Pedring and Quiel

Here's what we didn't know - we didn't know that the typhoon season comes AFTER the rainy season.  Sortof.  We had a flurry of typhoons early in the rainy season, but they were nothing compared to the two that just left!  And we thought the rainy season was over in September.  Actually, as I write this, Ramon is gathering strength and heading towards the Philippines. 

So this is what happened in the space of a few days -

This is the only picture we have from our own camera of the first to hit - Pedring.  We were driving home from the office and turned the wipers off long enough to take the picture, but the blur of the rain still made it pretty fuzzy.  Tree branches were falling everywhere.  Lots of trees totally uprooted. 

This is a before and after set of pictures. 

On a clear day, this is a lovely area along Roxas Blvd

 for walking and sitting and watching the bay.
This cyclist was trying to negotiate the street at the height of the storm.

Now the seawall has been reduced to rubble.

The American Embassy is just down the road from this area.

It was under a few feet of water and is still closed. 

 But Manila was not hit as hard as a few of the northern provinces.  The hardest hit was Bulacan, about 35 km north of us.  That's where the major damage and loss of life occurred. 

If there's anything entertaining to be seen in all this, it's the picture below showing what one industrious guy with a truck and a generator can do - he drove around allowing people to charge their cell phone batteries!

So ...

The Standard Mormon Response ...

First of all, we boxed up donated clothing.

We got calls from members who were waiting on their rooftops to be rescued. 
Later, when they were all staying in a stake center, their major request was -
 please send clothes. 

The clothing was specifically for the members of the Church.
But the rest of our work was for anyone in need in the flooded areas.

So we bagged rice.
Lots and lots of rice.
When these 600  50-kg bags had been rebagged, we did 650 more!

Everyone took part in the action.

Moms came to help.

And Scouts

Senior Missionaries

Young Missionaries

Little people.

Not so little people.

PEF Volunteers (and Jib's mom)

Mission President

All equally yoked!

These bags filled one and a half trucks.

We sent out 12 trucks over the 2 days we did this! 

Some of the young missionaries didn't hold up so well!!!

At least the Seniors stayed upright!

One truck landed here in this Stake Center in Malolos

Where additional items were placed in the bags.

Then the bags were bundled up again,

And loaded on a new truck

That delivered the goods to the river

To be loaded onto boats

And delivered to those in need.