Kami po ay bumabati sa inyo ng isang Makulay
na Tag-lagas! Sa kabila ng maraming pagbabagong na-
gaganap sa ating sa ating kapaligiran, sa ating mga pa-
milya, sa mga taong ating nakilala, sa mga komunidad na
ating kinabibilangan at maging sa ating mga sarali, tayo
ay nanatiling nakatuon sa makukulay na mga biyayang
dulot ng iba't ibang karanasan na tumutulong sa ating
pag-lago bilang tao at katiwala ng Diyos sa kanyang mi-
syon.

Patuloy po nating isama sa ating mga panalangin ang mga kapwa misyonero na nakakaranas ng iba't ibang hamon ng misyon. Atin pong alalahanin si Fr. Mike Sinnott (Society of St. Columban) na ngayon ay nasa kamay parin ng mga kidnapper sa Mindanao. Nawa ay sama-sama nating ipag-dasal ang kan- yang kaligtasan. Walang imposible sa Diyos.

Sa ating muling pagtitipon nawa ang presensya ng
bawat isa ay mag silbing tanda nang walang hanggang awa at
pag-mamahal Diyos. Nawa ang kapayapaan na nanggagaling
sa Diyos at katapatan ng puso mula kay Maria ay sumaatin

For us, Autumn in Korea, besides being one of the best times for sightseeing, is the best opportunity for communion with nature, with each other and with God. To really enjoy the best climate and colors of the season, we have chosen the Baeron Shrine in Jechon for our Octo- ber fellowship and prayer. Hopefully, the nice scenery, the presence of each one, and God\u2019s blessings will make the day\u2019s activities more invigorating and meaningful for our mission endeavors.

As the beautiful season of Autumn ushered in, we were shocked in the past weeks by the horrible devastations brought about by the recent typhoons and floods in the Philippines. Until today, our kababayans still suffer from the unimaginable dam- age and loss.

Our prayers for the calamity victims in our country have to be accompanied by concrete initiatives that may help bring relief and hope to their sad plight . As we go on with our busy apostolate for the Filipino migrants and the local people in Korea, let us be constantly inspired by the thought that real \u2018charity begins at home.\u2019

In the past weeks, the Hyehwadong Filipino Catholic Community in Seoul initiated a fund drive for the victims of the recent typhoons in the Philippines. We conducted second collections during Masses, solicitations, and held a cultural compe- tition for the same purpose. Fr. Cedric Alimbuyong, with the Filipino community in Uijungbu, also contributed a significant amount. I went to the Philippines last Mon- day (October 12) to deliver the relief goods to our target areas, namely; Pasig City and Laguna.

Upon arriving in the country, I went to the MSP parish in Mandaluyong, the Parish of Our Lady of the Abandoned (POLA), and requested the assistance of the MSP-Justice & Peace volunteers and members of the Fil-Mission Auxiliary Associa- tion (FMAA) who reside there to help me in the project. They willingly helped in purchasing and repacking of the goods consisting of rice, noodles, sardines, corned beef and medicines. From Monday to Tuesday, we finished preparing about eight hundred bags of food and medicine supplies. At around 8 am Wednesday, onboard two vans and one delivery truck, the group left for Pasig City for the distribution.

We first went to San Agustin Parish in Palatiw, Pasig City. The road in the area was already passable, though there was still a considerable volume of water in the neighborhood. People were passing through a makeshift bridge made out of co- conut timber to avoid getting wet. Along the road, we could see ruined vehicles and houses still submerged in the murky water. We handed relief bags to four hundred families in this parish.

Then, we proceeded to the next area, the San Sebastian Parish in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City. We have foregone using a dump truck to reach the place because the road was already passable with our vehicles. However, the water was deeper in this area; in fact, some families were still living on the rooftops; and many people who came to get the relief goods waded through the water which was above the waist deep. We turned the parish church into a relief center where we distributed packages to another four hundred families. It was heart- breaking to see women wading through the dirty water, and little children and elderly people lining up for the packages. It was more frustrating for everybody to find out we did not have enough for everyone. The affected families were so numerous that there were more people who did not receive help than those who received.

At around 8:30 a.m. of the following day, Thursday, we left for Cabuyao, Laguna for another relief service. Our target area was San Policarpio Parish in the poblacion. Cabuyao is one of the places located in the coastal areas of Laguna Lake. During the typhoon Ondoy, the Lake overflowed and flooded the nearby communities. The affected families were evacuated to the schools and gymnasiums in town. In the crowded evacuation centers, families just cov- ered themselves with blankets for privacy, and babies lie on the cement with nothing much to cover their frail bodies. However, there were also families who chose to remain in their houses despite the danger. Until this time the water has not gone back to normal level yet; in fact, every time the rain comes, it starts to rise again.(next page)

We entrusted the relief goods to Fr. Juvenal Anthony Leonardo, the Parish Priest of San Policarpio in Cabuyao. He received the 50 sacks of rice, 30 boxes or noodles, 5 sacks of sugar, 10 boxes of coffee, 10 boxes of sardines, and 10 boxes of corned beef. Fr Juvenal will take charge of the distribution of the supplies to the one thousand five hundred (1,500) families who suffered from the devastation of Ondoy.

Fr Juvenal said that many of those who were affected by the calamity were angry. The catastrophe somehow ruined not only the lives of people but also their trust in God. The priest added that people who come there to bring help somehow could help remind the victims that God has not forsaken them.

On behalf of the families who received help, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the Filipinos in Korea, both the lay and the religious, who supported our fund drive for the victims of typhoon Ondoy. Our appreciation also goes to Frs Andrew and Jack of the Seoul Archdiocesan Labor Counseling Pastoral Center for the support.

Let us constantly thank the Lord for putting us in the privileged position to help those in need. Let us continue praying that God keep our loved ones and our country from harm and inspire more compassion in times of need. - - - By Fr Alvin Parantar, MSP