Rainbow over the valley by Jojie Alcantara

“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things – with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.” ~ Corazon Aquino

Am still here in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City where the recent typhoon (Sendong) that devastated both areas in CDO and Iligan claimed hundreds of lives and hundreds more missing.  It is almost Christmas, yet I’ve decided to hitch with a friend who handles corporate public affairs of their big establishment, and set to deliver thousands of bottled water in both locations.

During the long drive to CDO via the Buda route (9 hours due to road construction and traffic), I was already forming apprehensions of what I may see when I get there.

Why would it matter to me, you ask?  First, I was a recent flash flood victim too.  Extending support to other victims in the same disaster was a therapy.  I need to do something, no matter how insignificant.

Secondly, I’ve worked in CDO back in 1991 for a month. So I asked myself, will I be able to capture messages of hope when I get there?

I got my answer when just before sunset, a rainbow appeared over the valley.  I asked the driver to stop so I could get off the side of the cliff.  By some strange frustrating circumstances,  I couldn’t use my big camera, so I used the point and shoot camera instead.

Though the bright rainbow gave me hope,  it did not prepare me for the scenes I was about to see ahead.

Photo taken by a Panasonic Lumix