A Miracle Half a World Away

I know a lot of us have been glued to the news, watching in horror as the tragic events in the Philippines unfolded and we saw the devastation left in the wake of the Typhoon Yolanda (Hayan). I am always sad and worried about any person or country that experiences a catastrophe. But this particular natural disaster really effected our family. My husband Austin served a two year, full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Tacloban, Philippines Mission from 2003 - 2005. He spent every waking moments talking to the people, speaking their language, learning about their culture, and teaching people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I like to joke that he came back part Filipino, but I'm not really joking. Those people are his family. To know that the Typhoon was about to hit the exact area of his mission on the island of Leyte was terrifying. I have not been to the Philippines yet, but I have skyped with Marivil Temosa. She is a beautiful, strong woman and so amazing! Because I knew her, my concern for the Philippine people was centered on her. I knew that I wanted to do something to help, despite being half a world away.

So Austin and I agreed to fast 24 hours and pray for her, her family, and the Filipino people on Leyte. Many of our family joined our fast. Our purpose was to ask God to protect them as the winds and water threatened their safety. We were encouraged to know that they would have sought safety in the church buildings, that are built of solid bricks. It took days to find out what had happened to the Temosa family, and when we did, we were so happy to know that they were safe and well! That, in and of itself, is a miracle and a blessing. We asked if their house had been flattened, because with winds over 200 miles per hour there's no way a wood hut with a tin roof would be able to resist those forces. Brother Temosa said, "All the houses were flattened. Except for ours. It's the only one standing and it still has it's roof."

That story isn't about me and Austin. It's about how fasting accesses the blessings of heaven. This experience has helped me better understand the scripture in the Old Testament, in Ezra 8:23, "So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us." We fasted, we prayed, and God answered. I am grateful for miracles in life, that strengthen my belief and faith in God.

Here's a map of the area, the course the typhoon took, and the number of people affected (click on it to make it bigger):