PHILIPPINES – When a massive storm struck their hut of a home in the Philippines, Maribel was focused on keeping her children safe from danger.
As the typhoon continued to pummel the small community, the roof of their house caved in. Maribel’s husband heroically helped his family escape the crumbling structure. They made it out alive, but he did not.
The home was left in shambles. Her family now desperate and homeless as disaster victims in the Philippines. So Maribel and her children were forced to stay in shelters and relatives’ homes. Just when Maribel thought it couldn’t get worse, fallout from COVID-19 complicated matters. Her hope for rebuilding suddenly came to a halt.
“How can we survive if no one helps us?” Maribel worried. “I was afraid we wouldn’t have a house again. I was scared for my kids.”
For Marilou, Maribel’s oldest daughter, the loss of her father and her home also hit hard. “I lost all hope, because I can’t really build a house for my family,” the young girl said. “Only my dad was strong enough to build one for us.”
But your love was already traveling to Maribel’s family! Thanks to our generous partners, Operation Blessing teams first provided Maribel with food bags full of rice and other groceries to feed her family.
Two weeks later, they arrived again with more food supplies and a life-changing message: Operation Blessing partners were making it possible to build a new home for Maribel and her children.
“I remember telling my kids that we should pray,” Maribel said. “I thank the Lord for hearing our prayers! He sent us all the help we needed.”
In addition to a home, your kindness provided pigs for Maribel to raise and sell as income. You surrounded Maribel and her children when they felt completely alone.
Your love has galvanized this young widow and other disaster victims in the Philippines to carry on for their children. Thank you!
