Mercy Mission in Leyte Day 1

DAY ONE – February 07, 2014 (Friday)

Our team HFCI mercy mission gathered in Kamias, Quezon City, Manila at exactly 3:00 AM. The team consists of Bro. Benjamin Formales, HFCI Phil. Coordinator, Bro. Beniamor Lingat, a deacon from Cruzada and retired architect, and Bro. Arnel Gajolin, minister from Burgos COC Montalban Rizal.

Our plane landed in Mactan airport,Cebu, at 7:15 AM; then we proceeded to Ormoc Port. Everywhere we saw massive destruction of properties.  Port buildings/ house were destroyed, power lines and posts were down, and electricity in the province is by generator only.  We could say that the province is only 40% rehabilitated or maybe less.

Our team was welcomed by Sis. Jesslyn Gregorio Ylona, an MBS alumni and a Sunday school teacher at Matlang COC (Isabel) and Bro. Victorio Alag, the driver-owner of hired van.  Bro. Ben instructed our guide to take us to the nearest damaged Church in Ormoc, He talked to local leaders and ministers and discussed the purpose of the rebuilding mission funded by IDES and Harvest for Christ Foundation.

After three hours of land travel (55 Kms.) and visiting 4 local Churches, we rested. That evening, despite the darkness, Bro. Ben insisted that we attend an overnight Prayer Meeting at Villaba, at the eastern side of Leyte.  We traveled the dark and mountainous area for 1.5 hours until we reached our destination. Bro. Ben coordinated with Church elders and ministers until twelve midnight about the IDES /HFCI purpose of the mission, and the extent of our rebuilding efforts.

 

DAY TWO – February 08, 2014 (Saturday)