Anyone seeing the heartbreaking images of apocalyptic devastation
in Leyte, Philippines and nearby towns, one cannot help but to get emotional, shake his head in disbelief, and be moved to tears. While Metro Manila hardly felt the wrath of
Typhoon Yolanda last Friday (November 8, 2013), Tacloban City in Leyte was just
waiting for the unimaginable destruction of epic proportion. Just like a thief in the night, the Super
Typhoon left with almost wiping out the entire city.
A general shot shows houses destroyed by the strong winds caused by typhoon Haiyan at Tacloban, eastern island of Leyte on November 9, 2013. (AFP Photo / Noel Celis) |
For those who were spared from damage, you can just say, “everything
is already water under the bridge, time to move on”.
In reality, however, a huge, daunting OPPORTUNITY is right before
us. EVERY Filipino citizen can do his
fair share in reaching out – regardless of one’s political color or
religious affiliation. More than pity
and LOVE, cultivating a SELF-SACRIFICING SPIRIT is key.
Sacrifice means a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better
cause. The all
important question now is this: What am
I willing to sacrifice to reach out to the victims of the calamity? While posting in social networking sites to
share important messages of sympathy and doing acts of prayer can help, here
are a few more ways to show it:
INSTEAD OF
- eating out next weekend in your favorite restaurant;
- dining in your preferred coffee or tea shop to have an expensive Frap or Pearl Milk Tea;
- doing early shopping for the holiday season;
- buying cases of beer and indulge in binge drinking to celebrate an occasion or clubbing with your friends next Friday night;
- ordering gastronomic food for delivery into your home;
7.
- and betting in the lottery or just buying packs of cigarettes for pure leisure;
why not save the budget for these items/activities
and channel the same for sending donations in cash or in kind for calamity
victims? (Check out the following link for list of Operations Centers accepting
donations for relief: http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/43300-reliefph-victims-typhoon-yolanda-help)
A loving citizen can do the sacrifice - even for just one day if not for one week.
Imagine the positive and refreshing results if each individual - a student, a worker, a professional, or a businessman - will find ways to do his share, showing this contagious
self-sacrificing spirit.
The task is never easy.
But with collective efforts to show how much we care for our dear
kababayans who until now are stunned and grieving, every sacrifice
can translate into something meaningful – one that is soothing to the soul. After all, "there is more happiness in giving
than there is in receiving". (Acts 20:35).
It is time to reflect, it is time take the initiative - NOW.