tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19272928100721056852024-03-13T10:06:34.566-07:00Typhoon Haiyan Eye Care Relief January 20-Feb. 7 2014TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-90524043217511649502014-02-09T01:03:00.000-08:002014-02-09T08:14:29.316-08:00Farewell TACLOBAN.........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marina & Derrick</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">Our personal journey since Typhoon Haiyan is finally over. From the countless hours
preparing for this eye care project, the massing of relief goods, the filling
of containers, the hours comforting Evan and Emma that Mommy and Daddy will be
safe, to the long days on our feet working in extreme heat and crushing
humidity while listening to people begging to be let into the clinic and seeing
the faces of desperation in the lines during the relief distributions…. it is
hard to believe it's finally over, we are out of Tacloban.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">We flew out from a
broken shell of an airport with a hastily erected security and check-in. The
concrete walls are mostly gone but the roof has been repaired. We
patiently waited while the deafening roar of jet engines died down in front of
us. Gone are the days of the body bags outside of the building and the
putrid smell and the thumping noise of military choppers moving goods in and
out. The flight to Manila was full
with 25 people on the waiting list trying to get out. Is it because, they
want to restart their lives elsewhere in a less dangerous place? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">I wonder, will the
Philippine Government follow through with the hundreds of millions raised
around the world or will the funds be absconded for personal use? I
wonder what will become of this place of homelessness?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">We leave with
images of incredibly resilient people, thanking us for coming, thanking us for
helping, thanking us for giving them their sight. Although the
destruction is everywhere and inescapable, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px;">their faith has empowered them to move through the devastation and live life day by day. W</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">e take home with us the spirit and
strength of a simple people that must now rely on each other to survive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">To all those at home who
gave their time, their money, and themselves, we thank you. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;">You brought so many smiles and a little hope to these beautiful gracious and
most deserving of people...THANK YOU.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt;"> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Marker Felt";">TINDOG TACLOBAN (Rise up Tacloban)</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-18430682630943582702014-02-07T14:50:00.001-08:002014-02-07T16:54:31.857-08:008100.......<h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>AMEN.....</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Today was a very emotional day. It was our last clinic day in the Tacloban/Samar area. The temp. was blistering hot, the line-up of patients was endless and the volunteers did not give up! Today we saw 784 patients. Yes, 784 in Basey Town Hall, Samar. Our total number of patients on this mission broke all records... 8,106 patients. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">It was 34 degrees in the shade today… ouch hurt, hot! After the clinic the team made clothing deliveries to the local elementary school and to a nearby Barangay. While at the school, I visited the grade 6 class and chatted with them for a while. I asked the students why the classroom was so dark. In unison they responded “we have no hydro.” I asked about their school day and how many days a week that they attend school. In unison again the response was “seven days a week.” I then asked the principal why the children attended full time, 7 days a week. He responded that because of Yolanda, the children lost 2 ½ months of school and have to make up that time by the end of the school year!</span><br />
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Some classes are in tents</h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">To my surprise, only one student was wearing glasses. I went over, sat next to her and asked her how long she had been wearing glasses. She replied “since yesterday, I got them at your clinic my old glasses were broken during Yolanda.” Back in my room, I went through yesterdays registration forms to try to find this young child’s form. Found it! Her name is Thea, age 12, the form read that she had broken her glasses during Yolanda, and it reads ”Robert pls. try to find a frame for current specs.” Derrick tended to her and wrote “Happy, fitted old lenses into a new frame” and he gave her a spare pair of glasses!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Amen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Rodger</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Karma</span></i></h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Yesterday was the last day of clinic, and in the end we saw over 8100 patients in the last 13 consecutive days. Most of that in sweltering heat, and unusual conditions. </span><br />
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Dr. Suraj Upadhyaya tries to explain the concept of Tumbling E's</h3>
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Visual Acuities done at the entrance of the Tacloban City Hospital</h3>
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Line up for Autorefractor....also known as "Station 4"</h3>
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Aerial view of the dispensary</h3>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Dr. Mark Cook and Dr. Shirlie Dowd remove a piece of metal in a patient's eye who has been in pain for a few days</span>.</h3>
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Dr. Christina Dinh at triage</h3>
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<h2>
MOSQUITO ALLEY- for some reason there was always a large concentration of mosquitoes in this hallway and the doctors and volunteers made sure they applied their DEET every 30 minutes. Perhaps it was the no ventilation and the press of patients wall to wall.....</h2>
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Dr. Lester survives MOSQUITO ALLEY </div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Our entire last day went so smoothly, some of us felt like we were being guided by a positive force....a karma payback maybe. In fact, my day started with a small gift: as I walked out of the hotel in my TWECS clinic shirt an elderly woman approached me from across the street. She had been waiting outside the hotel since early that morning so she could "thank one of the Canadian doctors" for her eye exam and new reading glasses. She shook my hand and blessed me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">What a great way to start the day. The rest of the long, last day was typically hot and grueling, but so many incredible moments got strung together: a bad corneal ulcer on a little boy healing nicely from our care the previous day; finding exactly the perfect complicated prescription for a highly myopic girl's first, and long overdue pair of eyeglasses. Finding glasses that not only solved functional refractive blindness for many elderly, but that looked so individually customized to each one, I couldn't have done any better in my practice at home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">It has been an honor, and my pleasure, to be a part of helping restore vision and dignity to the kind, patient, and perserverant people of the Philippines. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Tindog Tacloban!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Dr. Brad McDougall</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Thoughts from Australia....</i>.....</span></h2>
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As I woke up the next morning to prepare for work after we had returned </div>
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from Tacloban, I couldn’t help but think about what I would’ve been doing </div>
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this morning with the TWECS group. We’d have been up by now, having </div>
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breakfast at Kenny’s (Instant Coffee, Nutella & PB with Bread rolls) and </div>
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preparing for our day and for the challenges of operating in a disaster </div>
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zone. </div>
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Everyone would smile and wave as you passed by. Strangers </div>
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for the services that TWECS provided. Some shook hands, some hugged, some smiled brightly and kids beamed in happiness at the end of it. It’s so</div>
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humbling when people are so grateful towards you. It’s so nice to see </div>
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smiles from strangers on the street, to play with kids you might never see </div>
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again, to hear stories and absorb the emotion of those whom are still </div>
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hurting. The feeling of happiness and sadness were, at times, </div>
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overwhelming. Gratitude always endures. These people amaze me. </div>
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As I sat in the Office on my first day back, a few of the Filipino ladies said Thankyou for helping. I never expected that back home and before emotion overcame me, I politely deflected it and flashed back to Tacloban thinking I could be of more use. We must never forget Tacloban. </div>
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Zayd Deen, Australia</div>
TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-86390733575138347632014-02-04T14:20:00.003-08:002014-02-04T14:20:34.942-08:00T.E.A.M (Together Everyone Achieves Miracles)<h2>
Thank you T. E. A. M-</h2>
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Brenda Tosoff, Maple Ridge BC Canada</div>
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Dr. Barry Lester- Smithers BC Canada</div>
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Dr. Brad McDougall, Vancouver BC Canada</div>
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David Sakaki, Kamloops BC Canada</div>
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Doug Higginson, Mill Bay BC Canada</div>
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Robert Dawson, Sechelt BC Canada</div>
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Rodger Konkle, New Westminster, BC Canada</div>
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Dr. John Lam, Victoria BC Canada</div>
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Dr. Kent Napier, New Zealand</div>
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Dr. Max Cheng, Los Angeles USA</div>
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Dr. Shirlie Dowd, New Hampshire USA</div>
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Dr. Mark Cook, Michigan USA</div>
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Dr. Shea Colpitt, Whistler BC Canada</div>
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Dr. Janette Penez, Manila Philippines</div>
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Dr. Suraj Upadhyaya, Nepal</div>
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Dr. Christina Dinh, Australia</div>
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Zayd Deen, Australia</div>
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Our Volunteers</div>
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-69139421320853564802014-02-04T13:37:00.004-08:002014-02-04T13:37:55.567-08:00REFLECTIONS........<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I'll never stop trying....</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's 6:30am, 90 degrees Fahrenheit, near 100% humidity, day ten of the TWECS Philippines mission and there is somewhere north of 800 people waiting at the clinic site when the team arrives…..Just another day at the office for this TEAM.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting patiently for their glasses</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My brother in law asked once why I do this and I really did have a good answer for the question. Perhaps that answer was in the smile on the face of 18 Diopter nearsighted patient when her new glasses gave her back her world and her ability to function in it; or perhaps I found the answer in the 88 year old woman who stopped in that line of 800 bent at the waist hoping for a chance to get the glasses that gave her back the ability to read.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that the smiles, the thank you's and the hugs are worth a lot to me. I know that I will continue to do this work until I find the last person waiting in line and I know that is not really possible……but I know that I and TWECS will never stop trying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Mark Cook</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michigan, USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Claro na.........</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">Natural disasters are beyond our
control but we can help people to recover from it. We are stronger than
Yolanda. Filipinos heartily welcome us in the City of Yolanda. In all the
streets we passed people waive their hands with a big smile in their face and
you hear the same words from everyone “Salamat for helping us”. Today is the 89</span><sup style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">
day after typhoon hit this area; still the place is like a war zone everywhere
you can see the devastation of typhoon. Sometime coming in these areas can cost
your life too. Food and water is still contaminated; Electricity is not
reinstated yet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">It’s my 14</span><sup style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"> day with the TWECS crew. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">And So far we
have seen more than 6000 people and dispensed more than 5500 glasses. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those who
wear glasses can easily tell you how much difference a good pair of eye glasses
can make in people’s daily life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"> Management of whole crew and passion of
social service shown by Marina and Derrick was great. I have heard and read
about Derrick and Marina before coming here with them but after seeing their
hard work and a heart to sever, I believe that they are down to earth to help
others. And anyone would love to come and serve under their leadership.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I_2zawj6jV8/UvFZoFLPOkI/AAAAAAAABzg/_cfEc_UmY3M/s1600/GLASSES+SET+UP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I_2zawj6jV8/UvFZoFLPOkI/AAAAAAAABzg/_cfEc_UmY3M/s1600/GLASSES+SET+UP.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting eyeglasses ready in the dispensary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8qc91Woeeg/UvFZyKBuCxI/AAAAAAAABzo/AftUiquCPRM/s1600/IMG_1902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8qc91Woeeg/UvFZyKBuCxI/AAAAAAAABzo/AftUiquCPRM/s1600/IMG_1902.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glasses separated into men's women's and children</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">One thing what I feel; which makes
TWECS unique is there dispensing unit. I have never seen the huge bulk and good
quality of glasses for dispensing in any other free eye camps. You know, when
you found someone who can hardly see beyond 1 meter and after refraction you
got his normal vision. But with high power glasses like - 12.50 D. Neither you
nor the person will be happy if you just leave him with the diagnosis of high
myope. Finding a high myope is not worthy until you can correct it. Its TWECS
dispensing unit which makes the difference. They have almost everything in
their dispensing unit whatever you need. Being an Optometrist I can understand
how hard it would have been for TWECS crew to make this all glasses available
for people affected by typhoon. Coming from 6574 miles away with 15000 glasses
is not a joke.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I am very satisfied to be a part of TWECS in typhoon hit areas of
Philippines and I have seen the big smile in people’s face saying ‘Claro na”
while dispensing when they got their lost glasses; they are satisfied too. It
would have been very difficult to rebuild their city without a good pair of
glasses. Thanks to TWECS and other people behind the scene to make it possible.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Suraj Upadhyaya</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nepal</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>The smiles on their faces will say it all.......</i></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">As the population and urbanization both grow, Leyte in the Philippines is experiencing an accelerating environmental challenge. Like in the recent Typhoon Haiyan "Yolanda" aftermath, this place was turned into total devastation. In the advent of global warming and environ change, people and infrastructure should be better prepared.</span></div>
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<br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"> Today, like any other day, people have slowly picked up pieces and moved on with their dear lives. Other people both foreign and local, have come to their aid of all sorts in relief and rehab. This is where our group came into the picture and played it's very important role of eye care and eye sight saving. My years of experience in this endeavor have never been satisfying and invigorating as this one. I am deeply overwhelmed and overjoyed by the humongous task we've done for the past two weeks of helping many survivors to see better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The smiles on their faces will say it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I had the chance of visiting this community in its better days, but I never really dreamed that things of this magnitude could happen in a very memorable place such as this. I have returned to extend my helping hand and I will never forget and forever be thankful to this mission and organization TWECS especially Dr. Marina Roma-March, who gave me the opportunity to help all these people in their time of need where it matters the most... "TINDOG TACLOBAN" </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TS0_aDw6lic/UvFcg05pGhI/AAAAAAAAB0s/qksLLIKdAlQ/s1600/JANETTE+WITH+TWECS+SHIRT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TS0_aDw6lic/UvFcg05pGhI/AAAAAAAAB0s/qksLLIKdAlQ/s1600/JANETTE+WITH+TWECS+SHIRT.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;">Dr. Janette Penez</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Philippines</span></div>
TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-83394933006226682262014-02-03T14:23:00.000-08:002014-02-03T14:23:04.338-08:00"TINDOG TACLOBAN"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I have been on medical missions in various other developing countries, this is my first disaster relief mission. When Typhoon Haiyan struck, I was deeply saddened that so many people had lost family members and their homes. Then one day, I got an email from TWECS asking for optometrists to serve on this mission to help the survivors of the typhoon. I immediately wrote to volunteer my services, knowing that countless people also lost their glasses in the ocean water which swept over their homes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having been with the TWECS team for two weeks already, I am impressed that optometrists and volunteers came together from all parts of the world to serve on this team. We see firsthand the destruction that was left in the typhoon's path, and this is a daily reminder of the importance of our mission. I have been touched by the stories of the survivors whom I have met, and too many of them have experienced the tragedy of losing their family members. I feel honoured that I have the ability and opportunity to help replace the glasses that Typhoon Haiyan took by working with TWECS. The work has been hard and the lines of people waiting to see us have been endless. But the smiles of the people of all ages on the street who wave and thank us wherever we go gives us the strength to work hard every day.</span></div>
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BOXES OF 15,000 EYEGLASSES AT THE BURNABY WAREHOUSE</div>
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THE PATIENT LINE GOES AROUND 3 BLOCKS FROM THE CLINIC</h3>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The typhoon may have taken so much from the people of Tacloban City and the surrounding areas, but it did not take away the unsurpassable spirit of the people here. Everywhere we see the phrase "Tindog Tacloban" (Rise up, Tacloban) which encourages the people to stand up proud and to rebuild their lives. Hopefully we not only help them to see so that they can work and rebuild their lives but we also help them see that a bright future lies ahead for the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Max Cheng, Los Angeles USA</span></div>
TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-43852077516983359032014-02-02T05:16:00.003-08:002014-02-02T05:32:09.711-08:00Full Circle of Giving<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Full Circle of Giving……I was brought to tears. We went into the town of Tanauan, the first landfall of Yolanda. Maybe it was the half naked children, maybe it was the slit latrine or the state of the "homes" of the people, maybe it was the spirit and gentleness of these survivors who have every right to be bitter,……but I could not hold back the tears. I remembered the cold weeknight in the TWECS warehouse parking lot 2 months ago among good friends, strangers and family, sorting the clothing donations into mens, women's, boys, girls, toys, kitchen and linen and not knowing if it will get to the people who deserve it. I remember the drive to the container warehouse in Coquitlam immediately after school in the rain with Evan and Emma eating a Subway sandwich for dinner because we had to pack the 600 boxes into the overseas container ……mostly I remember praying that we would be there to see the donations get to the people that needed them……….my prayers came true today. We can't thank you enough for making a difference in the lives of these survivors. We saw it in their eyes and in their smiles and their Thank yous - Salamat!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marina</span></div>
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SURVIVORS LIVE ON THE GROUNDS OF A DESTROYED HIGH SCHOOL</h2>
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THERE ARE 190 FAMILIES LIVING IN THE TENT CITY WAITING FOR PERMANENT HOUSING</h2>
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YOU CAN SEE A SLIT LATRINE FOR THE SEWAGE</h3>
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YOUR DONATIONS....THEIR HAPPINESS</h2>
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-68234769616142307882014-02-02T04:56:00.003-08:002014-02-02T04:56:54.207-08:00Chewing gum that made me cry.....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A 14 hour flight from Vancouver's YVR to Manila may start you thinking a piece of gum would be nice to clear out the cobwebs. Thanks to a certain sleeping aid I was well rested and feeling ready for the long day ahead. However, In polite conversation with the gentleman in the aisle waiting to disembark the plane I learned that he was a Filipino living in Saskatoon. Seems to me most Filipinos are gentle people with nurturing ways. He asked where I was going. Tacloban, I answered. 'You are going to help? Thank you.', he correctly assumed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I explained about TWECS (Third World Eye Care Society), the container full of supplies and donations of relief goods shipped over and and the glasses the eye team is already dispensing. Then I learn that he has lost 19 family members due to the catastrophe. He didn't know the last time he Skyped his cousin, would be the final time they would speak to each other. His people were simply 'wiped away' by Yolanda never to be found again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It is my understanding that they have recovered a great number of bodies but not having identified them, no one really knows who has been found. Furthermore there is a pressing question as to whether the government has underestimated the count for their own monetary gain. (So the UN does not take over). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Just before I head down the stairs in the opposite direction as he is going, he runs up to me and says, 'Here please take this. It is hard to find here. Thank you again for your help.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It is 3 packs of chewing gum. </span></div>
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-613670094608969382014-02-01T07:34:00.000-08:002014-02-01T07:34:22.017-08:00Tropical Storm Basyang "Kajiki" hits Philippines<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">Last night we experienced first hand a category 2 tropical storm . "Basyang" came out of the Philippine Sea and crossed thankfully, well below Tacloban. Early in the day during our Tanauan clinic (a suburb of Tacloban) the heavy clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped by 5 degrees, and it began to rain. By evening it was all over the local and national news in the Philippines. The tent city near Tanauan was evacuated and by 8pm the driving rain was coming sideways. Many of our team decided not to leave the hotel for dinner, as the anxiety on the faces of the locals was palpable. Businesses that were open shuttered early and few people ventured out of doors. Coming back to the hotel after dinner in the dark the winds were rising to 50 km/hour swinging signs and overhead wires, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;"> it </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">was an eerie wet walk from a few blocks away. </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;"> The rain pounded </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">like a beating drum, </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">incessantly on the corrugated roofs of the buildings around the hotel throughout the night. By morning the rain had stopped, the winds were gone and the sun was shining bright. When we reached the Tanauan clinic we found to our surprise that the night before the Municipal Hall had been transformed into one of the evacuation centres for the Tent city. About 50 families spent the night on the floor of our makeshift eye clinic expecting the worst to hit them again. A post traumatic stress response to Haiyan.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">Derrick</span></span>TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-5637939346860641082014-02-01T07:06:00.000-08:002014-02-01T13:24:20.624-08:00The Recovery<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At times it feels like we are in a scene from a WWII movie. Neighbourhoods are filled with rubble and kids are picking at the garbage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> People still have no electricity in their homes. Most of the power lines are still down and lying in the street. Today our bus had to back up two blocks because the power lines crossed the path. The main roads are all clear but you will see lots of garbage and debris piled up along the side. Thankfully, all the dead bodies have been removed from the streets and dumped into mass grave sites north of Tacloban, the residents are happy the smell is gone. 90% of businesses are still not operational, the few that are, have managed to open by running diesel generators while the people spend money from relatives overseas. The locals wish that progress could be quicker but the international aid really is in the hands of the President of the Philippines. The Government doesn't get along with the Tacloban Mayor who comes from a rival family, so again it is the poor who suffer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Typhoon Haiyan affected 12 million people in the Samar, Leyte region and the locals firmly believe there are as many as 20,000 dead and it could be 30,000. The locals say the government is reluctant to report the actual numbers because they do not want to lose monetary control of international funding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">My family are OK and getting by, mainly because they have each other. I have heard all their stories of survival and the terror they experienced from Yolanda. They say they will never forget the shrieking sound of the wind. The deafening noise was like a freight train that never passes and it awakens them in their sleep. Some of my cousins have no homes and move around to live with other relatives. This is the basis of the Filipino resilience.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There are only a few international aid agencies left. What is disturbing to see are large tents on the outskirts of town stacked high with bags of rice, and city hall offices with tons of rice piled high. I'm not aware of the systems in place for the distribution of these rice bags, but it seems so wrong to delay when there are so many people without jobs and struggling to find food for their families.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We are moving our clinic tomorrow to the city of Tanauan, 45 minutes south of Tacloban. They say it is even more devastated than Tacloban because it was the first landfall for Typhoon Yolanda. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">On Monday we will be in the province of Samar in the town of Basay-a small fishing village. where the mayor says the storm surge hit 18 feet. The town hall was wiped out as well as many homes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Marina</span></div>
TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-79034297710525980582014-01-31T13:46:00.002-08:002014-01-31T13:46:48.227-08:00Goodbye...Today we loose two members from our team, Dr. Christina Dinh and Zayd Deen from Australia. They were invaluable to this project. We will miss you both. Thank you for giving of your time to help the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.<br />
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-26119328250987097912014-01-31T13:44:00.001-08:002014-01-31T13:44:16.807-08:00The Distribution....What a beautiful sight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a beautiful sight it was today! Seeing hundreds of smiling happy children greeting us with high fives and songs. You would never know that the school lost a teacher and 1000 children to Typhoon Yolanda. <br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second floor has been converted into a homeless shelter with 5 families per classroom. Their clean laundry hangs drying in the morning sun from the balcony railings. Some of the roof is gone and the drainage is finally been cleaned in the courtyard. The school is still without hydro power, but it is still school as usual. Our team did vision screening on the children. After which we distributed the relief goods donated by hundreds of British Columbians solicited by Evan and Emma.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is so gratifying to personally give donations to people that need it most. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Often times you don't know who your donation will go to, but in this case we did and it was very rewarding for our team. The boys wear the popular basketball uniforms donated by St. Thoms More Secondary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was wonderful to watch the teachers and the students modelling the clothes, trading the clothes and some clutching very tightly to the clothes.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We will be doing a distribution as well in Tanauan on Sunday. Tanauan had many casualties of Yolanda as it was the first landfall.</span></span></div>
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-50439647956940386842014-01-30T06:42:00.000-08:002014-01-30T06:42:50.844-08:00Dale's Story After a few days in Tacloban City, we noticed a young smiling boy wearing tattered clothes hanging out near the front of our hotel. We soon noticed that he was hungry, so we started to bring him the breakfasts of those volunteers who did not feel like eating in the morning.<br />
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<br /> Talking with him more, we learned that he and his father had lived by themselves because his mother abandoned them and moved to Cebu city. He also had an older sister who lived in Tacloban City. Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda as it is called in the Philippines, changed Dale's life forever. Both his father and sister were killed in the typhoon, and the shanty house that Dale lived in was swept away by the water somehow he survived.<br /> Now with no family and no home, Dale sleeps on the street in front of our hotel. Although he is 13 years old, he looks much younger and is malnourished. Because his mother is still living, he is not considered an orphan and does not qualify for the services offered to those children orphaned by the typhoon, even though his mother abandoned him.<br /> During our time in Tacloban City, we see the harsh reality of the devastating effects of the typhoon. We see homes destroyed, power lines fallen, people without electricity, etc. We have also met many survivors of the typhoon and have heard about how they have lost family and friends.<br /> Dale's story is the culmination of all these stories because he lost his family, his home, and his future. Without food, shelter, education, and the loving care of adults, he will not thrive. Life on the street is all that Dale knows now, and he cannot imagine another life. A 13-year-old boy does not have the ability to search for resources offered to the typhoon victims by himself. Nor does he have the maturity and understanding to know that a child should not have to live on the streets. <br />
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<br /> Hopefully one day soon, very soon, some adults who can help, will realize that this child should not be living on the streets, and then Dale's story will change for the better.<br />
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Max Cheng , USATWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-12499390633269771522014-01-29T07:50:00.002-08:002014-01-29T14:10:49.304-08:00Notes from Rodger<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Again today, many teachers, nurses, corrections officers, and government officials came to get eye exams and eye glasses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">They came to the TWECS clinic not because they cannot afford glasses, but because there is no where else to go to get the glasses they need to do their daily jobs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I heard of a couple of people that rode their bikes for over a 2 hour journey just to come to get eye exams and glasses. Everyone is so grateful for the service that we are providing. Everywhere we go people wave, in the street people stop us just to say thank you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">It is so gratifying in the eye glass dispensing room, to see peoples faces light up with joy at being able to see clearly again for both reading and for distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> We ask them to look out the window and ask “can you read the side of the blue truck that says “CHOO-CHOO”…” and then you see a huge smile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Rodger Konkle</span>TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-70314256500046848572014-01-29T07:35:00.002-08:002014-01-29T07:35:40.374-08:00Lorna's StoryEveryday my teammates and I travel the streets of Tacloban on our way to the eye clinic. We witness first hand the devastation left behind from Typhoon Haiyan. Many of them describe it as a "war zone" that we see only in the movies. <br />
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Yes, this is like a war zone devastated by a very powerful enemy - Yolanda. <br />
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Most of today I spent in registration which would best be described as the "front line".<br />
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This is where we first get to meet our patients who have lined up for hours, some have waited before midnight and others have traveled for miles to receive free eye care and eyeglasses from the TWECS team and our 15,000 eyeglasses.<br />
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This, the front line in registration, was where I met Lorna. <br />
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This frail lady was wandering around the grounds of the Tacloban City Hospital with three young children just watching and clinging to her. Late in the day after registration was closed, I went over to talk to her. She hadn't lined up during the clinic, she just watched from a safe distance. <br />
This is where Lorna's story begins. <br />
It was November 8th, 2013. <br />
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All of the family was home together, Lorna, her husband and five children seemingly protected from the high winds of the typhoon. Then within moments their family was destroyed as Yolanda took over. Four year old Samantha who was sitting at the kitchen table watching her father cooking a meal got swept away so quickly and disappeared forever. <br />
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13 year old Matthew bolted to the second floor carrying his 6 year old sister ... and ended up saving her life. Lorna grabbed onto 5 year old Noel and struggled against the pull of the black water up the stairs to safety. Lorna prayed that her husband and her other 2 children were safe.<br />
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Sadly, 4 year old Samantha and her 11 year old brother James, did not survive and were never found.<br />
Tragically these victims were just two of the estimated 20,000 people to lose their lives that day.<br />
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Brenda Tosoff <br />
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<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-78240053201827429572014-01-28T06:01:00.000-08:002014-01-28T06:01:13.024-08:00Yolanda Relief Goods Container Arrives Finally!<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Derrick and David departed from the eye clinic today to unload the shipping container that finally arrived in Tacloban after its long journey from Vancouver. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This container was graciously shipped by the Rotary World Help Network and was packed with disaster relief goods by Marina, Derrick, Evan and Emma and their friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Derrick and I arrived at the unloading compound this morning and were soon met by an Army 6x6 truck full of the Pilipino Army Stormtroopers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">With their help, in 4 hours we were able to unload and sort hundreds of boxes, then reload a wing truck for our upcoming distribution in Tanauan, Leyte and Tacloban City. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">It must be noted that the hot, sweaty, tiresome work done today pales in comparison to the efforts of making this shipment happen back home in Canada. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">It was an absolute pleasure to be a small part of what Emma and Evan started and the effort of countless others who have done so much to assist the people of the Philippines in their time of need. <span id="goog_319737007"></span><span id="goog_319737008"></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> Evan and Emma, thank you for allowing me to be part of your visionary work you are accomplishing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Prior to Typhoon Yolanda, there was a considerable discrepancy between the rich and poor in this part of the world, and this eye project would have only focused on the poorest of the poor. But, things have changed, and were put into perspective for us. An affluent businessman told us yesterday, that Yolanda was "The Great Equalizer". The poor have nothing, and now the rich have nothing. So many people in the typhoon ravaged area require some help, regardless of socio economic status. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zn-SA0v5hMM/UuezxIVUrqI/AAAAAAAABm4/PoTCHrcKYBY/s1600/DSC_0719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zn-SA0v5hMM/UuezxIVUrqI/AAAAAAAABm4/PoTCHrcKYBY/s1600/DSC_0719.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Team would like to dedicate today's blog posting to Evan and Emma for their amazing efforts of preparing a shipment that will help so many that have lost so much. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0Tr0LZUYQs/Uuew-CF1l6I/AAAAAAAABms/dNvpK9VKk4A/s1600/DSC_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0Tr0LZUYQs/Uuew-CF1l6I/AAAAAAAABms/dNvpK9VKk4A/s1600/DSC_0767.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Salamat (Thank You ) Evan and Emma</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">David Sakaki</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Team Yolanda Tacloban</span><br />
<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-91338326803726128962014-01-27T03:45:00.002-08:002014-01-27T03:45:23.255-08:00It was a pleasure and an honor....survivors of YOLANDA<br />
In four days our team has served over 2000 survivors of Yolanda. The day starts with a 5am alarm and ends when the last box of eyeglasses is sealed just before sunset. There is only 10 minutes for lunch. You are on your feet all day swatting mosquitos. And the sweat never ends. The ache in your heels, the burning in your eyes and the hunger pains are all worth it.....you will see why in the clip below.....<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151925223137633&set=vb.575937632&type=2&theater">This will make you smile</a><br />
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<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-66470665632307518492014-01-25T14:26:00.002-08:002014-01-25T14:26:30.259-08:00ONE PAIR AMONGST A HUNDRED
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When we visited the astrodome a few days ago, there was an
international team doing a medical mission that tended to everything from
nutrition to blurry vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
head of the mission, Father Daniel said that by far the most requested service
was for the eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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There is currently no eye care available to the people and
definitely no access to eyeglasses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>City workers, teachers and nurses borrow one pair of
eyeglasses amongst themselves at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tacloban City Hospital Room after Yolanda</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Triage Area</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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One team member, relayed a story of a patient to me that
affected him deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a
grade 5 teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our team member
asked her how many students were in her class; she hesitated for a long while
and answered<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our team member could not understand
her hesitation so he asked….”how many before Yolanda?”……she answered 45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QqZOi0tk5EM/UuQ2kuTDjyI/AAAAAAAABjo/luW3jjAb3S8/s1600/POWERLINESDOWN.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QqZOi0tk5EM/UuQ2kuTDjyI/AAAAAAAABjo/luW3jjAb3S8/s1600/POWERLINESDOWN.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">POWERLINES STILL HAVEN'T BEEN REPAIRED</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garbage is still in many of the streeets</td></tr>
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TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-6347336982826664472014-01-24T13:05:00.000-08:002014-01-24T13:23:18.766-08:00There are only a few international aid agencies left in Tacloban. People still have no power, no toilets and no homes. We have been asked to finish our clinic early so that people can see to go home. Home is a "house" built on rubble, dirt, garbage and sewage. We have been told it has been raining everyday for the last month and there is a rise in dengue fever and leprosy. Two team members have already fallen ill from the food. <br />
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<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-11598698628262452222014-01-24T03:46:00.004-08:002014-01-24T03:50:07.953-08:00<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151919301147633&set=vb.575937632&type=2&theater">This 30 second video says it all</a>https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151919301147633&set=vb.575937632&type=2&theater<br />
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<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-57792166054995113422014-01-23T05:29:00.001-08:002014-01-23T14:23:35.164-08:00We will survive....Today was a hard day, hard in so many ways. I finally saw with my own eyes the destruction that Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) did to the people of Tacloban. The ride from the airport was very quite as our team took in the destruction and suffering. We visited the largest evacuation centre, the astrodome. Around the perimeter of the astrodome, people had built a community with homes made of scrap metal and wood surrounded by pools of muddy water, lots of garbage, flies and running sewage. Children played and ran around the area as children do in our parks at home. From what I saw around me, I expected to see faces of resentment, faces of desolation of hopelessness and despair. I was surprised to see smiles as we received many warm greetings and gracious thank yous.<br />
We visited the site where five large cargo ships had washed ashore onto the land. I walked down into the new shanty neighbourhood near one ship and saw a woman
hanging her laundry amidst piles of rubble and garbage with her 5 year
old daughter. I went to a vendor selling detergent for 8 pesos. I walked over to her and asked if I could buy 2 packages of laundry detergent. She politely answered that she only had one to sell to me for 8 pesos and I gave her 20 pesos. She gave me back 10 pesos, walked up to her little 3x3 store grabbed her laundry detergent walked back down and gave it to me with 2 pesos in her hand. I had to insist that she take the change. As I was walking away, she held my team member Brenda by the arm and looked into her eyes and said "Don't worry Maam we will survive"...that is the spirit of the Filipino people. The spirit that has humbled me today. <br />
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<br />TWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1927292810072105685.post-25950741553129108592014-01-20T22:45:00.000-08:002014-01-20T22:45:26.096-08:00So it begins.....On November 8th 2013 ….. the most powerful storm in the history of the Philppines, levelled communities in Samar- Leyte and killed over 6000 innocent people and children….3 of them were my relatives. I was born in Samar and many of my relatives live in Samar Leyte. Hearing the news was disturbing but the photos really hurt. It hurt because I have visited with these beautiful people many times and have served them on two eye care missions. I recognized all the buildings, roads and neighbourhoods that are now totally levelled. I was brought to tears when I saw the faces of the people and children who were suffering from so much loss. Like many others it's hard to comprehend why these disasters happen to such innocent people who have little to begin with; but I told myself, we can't understand everything and we can't dwell on it either. So when the opportunity came for me to lead an international eye care team to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, I couldn't turn it down. <br /><br />We took great comfort from friends and family, but it was the overwhelming generosity and humanity from strangers that touched me deeply. The compassion from people helped to fill two containers full of relief goods. And tomorrow, 18 individuals from around the world are leaving their homes and businesses for 3 weeks and are prepared to accept difficult living conditions, work long days just to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. <br /><br />I am nervous…...I know it will be hard to see those disturbing images with my own eyes. I will continue to blog when and if we have access to internet. <br /><br />Thanks<br />MarinaTWECS/VOSH BChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03538037497996530763noreply@blogger.com0