Typhoon Appeal

Guys,
Some of you have emailed and also left comments on how to send help to the people of the Philippines who have been hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). As you know our own family are in Tacloban. we have limited 2-3 minute contact with Mai's sister Jeanette each night as well as news from friends in the same situation as ourselves through Facebook, twitter etc. The only news channel we have seen that told the situation as it is on the ground is Channel 4 news. There are not enough planes getting in and there simply isn't the manpower on the ground.

I can tell you
that the aid is just simply not getting through yet!!!

The airport is to small for the level of support needed and more organisation plus boots on the ground are needed. Our hope for our family to get out has fell through for the moment and the food/water the neighbourhood is sharing is almost gone. There are so many people out in the weather with nothing but the clothes they had on their backs when the Typhoon hit. The kids are so disturbed I just cannot explain. There is such a smell of death all round.

We have hope that the US/UK ships and aircraft will be there soon and will be able to distribute the back log of aid that is sitting in Manila and Cebu, however they are not due to arrive till Friday!!! There is another storm headed over. It may actually provide mouthfuls of water for the victims.

I cannot stress how hard this has hit my family, friends and all the people from the affected areas of the Philippines. I'll try to explain: Although from what we can tell Mai's direct family survived the initial Typhoon, News continues to filter through of school and church friends and people Mai grew up with who did not make it or are on the missing list. Some of the family members of Mai's inlaws are also lost or missing. This is a disaster of biblical proportions for the people of the Visayas region of the Philippines. As well as the loss of loved ones the people of the region have watched their homes, places of work and town that they know and love be washed away.

If you can see it in your heart to make any donation however small to the below charity that we believe will orchestrate the none military relief effort please, please do (or to be honest any charity organisation you prefer/trust) The people who have survived are hanging on dearly to life at this time. We will be donating to this charity also and have sent over money to our families bank account encase they manage to make it out to one of the less effected areas and can access banks and shops, however at this moment that looks very, very unlikely. The air flights run only in daylight, the queue at the San Jose airport runs back into the town and today there was a stampede at the gates. They have stood for days now, politely asking for help. If you can picture the stream of napoleons army leaving Russia you will get the idea except the people on foot have nowhere to go.

When things are stabilised our family here in the UK will help our family and friend in the Philippines to rebuild their homes and lives but at the moment only the world organisations can save the living!!!

If you can spare some money please help:

https://mydonatetelethonsappeals.bt.com/donate/philippines/index.html?utma=101452446.298955745.1384217577.1384217577.1384217577.1&utmb=101452446.9.9.1384217795045&utmc=101452446&utmx=-&utmz=101452446.1384217577.1.1.utmcsr=t.co|utmccn=(referral

Thanks you for taking the time to read this, I am sorry to ask for your help.

Our very best
Paul and Mylene Provan