Odette - A Name I Won't Forget

I can't believe we didn't pay much attention to the news about Odette. I regret not being fully prepared for the devastating effects that it had brought. I was okay with no electricity but I wasn't okay with no internet connection, this is a nightmare for those who are working from home moreover for those who are relying on the internet for their day-to-day life.

On the day before the storm, it was like an ordinary day, there was rain and wind but was manageable. There was even a point where the sun appeared, I remember posting it as the calm before the storm. The news said that Odette is almost as strong as Yolanda and when we think of Yolanda, we think of the many deaths that had left Tacloban City like a graveyard. But then again, we never really had thought that this Odette would give us a night that we won't forget.

By the afternoon of the 16th, we already started feeling a bit of the storm. There was rain, the wind was getting stronger. Power was not anymore available, it was cut off when the wind became stronger but the internet was present and I was able to update my noise.cash account about what's happening around. I posted about how my baby was sleeping soundly despite the strong winds and I was even able to edit a video on my laptop!

It was 5:30 PM, my baby got up and we all shared an early dinner because it was dark and we had nothing to do so the family decided we get to have a meal early. It was a good idea to eat early as Odette made its way into Bohol by around seven that evening and we were already done with the dishes.

As the wind grew stronger, we were sitting in the living room and found that water got inside the house. The second-floor terrace's roof had been blown away! We have to make a way for the water not to fill the second floor so my cousin and our working student were sweeping the water towards the comfort room on the second floor but still, a lot of water managed to get to the ground floor. It was not also helpful that the windows' sealant was damaged, both the second and the ground floor got a lot of water.

My father decided we must do something so he placed a lot of clothes but this was not enough. We got tired and decided to let the water just pour inside the house.

It was the longers two hours of our lives. The strong wind was like howling, there were whistles all around, there were even sounds of like an engine accelerating, it was as if monsters on vehicles were outside our house. The mango trees around our house were being thrown here and there by the wind. Odette was the only storm who was able to cut down our neighbor's mango tree and even cut most of the branches of their old and very tall mango tree at their front yard. The huge branch made its way at our gate entrance. The other mango tree at the back hit a small part of our backyard roof and damaged it.

We heard all sorts of cracking, squeaking, roofs moving and flapping, the street lamps were not spared as the storm had reached the land. There was still internet access by that time and I recall reading updates from friends losing their homes due to coconut trees hitting their roofs, damaging their entire household. A lot of rescued families and more asking for help to be rescued from our neighbors and downtown family friends.

My family and I were at the comfort of our home. It was safe inside. My baby was not even worried about the storm, not even a hint of fear in his face and it was rebuking. I decided to pay attention to the good despite what was happening outside. With every frightening howl, I turn to God. I asked for HIs divine protection for the entire family, my sister-in-law, and nephew who were stranded in Cebu City, my cousins and relatives in the other towns, even friends and colleagues, I asked that God would deliver us and keep us all safe.

Two hours. it was unforgettable. It was the longest two hours.

On my mind, I hoped for it to stop, I asked God that He would make it stop.

It was only ten in the evening when we decided to sleep. The storm was still there but it was not that strong compared to how it was a few hours ago. But there was no electricity and so my baby had a hard time sleeping. All windows were closed so it was so humid and hot. By one in the morning, I asked my husband that we go to our room and keep our windows screen to let the wind get inside and we were off to dreamland in just a few minutes. Thankfully, the room looked fine, we still have our roof intact.

We slept, we will see by the morning the effects of Odette.

xoxo,

momentswithmatti

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