Thousands of people are still reeling from Taal Volcano’s sudden eruption last January 12, 2020 which has caused severe damage to agriculture in surrounding areas. Greatly affected are the families of farmers cultivating coffee, cacao, pineapple, rice, coconut, and other high-value agricultural produce, as well as those of fisherfolk of Taal Lake. Moreover, the tourism industry in the region has also suffered tremendous losses due to the calamity. More than 300,000 people were forced to evacuate as Alert Level 4 was raised by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), warning of an imminent hazardous eruption. In the midst of the devastation, members of the Focolare community employ whatever means they have to attend to the needs of the people displaced by the disaster.

Purisa Plaras, a focolarina and co-director of “Mariapolis Peace,” the Focolare little town” in Tagaytay, recounts: “Several days after the eruption of Taal Volcano, we went back to Tagaytay to see the situation of our community, and share everything with the different families who live around our Centre which is within the 14-kilometer radius danger zone of the volcano. We did not waste any time. It was very difficult to convince the families to evacuate. Nobody wanted to leave because they did not know where to go. But someone made her place available so some were able to move to a safer place. God’s love is truly concrete. Concerned about their basic needs, we distributed food and water to the families. We are truly fortunate to have such a beautiful “Focolare family.” Our experience is to continue to believe in the love of God especially when we had to make big decisions for the life of these families around us.”

One of our Focolare youths’ shares: “It is not at all easy to face this situation. It is heart-breaking and I could not help but cry. I can’t explain how I feel right now but deep inside I know that God loves us immensely, embracing together the face of Jesus Crucified and Forsaken in this situation. I will be strong here to serve Jesus in others too. Before we knew it, we found ourselves together with other Focolare members distributing mosquito nets, pillows, and mats to other evacuees. Only love remains at the end of the day.”

Randy Debarbo, the focolarino-in-charge of the area surrounding Mariapolis Peace, narrates: “On Sunday, January 12, 2020, after our monthly recollection, as we were driving back to our house, we noticed the foul odour of sulphur in the air. Moreover, it was getting dark when it started to rain. But there was something strange. The rainwater was staining our umbrellas and clothes. Then we realized it was the volcanic ash mixed with the rain that came down as mud! There was no other sound except the continuous drumming of the rain combined with volcanic ash on our rooftop throughout Sunday night until dawn. It seemed endless. The flashes of volcanic lightning gave us a glimpse of what was happening on the volcano island. A lot of tremors constantly roused us from sleep. It was a night of prayers and entrusting everything and every person in God’s hands.”

Randy continues, “When we woke up the next morning, we did not recognize anymore our surroundings. Everything was grey as if we were colour blind. The trees and plants were all bowed down with broken branches and small plants buried in gray mud. We saw the massive devastation wrought by Taal Volcano’s eruption. We were quite aware of the potential danger in the coming days.”

Randy described the next day seeing the evacuation of many residents of Tagaytay. The public school near the Focolare centre became a temporary shelter and transit centre for about 500 people coming up from lakeshore towns near the volcano. In front of such a devastation, a voice inside me was speaking loudly: ‘For I was hungry, and you gave me food…”. This concern for Jesus in neighbours in need urged him to stay together with other focolarinos in Tagaytay. They started to coordinate with some Focolare members in Manila who offered their assistance to the displaced people in Tagaytay. Providentially, many responded immediately and started to prepare relief goods and assistance for the evacuees in Tagaytay.

Randy continues, “Together with my focolare colleagues, we went with a truck as far as about 20 kilometres away from Tagaytay to buy water to be distributed to some families who were still in Tagaytay. It was an overwhelming feeling seeing the families momentarily relieved of their worries, and the children happily receiving even just a pail of water. There was a family with a man who is already old and crippled and his wife who had an asthma attack. With a focolarino doctor stationed here in Tagaytay, we decided to visit the families around us to see to their medical needs. Arriving in one place, people of that neighbourhood were all along the road, waiting and asking for food. Instead of visiting only one house, we were able to give free medical check-up to those who were waiting for food. We put together the small amount of money in our pockets and personally bought medicines for those in urgent need of medical attention and medication.” This focolarino doctor, with some other focolarinos who stay put, continues his visits to the different villages to attend to their medical needs. The officers manning the road block were first surprised, then amused when they saw how the villagers were waiting eagerly for him. Now one of them would accompany him for the “routine”. One of our friends wrote to us: “Most residents have already evacuated. Thank you for staying with us.”

One of the focolarinas in Tagaytay said: “Every day, many thoughts and worries pass through our minds and hearts: How long will this situation last? What will happen to our Centre? What will happen to our families around us? Surprisingly, we don’t feel that we lack anything. We found much love from everybody and, until today, blessings come in abundance. We strongly believe that behind all these is a beautiful yet mysterious plan of God.” He is there to cheer us up.

Even in Tagaytay, there are signs of hope. In the midst of the ashes, there is new life: brightly colored flowers start to bloom, blades of grass and young banana leaves appear… The situation is slowly improving, though the risks are always there. Some evacuees are returning to their place of origin to start building, literally, their home. Yes, it’s true: our only anchor is God’s immense love. And like Chiara Lubich and her first companions at the Movement’s beginnings in World War II, we experience that everything passes away and that only God who is Love remains.

The focolare community in the Philippines continues to serve the needs of the evacuees by organizing livelihood programs and house reconstruction for those adversely affected by the volcanic eruption.

Besides the generous help coming from the focolare families here in the Philippines, the Movement worldwide is sustaining us with their prayers and financial support to rehabilitate the Mariapolis Peace which is at the service of the whole of Asia.

Jonas Lardizabal

Source: New City Philippine Edition