By: Laliepop Odal

80% of Metro Manila was flooded due to Bagyong Ondoy, said the news.
Me and my family were one of the few 20% whose house wasn’t affected by the Bagyo.

I really should be thankful, and I am.
I am glad that my family’s safe.
My friends are safe and dry.
But something was missing.
I was happy and yet, something felt wrong.
Prior to this storm, I was also battling a personal storm.

I volunteered to help at the Sagip Kapamilya Outreach in Sct. Bayoran for two days.
I took photos of course. What kind of a photographer would I be if I wouldn’t bring my camera.

of course it took plenty of time to fill the trucks that were going to deliver those goods, and it was even harder to pass the sacks coz a lot of people are cracking jokes, and making funny remarks. Those jokes, and remarks were welcome, because everybody could really use a laugh or two from the stress of the work. Really, its amusing how the Filipinos would always find a reason to smile, or laugh, even through times of hardship and disaster.

Volunteering is hardwork and sacrifice.
You don’t go there to be a decoration, to scout for cuties, or to food trip with the free food for the volunteers.
you go there to exert an effort and literally LEND a helping hand.

Dimple and I didn’t go just to join the bandwagon of people who are volunteering for the heck of it.
we actually wanted this, I, personally craved something like this. something that’s worthwhile.
Dimple and I went around the studios, carrying sacks, offering help to other volunteers, repacked relief goods, and handed out water to other people.

It was inevitable that we met a lot of people. some with interesting stories, some others who would only offer a shy smile and their names.

I learned from stories of other volunteers how much they wanted to help, because they felt lucky to have survived this disaster.
That some of them doesn’t have much to give so they thought of being a volunteer.
Some i’ve met are actually rich kids who goes to exclusive schools, and they thought that maybe its time to sacrifice some of their things and give it to others who needs it much more than they do.
Some are there since morning, and have been volunteering right after Kris Aquino called out for volunteers.


While taking pictures, I saw how the rich and the poor blended.
how they got along so well, and would even chat and exchange phone numbers.
I saw how the young and old volunteers help each other out.
I saw how everyone were sweating crazy yet they still can manage to smile.
I saw how everyone don’t mind the drizzle during the afternoon, and continued to do their work.
Nobody complained, all were just aiming to finish their task so they can do more work.

I wonder, do we really need a disaster, for us to be like this?
for us to be able to help out and be aware of our environment?

another thing I realized, God WILL provide.
Dimple and I went to the outreach center with only 100 pesos as a pocket money, since my mom would pick us up afterwards, and we ate before we left the house. We didn’t realize how thirsty and hungry we would be after all that hardwork.
But guess what, we were never really that hungry nor thirsty, coz every now and then, food and bottled water were handed out to volunteers.
During the first night, we even get to have a fully packed dinner consisting of beef steak, rice, fish chips from fish and co, and donuts from krispy kreme. yummy.

It felt good to help, and not expect anything in return.
We went home very much exhausted…
our bodies and arms sore from all the hardwork
but with goofy satisfied smiles on our faces.

Going to the sagip kapamilya outreach, I thought I’d be helping out to save people, only when I got home did it occur to me.
I was also saved.

Originally posted at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=140232888148&id=1006176361&ref=nf