The Cause
My name is Lisa Kende and I have known Fr. Andrew Recepcion from the
Philippines for many years. When Typhoon Yolanda struck his country last month, I reached
out to him to learn that he nearly lost his life. As he shared about the
enormous loss of life and severe property damage that he witnessed, I was moved
to initiate this campaign to help him to help those who are suffering.
EVERY DOLLAR CONTRIBUTED WILL BE USED TO FEED and REBUILD HOMES FOR VICTIMS OF THE TYPHOON and CLASSROOMS FOR CHILDREN.
What Each Dollar Buys
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$ 25 can buy 55 lbs of rice, enough to feed 100 people
- $ 50 can buy 8 bags of cement for foundations
- $ 75 can buy 800 square feet of plywood to erect walls
- $ 100 can buy 5 metal sheets of roofing material
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$150 can buy enough Christmas Eve meals to feed 10 families in Leyte. Noche Bueno, meaning Good or Holy Night is a Filipino custom referring to the meal served late on Christmas Eve, usually after midnight mass.
- $5,000 can go towards the $20,000 cost of building a classroom for 40 - 50 children and would go directly to the department of education
- $5,000 can be given to a local agency like a church-based outreach committee that has already started rebuilding homes for the homeless.
All contributions go directly to the homeless and hungry displaced from the typhoon through the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), a non-profit, caring for those in the areas hardest hit by the typhoon.
The Impact
During this Christmas and Hanukah season, a time of gift giving, even your small contribution can make a huge difference to a family that has lost everything. Your contribution also offers hope to those who face months, even years of recovering from a storm far worse than any we've ever known here in the U.S.
Fr. Andrew has experience and a fine track record in building very simple and cost-effective shelters for the poorest in the Philippines and he is familiar with the areas hardest hit by Yolanda and knows exactly how and where all contributions can be spent immediately and without needless bureaucracy or extra costs to make the greatest difference for families who cannot survive without outside intervention and aid.
It is our sincere hope that this campaign will raise much more than $5,000 given the enormous task of providing the very minimum for those suffering at this time.
SUMMARY
As I watched news reports on the path and destruction caused by Typhoon Yolanda, described by CNN as "the strongest storm ever to make landfall in recorded history", concerned for the safety of those we know in the Philippines, I reached out to two very special priests, relieved to learn that both were safe. However one of them, Fr. Andrew Recepcion, was in the direct path of the storm and nearly lost his life.
He wrote: "I am finally in Cebu after boarding a military plane from Tacloban Leyte. I almost died in the typhoon. I thought we would not survive. I walked for 24 kilometers to get to the airport passing through dead bodies, chaos, looting, and houses and properties that were totally destroyed and could not keep my tears not knowing how the people of Leyte can rebuild their lives again. Thank you for those who prayed for me and the people of Leyte. Let us all help them in many ways that we can. The church in Leyte is very much in touch with local people so channeling help through the Archdiocese of Palo, Leyte by way of The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines will make things faster."
About Fr. Andrew
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Fr. Andrew, a man of enormous character, determination and empathy for others, has been actively involved in building shelters for the homeless who live in and around the garbage dumps in the Philippines. He has also long been involved in the Focolare Movement, an ecumenical international organization that promotes the ideals of unity and universal brotherhood to people of all faiths as well as the non-religious. Fr. Andrew has also been blessed with a wonderful singing voice that lifts the spirits of all who hear it.
The Typhoon
Typhoon Yolanda ravaged the Phillipines on November 8, 2013. Thousands of lives were lost and tens of thousands remain homeless and in dire need of help.
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The facts:
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The Manila Times predicts the death toll could soar well over 10,000, with nearly 1,800 people still missing. 3.54 million people have been displaced by Yolanda, the country’s worst recorded natural disaster.
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US military's Typhoon Warning Center recorded sustained winds of nearly 200 miles/hour, equivalent to a category 5 hurricane.
- The city of Tacloban and outlying provinces of Leyte and Samar, were directly in the path of Yolanda. Devastating winds and two-story high mountainous tsunami-like waves destroyed much of the Tacloban peninsula and reducing entire communities of wooden homes to wet pulp as bodies lay dead in the streets.
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Underestimating Yolanda's force, officials stocked far too few emergency supplies for residents to survive. For example, the 800 five-gallon jugs of water was only enough to sustain less than 2% of the city's population for 24 hours after the storm.
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The majority of those in the storm's path are in dire need of outside assistance for their very survival. For a timeline of the storm's destruction click here.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you are unable to contribute at this time, you can still help by sharing this campaign with others who may be able to make a small contribution. No contribution either of treasure or time is too small to make a difference in the life of a brother or sister who is suffering. We are all diminished by the pain and suffering of every child or family that hopes to be remembered in this time of need. Fr. Andrew thanks you for your help.
Giving Tuesday - Dec 3, 2013
Giving Tuesday was implemented last year by the United Nations to encourage on-line charitable contributions. On this day, Indiegogo will contribute $1 for every $20 that this campaign raises. If you plan to give, please do so on December 3 if at all possible.