An Evacuee, I am

By 1145AM, as soon as we reached Bulua of Cagayan de Oro City, I considered myself and the rest of our GX Team (71) as evacuees. And although I do not know exactly yet how I'm feeling, I do know it doesn't feel very nice and very peaceful.

Everything is still so surreal and everything seemed so fast.
Order of Events:
*From the bombings yesterday afternoon, when my host brother asked for my whereabouts and how Jologs to admit I was just coming out of a cinema watching A Very Special Love. (it must be noted though that John Lloyd is so handsome in that film, I am now a fan)
* To getting home as quickly as I can and hearing news on the radio with my host family. Then it rained, proper and strong rain.
* To welcoming 5 of other teammates in our host home
* To just taking things easy and just watching Bourne Ultimatum with them
* Up to the Iligan City wide Blackout, which made me think "Last year's team only had threats and they were pulled out, we've had bombings, we will definitely be pulled out"
* Had a light sleep as I could hear my British PS get up every 10 minutes, clearly worried and filled with anxiety.
* Waking up at around 6AM and instructed by British PS to get up and pack a week's worth of clothes as we are departing for Cagayan.
* Getting a call from Jay to accompany Victoria in collecting other teammates.
* Saying a quick goodbye to my Host Family, whom I don't know if I'll ever see again.

I've been in a similar situation when the pier was bombed 10 minutes after JVP Batch23's arrival in Davao City. But that was my home and there was nowhere to "evacuate." It's a different case this time around, as we are all not from Iligan. And it wasn't just an isolated bombing of one place - there were series of bombings and exchange of gunfire between the rebels and the military in the nearby town.

If there's a prevailing sadness, and worry, in me, it's for the people in my area/exact community in Robocon, Linamon, Lanao del Norte. They are, once again, caught in the middle of the crossfire. And we thought in our interviews and visits to them, that after the 2000 major armed conflict - they are finally healed and ready to start thinking about sustainable livelihood plans. That was our case study, we had concrete recommendations for them because they can finally stand up and think about the future. But with everything that is happening, they are back to square one.  For now, all I can hope for is that they all got down safely in the evacuation centers down in the valley.

I am an Evacuee; a helpless individual amidst a major peace crisis. I wish we had the option to stay and help. But that's not the protocol and that would kill my family. Also, I am not even close to what the evacuees we left behind in Iligan are going through now (Lanao del Norte) -  they, thousands of families who have been displaced; lost their homes, their livelihood, for a few even lost their loved ones. I, we are really safe and calm here in Cagayan. All we can do is think of those we left behind in Iligan - our host homes, our volunteer placements, our communities, our friends. And I guess that's what kills us, that we are not able to do anything else for them.

The Sunset was so "Beautiful" today - it was one for the postcards. Bright orange with a touch of pink and red and yellow. It was picture perfect, if my camera was with me. But if I follow the Lumad interpretation of the sunset, it was "Ugly, Dangerous and Scary." To them, the colors signify"War and Hunger" to come. I am with them in that interpretation, it has come.

Prayers for everyone caught in the middle of all this conflict here in Mindanao.