Gone missing for 5 days

It's another year to conquer. Another year to be blessed and to learn. I do hope and pray this year will be blissful for last year was full of struggles. Struggling yet a fighter. I raise amidst all. I hope you too.

Blessed to still have you all. Happy new year. May God continue to bless you all.

As I welcome 2022 I want to look back the struggle that made me become stronger and made me a fighter. One of these struggles is the days that I was gone missing after the typhoon. It's a continuation of my story after typhoon Odette, the last one before the Christmas celebration story. This story create a huge part of my 2021 struggle as it left huge scar and lesson to learn as well.

After we pick our things up from our broken boarding house. The first day was not so hard because we still have food and money but as we think it through and upon learning that there's no help coming, we knew we won't survive if we continue to stay where we are for the next few days. We finish our first day with a heavy but hopeful heart. One of my board mate was visited by her boyfriend and was convince to went home.

The next day we wake up. Our second day, another day still don't know what will happened to us. We are grateful that our land lord gave us some chicken soup which served as our viand the whole day. We are happy because we ate noodles and canned goods the last two days, during the typhoon and our first day after the typhoon. We spend our second day, Saturday, still staying in our broken boarding house. Trying to lighten the mood from all the worries we all had. But before the day end our board mate who went home with his boyfriend came back with another vehicle with them. She convince us to go with her in her house. She insisted that it's better to stay there while we wait for the road to be passable rather than staying in the evaluation area without food and water or any help. We all agreed and went home with her.

It was already night when we travel our way home and when we arrived to the road where landslide happened it was not safe to pass because it's so dark so we decided to stay in our board mate boyfriend's house. We rerouted and spend our night in there house. It's almost eight in the evening when we arrived. We just walk and crossed the river because the road was also not available going to there place. We were tired and hungry as we arrived yet we don't mind it anymore. We were so happy and grateful, overwhelmed by the presence of the very hospitable owner of the house. They welcome us all, shy from there broken home which was devastate by the typhoon as well, yet we let them feel we are much grateful of how welcome they are to us.

Sunday, our third day, we wake up early and begin our quest to our destination. We walk from the house where we sleep to the main road where the landslide happened. We were able to borrow a vehicle from there to the road were we will walked again going to my board mate's house.

It was a very long and tiring journey as we walk few miles going through the mountain. The road was also broken and vehicle can't pass that's why we walked. Few miles we travel the road going down and the next few miles we climb the tricky mountain as we start our journey from the mountain to another mountain. Before climbing we also crossed a big river, that I almost get myself drown. If you imagine the scenario, it was like a two mountain facing together and the river was the one in between them. When you start your journey in the top of the first mountain you could see the destination, houses and the place in general located at the next mountain. But as you go down you couldn't see it anymore. And for you to reach your destination you need to climb all the way to the top.

The journey was very far and tiring, yet it doesn't matter anymore. We strive for survival and we are much grateful that there are people who are much willing to let us stay. People who are so rich in heart and very warm to welcome us all. With all the struggles we face we found new family.

We spend 3 days in there. From Sunday night to Tuesday morning. We did not even expect that we could go home that day because my board mates family was there to pick us as they were looking for us for many days after the typhoon. I was heart broken and wondering if there are also people looking for me. Why is that my family wasn't there?

I went home with them, go down from the mountain with a heavy heart. Yet, I was really missing home and I want to go go home so bad.

I arrived home at 2'oclock in the afternoon and mom was so happy to see me. She was teary eyed and was telling me where was I. That they've been looking for me. That they were about to go to the police station and report me missing. I don't know if I will laugh or cry knowing that I was gone missing if I didn't go home that day but I am still happy.

I was so happy to finally be home again. It's true that there is no place like home. I am so much grateful that God did not leave by my side. That he used people as an instrument for me to get through all the struggles that I have.

Even with the struggles I learned to be grateful, I am so blessed with the gift of friends and new family. I am thankful because even though I am away from my family there are people who cared about me. There are so many things to be grateful for rather than to rant from the struggles. Even just being alive was a great blessing.The journey wasn't really easy there were times that I suddenly cry but I prayed the Lord that he will get me through all those and yes he did. Praise and glory to him.

This year will surely be different for me. Because I, myself was different from the last year. I become a fighter. Braver and wiser. Thanks to all the lesson from all the struggles of the previous year. Let's face this year with positive mind and faithful heart.

Happy happy new year everyone. 🥳🎉

Note: I really missed you all. Still I couldn't be active just like before because of the internet connection. Just to post this article I am here typing in the town because date is more stable here and I need to ride from here to my place. But it's okay as long as I could at least share something from you. I hope I could visit you all soon.

Even with the unstable connection I will still write if I had the chance to. Thank you all so much. Love you ❤️😘