A slightly more serious post, perhaps... [post-edited]

The Philippines has been hit by typhoon Ketsana (a.k.a. "Ondoy"), claiming around 250 deceased and countless more injured (Oct. 1, 2009). This has been the most destructive typhoon ever to hit the Phils in 40 years -- and there's yet another one to come ("Parma", a.k.a. "Pepeng"). According to one of my cousins, it has hit the country already, though they only experience the "outskirts" of the storm rather than the eye of it. They expect the typhoon to reach full strength this coming Saturday. ABS-CBN News (Filipino news program) claim there to be at least 2 possible tracks Pepeng can follow: Either it can directly cross Luzon in a NW path and thus head for Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, or it can change its path upon hitting the island to a more NNW direction and thus head for Hong Kong and Taiwan. So the Philippines and the rest of the world are bracing themselves for what's coming.



Please pray for the souls of the ones affected by it as well as the country as a whole. And if you can, please send in donations or any kind of assistance at all:

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/27/09/tropical-storm-ondoy-how-you-can-help

Here are also some Norwegian pages of interest:

http://www.caritas.no/news.asp?c=214&id=10494

http://www.rodekors.no/Nyheter_og_presse/Nyheter/Innsamling_til_ofrene_pa_Filippinene_og_i_Vietnam/

People are doing what they can to assist those in need at the moment. The Catholic Church in Norway are arranging extra collections on Oct. 3 and 4 to raise funds for Filipino victims, as do several non-profit organizations worldwide. (If you don't want to transfer money online, you can always go to your nearest Catholic church, find a priest and tell him you wish to give a donation. They're more than willing to pass them on!)

Just to clarify, none of my relatives have been affected by the typhoon as far as I know (knock on wood!), but the Filipino people need our assistance. Please, please help in any way you can. A little goes a long, long way.

My aforementioned cousin and his colleagues, friends and family are also doing what they can to raise funds. The destruction has been heartbreakingly extensive, even to the point that President Arroyo opened up her presidential palace to give shelter and food to some of the victims and their families. She has her faults, to be sure, but this -- as certain other feats during her presidential career -- shows to me a greatness of mind which is much worthy of admiration. I totally admire her for this deed and hope for everybody's sake that Pepeng won't wreak as much havoc as believed.

So to everyone reading this post, please keep the victims in your prayers and pray for the new typhoon to change its direction. There has been enough damage done already.

Signing off,

Elise