Typhoon TinoPH
One funny thing about a typhoon is how different it is from an earthquake. An earthquake strikes without warning, but a typhoon creeps slowly toward you while you just watch it come. We didn’t know what to expect and didn’t receive much guidance on what we should do, so we just stayed home and waited.
Around 3 AM, we woke up to howling winds and heavy rain, with thunder and lightning shaking everything. It was loud and wild outside. There was no going back to sleep! We felt completely safe in our little apartment on the temple complex, which is on a hill, but we knew so many others were not as protected. The devastation afterward was overwhelming.
This is just a small glimpse of what people throughout Cebu are dealing with.
As the wind and rain continued into the early morning, we assumed the temple would likely be closed on Tuesday. We couldn’t imagine there would even be patrons. But then we received word that the temple would be opened as a refuge from the storm, and that even though we were scheduled for the afternoon shift, we would be needed as soon as we could get there. The only workers expected were the full time missionaries and volunteers from the 2nd and 3rd floors of the patron house.
At 4:15 a.m., our temple president sent a video of the storm, and it was absolutely raging. He sent another around 5:30 and another around 6:30.
I don’t know if this link will work, but here’s a link to a video that was posted by one of the security guards when things were calming down: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1518148539522487&id=100001454087605
From the videos, we could see that the winds were slowly lessening, but when we left for the temple around 7:30, the wind was still blowing pretty hard and the rain was still coming down. I grabbed an umbrella - Dad did not and we made a run for the temple. Even with my umbrella, we were both soaked by the time we made it inside the temple doors.
As expected, there were no patrons at first, so we spent the morning rotating workers—some serving as workers and others as patrons. We were able to keep both the endowment sessions and initiatory open all day long. As time went on, a few patrons actually started showing up. Most of them were missionaries from the Cebu Mission and the Cebu East Mission, about 24 missionaries in all.
These sweet missionaries were supposed to go home Tuesday morning, but all their flights were canceled and they were stuck in Cebu. With the storm raging outside, they were safe and protected in the temple. If I’m being honest, I couldn’t believe the temple would even be open that day and thought it might be a waste of time to go when no patrons were expected. But I was so wrong. We felt such a deep sense of peace there, and I was so happy we could welcome those sweet missionaries and give them something meaningful to do to take their minds off the disappointment of being delayed another day.
It turned out to be a tender mercy for all of us, and it seemed the Spirit was extra strong that day. I’m so thankful we were able to be there for them and to feel that beautiful spirit together. In addition to participating in initiatory and endowment ordinances, the missionaries were also able to do baptisms. As the day went on, we had a few more patrons come in. Even though it was a long day—working both shifts—it’s one I will remember for a long time. The missionaries were finally able to leave the following day and have since been safely reunited with their families.
We worked again all day Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday, things were slowly picking up again. The temple was still quiet compared to normal, but a youth group of 46 arrived from another island, ready and excited to do baptisms. They basically had the baptistry all to themselves for a couple of days.
It’s always fun to visit with the youth outside the temple and get to know them a bit. A few of the boys were walking with us, chatting, when one looked up at Dad and said, “You are so tall!” Haha! He really is tall, but compared to these tiny boys, he must have seemed like a giant!
On Friday, I asked when they planned to head home, and they said Saturday at noon. That surprised me—because we had just learned another typhoon was right behind the first one, and it was supposed to be even bigger and stronger!
If it were me, I’d be heading home early. Sure enough, Friday night we heard all the ports were closed and all boat reservations were canceled. Many of the passenger boats had even headed south to wait out the storm. Those poor youth, their leaders, and the adults who came for temple work were all stuck at the patron house.
We got a message from our bishop saying that anyone who needed to could evacuate to the church building. Sunday services would start an hour earlier and combine two wards so everyone could get home and prepare. By Saturday, quite a few families had already gathered there.
When we saw our baptistry friends at church Sunday morning, they said they hoped to leave Monday afternoon. After we got home, we realized they probably didn’t have much to eat—the cantina was closed, and even if it wasn’t, they might not have had money for food. We reached out to the other missionary couples and asked if they wanted to pitch in to help feed our stranded friends. Of course, everyone said yes!
So the three elders walked down to Jollibee and ordered food for them. On the way, they ran into their bishop, who told them there were 67 people in the group—youth, leaders, and adults! After ordering the food, they stopped at the grocery store to buy water, since there was no running water in the patron house.
One of the sisters we work with at the temple saw the elders heading out and asked where they were going. One of them joked, “We just felt like taking a walk in the rain.” Later, when they came back with a huge box of food, she laughed and said, “It’s not raining water here—it’s raining Jollibee!” We all thought that was hilarious.
She later told us how grateful she was that we were helping “their people” in ways they couldn’t right now. We were just so happy we could do something. As it turned out, those sweet youth were very hungry!
Here is a link to a video that was taken when the food was brought in, I hope it is public: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1460204428385648/?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&fs=e&fs=e
Dad headed down a little later with a huge bag of Halloween candy for their dessert and they loved it.
As it turned out the super typhoon took a turn north and didn’t come our way at all, we just got a little rain and some light wind. Unfortunately those in northern Luzon where hit pretty hard and there is much suffering there just like here in Cebu.
As of today there are two more low pressure areas swirling around and heading our way. It’s not clear if they will become typhoons or not. But I do know, our Heavenly Father is watching over us and we are safe. We continue to look for opportunities to serve and help those who have lost so much. I’ve heard so many say with a huge smile on their face, “Life goes on”. The people here are so resilient and strong, their faith gets them through and they will rebuild their homes and their lives. I have so much to learn from them. Once sister in her 70’s said the water in her home was to her neck, but there she was serving in the temple and telling me she was fine. This is typical of what I hear everyday.
We hope all of you are doing well,
We love and miss all of you,
Love, Sister Mom/Beth
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