As part of the BYOP mandate to help the poor and the homeless and to respond to a request for financial assistance resulting from a recent natural calamity that has plagued some parts of the Philippines,  BYOP is making this appeal on behalf of our mother Community in the Philippines through the BLD GK Global Ministry who is in the forefront of the Disaster Response Initiative (DRI).

The current focus of this DRI is Eastern Visayas, specifically Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar. The rains which have hardly stopped pouring for almost 3 weeks has brought floods which have kept many barangays under water in Samar and landslides in Southern Leyte. In all the affected towns, BLD GK Global Ministry based in Manila is present and an active partner with GK and the Local Government Units.

BYOP realize that the Philippines is not exempt from the effects of global warming and there will be more disasters in the future. Helping disaster victims has become "unglamorous" because it doesn't seem to stop. Floods and landslides are getting more frequent, damage and death are becoming a patterned cycle, and we never have enough to give because of the massiveness of the need. But we should not have the blindness and cold heartedness to do nothing for those faceless, truly helpless victims of natural calamities. Giving becomes unglamorous because we who give and help are as faceless as the victims.

BLD Toronto  through the BYOP  Ministry is targeting to send $500, a very small amount indeed considering the magnitude of the disaster. However, BYOP believes that we should show solidarity with our poor kababayans and together with donations from other BLD Districts world-wide,  our colective contributions will definitely help many poor families in the affected areas in terms of food and other relief goods.

There will be a second collection tonight to raise the $500 target. With this contribution, let us show our mother Community in Manila that we are of one heart and mind with them in helping the victims of this recent calamity in Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar.

Thank you for caring and sharing.

Bernie and Belen Consul
Coordinators, BYOP Ministry