"Healing Andap": A Community's Faith Helps Through Recovery from a Devastating Disaster

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Healing Andap

The Typhoon Pablo Mission

Saturday, January 12, 13


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It was a cloudy Sunday morning when the mission left Davao City, two days before

Christmas (December 23, 2012). There were three priests, eight nuns and several

lay volunteers who joined. Their destination was Barangay Andap, New Bataan,

Compostela Valley.

The Road to Andap



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On the way to Andap, the streams and rivers by the wayside looked fierce. The

mission was about to be called off due to possible flash floods but the group

decided to proceed. An overcast sky hovered over Andap that day. Just last

night, the people said, there was another debris flow that brought a new pile

of boulders and stones.

Rampaging Waters



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Scenic Andap ValleyBarangay Andap is located in New Bataan inCompostela Valley province. Surrounded with mountain

ranges, Andap lies in a scenic valley with a forest. Mayo

river flows from the mountain of Andap which is also

known for its white peak.Amazing Earth calls it as one

of the best trekking sites of the Philippines.



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Mindanao, Philippines

Compostela Valley is a province of the Davao region, located in the east

coast of Mindanao in the south of the Philippines. Unlike the rest of thecountry, the region had been known as typhoon free. Majority of the

people do not have any idea what a typhoon really is until very recently.Due to climate change, typhoons are now making their way to Mindanao

and causing wide-scale devastation.



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In the early hours of December 4, torrential rains broughtabout by typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha)

triggered a massive debris flow from the mountains of

Andap. The rampaging waters destroyed everything on

its path. The death toll in New Bataan alone reached

more than 400. The typhoon also struck Davao Oriental,

another province in the Davao region.

Devastation

Enhanced infrared satellite images showing the storm at peak

intensity and making landfall in the southern Philippine island of

Mindanao (Source: Wikipedia, 2012

). Source: http://

epsg4253.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/typhoon-pablo-bopha-

map-sources/

From: Situation Report No. 13 (as of January 3, 2013) by the United

Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Source: http://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2012-000197-phl

http://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2012-000197-phlhttp://reliefweb.int/disaster/tc-2012-000197-phlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Typhoon_Bopha_2012_making_landfall.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Typhoon_Bopha_2012_making_landfall.gif


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In the barangay center of Andap, not a single structure was left

standing in Purok 1 when the typhoon was over. The gym, school,

barangay hall, and houses were all gone in an instant. Not even a

trace of the famed Bamboo Resort is visible. Known for its cold

springs, the resort had three swimming pools, cottages, a seminarhall, and many amenities.

Now, only boulders of rocks and stones are strewn all over where

the resort and many houses once stood. A new river is now

running through what was once the center.



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Only this chapel is left standing. . .



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A view of the devastation seen from a

crack inside the San Roque chapel



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Amid the ruins stand aCrucifix and a statue of

the Blessed Mother. . .

Inside the chapel, the altar has

remained intact. There, in the

middle of a wall, is a Crucifix.

Below it is a portrait of the Mother

of the Perpetual Help.

On the altars right side stands a

statue of the Blessed Mother. Themorning after the storm, the statue

was discovered lying on the

muddied floor. The right hand,

though, of the Blessed Mother is

nowhere to be found.



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A woman brought this statue of San Roque (St. Roch), the

barangays patron saint, during the mass. The statue, too,

survived. His image is also painted on the chapels wall.



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Survivors light candles during the mass for the souls of the dead



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A Hole in a Ceiling

Six families sought refuge inside this chapel on December 4. When

the waters rose, they ripped open a portion of the wooden ceiling and

hid underneath the roof. All were miraculously saved. Villagers said

the chapel was spared because of a balcony that collapsed at the

height of the typhoon. Made out of stone, it blocked the flood waters

from entering the chapel.



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A Christmas Tree in the Rubble

This Christmas tree was found lying on top of

a pile of debris, washed away with the floods.



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Celebrating Mass

Fr. Chris Ganzon (left) and Fr. Lionel R. Mechavez (middle), both

of the Society of Mary, and Fr. Gene Gilos (right) of the Oblate of

Mary Immaculate celebrated mass inside the San Roque Chapel

on December 23, 2012.



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Joseph Requinto, 34, a lectorand Purok 1 leader, read a

passage from the Book of

Micah. He could barely hold

back his tears. There is this

haw-ang (emptiness) that I

felt, he later said. The chapel

used to be full on a Sunday

mass like this. Now, there areonly a few of us. The floods

took the lives of half of the

number of GKK officials. GKK

stands for Gagmayng

Kristohanong Katilingban

which means Basic

Ecclesiastical Communities.

There is this emptiness. .



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Giving Solace

During the mass, muffled sobs could be heard. Almost everyone in Andap lost several

family members. They listed down names of loved ones to be read during the mass:

mother, father, sons, daughters, grandchildren, nephews, nieces. A woman wailed in

grief. She lost both her parents. She was comforted by her husband, who lost both his

parents as well. Later, she leaned on the shoulder of Sr. Jeanne Facultad, OND.



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Fr. Chris Ganzon, SM, (left) and Sr. Luz Pepito (right) of the

Missionary Sisters for the Love of Christ (SMAC) comfort

parishioners.



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Sr. Kalala Taufa, a Marist sister from Tonga, hugs a survivor



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Erly Ablando, 22, an army soldier,

was in his headquarters in South

Cotabato when 15 members of

his family perished during the

floods: his parents, grandparents,

four siblings, seven nephews andnieces. Only two young brothers,

ages 9 and 13, survived.

All of them are gone.But I keep coming back

because I miss them.



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I just built a house for them, he said. The money came

from a loan he got worth P150,000. He pointed towards the

direction where his house once stood. Now, there are only

boulders. There is nothing left from them. Only memories.



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Seeking Refuge in Faith

We may never understand the depths of

your sorrow and pain, said Fr. Chris

Ganzon, SM in his homily.



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Yes, what happened was a tragedy, Fr. Ganzon added.

But let us not forget that God is with us. He never

abandons us whatever is the circumstance, in times of

joy or adversity. Let us keep praying. . .



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The Joy that Comes from Serving Others



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The children beamed after receiving their bags of toys and goodies.



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Priests and nuns from the Society of Mary (SM) and lay volunteers



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Priests and nuns from the Society of Mary (SM) and lay volunteers



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Sisters from the Oblate of Notre Dame (OND), Mary of Immaculate Conception

(MIC) and a Carmelite missionary shared their post-activity reflections. Mission

organizer, Peter Sia Su, (far right in photo above) vowed to continue the mission.

Let our help be not only in material ways but also spiritually, he said.



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Who are the people for

whom I have to go outof my way and help?*

*Fr. Lionel Mechavez, SM



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Give the Gift of

Life and Hope

FOR YOUR CASH DONATION:

Deposit to Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI)

Account Number: 2086953187

Account Name: Fr. Lionel R. Mechavez, SM (Society of Mary)

Swift Code BOPIPHMM BPI

Email: www.facebook.com/lionel.mechavez

FOR GOODS DONATION:

Contact: Sr. Jeanne Facultad, OND (Oblates of Notre Dame) +63-2863940

Sr. Luz Pepito SMAC (Sorelle Missionarie dell'Amore di Cristo) 082-2861266

mobile +639486945116

Offer prayers for the eternal repose of the souls of the dead and

for survivors that they may be able to rebuild their lives through Gods mercy

OUR MISSION CONTINUES



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Aaron Alcalde

Fr. Lionel Mechavez, SM

Cha Sia Su

Peter Sia Su

Charina Sanz

Photos on Andap White Peak:

http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-

bataan-compostela-valley/

Photo Credits

Music: Huwag Kang Mangamba by Arnel Aquino, S.J.

http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/http://www.myamazingearth.com/2012/07/white-peak-in-new-bataan-compostela-valley/


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Mission Partners of Mary

January 2013 - Davao City, Philippines

"Healing Andap": A Community's Faith Helps Through Recovery from a Devastating Disaster

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