As we remember all that we are thankful for on this Thanksgiving weekend, I would like to thank all of you who have expressed concern for my family in the Philippines. Thank God they have been spared as they reside in northern Philippines while the typhoon ravaged the central region of the country. Our family friend, Fr. Bart Pastor, a priest in Tacloban City, was not so fortunate. He and his community were trapped in the middle of this natural disaster. The following bio about him is written by my mother:
Fr. Bart Pastor is close to us, even from our Jakarta days. He is a Thomasian, UST (Univ. of Santo Tomas) Theology grad in 1967. He has written books, workshop materials, organized conventions and conferences, discipleship programs attended by local and foreign participants in their Paraclete Renewal Center in Tacloban. His community has developed and formed self sustaining projects from farming, constructing school projects which their own qualified members implement...all these project assets and property and housing, farms were all damaged or destroyed by [Typhoon] Yolanda. He is a simple, unassuming, gentle, fatherly, resourceful, selfless servant of God...and anyone who meets him for the first time surely gets beholden by this holy priest.
Fr. Bart Pastor has a unique ministry; he runs a retreat center sustained by its own farm which, in turn, provides jobs and opportunities for the locals. My parents lost touch with him after Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan struck the area on November 8, 2013. About a week later, they finally received a text message from Fr. Bart saying that he was safe but that the typhoon claimed the lives of at least ten people from his community.
Here are some actual excerpts from his text message to my parents:
Here are some actual excerpts from his text message to my parents:
...no electricity, batt, cellsite, load, radio, tv, food, water. We lost 10 members and counting. Physical damage to Paraclete, agricultural n livestock estimated 12-15 million (Philippine Pesos). D gudnews is we r still alive n surviving, d paraclete students n der families although no roofs n walls over dem. So i invited dem to stay @ paraclete.... We r eating root crops blown coconuts unripe bananas by students who r still in hi spirits n prayin am n pm.
...Yes u deposit to metrobank ac later coz no banks r open yet afteryolanda.... I got out...we had to break d fallen cement posts just enuf height for the survivor to pass.... People der r hungry esp children in fact I invited several to stay at paraclete chapel, dorm....
...Foundational centr not destroyed, infact it was instrumental insaving lives of our immediate neibors who took refuge n 2nd n 3rd flrs. 4 floating bodies r still behind. Our next neiybors homes r totally out. the place where I stay completely gone walls n roofs.
...Stations 10-13 n risen Christ chapel gone. Annies 10 cottages my residence all gone.piggery n poultry n veggies n fruit n foresttrees n coco trees complete gone. Trees n coco r headless.... We shall rise agin by Gods grace n ur help!!!!!
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| People's faith persists in the wake of the typhoon as they worship in a roofless church. |
Sometimes when we hear about tragedies that occur halfway around the world we can wonder if there is a way we can help, or if they are just too far away for us to be able to make a difference. We would like to give you the opportunity to help someone who is on the front lines of this disaster, and to help his efforts directly.
We are setting up a Philippine Typhoon Relief Fund account at a local bank here in Hartford. Soon you will be able to send checks directly to that account so that we can wire the funds to Fr. Bart in Tacloban City.
This is not a tax-deductible donation, but will go directly to Fr. Bart and his efforts to feed, clothe, and house those in his area who were struck by the typhoon.
We are setting up a Philippine Typhoon Relief Fund account at a local bank here in Hartford. Soon you will be able to send checks directly to that account so that we can wire the funds to Fr. Bart in Tacloban City.
[We have sent the final wire and are no longer accepting donations.]
This is not a tax-deductible donation, but will go directly to Fr. Bart and his efforts to feed, clothe, and house those in his area who were struck by the typhoon.
If you would like us to keep you informed about the progress of the Philippine Typhoon Relief Fund, including the amount of money collected and the dates that the funds are wired to Fr. Bart, please include a note with your check, or send us an email.
Thank you in advance for your generosity. May God bless you and reward you.
