Tsunami aid and relief for Japan

Photo above from CNN website

After Japan was hit by the destructive eartquake and tsunami. I tried to watch everyday in CNN Breaking News to see the updates on what's going on with Japan... My heart breaks over and over again to see those images and videos. But I know that it should not end with me here having tears and feeling sad for those people. I think we should do something in our own little way to help those in need.

I found out in CNN website the article: Tsunami aid and relief: How you can help. You can read there the charities helping Japan. And it is well explained on how you can donate to a chosen charity organization. Most of them are so easy just send text message with a corresponding word to a certain number then you'll be able to send $10. I'm here in Holland so I'm not really sure if it's working also here or maybe it would work only in USA.

The following charities are helping now in Japan which were mentioned also in the article on how you can help:

> World Vision
> American Red Cross
> The Salvation Army
> Americares
> Save the Children
> UNICEF
> Mercy Corps
> Convoy of Hope
> Globalgiving.org
> International Medical Corps
> ShelterBox
> Doctors Without Borders
> Americans Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
> Jewish Community of Japan
> Operation Blessing International
> American Humane Association
> Search Dog Foundation

At the end of the article it further says that "For more information, please read CNNMoney's story explaining how donors should watch the crisis unfold before sending contributions. The article also provides tips on what to give, where to give and how to avoid scams".

Indeed there are many ways to send our help or donations. My personal choice is the ShelterBox. It think in every box they send is a big help to every homeless family that is affected by disaster like the eartquake and tsunami in Japan.





The photo above is from website of Convoy of Hope. Where there's an article over 50,000 Meals expedited from Philippines to Japan.

There might be persons who could not give financial help. But I think they are still capable of giving big help by keeping the PRAYERS for the victims of this disaster. And by continuing the prayers that the Reactor no.3 of the Japan nuclear plant will not meltdown.

Debulos Family

I just received from my brother the photos from yesterdays birthday celebration of my parents... Yesterday was my father's birthday and today is my mother's birthday... Just made me happy to see them celebrating together... It's a bit like a reunion because almost all the brothers and sister of my father came there with some of my cousins and their kids...

They use to make a joke with each other... Debulos is my maidens surname and we call ourselves "Pamilya Dimagiba" (family that can't be ruin). Actually it's the expression that we've seen in old filipino movies before, where ther are about 9 or more brothers... I don't remember anymore the title of the movie but it's simply shows that with big family especially more brothers that's not really easy to break them ha... By the way, in my father side, they are 12 siblings (8 brothers and 4 sisters)... We don't really came from rich family but for sure, we feel good under our skin... One thing I noticed, my Tita and Tito's have a sense of humor as well as my cousins...
In two photos you see above, those photos were taken in summer 2007, that's really like a reunion in a resort... The two youngest brother of them are in Bicol that's why you can just see ten of them.. I like this photo and I'm happy to see how they are close to each other even they are a bit old already...

And for me, my Papa is number 1 with great sense of humor... very funny and cheerful to be with. Whenever he's in the house, there is always a moment where we have to Laugh Out Loud.... I miss them...

Mijn Vader en Moeder (My Father and Mother)

Last year, I greeted my father and mother's birthday, but my father was in Saudi Arabia then and mother was in Philippines, so I wrote my wish that they will be together on their birthday (dutch my life: Happy Birthday Mama and Papa!). My wish came true... Today is my father's birthday and tomorrow is my mother's birthday... And they are together now in Manila, my father came for a vacation in Manila last month and he will be staying there till first week of November... Oh! now, i have a new wish that on their next birthday (next year) I wish that we could have a chance to have a vacation too in Manila, so that we are all together. That would really be like a reunion ha.


I would write it again... "I thank God for giving us a parent like them kind hearted, generous, responsible, cheerful and loving mother and father to us... They've shared to us everything they could give... And I thank them for upbringing us with FAITH in God, because that's a treasure that would always stay in our hearts and they share it with all their LOVE... We are really blessed to have a parent like them. "

WE LOVE YOU MA and PA
May God bless both of you with love and happiness you truly deserve always.

Last but not the least, I appreciate how my father and mother bring music in our family and in our hearts.... I think that's what also make our family more lively and cheerfully... I'll never forget how we enjoy singing karaoke together and how my papa and mama dances on ordinary sunday by hearing oldies love songs in Radio... soooo sweet!

We miss you......
Big kisses from Ron, Marge and Mireille

Overstroming in Filipijnen (Flood in Philippines)

Please Help Ondoy's Victims from Godz on Vimeo.

Last week Saturday evening here in Holland, when I first heard the news over the typhoon named "Ondoy" or the international name "Ketsana" hits Manila on that day (September 26). It flooded almost 80% of Manila, the Capital Region in Philippines... It breaks my heart to see in internet news on how many people were stranded, became homeless, injured, died and missing. They say almost one month worth of rain fell in just six hours over Metro Manila and was the worst in recorded history of floods in Manila after 40 years...

Sunday Morning I have a chance to chat with my family and Thank God, everyone is safe and our house doesn't reach the flood. Over a week, I tried to send sms and messages to all my family and friends to ask how are they? I heard stories how some of them got stranded, like sleeping in jeeney, reaching the roof of the building to avoid flood water and sad stories of those who died in about few streets away from our house in Karuhatan.

As of now Philippines declared In State Of Calamity, yes for the entire country. Declaration designed for worst-case scenario. In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said: “The President agreed to declare the archipelago under a state of calamity for two reasons -- for local government units to have access to calamity funds and [subsequently] be more prepared, especially in areas threatened by Pepeng (the next typhoon after Ondoy), and to address rampant overpricing.”

Flooding is not really new in Philippines but the last one really affects the country because this time it hits the National Capital Region (Metro Manila)... Big companies were affected, millions of properties were damaged and it would take time to recover everything back in businesss. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this morning asked even thousands of people to stay longer in evacuation centers in view of next Typhoon "Pepeng.''

I'm here in Holland and married to a dutch man...
But I'm still a Filipina who's asking Please help victims of typhoon 'Ondoy'.
You can visit Google's Typhoon Ondoy Donation Web Page for information.
And watch some captured video at youtube or read articles at gmanews.tv.

Thank you in advance for your help.

And please let us continue to pray for the victims of typhoon "Ondoy".

Filipijnse Lerares en Klasgenoten (Filipina Teacher and Classmates)

Last Wednesday, my Filipijnse Leraares en Klasgenoten (Filipina Teacher and Classmates) came to our house for a visit... In the photo you'll see me, Rhoda (my classmate), Ate Josie (assistant teacher), Ivy (my classmate) and Inday... It may seem funny to see Filipina studying dutch language but for me I'm proud in school, that at the same time, it's possible that a Filipina like Ate Josie could also be a teacher of dutch language...

Today, we did have a nice day... Ivy brought Binagnit (especially made by her with coconut milk) in Manila this taste like Ginataang Monggo... Then we ate Macaroni cooked by my sister-in-law Marjan... And because I'm so busy and don't have time to cook... I just prepared fruit salad... easy and delicious! lekker!

Mabuhay!

Mestiza

We have attended the birthday party of a filipina i met here. Her name is Tessie. And like the usual filipino ways, Karaoke adds up to the party. Ron sang a song for the birthday girl, Tessie.

In the 2nd photo you'll see Tessie with her beautiful daughter Moenie, and of course with me and my daughter too...

Now, I can imagine how my daughter will look like when she turns 19 years old, for sure look-a- like Moenie... beautiful Mestiza (refers to a girl, of mixed filipino and foreign ancestry).

Dank u wel (Thank you) Myk

It's been a week, since ng start ako mg create ng blog. Nais ko lang MAG-PASALAMAT kay Ato also known as Myk, ng motivate sakin para mg create ng sarili kong blog... Nang mabasa ko blog ni Myk (http://mykapalaran.blogspot.com/) dami ko nalaman mga latest sa Manila at ibang bansa, pati na rin mga bagay-bagay na nakakatuwa....

So, na-inspired ako mg create ng sarili kong blog, para ipakita mga bagay-bagay naman dito sa "dutch world" na aking ginagalawan...

Pero di lang blogger ang turing ko kay Myk, matagal din aming pinagsamahan sa Parokya aking pinagmulan (Parish of Holy Family)... naging katuwang ko sya sa PCY, ka-member sa Holy Family Choir at Lectors and Commentators... At higit sa lahat isa siyang Kaibigan....

Thank you Myk and God bless you....