Landslide

I know that many of you have been worried about me with the recent calamities in the Philippines, so I want you all to know that I am safe. There was mass flooding in some parts of Manila after typhoon Ondoy. The poorest of the poor were displaced from their homes mostly because they are living in shanty towns on the edge of the rivers. People are doing what they can to pitch in, but with 80% of the population living in extreme poverty; it has been a challenge to adequately disperse the available resources. The mountain province was not adversely affected by typhoon Ondoy. It was the typhoon that soon followed, Pepping, that caused problems for us. Bishop Alawas and I were in in his truck (picture below) when the land came crumbling down around us.

We lost power for 8 days, water was scarce (we had to collect the rain), and there were some very serious landslides that left more than 40 dead and many others injured in nearby villages. I will be traveling to one of the hardest hit areas this coming Sunday with other church members and Bishop Alawas to bring supplies and comfort to those families. The people of the Philippines need your prayers.
Melanie West Goes...Landslide.