Changing Treescapes

Driving north from Cebu city towards Bogo, the treescape began to change. Here was a world turned upside down. Roots reached for the skies while branches were smashed towards the ground. Electricity cables that once lined the clouds now hem the earth precariously. Some people were on the streets clearing the debris, others sat looking emptily at the shells of their former homes, all trying to make sense of a world after a storm.

As we drove on the main street of Bogo you could see the Israeli flag adorning the hospital’s entrance. A young solider stopped our van to question us. Mike, the disaster management consultant in our team, answered in Hebrew and the solider broke out into the biggest grin and welcomed us in with true Israeli hospitality. Mike’s smile responded accordingly. It was heartwarming to see how proud Mike was. He was proud that his country gives of itself so selflessly and does so so quickly.  He was greeting each soldier like they were his best friends he hadn’t seen in years. It was hard not to feel proud and smile too.

There we met various young Filipinos making a difference. One group is a few friends who in the wake of the typhoon pooled their resources and energy together and set in motion a relief and rebuilding effort for the islands they call home. Another was a group of therapists and educators dedicated to community-based rehabilitation of children with disabilities, children who need additional emotional support through trying times like these.

These groups joined us on a tour of the hospital.  The field hospital is very impressive. A series of tents line the front garden of the pre existing hospital. Within it is fully functioning with operating rooms, X-ray machine and a laboratory. The doctors across all discipline serve hundreds of patients each day and treat each with the utmost dignity. Whilst it initially came to life to treat typhoon survivors, it now continues to look after patients. No case is too difficult, no challenge insurmountable. The first baby born there was named ‘Israel’ by his appreciative parents, fitting for a child representing a nation wrestling with its recovery.

The next day we visited schools in Daan Bantayan and Bogo. All three schools suffered considerable damage with roofs and classrooms blown away by the satanic winds. It was a chance to meet the teachers and children at the face of a storm. Somewhat surprisingly, the kids, with roofs and debris and fallen trees surrounding them, still manage to laugh and play and just be kids. Their smiles act as reminders of the resilience of the Filipino people.

We were also able to deliver first aid stocks to the local ambulance service. Various pharmaceutical manufacturers in Melbourne donated all this stock. I was amazed that when I called someone from customer service at one of the companies she said to me, “Leave it to me, I’ll get it organized for you.” An afternoon later she called me back with a list of places that had boxes ready for collection. Those supplies now fill the shelves of an ambulance that was completely empty.

I explained to the ambulance drivers where the supplies had come from. Their reaction showed they were clearly moved, “People from all over the world care.”

“They do,” I responded, “We do.”  And in that moment the world made just a little more sense.