Hello Readers!
Spare me this moment. I just wanted
to share my terrible experience during Sendong and the awful feelings I still
have until this time.
December 16 and 17 of last year when
Typhoon Sendong came to kill thousands of people, destroyed and washed out
thousands of houses, and left nothing but horrible memories to all its victims.
December 16, 2011, Friday, when I am
feeling I will be having a fever added with the rainy and windy day in Cagayan
de Oro. I suffered from a body malaise. It seems that my body was really in
sentiment that something bad will going to happen.
I went home from the office with a
heavy heart. On our way home, we have witnessed, together with my officemates,
the flooding of the streets and the relentless wind blow. I have even posted a
status on Facebook, “Flood is everywhere.
Please go away, Sendong! Be safe everyone!” That was my last Facebook
status update.
My mom fetched me with an umbrella.
Still, with my heavy heart, I arrived home very sickly. I look out to everyone
in the house. My mom told Gary and I that we are not going to sleep until the
wind and rain stop. She told us that we will gonna watched out and be updated
with the level of water of the Cagayan de Oro river which is just meters away
from our home. We turned on the TV and watched a DVD copy of ‘No Other Woman’ just to be entertained
while gazing up the water level every now and then.
About 10 to 11 o’clock in the
evening when the electric current was turning on and off. I was anxious about
how we are going to see what’s happening around when all we see is darkness and
all we feel is the wind blowing harder!!! What makes me more anxious was when
our neighbor screamed that everyone should be in full alert because the water
level of the river was arising so fast and in any moment it’ll overflow! You
know, everyone in our place were all scared every time the river will overflow
as it gives an impression of a disaster!!!
After knowing about it, we then
packed-up all the things in the ground floor and keep safe everything to the
second floor very very quickly. Hurriedly, I awaken my Grandma, my father, and
other family members who fall asleep. I asked them to get up as quick as they
can and then prepare themselves for we need to evacuate to my Aunts house which
I thought a safer place. When we are
still packing up, we see the water begins to roll over the floor hastily. We
all get alarmed! Everyone is shouting, screaming, and crying. It took us about
30 minutes to transfer all important things to the second floor and hurriedly
left the house with water level on our waists.
If you are wondering why I thought
my Aunts house was a safer place. Here are the reasons: 1) My Aunt’s house was
situated in an elevated area. For normal overflowing of the river, the water
never gets there. Therefore, during Sendong we experienced an abnormal
overflowing of the river and nothing but a tremendous flood! 2) My Aunt’s house
was really design for houses situated in a prone to flooding areas. It was
built with a strong foundation and has a second floor also, and, it was just
meters away from ours. Thus, I have thought that panic moment t’was the perfect
place for all of us to stay in.
But Oh my GOD! I WAS TOTALLY
WRONG!!! L
The water unexpectedly reached my Aunt’s house. I was sitting at the second
floor near the stairs; I saw how the water bumped the walls and stairs. It
tripled my fear and anxiety.
I do not know what was the exact
time because of too much anxiety, but I guess that was about 1’oclock in the
morning of December 17, 2011 when the water was about to reach the second floor
where all of us dwell. My Aunt asked me to call for a rescue. With my absence of
mind, I dialed my cousin Cherry’s number and talked to her with my crying voice
that we are in need of a rescuer! That the water already reaches the second
floor and that we have nowhere to go. I guess that was the saddest conversation
I ever had in my whole life… begging for an impossible help… really IMPOSSIBLE!
For all we will need on that very moment was… God’s mercy.
I suddenly saw Gary with my other cousins destroying some
part of the ceiling. It gives us a little hope knowing we still have somewhere
to go. I saw my grandma kneeling in one of the rooms praying… humbly asking for
God’s mercy… crying… My heart is melting. Melting as I was seeing my little
cousins and grandma in this kind of disaster. I am helping them out with all
the best that I can, like getting them to the ceiling first. In the house, we
have a total of 5 kids. 1, 3, 7, 8, and 9 years old. I am wondering how these
kids will survive. They were too young and helpless.
A few minutes when everyone is up at
the ceiling, we suddenly felt something… a strong bump over the back part of
the house. Later did we know that it was a horrific dump truck!!! My goodness!
It destroyed some part of the house and Oh my… caused the shaking that
frightened us all. All I hear at this moment is the crying and shouting of
everyone. We all felt that the roof gradually flattens. It was so dark inside
the ceiling. I swear to all the Angels in heaven, this time I cannot anymore
handle my feelings.
PLUS… I do not know where was Papa…
where was Mama, and Gary. They are all out of my sight! I do not hear them
calling my name. I totally do not know where they are.
In just few minutes, we all have
felt that the house is about to be destroyed and eventually, for sure, will be
taken by the heavy current/flow of water! All I hear again was the crying of
the kids, and the loud ‘Our Father’ prayer of everyone. How could you imagine
being in that situation?
Little by little the water reaches
the ceiling. Imagine how horrifying the water was, it reaches the ceiling of the
second floor of the house. My goodness! We were all trapped inside the ceiling
with roof on our heads, and water starting to crawl all over our body… and Hey!
We will be drowned! We all will gonna die! What the!!! I never expected to die
that early, Oh! Never in my dreams!
By chance, Gary and my other cousins
were able to devastate one sheet of the roof. I was so grateful Gary was there. Really a
heaven sent! It saves us from drowning inside that torture moment over the ceiling.
For the second time, it gives us a little hope… a little chance.
Not long, as expected, the house was
totally destroyed by that heavy current of water plus being bumped by so many
logs/woods and a super destroyer dumptruck!
Then everyone is up at the roof, we
are all seated. I then look for Papa, Mama and Gary. The moment I saw them, I fearfully
hold them tight. It was a non-stop crying. Until… the house was starting to be
taken by the tremendous flood. Until… we all sink and submerged in the water.
Until… I thought that was my LAST moment.
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Honestly, I do not know how to swim.
Gary became my
savior. A heaven sent to be my protector. I have known that God used Gary in order to save and
protect me.
When I was about to get drowned in
the flood, like I only had one last second to hold my breath, Gary pulled my hair up. I cannot imagine how
painful that was, being sarcastically pulled over through your hair. But then
again, I was so grateful he did it.
It was just like a roller coaster
ride being taken by flood from our house in Macasandig up to the sea area in
Macabalan. And… the ride doesn’t stop there because we were still taken to a
very far place, the seas of El
Salvador, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin.
What a trip, wasn’t it?
I couldn’t tell any longer every
hard time, pain, and struggle we had. I will just leave it to your imagination.
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I will take this chance, again, to
say my very BIG “THANK YOU” to the following;
1)
To
GOD. I know everything happens for a reason. You never give us burdens we
cannot carry. Thank You GOD, I’ve survived!
2)
To
GARY. For being
the explanation why I have survived. For never leaving my side all throughout my
happiest and saddest times.
3)
To
MY FAMILY. To every one of my relatives who in any way helped us stand again
with our feet after that very tough falling.
4)
To
MY WORKMATES and everyone from Sharp (Phils.) Corporation nationwide.
Financially and emotionally, you are all in help. Especially to SHARP Cagayan
de Oro, for the hands on help. For assisting me and my family in the evacuation
center, sending us in the hospital, and providing our needs. Grabe kadako nga “SALAMAT”.
5)
To
MY FRIENDS, COLLEGE & HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES. I couldn’t put anymore into
words how thankful I was. Thanks for visiting me, for giving out some time of
your schedules just to see me and ask how I was going. Just by seeing your
presence on those miserable days of my life is more than anything to me.
6)
To
GARY’S FAMILY, FRIENDS, & CLASSMATES. Guys, I wanna let you know how you
made Gary feel
loved and important.
7)
To
THE RESCUERS IN OPOL, DONORS FROM DIFFERENT SECTORS, AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.
For the heroic deeds you have shown. The community was so much blessed to have
you.
You all have
helped us carry the heavy burden that we are able to stand again back on our
feet and move forward.
❤
Bevs
