My friend has an update on the typhoon relief in the Philippines to which many of you so generously contributed, at the Borjan Children's Fund, a 501(c)(3). I have been asked by some of you for the latest news — and here it is.
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Happy news, all my kids survived Typhoon Rai! Somehow. I'm in the middle of trying to direct relief efforts from 10,000 miles away but we're making progress. The logistics of having your infrastructure blown to bits where there wasn't much to begin with is maddening. My girl on the ground who was in Manila and got headed that way? That one-to-two-day trip turned in to five days. She's there now and we're getting news and some pictures.
Two of her cousins are getting food in by shuttling supplies with a rented truck between Borjan and a town 6 hours away with a bank. Antibiotics too. Lots of people are getting cuts and punctures sifting through debris in flip flops. Clean water is available now because it's been raining for 4 days
I've asked for donations through the local paper, which has affluent readers. They've produced not one penny. Your readers kicked in over $1,000! That's about 35 fifty-pound sacks of rice for people who haven't eaten in four days. Every donation of even $20 bought Christmas food for a family of ten for several days. Givers of all amounts probably had no idea just how much good their donations did. I hope they do now. I and my kids thank all of you at the Carpentariat so very much.
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From Borjan Chidlren's Fund: "Maligayang pasko!" ("Merry Christimas." This is what your donations bought.)