Typhoon Haiyan: The Anniversary Insert

An entire year has passed since it all happened. Time is bizarre. It is broken. As I sat today reflecting on all that we experienced I was reminded again the frivolity of the daily grind: school, work, almost everything. When compared with the work of feeding, healing, and saving those in need... nothing seems fulfilling. Finding fulfillment and purpose since then has been difficult but it has come as I have oriented my life in a way to perpetuate the work we did in subtler ways. I will return to that later on.

I apologize for interrupting the story which I had been posting weekly. Life has just been a torrent of responsibilities, obligations, relationships, and so on. Privileges we take for granted. We, and I would certainly include myself in this statement, allow so many stresses about due dates, deadlines, car problems, rent, grades, and all other kinds of worries to burden us even to the breaking point. Oh how we should thank God for these "problems". With each of our perceived burdens comes with it an incredible backdrop of opportunity that the Filipino does not have, that the majority of the world does not have. I make excuse for not writing because of these opportunities but I commit to completing this story -- not for myself but for them. They deserve to be known. They deserve our attention. The Unconquerable Filipino Spirit.

My heart mourns and celebrates today. It mourns for the tens of thousands who were lost, the livelihoods and homes destroyed, the unrecognizable cities. It celebrates your resilience. Your rebuilding tenacity. Your unbeatable optimism. Your unconditional generosity and your unfailing gratitude. I am awed by you. I am inspired by you. I talk often of you to those I meet, in lessons I teach, and testimonies I bear. You stand as a brilliant example of hope in humanity -- that is why they call you the Pearl of the Orient.

Mabuhay -- To exist or to live. Mabuhay my brothers and sisters. May you always live to demonstrate the Godly characteristics inherit in your culture and demeanor. We won't forget you.