Lord, who else can we turn to?

We are in the ring of fire. We are within the typhoon belt. Add earthquakes as well. These facts about the vulnerability of the Philippines to climate risks have been there decades, even centuries ago. Why have we not effectively prepared our whole country for these?

These days, our hearts and tears are with the people of Cagayan. Also with our kababayans in Bicol, Aurora, Quezon, Marikina, even in some parts of Quezon City!

The floods have not yet subsided in many parts of Cagayan until now. Electricity and water are also not yet back in many areas. Rescue has still not reached many communities in far-flung areas.

What a painful sight to watch the typhoon victims, unmindful of COVID and social distancing, pushing their way to get the much-needed rations which their families so badly need! Evacuation areas are also just as pathetically crowded and inadequate to meet the needs of the typhoon victims.

Why, oh, why has disaster management not been effectively prioritized by government? Why has government not strictly protected our trees and forests that could have shielded lower communities from floods? Why has government not strictly banned or regulated mining and quarrying that cause landslides and damage to residents and communities?

When will our people ever learn to demand for government to prioritize our needy, their welfare and protection over intelligence funds, over non-essential infrastructure projects?

When will we ever learn as a nation to demand that public funds be used for our people, not by and for a few abusive and corrupt? When will we learn to demand a decisive, healthy, committed and truthful leader to guide the whole nation towards healing, out of this present devastation, poverty, hunger, COVID and other ills?

Haven’t we prayed enough? Has not heaven heard our cries as a nation, as a people in need of God’s salvation, of God’s redemption?

Have we not prayed enough together? Have we not prayed as we should, as God would have us pray?

Lord, like the song, Heal Our Land, we, as a people, know and have heard Your words that if we, “Your people will humble ourselves and pray, if we seek Your face and humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways that You will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land.”

Lord, what else must we do for You to please heal our land? What else must we do so You will hear our cry and turn our nation back to You?

How many times more would You like us, Lord, to repeat and cry out as a nation for You, Lord, to heal our land?

Guide us to know how You can hear us, Lord, so You can heal our land?

Forgive our sins and heal our broken land, dear Lord.

For who else can we turn to but You, Lord?

Politicians have long abandoned You and our people and have focused solely on their own agenda.

Did You not say, Lord, that You watch “over the way of the just but the way of the wicked vanishes?”

Forgive us for lamenting, Lord, but the sight of more of our people suffering through typhoons, through calamities, through hunger and poverty, through abuse and injustice leads us to You, our Father.

For who else can we turn to but You, Lord!

Like the blind who did not stop crying out so You could make him see, like the widow who kept on nagging the judge to render a good judgment for her, we will unceasingly pray and cry out to You, Lord, in full faith and hope for Your salvation and healing of our land.