When Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) struck Central Visayas on November 4th, it left a path of widespread devastation. Several members of our team were affected, including Mart, a data analyst, whose young family lived through a harrowing morning that took nearly everything. We share his story because it’s important to remember that behind our work are real lives, real families, and real moments of extraordinary courage. This is Mart’s account of survival, loss, and hope.
Mart’s Story
First of all I am deeply thankful that my family survived. The material things, our belongings, our car swept away by the flood, do not matter. Even the damage to the house is secondary. Our safety is the only thing that counts, and for that, we offer profound gratitude to God.
The trauma is intense. It’s chilling to recall the desperation of climbing onto the roof, holding our 2-year-old while our 6-year-old followed, enduring painful scrapes and bruises just to stay alive. My heart aches thinking of the little one, too young to comprehend, holding on to me silently, watching the storm, shivering uncontrollably from the fierce wind and rain on the rooftop.
We are emotionally numb, still processing this reality. The full weight of what happened is slowly settling in. My children’s distress is heartbreaking. They cry intensely when I am out of their sight, especially my youngest.
We have been stripped back to nothing, but our faith remains absolute. We surrender everything to God.
To our community, we must pray and remain strong. Dasig lang gyud ta.
We would like to thank our immediate and extended family, my RipeConcepts and Nagarro crew, supportive bosses, wonderful friends, workmates, colleagues, our child’s school parent’s council, and classmates. The past days have been challenging, but knowing we had your help, whether it was through a hot meal, sending a generous donation, or even just checking in with a comforting message, has made all the difference.
Your kindness and generosity have truly been a beacon of hope during this difficult time. We are so lucky to have such a supportive community. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for everything. ♥️🙏
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