Full Circle - Returning Home for a Mission of Hope

Sheila Mendes watched her TV in horror last November as images of mass devastation from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines unfolded before her eyes. She desperately wanted to leave on the next flight out to help her relatives and other survivors in her hometown of Tacloban, but God told her to wait. Sheila learned that waiting on the Lord is not always easy, but that his timing is perfect.

Three weeks later when Sheila saw a Facebook post from Saddleback Church asking for volunteers to travel to the Philippines on a two-week PEACE Relief mission trip, she instantly knew God was calling her serve. At the peak of the holiday season, Sheila and her teammates began preparing for the two-week trip. After nearly a month of training and preparing for the trip, her team of four departed on December 26.

It was an emotional homecoming. Sheila fought back the tears as their plane descended into Tacloban. She had tried to prepare herself for this moment, but seeing the devastation first-hand was too much to bear. The blue water surrounding the islands that she once viewed as serene and calming now seemed treacherous. These were the waters that engulfed millions of homes and claimed thousands of lives. Homes that once lined the roads were now replaced with tents and makeshift shelters formed from wreckage and tarps. The once vibrant community around the airport was now empty and eerily quiet.

Her knees buckled beneath her as she exited the plane. Even with a month of preparation, nothing could have readied her for what she was about to encounter.

Typhoon Haiyan has been called the deadliest storm in history. On November 8, 2013, some of the strongest sustained winds ever recorded battered the Philippines, sending 25-foot-high fatal walls of water ashore. To date, the storm has taken more than 6,000 lives, and 2,000 people are still missing. More than four million people lost their homes, many of them still homeless and living in tents and evacuation centers.

In, pouring rain, high humidity and 90-degree heat, the team spent the their first day assessing the most desperate needs of the community. There was no power, no running water, and fresh food was scarce. The team wore “Tindog Tacloban” (translation “Rise Up Tacloban”) T-shirts to serve as an inspiration and reminder that the strength of the Filipino people’s hearts would prevail and help them rise above the adversity.

Saddleback PEACE teams work through local churches around the world to provide assistance to communities. Sheila’s team established a partnership with Tacloban Bible Community (TBC), the same church where she dedicated her life to Christ 19 years prior. Although the church had lost 30 members and their building suffered severe physical damage, they had a concrete plan in place for helping rebuild and restore their community. TBC was a perfect fit to work with Sheila’s team. Together, their joint effort would have a greater impact in the lives of local families.

The team distributed boxes of toys and supplies from Operation Christmas Child to families in a small impoverished community of Caloocan. The line to receive a box was long, and Sheila saw a young mother struggling to hold her infant while trying to help her other two children with their boxes. She offered to hold the baby, and in doing so, the mother opened up and shared her family’s story of survival. She told Sheila about how their house had been completely blown away and her husband used a long cable wire to tie the family to a coconut tree, where they clung to life for four hours. Amazingly, they all survived.

Next, the team held two “New Year, New Hope in Christ” gatherings and a roof relief project. Nearly 500 people came to the gatherings. After serving a hot lunch, the team distributed supplies and food. That day, 37 people embraced their salvation and found new life in Christ.

The roof relief project provided corrugated iron sheets to 73 families to replace the roofs on their homes.

“Even though we worked day and night,” says Sheila, “...we felt as if we barely did anything. We knew that our efforts were miniscule in relation to the overwhelming needs that were everywhere.” Overall, they were able to minister to about 800 people. Throughout the city citizens posted handmade “thank you” signs to show their appreciation.

Now almost three months after returning from her trip, Sheila remains a dedicated activist for recovery support in the Philippines. “I am committed to being a voice for those who do not have one anymore, and for those whose voice has become weak in the midst of tremendous loss,” she says. Devastation from the typhoon may be off the front pages these days, but that is not an indication that life has returned to normal. Sheila says there continues to be an urgency for support as an estimated 4 million people remain homeless and more than 100,000 live in evacuation centers. Many areas still lack electricity and water. Relief efforts are far from over.

There is still so much work to be done, but with continued support, the survivors have hope of rebuilding their lives. They know the road will be long, and they are praying that the world won’t forget about them along the way.

For more information on PEACE Relief and ways you can help support relief efforts in the Philippines, email relief@saddleback.com.