People carry supplies as they walk the street in the typhoon-battered city of Tacloban, Philippines, Nov. 13. Hundreds of thousands of people in Leyte province had been displaced by Typhoon Haiyan, one of the worst storms to hit land. Fr. Artemio Galos, associate pastor at St. Michael Parish in Sterling Heights, is originally from the Leyte province in the Philippines, which was one of the most severely hit areas during the storm.
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“I came [to the United States] 10 years ago,” said Fr. Galos. He said that while he was serving in the Philippines, there was a massive storm “almost every year. There was even a time my whole rectory roof was blown off, the windows blown out.”
Fr. Galos said his sister-in-law and her family, though now safe, were affected by the storm: “For three days my nephew and his wife were missing. They found them in one of the evacuation centers.”
He said when his sister-in-law and her two sons found the family members, “they did not want to go out of the place,” as the nephew and wife had been severely traumatized by the experience.
With photos being released of the aftermath, fluctuating body counts across the international news, and heartbreaking pleas from survivors for assistance, there would seem to be little room left for hope.
But Fr. Galos has great faith in the perseverance of the Filipino people.
“People in the Philippines are so filled with faith that even with tragedies that happen almost every year, we still smile, hope, work on,” he said. “It is the Filipinos’ perseverance and acceptance on God … and this faith that they have that strengthens them despite the hardships and difficulties that may come.”
He said it is hard to be here in the United States and know his family has been affected. In the past, when Fr. Galos served in the Philippines, he was there with his family when storms and other hardships struck. But he is grateful for the support that has already been growing to help the victims of the typhoon.
On Nov. 13, Fr. Galos and other members of the Metro Detroit Filipino community were to meet to discuss how best to help those overseas. The Archdiocese of Detroit itself is working with Catholic Relief Services and local parishes to collect donations for the struggling survivors.
“Archbishop (Allen) Vigneron is encouraging parishes now to help out the victims in the Philippines,” Fr. Galos said. “Here at St. Michael’s we’re encouraging those who can afford it and want to help to connect with the archdiocese’s typhoon aid hotline.”
Fr. Galos said the prayer life is very strong in the Philippines, and that truly the most important thing people can do is imitate this and pray for those who are suffering.
“I believe the Filipinos have the best quality of attitude,” he said. “They did not lose hope. And they keep on fighting. They will still fight with all these tragedies that come. Their faith in God is what strengthens them.”
