A WARRINGTON family is back home after spending two traumatic weeks helping typhoon victims in the devastated Philippines.
John Rhodes, 66, his Philippino wife, Gerri and their 13-year-old daughter Holly, from Appleton, travelled by air and sea to Leyte – one of the worst effected islands – where Gerri’s family live.
They found the usually lush, green island – roughly about the size of England – stripped bare of all foliage and reduced to mud and rubble.
The town of Allang Allang, where Gerri’s family live, was completely destroyed. Schools, hospitals, churches, the prison – all were reduced to ruins. There was no electricity and no drinking water. No food. Thousands of bodies lay decomposing in the sun.
There was no transport and no communication.
John said: “I consider myself to be a pretty articulate person but I cannot think of words to describe the scenes we encountered.
“The population of the island was about 1.5 million but thousands have died. Whole families have been wiped out. Winds of 250 mph hit the island and caused massive devastation – there has never been destruction on such a massive scale.”
Amazingly, Gerri’s family survived, although her brother and nephew were missing for eight days after Typhoon Haiyan struck. But their home was destroyed and they lost most of their possessions.
John and Gerri took tents, medicines including antibiotics, and food.
“What we were able to take was negligible compared to the scale of the disaster,” said John. “But we were able to be of some help.
“The food that is being sent out there by aid agencies and charities is just not reaching the people who need it. Anarchy is breaking out and there is also corruption. Basic food such as rice and cereals that has been sent out by aid agencies is being sold on the streets of Manila.
“It is also being stockpiled and kept under guard to be sold later.”
Disease is spreading. The Philippino military is largely ineffective although South Korea has sent 5,000 troops to help with relief work. A British aircraft carrier and a frigate are there, also helping. But the aid agencies are making little impression and some of the best work is being done by families who have relatives there.
John and Gerri are members of Lymm Baptist Church and while on Leyte they came across a local Baptist church which had been destroyed.
“We plan to return to help with rebuilding that church. They have even lost their bibles – and the Philippinos are a very devout people. Bibles are important to them so we want to get some out to them as soon as possible.
“But the only way to help is go out there with money, buy goods on one of the unaffected islands and take them to Leyte yourself. That is the only way you can be sure of getting it there.”
Lymm Baptist Church is supporting the Rhodes family in their efforts to raise funds and raise awareness of the plight of the Philippines which, although it has disappeared from the headlines, remains as desperate as ever.
John, Gerri and Holly will be giving a presentation at the church on Sunday at 10.30am to raise awareness of the terrible problems still facing thousands of Philippinos.
“We want to spread the word to as many people as possible,” said John.
Pictures: John took these images of the scarred landscape of Leyte on his mobile phone.
