I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m hoping somehow some will see this post and be inspired to give. Before reading my long rambling, heart tears… Please go read more about what NTMA is doing.

The four NTMA pilots in the Philippines are together now and flying for relief. To aid the people of the ravaged and destroyed areas. If you are wondering where you can help, NTMA is there already, ready to do the work. The funds are needed. They have been approached by different organizations and the Philippine government, they don’t know who they will be flying for – but they are there with open hearts and willing hands. Praying for God’s wisdom on who to help. Where He will be most glorified in this.

Please continue to pray and if you are able, give financially.

My heart is aching with all the hurt, pain, and overwhelming devastation so many people are having to survive in right now. Having been in the Philippines recently really makes the pictures I see, the stories I hear, and my imaginations so much more real.

My family is safe. They are not unaffected, but totally safe. Their area was not physically affected by Typhoon Haiyan, they are north of Manila. However, my brother Zach left yesterday to take the helicopter to Cebu to help out in flying relief. He had to land due to weather while he was still north of Manila, but this morning (for them the 14th) he was able to get back in the air and landed safely in Cebu a couple hours ago.

Back in 2010, Zach had the opportunity to fly relief in Haiti, so this isn’t totally unfamiliar to him. Even though this is completely different, I imagine he will experience many of the same emotions, feelings, experiences — BUT, then he was totally removed from the situation. He was in Arizona at the time for their last bit of training before heading to the Philippines. Jane and the kids were still in the States, with family or accessible by family, not this time. This time, he’s been living in the country for 3-4 years now. Jane and the kids are a long way from blood family, but they do have their missionary family connections near.

He’ll see more, pick up more, understand the culture more.

This time: I know more. I see more in the pictures. I understand more. I’ve been there.

Even though I wasn’t there-there. I was in the Philippines. I saw how those up north and a bit in Manila and along the road between the two lived life. I realize this is probably as different as seeing how we live in the north, compared how life is lived in the south. But, I heard their language even though I couldn’t understand it. I “understand” their hunger a teensy bit more than if I hadn’t been there. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t possibly really understand their hunger. I was never starving while there. There was pretty much always food around me, whether I could eat it or not might have been a question. But it wasn’t life or death hunger – I could have eaten it and just felt sick, not felt the effects of dying because I didn’t have food.

Let me tell you a piece of info you may not know – I for sure didn’t know this before going to the Philippines:

I love rice. Rice is yummy. Especially brown rice. Rice is typically a side dish here.

Since going gluten free, rice is my friend. my staple. my fall back.

BUT rice does not keep you full. and you have to eat A LOT at each meal to feel full, then when it’s gone – it’s gone and you are left so incredibly hungry it’s hard to think straight (maybe this is just me, but I don’t think so. My kids commented how tired they were of the cycle in just two months). I was shocked more than once by how hungry I was for every meal. {I’m one who is content to skip a meal or two, sometimes even in a row. Not there. No way, I was too hungry for each meal to think of just not eating because I didn’t feel like it.} I often wondered how could the Filipinos work so hard all day long eating so much rice – and in blazing hot sun. I never got an answer. I can come up with a whole bunch of ideas and theories in my head, but that isn’t the point. The point right now is the thousands of people who were crushed by this storm. They have no food. Not even rice.

Here in America we say we have no food in our house, but most often that isn’t true. We have stores/stockpiles of food in our homes.

We don’t like that food.

There’s nothing to eat with that food.

or maybe, we just don’t want that food.

(not mentioning the obvious difference in house construction)

From all I observed, Filippino’s do not buy in bulk. They buy enough food for each day. We buy groceries in big chunks. Meaning you can’t just walk out carrying all your groceries and ride in a space meant for a 10 year old – with others. maybe only you. or maybe six others. with their groceries too.

What happens when they can’t get food each day? My heart and mind cringe at the thought. All the mothers and fathers not able to feed their babies and children, or their aging parents. Those who were already weakened before the storm hit. They thought this was just going to be like every other typhoon that blows through this time of year. It wasn’t.

So. If you didn’t visit the NTMA site I linked to earlier – please take the time now. First you’ll see a page with a blog entry. At the bottom of the page you’ll see a ‘Give to Typhoon Haiyan relief’ link in dark red. They’ve noted on the site if there are more funds than the project goal of $100K, they will give it to reputable organization our NTMA pilots know something about. Your financial support will help save lives.