After arriving on earthquake stricken Bohol Island my first task was to reach Project Bohol's base near the town of Antequera, and to do that I had to cross the river next to the collapsed Arbatan Bridge by hiring an outrigger canoe, as a new temporary bridge was being erected in its place.
After crossing the river I hired a motorized tricycle for the rest of the trip. As we went up the road I saw dozens of collapsed homes, signs painted across the roadway so large it could be seen by the air with the message: "We need Help" and signs along the side saying "We need Food and Water" and a grim on that read "Dead Lydy" (Lady). Bohol suffered comparatively minor damage from Typhoon Yolanda compared to the neighboring island of Lyte, were All Hands is about to launch two new projects to help disaster victims there.
Volunteers with Project Bohol come from all over the world. On my first day I was assigned to one of the several All Hands Project Bohol teams, and we de-constructed this wrecked house, saving the materials for potential use during reconstruction.
The family living next to this destroyed home requested to be provided with a Shelter Box as some of their neighbors across the road already were living in like this one with a collapsed church just up the road.
Project Bohol assigned the team I was part of to their fellow volunteer Patrick from Redmond Washington to train us to set up the Shelter Box tents.
All Hands Volunteers from Canada the US and Mauritius help to set up a Shelter Box Tent.
After we finished the elderly homeowner told each one of us on the verge of tears: "I love you."
It was also meant for all of the generous people who hlped buy her Shelter Box, and those who helped All Hands Project Bohol help with our work with victims of these disasters.
This was the shelter an extended family of 11 was living in before we set up their Shelter Box tent next to it.
You can help cover All Hands Volunteers costs to help me and other volunteers like me to tackle the monumental task of rebuilding. All their volunteers pay for their own transportation so the money you give is used to keep the operation ongoing. De-construction is very hard on tools and we are constantly breaking them, so we are chronically short on tools.
Help All Hands Volunteers cover the costs of my three weeks working with Project Bohol
And please help buy more Shelter Boxes to distribute to people here in the Central Philippines. The need is great.
http://www.shelterboxusa.org/