never say that God made this, wanted this for us to suffer. God is with us, so we can bounce back from this trial. He is here to bring back our sunshine)

From July 27 to 28 – Saturday and Sunday, Catholic churches under the Archdiocese of Manila will conduct a "second collection" in masses for the benefit of habagat and typhoon victims.