Dapat Ready | Typhoon Auring: A father's unbent spirit

43-year-old Roger braves the persistent rains to finish his family’s new house.

“I have to,” he says matter-of-factly. Ever since the raging river washed away the houses in their village two weeks ago, Roger’s children have been enduring the cold nights with nothing but a thin mat to lie on. They now live in a small house with two more families.

“I maximised what’s left of our old house that got washed out by the raging water,” he shares.

Roger is a corn farmer. He just finished planting on more than half a hectare of land when tropical storm Auring, a low pressure area, and a tail end of a cold front consecutively dumped rains in their village. The weather disturbances triggered a flash flood that reached up to 12 ft., destroying more than 10 houses in the village and submerging corn and rice fields. His wasn’t spared.

“The last time this happened was in 2012 when typhoon Bopha hit the country. But this is worse because even our house was rendered useless.”

Roger worries most about the welfare of his children. “With no source of income, I can’t buy their personal hygiene needs.”

World Vision started distributing relief items in Roger’s community on February 4. In partnership with Procter and Gamble, water purifier kits that include P&G water purifier packets, jerry cans, filter cloth, hygiene kits (toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, alcohol, face towel, comb, sanitary napkins, and bath and laundry soaps) and a solar lamp.

Unbent spirit

“Thank you for remembering us in these tough times, your help matters a lot,” he says.

Despite all the losses, Roger is determined to rebuild. “I hope to get back on my feet, plant corn again and be able to raise money especially for my 8-year-old Gerafe.”

About a year ago, Gerafe started having complications in hearing. She eventually stopped studying. Roger was hoping to use the money from his harvest to consult a specialist but unfortunately, the flash floods happened.

“Her speech is starting to worsen too. As a father, it breaks my heart but I won’t stop looking for ways to get her through this.”World Vision/February 4, 2017