Rocky helps with recovery

In December 2012, the island of Mindanao was hit by Typhoon Bopha.

Mindanao

Typhoon Bopha had winds of over 250 km/hr.

Over one thousand people died and many people lost their homes.

Rocky Silverio and his wife lost everything in the typhoon.

But despite his own problems, Rocky started to work with Caritas Philippines.

Why do you think Rocky was so good at working with the local people?

Many of the homes in the Caritas shelter project were made from coconut timber (called cocolumber).Why do you think there was so much cocolumber around?

Each family receiving a new home helped out by clearing the land before the

building started.

Why do you think it was important that people helped to build their own homes?

Caritas tries to follow the principle of Solidarity.Solidarity means ‘standing alongside’ others and

walking with them.

Solidarity means understanding that other people are our brothers and sisters.

We work with other people and find out what life is like for those who are different to us.

How can our class walk in solidarity with people in the Philippines?

Altogether Rocky and his team of locals and volunteers built 800 new homes.

• Why do you think that one shelter is equivalent to ‘millions of joy’ for the people in the previous photo?

• Would you be happy living in a tiny wooden house and sharing a bedroom with your whole family? Why or why not?

This sign reads, ‘Thanks very much CRS for our new house.’CRS stand for Catholic Relief Services in the USA. It is a member of the Caritas confederation.