Trip Report: Coroz, Tublay, Benguet
Date: October 31, 2009
Purpose: Post-Typhoon Pepeng Community Support
Host: The Winter Family, Missionaries in the Tublay region
Partners: Virginia Baptist Mission Board (Financial and Training)
Members of several churches including (but not limited to):
-Union International Church, Baguio
-Greenhills Christian Fellowship, Baguio
-Calvary Baptist Church, Baguio
-Beacons of Christ, Baguio
-Various AG congregations, Tublay
Services Provided:
Medical Care/Pharmacy/Crisis Care Counseling: 85
Dental Care/Crisis Care Counseling: 40
Children Ministry: Balloons, Songs, Coloring, etc. 70
School Teachers Trained in Crisis Care Counseling 5
Disaster relief Several sacks full of clothes.
Total people ministered to: about 180
Coroz is a small mountain community in the district of Tublay. During Typhoon Pepeng (also known as Parma), the area was devastated by landslides. At the request of the Winters, we visited the site and determined that it would be a good location for a medical mission. We decided to focus on crisis counseling. Often we do classic Christian evangelism, but decided that it was inappropriate under these circumstances. The recovery time after a traumatic experience is generally a bad time to make life decisions.
The road to Coroz was difficult. In many places on the Halsema Highway, the road had been cut away by landslide resulting in dangerous looking detours. The 1 lane road from the Highway to Coroz looked rough and slippery and was also damaged by storm. Nevertheless, we arrived at the mission site, the elementary school in Coroz, to find very few adults but lots of children. As the adults came in they were brought over to do crisis care counseling. This appeared to be very effective, with many able express their emotions about the disaster. The children we taken elsewhere where they sang songs, and did coloring. One of the things they were asked to do was to draw what they experienced during the typhoon. The drawings showed the depth of the fear and pain related to this event. When the principal of the school saw these pictures she saw the need for her teachers to be able to address the situation. Therefore, we provided training for the teachers in how to help the children in Coroz work through the emotions of the event and fears regarding recurrence.
While we were there, a truck arrived with school supplies. These were provided by UNESCO. That was a big help to the children… many of whom had considerable losses in this area.
Follow-up:
On of the major losses expressed by the children was of tsinellas (sandals/flip-flops). They are often placed just outside of the doors of houses. So many of them were washed away by the storm. Therefore, we bought a large supply of tsinellas. These will be delivered to the elementary school at Coroz.
Thanks:
We thank the Winter family, Shane, and others from the Tublay area for making arrangements for our mission. We thank Chaplain Charlie Benton, of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, for coming from the US to help in training us in Crisis Care Counseling. We thank Ptr. Manny Domeris, of Calvary Baptist, for working with friends and local leaders in arranging transportation over the rough roads. We also thank Principal Brigette of Coroz Elementary School for hosting us in Coroz and being concerned for the teachers and children there. To all members of the team, we give thanks to God who brings together His people from all over the world to do great things in His service.
Children Singing during Disaster Relief Mission
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