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PHILIPPINES – It was the middle of the night when the water came. As Typhoon Penha raged outside Iligan in the Philippines, Charie watched the creek behind their home rise. The community had built a flood barrier along the creek less than a year ago—but would it hold?
Facing the Devastation of Typhoon Penha
Charie didn’t want to take that chance. Fear gripped her as she gathered her two small children and fled to her mother’s house on higher ground. At 3 a.m., the alarm sounded. Rushing floodwaters pushed through an unfinished section of the barriers. The water rose to neck level and raced into Charie’s home, swallowing everything in its path. In just a few hours, their home, their security, and everything she had worked so hard to build was gone. “I went home, but home was no more … it was destroyed,” Charie told us. “I was devastated. I cried for days.”
Compassion in the Wake of Typhoon Penha
And yet, even in that moment, you were already part of their story. Because of your compassion, help was already on the way. You rushed emergency food, safe water, blankets, and critical hygiene supplies to families like Charie’s who had lost so much after Typhoon Penha. In each bag was a hand-drawn, colorful note of encouragement from children at one of our partner schools. For Charie, your kindness meant she didn’t have to carry the weight of those days alone. Because of you, there was food to eat, clean water to drink and—most importantly—there was hope when everything felt lost.
Restoring Hope After Typhoon Penha
You did more than meet Charie’s physical needs—you gave her family strength to begin again. When the storm had taken so much, your love surrounded her and reminded her that she was not forgotten. “Thank God for the generous hearts who blessed us,” said Charie with a bright smile. “We won’t give up!”
Today, Charie is no longer just surviving what happened that night. She is moving forward—free of fear and free to hope again after Typhoon Penha. Thank you for being there for families like Charie’s that are waiting—hoping for help to come in their darkest moment, just as it came for her.