United as one: let us all help the victims of super typhoon Yolanda

In solidarity with, and out of respect for, all the victims of super typhoon Yolanda, La Familia Viajera decided to postpone its traveling for November (including the one planned for San Pedro, La Laguna). Traveling will resume next month.

Super typhoon Yolanda is arguably the strongest tempest on record to have ever made landfall. And in its wake, thousands upon thousands perished, most especially those in the Visayas group of islands and its surrounding areas. Millions more were affected, their homes totally destroyed. Businesses too were totally laid to waste. Tourist attractions such as the island resort of Corón, Palauan and the Spanish-era Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guiuan, Sámar Oriental now lie in ruins. This could really be our country's most terrible natural disasters in recent memory.

It is heartening, though, to see that the whole world, and not just our country, has united to help our fallen brothers and sisters in the Visayas. Still, the devastation wrought by Yolanda is so huge it seems not enough to donate only once. So we implore you to please continue finding ways of assisting those who were affected by this super typhoon. And may we never cease to pray because, contrary to unpopular belief, it REALLY helps.

Yolanda never won at all. Because our country is strong, united as one.

Please CLICK HERE on how you can help. Thank you so much!

Remember: we are all in this together. Yolanda may have hurt us, but she never really won. Dahil nacatindíg pa din tayo.

❤L❤A❤F❤A❤M❤I❤L❤I❤A❤V❤I❤A❤J❤E❤R❤A❤

TRIVIA: If you look closely on the above photo featuring our little Juanito, there is a greenish little book right behind his right shoulder. It is a copy of "LINEYTE-SAMARNON POEMS: A Collection" which was compiled by Raymond T. Quetchenbach with a prefatory note by renowned writer and professor, the late Edilberto K. Tiempo. The book was published by the Divine Word University Publications in Tacloban City, Leyte 39 years ago.

As we all know, both Leyte and Sámar Oriental were the hardest hit provinces during Yolanda's shocking onslaught. As such, we deemed it fit to share to all of you a poem about hope that was culled from that book:

AN PAGLAUM

Nicolás C. Camintoy

Mapait labaw hin apdo
Kinabuhi nga naangkon ko;
Haros maruba an dughan,
Han pag laum hapit tigasan.

Ay kapait hit' ak' kinabuhi,
Hit' kablas sugad ha akon;
Waray sangkay nga nalingi,
Waray gud nadadaraon.

Ha butnga hit' ak' kapakyasan,
Kalag ko dayuday nag daghum;
Dinamgo ko nga kagawasan —
Daw natundag — nahilum!

Bagyo han kinabuhi haros gon-ubon an dughan,
it' Diyos nga maloloy-on asay linalauman;
It' kahoy nga rubasan.......
Hit' hangin diri mabari, ug bagyo diri mapukan.

Please click here for the English translation.