PHILIPPINES — For Nena, life in the Philippines had always been marked by the trial of rainy seasons. She’d weathered many, each one bringing its own share of dangerous floodwaters. But nothing prepared her for the onslaught of Typhoon Kristine. Intense rains slammed into the Philippines, resulting in widespread and dangerous flooding and landslides. The typhoon brought several days of rain, affecting over 2 million families, sending 250,000 people fleeing to evacuation centers and taking more than 140 lives.
In her 63 years, Nena had never seen anything like it. “The water was only up to here at first,” she said, gesturing to her knees. “But then by ten o’clock, it had risen to chest level.” She and her family rushed to safety, escaping through the roof of their home as the water level slowly rose. But after the storm, more challenges were on the horizon: sunken houses, mold, mildew, and debris.
Destruction from Dangerous Floodwaters
As the dangerous floodwaters receded, new threats emerged—injury, illness, infection, and a lack of medical care. On top of that, much of the town’s medicine supply was soaked in the dangerous flooding. Nena suffered from a bad cough, but between the effects of the storm and her very meager income, medical treatment was out of reach.
Thanks to your compassionate giving, Operation Blessing’s mobile medical clinic arrived, offering free medical checkups, medicines, EKG services, blood tests, and even reading glasses to hundreds of people—including Nena. She said gratefully, “Thank you so much, Operation Blessing!”
With your support, Nena received the aid she needed at just the right time. But even more, your love reminded her that she’s not alone—that someone somewhere cared. The help you gave wasn’t just medicine or supplies—it was hope in the midst of tragedy.
