Generosity by Friends:

A remarkable response has been made towards Friends in the Philippines who are suffering as a result of several typhoons which wreaked havoc in Manila, and now in the northern parts of the Philippines. Donations have come in from Bhopal-India, Norway, Ireland, The Netherlands, Australia, Sweden, North America and Great Britain. Quaker children in Norway did their own fund raising. The majority of the 3,500 Friends belong to the Philippines Evangelical Friends Church (PEFC). A small handful are unprogrammed Friends, and the donations are being distributed via both groups.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be in the face of a disaster, the reports from Friends in the Philippines provide insights. The first response would be to thank God that one’s life and that of family members is saved. The post-flood immediate needs are for laundry services (clothes soaked in muddy waters can be saved by washing), delivered relief packages for neighbourhoods still underwater in the metropolis, and now, medication for leptospirosis, a disease which can be fatal to those who wade in dirty floodwaters.

Our Treasurer is releasing the donations in smallish amounts, to ensure they are reaching those most in need. Our Philippine Friends agree with this and hope that a deeper dialogue will develop between the givers and receivers of material assistance. They are setting up a committee representative of both streams of Friends, to ensure the distribution is targeted and smooth. They will also report on who has been assisted.

The PEFC program will deliver relief goods in Manila and northern Philippines to 235 families. A Medical and Dental mission will provide food for the volunteers, honorarium for medical workers and transportation allowance for the drivers, and purchase of medical supplies. A feeding program to four evacuation centres will target almost 1,000 children. If funds are available, the PEFC have asked for funds to rehabilitate a Friends Meeting house and a Student Centre.

The Tabingo family restore their kitchen

The Unprogrammed Friends, many of whom work in universities have decided to cooperatively use relief funds for trauma counselling. Psychosocial trauma starts to seep in 2 to3 weeks after a disaster, after survivors have succeeded in surviving physically.

Cristina Montiel writes “Let us make haste slowly. The worst is over, and it is time to rebuild. There is so much to rebuild, inside and outside, on individual and community levels”. Trauma counselling in a variety of forms is now available. Cristina describes a process at her university. Group healing sessions are taking place at Atenao University involving graduate students from their psychology department and seminarians to pray for “Lakas loob” (inner strength). Public school teachers and NGO staff whose areas were badly hit are being trained, so that in turn they can give psychosocial support to their communities. Children’s play therapy materials have been purchased. If possible, northern areas affected by landslides will also be targeted with this help.

The first post-trauma training session at Atenao University '

Although we expected 50 participants, more than 75 arrived! There were around 15 volunteers from our Psychology Department’s faculty and graduate students, to facilitate the counselling session. One of our (minor) worries was that we did not have enough food for everyone, but fortunately, the seminarians brought with them some ensaymada (local pastries), so we had enough food to go around. We jokingly said that there was a miracle of the multiplication of ensaymadas. We provided one counsellor for each group of five participants. The participants told their own stories about the flood. In my small group, someone told, through tears, of how he had to set aside going home to help his parents because he had to take care of the other students under his care during the typhoon. Another narrated how the flood waters threatened to fully submerge his family’s one-story home. One teacher shared how she escaped from her flooded home by swimming to a higher next-door house, in spite of the currents; and how she still couldn’t sleep well at nights until today, especially when it rained. We heard stories about sources of strength and hope during the disaster. Many of the stories were about social strength - how other family members and neighbours provided moral, financial, and life-saving support during the crisis. Our final plenary session was a discussion on strategies for processing children’s’ experiences.

In 18 months time, we (AWPS) will meet in Manila for the Section Gathering, on top of a very high hill. The process of story telling and trauma healing can continue at that time. The theme of the Gathering is “Living our Faith” based on James 2: 14-17. In serving God, our Faith and Actions must work hand in hand.

Valerie Joy