When He wills, it happens

DaDiTaMa Leyte Medical Mission

(Part 1)

In the midst of the busy schedule of December2013, the Archdiocesan Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Davao (ASAC) headed by Fr. Bong Dublan, held a series of meetings. This was to plan out our response to Yolanda victims. Thus, a medical mission was decided to be held in January 19-25, 2014 by Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati (DaDiTaMa) dioceses.

With the more or less 30 days of planning, at first with the scarcity of volunteer doctors, the limited human and material resources vis-à-vis the immense need of the beneficiaries, the local Church of Davao was docile to the promptings of the Spirit. Such trust was answered as volunteers started cramming to be listed down a week before the slated date.

The coming of “Agaton” in the third week of January 2014 brought questions whether this is really God’s will for us to go for a medical mission in Leyte. Floods and landslides brought second thoughts whether to proceed to the original plan to go to the Visayas or to divert our resources to the local victims here in Tagum and Mati. Some had the opinion to postpone the medical mission and attend to our nearby brethren here. Others also insisted to go on with the previous plan and extend assistance later to the dioceses within our sub-region.

Like a wounded healer, DaDiTaMa remained unchallenged even if the original January 19 schedule to depart for Leyte was moved to January 21 at 3:00 A.M. The 26-vehicle caravan with more than 200 volunteers arrived Carigara, Leyte at 3:00 P.M., January 22. After 36 hours of travel surpassing the threat of roads with landslides and floods especially in the Agusan areas, the team had still barely two hours to serve some barangays under the Holy Cross Parish.

What was so amazing among the volunteers was that no complains were heard in the midst of many inconveniences. Nobody grumbled about the difficulties of travel, lodging and accommodation. Instead, everybody helped each one according to his capacity. Doctors and nurses were willing to carry boxes of medicine, priests and sisters helped in the traffic of patients in spiritual integration, volunteers of various ages assisted in preparing everything including food for the volunteers and beneficiaries.

For two days, two parishes with various barangays were served just by the 87 Davao volunteers which was divided into three teams. The other three dioceses also had other locations to serve. Though the teams tried to start early morning at the same time but finish in the afternoon depending on the number of beneficiaries, each one is aware that he belongs to one body of volunteers.

Deciding to leave Leyte on January 24, Friday, at midnight, the whole team arrived Davao safely on January 25 at 9:20 P.M. Thanks to the hot soup prepared by San Pablo Parish to warm the cold stomach after about 21 hours of travel.

One volunteer quipped: “Thanks for the opportunity to go with the medical mission. Magmahay gayod ang wala nakakuyog.” Indeed the spirit that prevails in the group was that of being sent. No matter the harassment, the mission was fruitful for when God wills, it happens.