One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as
the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway;
it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

*****

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well
is to shake it off and take a step up.

Each of our troubles is a stepping stone…

We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up!

Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.

Free your mind from worries – most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less

NOW …….

Later, the donkey came back and bite the farmer who had tried to bury him.

The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

Moral Lesson from the Story:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

Other hazards such as El Nino aggravate the extent of these damages, which sum up to an annual loss of 0.5% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Eastern Visayas, mainly consisting of the islands of Leyte, Samar and Biliran, is one of the most disaster prone regions in the Philippines, experiencing some of the worst typhoons ever recorded in Philippine history, killing over a thousand people through a mudslide in Feb., 2006, and over 6,000 people due to typhoons back in 1990-1991.

Disaster preparedness is one of the weaknesses of the region and for the most part, it is still seen as emergency management. The government and the local people are neither sufficiently prepared nor well equipped to implement preventive measures and execute the right actions in the event of an emergency.

Furthermore, the archipelagic nature of the country further increases its vulnerability to the rising sea levels brought about by melting polar ice caps. Some of the islands will thus be underwater and marine resources will be extinct within the century, according to United Nations studies.

It is in this context that The Eastern Visayas Climate Project Forum was conceptualized to bring together concerned and committed people from the different sectors of the society who’ll be willing to help prepare communities and people toward climate change preparedness, adaptation and mitigation while uplifting the people’s economic and organizational capacity to withstand its adverse effects.

The Eastern Visayas Climate Project Forum aims to:

Educate:  Participants on the various aspects of climate change, including the scientific basis, environmental and social impacts, policy and strategy options, and operational measures to address climate change effects.

Unite: Key representatives from the different sectors of the society to discuss and express their concerns about climate change-related problems.

Form a regional network of advocates: which will be known as The Eastern Visayas Climate Project, which will initiate research, policy proposals, or advocacy programs to address the different climate change issues in the region.

Climate change is affecting EVERYONE, and WE NEED YOU to help us, help other people through this project. If you want to donate to our cause please contact any of the following contact persons:

**Mary Bernadette V. Egloso (Organizer) marybernadetteegloso@gmail.com/053.327.3714/ 63915.383.1788

**Dr. Eulito V. Casas (Adviser) – veulitocasas48@yahoo.com  / 63939.630.4202 / 053.321.8299

For more information about this project, you can log on to https://sites.google.com/site/evclimateforum/

People around the world and all over Eastern Visayas are ready for action. Each of us has the power to make the transition to a better, more sustainable future for us, our children and the generations to come. Together, our efforts will help solve the climate crisis.

            I was only a kid then.
 
But to this day, I can never forget our old electric fan.

          If you’re my age, you’ve probably seen those monsters: An electric fan made of pure 100% steel and heavy as a boat.  And with blades that could chop your head off.

One day, we switched it on, and the blades made so much noise, you’d think there was an army helicopter right inside our home. 

That was when my cousin Chuck dropped by and volunteered to fix it.  He was known in the family as a “jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none” kind of guy.  We should have focused on the “master-of-none” part.  Because after he “fixed” it, the noise was totally gone—but so was all signs of life.  Our fan was now dead.  “Chuck, you killed it!” we told him.  “Well at least, it’s quiet now,” he said, “and we can sell this junk!”

That was when my Uncle Tom came ambling through the door.  “He’s good with his hands,” my father said.  So we asked him to check what was left of our fan.

Uncle Tom took it apart, and after almost two hours, put it together again. He plugged it—and with bated breath—we saw the blades moving again!  And without the noise too.

But no wonder, because the blades made one complete spin every…60 seconds!  It was so slow, we wondered if it was now a clock.

That was when one of my sisters asked, “Who made it anyway?”  
Someone said, “Hitachi.”

Another sister of mine said, “Then let’s bring it to Hitachi.  If they made it, I’m sure they can fix it.”  Once in awhile, my sisters can say sensible things too.  (Just kidding.  I’m the only boy in the family, and the youngest too.  So I have the license to tease them.)

True enough, we brought it to Hitachi, and in a few days, the fan was running perfectly.
You Have A Self-Portrait In Your Heart;
Many Times, It’s A Lie.

            In your mind, you already have an image of who you are.

It’s a Self-Portrait. 

And it’s so incredibly powerful; it actually determines your entire life.

This Self-Portrait—how you define yourself—comes from your collective experience of your failures and successes.  It also comes from how other people treat you.  

And it comes from how you’ve treated yourself all these years.

That’s why your Self-Portrait could be a lie.

It’s like asking my cousin Chuck and my Uncle Tom to fix you up.  They don’t have your blueprint.  They really don’t know who you are.

Because they didn’t make you.

Go to your Manufacturer instead.

Delve deep within you and you’ll see your label stitched to your soul: “God’s Own, Made in Heaven.” 

He’s got your blueprint.  He knows all your working parts.  He knows you more than you know yourself.

          Because He made you, He possesses your most accurate Self-Portrait.

Friend, in your heart right now, you carry a Self-Portrait—a way of looking at yourself.  Question: Where does it come from?

My Self-Portrait Was A Lie

Years ago, I had a raging pornographic addiction.

At 3am, I would wake up and roam the streets, looking for my “fix”—pornographic material.  (There was no internet porn at that time, so I had to scrounge for cheap porn magazines.)  That was who I was many years ago.

In my mind, I had only one Self-Portrait: I was lustful.  I was uncontrollable.  I was sick and ugly and shameful.

And stronger than my sexual addiction was my approval addiction.

Desperate to fill in my hunger for love—and desperate to escape my inner shame—I was desperate that people like me. 

I’d bend over to get people to love me, no matter what the cost.  I was a pathological People-Pleaser.  And I was miserable as hell.

Yes, I failed in the past.  Too many to times to count!

Oh, I shouldn’t be here writing to you now.

Yet here I am, authoring books and preaching to thousands.  I’m leading four organizations and a worldwide ministry. 

I’m a successful entrepreneur running my little businesses.  I’m a happy family man with a lovely wife and two great boys.

I shouldn’t be enjoying all these.

I should be in the dumps.  Destroyed.  Hopeless.  Lost.

So what happened?

In a phrase, I changed my Self-Portrait.

Because every time I came to God in prayer, He wouldn’t agree with my rotten Self-Portrait.  He would insist on changing it. 

Each time, He would tell me I was wonderful, beautiful, loved, and powerful beyond my wildest imagination.

He also told me that it didn’t matter how much I failed. 

Surprisingly, He didn’t even look at my failures at all…
          Let me share with you my three giant Lessons on Self-Portraits:

•        Get your Self-Portrait from God, Not From Anyone Else
•        Keep Focused on your Divine Self-Portrait
•        No matter what happens, never give up your Divine Self-Portrait

To All Those Who Want To Experience God’s Power In Their Lives…

Lesson #1:
Get Your Self-Portrait from God, Not From Anyone Else

Change the Self-Portrait you carry in your heart.

Because you will act according to your Self-Portrait, whether it is true or not.  It could be a total lie (“You’re evil, you’re selfish, you’re ugly, you’re poor…”), but because you believe in it, you’ll be faithful to it and manifest its reality.

That’s why when you change your Self-Portrait, you actually change your life.

Remember: God’s Portrait of you is very different from the Self-Portrait you carry about yourself. 

While yours is usually based on your past, His portrait of you is always based on your future.

So He paints a Portrait of you that is always beautiful and amazing and lovely.

          How do you get your Self-Portrait from God?

          Listen to His quiet voice within you.  What does He say in your heart?  And what does He say through His Word?  And what does He say through the Church?

          He says many things about you, but let me re-visit these 3 simple but powerful Portraits. 
•        I’m a Child of God
•        I’m a Friend of God
•        I’m a Champion of God
This is who you really are. 

Remind yourself of these 3 Self-Portraits, and your life will change!

Your First Self-Portrait:
You’re More Important Than The Universe Because You’re A Child Of God

            I’ve shared this story before, but let me share it again.

          Every Saturday night is sacred for me. 

Because that’s when I go up to my “cave”, my tiny home office at the back of my house, to prepare for my weekly talk for the next day.

One Saturday night, I arrived from Pampangga. 

As I drove home, I had my plans all set up. 

After kissing my wife and hugging my kids, I’d make a beeline towards my cave, shut the door, and prepare for my talk.

But my plan was not to be.  Because as I entered my home and hugged my kids, my 7-year old said, “Daddy, can you play with me?”

“Sure!” I found myself saying automatically, hiding any sign of reluctance from my voice. 

You see, through the years, I’ve had a lot of practice saying “Yes!” even if all I wanted to say was, “No!  Can’t you see I’m busy?”

As a father, I’ve made it my policy to always say “Yes!” when my son asks, “Daddy, can you play with me?” 

Because I know that a day is coming when my son will no longer ask that question, “Daddy, can you play with me?”  He’ll grow up fast and will have other things to do. 

So while he asks that question, my answer should always be “Yes!”

God Always Says “Yes” To What Is Best For You

So I sat on the floor and played Pokemon with him.
 
As I held the tiny Pikachu figure in my hand, I began to think of the thousands of people who would be listening to me at the FEAST the next day. 

I also thought of the thousands more around the world who would be listening through TV, Radio, and the internet. 

So what was I doing there sitting on the floor with this yellow plastic mouse-like creature in my hand?

Answer: Doing my most important ministry, which is, loving my son.

At the end of the day, my son is more important than the thousands of people who listen to me.  Simply because I’m his Daddy and he’s my son.

Why did I share this story to you?

Never forget that you’re God’s Child. 

In His heart, you’re more important than the entire universe. 

When you call on Him, He’s there. 

When you pray, He’s listening. 

When you ask, He gives you the best version of what you’re asking for.  (Not necessarily what you ask for, because you sometimes ask what is second best.)

You’re His Child.  Bask in His love for you!

Each morning, wake up and shout to the universe: “I’m a Child of God!”

 Your Second Self-Portrait:
God Talks To You Each Day Because You’re A Friend Of God
           
            One day, a man came up to me and asked, “Did you come up with Kerygma?” 

“Yep,” I said, “Started it way back in 1990.”

“And after that, you published 6 more magazines, Didache, Gabay, Companion, Sabbath… what are the others?” he asked.

“Fish, our teen magazine, and Mustard, our kids’ magazine.”

He grabbed my arm and asked, “Bo, can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot,” I said.

“Where do you get all your ideas?  Aside from the magazines, you launched last Preacherinbluejeans.com and Kerygmafamily.com…  Man, I’m serious.  Where do you get all your ideas?”

To tell you honestly, I couldn’t answer him. 

Because I felt my answer would have sounded cocky.

          I wanted to tell him, “I’m a friend of God and He talks to me.”

Not with bolts of lightning and peals of thunder.  But through ordinary, beautiful inspiration. 

Why?  Because He’s my friend and friends talk to each other each day.

          Wait a minute.  In case you’re thinking that I’m putting myself on a pedestal here, read my next sentence: If you look back at your life, you’ll realize that God has spoken to you too.  He has been guiding you throughout your life.  Because He’s your friend too.

          There’s nothing special about me.  I fart.  I snore.  I sleep with my mouth open.  I leave my dirty socks on the floor (Sorry, Sweetheart).

          We’re all Friends of God.

          You’re God’s Friend.  And God likes talking to you.

          Jesus says, No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
 
          Each morning, shout to the universe, “I’m a Friend of God!”

Your Third Self-Portrait:
You Can Do All Things Because You’re A Champion of God

            Whenever I face a problem, I speak these mighty words out loud: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

          Let me tell you a story that happened just three months ago.

          Three months ago, I was worried.

          Because we bought an Audio System for the FEAST worth a staggering, mind-blowing P2.4 Million.  (It has the power to fill huge stadiums.)  And I also promised the guy who sold it to us that we would pay him in three months time.

          Frankly, I didn’t know how in the world we could pay him in three months.

Let me tell you why: Last year, our group, Light of Jesus, built more than a hundred houses for the poor in our Gawad Kalinga village in Montalban, plus more than fifty houses for the poor in He Cares, a street kids ministry. 

At the same time, we also built a P9M building for our Light of Jesus Center. 

Because of these wonderful projects happening all at the same time, our pockets had now holes in them.

So three months ago, when I signed on a promissory note that we’ll be paying P2.4M for the Audio System, it was utter insanity…

My Friends Are Getting Used To My Insanity

But after all these years, I’ve gotten used to my insanity, and so have my friends.
I figured I didn’t have a choice either, as our weekly FEAST was growing in number and we really needed the beefed-up Audio System.

So after I signed that piece of paper, I went on stage and spoke to our FEAST audience.  “Friends, we need to raise P2.4M in three months for our Audio System.” 

The crowd in front of me looked at me with a huge question mark on their faces, waiting for a punch line.  They probably thought I was joking.

When they finally realized I was serious, I heard someone in the front row whisper, “Is it the full moon?  Bo isn’t thinking straight again.”

After my announcement, we passed the offering basket for the Audio System.  True enough. 

On that day, we collected the humongous, astronomical, gigantic sum of… (drum roll please)… P12,000! 

Wow, if this pace kept up, I calculated that we’d reach P2.4 Million in, oh, four years.  Man, we needed a miracle.

During those three months, I don’t know how many times I said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I’m a Champion of God!

And as the weeks went by, the miracles came.

First, the wonderful man who sold the Audio System slashed his price to P2.0M.  He said he no longer wanted to make a profit from us.  (Bless his soul and business, Lord!)

 Second, a lot of people began giving sacrificially.  Even friends from abroad sent their donations faithfully.

And today, the Audio System has been fully paid.

In 27 long years of my ministry, God has never failed me yet.
 
Each morning, shout to the universe, “I’m a Champion of God!”

Lesson #2:
Focus Your Eyes On Your Divine Self-Portrait

Ronni is a good friend and a very successful businessman.

          When I asked him why he’s so successful, he told me a very peculiar reason: He said that when he was growing up as a kid, his father prohibited them from talking about gossip around the dinner table. 

They couldn’t talk about showbiz actors, their neighbors, or the usual trivia that people talk about. 

Instead, they always talked about business. 

Imagine being a 5-year-old boy.  And all around you, people are talking about how to increase sales, how to satisfy customers, and how to market your product!

As a child, these daily family conversations around the dinner table painted a powerful picture in Ronni’s mind about who he would become one day.

 Subconsciously, he already knew he was going to be a successful businessman. 

Today, Ronni owns two companies worth millions.  (By the way, if you want to meet Ronni, he’s one of my financial mentors. 

For years, Ronni’s father made him focus on a powerful Self-Portrait. 

And it has become a reality.

Friend, you have to learn how to focus.

Don’t focus on the negative things happening in your life.

Accept it, yes.  Acknowledge it, yes.  Don’t deny it.

But don’t dwell on it, meditate on it, and analyze it to death.

Instead, focus on what God is telling you.

Because as you eat around the Banquet of Life, your Heavenly Father likes talking about how great you are—and how great you will be.  Listen to Him. 

Focus on His Words.  And be blown away by how beautiful you are in His eyes.

Lesson #3:
No Matter What Happens, Never Give Up Your Divine Self-Portrait

When I think of Self-Portraits from God, I think of Joseph in the Old Testament. 

Because Joseph had a dream about who he was in God’s eyes. In that dream, he saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him. 

This became his fantastic Self-Portrait.  He saw himself as a Child of God, Friend of God, and Champion of God. 

And through all the trials of his life, he held on to this Divine Self-Portrait. 

Joseph kept on rising after each fall, even if others kept putting him down.

          Consider this list of failures:
•        Joseph was thrown into a pit.
•        Joseph was sold as a slave.
•        Joseph was falsely accused of rape.
•        Joseph was thrown into prison.
•        Joseph was forgotten in prison!

          Through all these, Joseph must have asked, “Lord, what about that vision, the dream, that Self-Portrait that you gave me?  Was it fake?”

          But Joseph never gave up.

          Each time failure struck him like a lead pipe hitting his head, he held onto the Self-Portrait God gave him in his heart.  He believed that he was going to be a winner.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.
          And in the end, Joseph’s Self-Portrait came true.
 
He became Governor of all of Egypt.

Let me tell you one last story of another electric fan…

Use The Power Of Pictures In Your Heart

            When he got married, Rudy was so poor, he couldn’t even buy an electric fan.  He and his wife were renting a tiny room for P90 a month.  And this tiny room got warm during summer, and without a fan, it got really hot.

          But even in his poverty, Rudy believed in his dreams. 

He was also a great believer in having pictures to remind him of his dreams.

So he did the ridiculous.  He got a newspaper, cut out a photo of an electric fan, and pinned it on their wall. 

And each time he saw the photo, it reminded him of his great goal in life (at that time): That he’d be able to buy an electric fan for his beloved wife. 

Whenever he saw beads of perspiration on her forehead, he’d go to the photo, and “press” the switch of the fan.  He focused on his dream.

          Four days later, Rudy heard a knock on the door. 

When he opened it, he saw his neighbor holding an old electric fan.  The neighbor said he was moving out and wondered if Rudy wanted to buy his old fan for P50.

          Rudy was overjoyed.  “Yes!” he said.

          In four days, the real fan now the replaced the photo.

          The next photo he pinned on the wall was a beautiful white van.  Foolish, right?  How in the world can a poor man who couldn’t even buy an electric fan now dream of buying a van? 

          But he kept on dreaming for that van and worked hard.  The white van came.  And so did the larger homes.  Both here and America.

          Today, Rudy is a multi-millionaire.  Because he had pictures that guided him through his journey. 

          Having photos work!

Hang In Your Heart Your Divine Self-Portrait

            But I’m asking you not just to hang a photo of an electric fan on your wall.

          Use the power of pictures for a more important task: Hang a photo of yourself in your heart—the kind of person God wants you to be in the future. 

Like Rudy, I want to you focus on that photo—your Self-Portrait—and dream big dreams. 

          See yourself as a holy person. 

See yourself as a loving person. 

See yourself as a successful person. 

And see yourself as a “truly rich” person.

Redefine yourself.  Now.

          I remain your friend,
          Bo Sanchez
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After Charice, Arnel Pineda invades ‘Oprah’
by ABS CBN News

MANILA – After Charice, it was Arnel Pineda’s turn to impress Oprah Winfrey, one of the world’s most powerful women today.

Pineda and the rest of the members of the American rock band “Journey” recently guested on Oprah to promote the group’s latest album, “Revelation.”

During the show, Journey’s Filipino front man could not believe that he was being interviewed by no less than Winfrey herself.

Fantastic Pinoy Invades Oprah Winfrey

“I’m facing you (Winfrey) right now. You are [one of the] biggest [names] in show business and I’m facing you. It’s like… I’m not allowed to be here but I’m here. And I thank God for that,” he said.

The show featured Pineda’s journey “from total obscurity to recapturing the voice of one of the greatest bands of our time.”

Pineda’s rags-to-riches story has inspired many people around the world. His life story will be made into a film titled “Don’t Stop Believing: Every Man’s Journey.” The biopic will hit the big screen next year.

The Filipino singer was discovered on YouTube by Journey’s guitarist Neal Schon. Jonathan Cain (keyboard), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Ross Valory (bass) were equally impressed when they first watched him on YouTube performing Journey’s “Faithfully.”

Cain said: “Neal contacted us. I checked the YouTube video just like he said. And there he was singing. And I said, ‘The guy got great pipes, does he speak English?’ And, ‘How are we going to get him to the stage to check him out?’” Cain said.

Valory said he had “goosebumps surplus” when he first heard Pineda sing.

Castronovo was also blown away by Pineda’s voice. “It was frightening just to hear that voice come out from that little guy. We couldn’t believe it. It’s just so strong. And the best part about it was just how humble the man was, how humble human being, beautiful heart.”

For Pineda, being part of Journey still feels like a dream.

“I’ve seen enough pain and poverty in the Philippines. I’ve never been that big. All I wanted was to be able to get out of it — the pain and the poverty – and live decently everyday,” he said.

He said touring around the world with his band mates is “amazing, unbelievable and fantastic.” “All the superlative words that you can utter.”

He admitted that he felt the pressure when the band played in the Philippines early this year. “There was a big responsibility and thank God I pulled it off.”

And now that he is making lots of money, Pineda said he bought a home for his family and set up his own foundation to help poor Filipinos.

Journey’s Manila concert is now available on DVD in the United States.

Source

*******
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Tsunami in South Pacific islands kills nearly 100
By KENI LESA and FILI SAGAPOLUTELE, Associated Press Writers

APIA, Samoa – A massive tsunami hurled by a powerful earthquake flattened Samoan villages and swept cars and people out to sea, killing at least 99 and leaving dozens missing Wednesday. The toll was expected to rise.

The same day, western Indonesia was rocked by a strong underwater temblor, briefly triggering a tsunami alert for countries along the Indian Ocean and sending panicked residents out of their houses. The alert was later canceled.

Survivors of the South Pacific islands tsunami fled the fast-churning water for higher ground and remained huddled there hours after the quake, with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3, struck around dawn Tuesday.

The quake was centered about 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Samoa, an island nation of 180,000 people located about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. It was about 120 miles (190 kilometers) from neighboring American Samoa, a U.S. territory that is home to 65,000 people.

Four tsunami waves 15 to 20 feet (4 to 6 meters) high roared ashore on American Samoa, reaching up to a mile (1.5 kilometers) inland, Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa, was quoted as saying by a parks service spokeswoman.

Tsunami in Samoa

Hampered by power and communications outages, officials struggled to determine damage and casualties.

Samoan police commissioner Lilo Maiava told The Associated Press that police there had confirmed 63 deaths but that officials were still searching the devastated areas, so the number of deaths might rise soon.

Hundreds of injured people were being treated by health workers, and people were still cramming into centers seeking treatment, Maiava said.

At least 30 people were killed on American Samoa, Gov. Togiola Tulafono said, adding that the toll was expected to rise as emergency crews were recovering bodies overnight.

“I don’t think anybody is going to be spared in this disaster,” said Tulafono, who was in Hawaii for a conference.

In Washington, President Obama has declared a major disaster for American Samoa.

Obama said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in contact with emergency responders, and the U.S. Coast Guard is helping deliver resources to areas in need of assistance.

The disaster declaration allows the United States to provide the support necessary for a “full, swift and aggressive response,” the president said.

In a statement issued early Wednesday, Obama said he and his wife, Michelle, “will keep those who have lost so much in our thoughts and prayers.”

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi looked shaken Wednesday on board a flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to the Samoan capital of Apia.

“So much has gone. So many people are gone,” he told reporters on board. “I’m so shocked, so saddened by all the loss.”

Malielegaoi said his own village of Lepa was destroyed.

“Thankfully, the alarm sounded on the radio and gave people time to climb to higher ground,” he said. “But not everyone escaped.”

Gov. Tulafono told reporters in Hawaii that a member of his extended family was among the dead in American Samoa.

Because the closeness of the community, “each and every family is going to be affected by someone who’s lost their life,” he said as he boarded a Coast Guard C-130 plane in Hawaii to return home. The plane, which also carried FEMA officials and aid, was scheduled to arrive at about 7 a.m. local time. (2 p.m. EDT; 1800 GMT)

Authorities in Tonga confirmed at least six additional people dead in the island nation west of the Samoas, New Zealand’s acting Prime Minister Bill English said. He said Tongan officials told him that four people were missing after the tsunami swept ashore on the northern island of Niua.

“There are a considerable number of people who’ve been swept out to sea and are unaccounted for,” English said. “We don’t have information about the full impact and we do have some real concern that over the next 12 hours the picture could look worse rather than better.”

Britain’s Press Association news agency, citing unidentified sources, said that a 2-year-old British child was killed in Samoa. It was unclear whether that reported death was included in the overall toll. The Foreign Office said Wednesday that one British national was missing and presumed dead in the disaster.

A New Zealand P3 Orion maritime surveillance airplane had reached the region Wednesday afternoon and had searched for survivors off the coast, he said. It was expected to resume searching at first light.

The Samoa Red Cross said it had opened five temporary shelters and estimated that about 15,000 people were affected by the tsunami.

New Zealander Graeme Ansell said the Samoan beach village of Sau Sau Beach Fale was leveled.

“It was very quick. The whole village has been wiped out,” Ansell told New Zealand’s National Radio from a hill near Samoa’s capital, Apia. “There’s not a building standing. We’ve all clambered up hills, and one of our party has a broken leg. There will be people in a great lot of need ’round here.”

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told Seven Network in Australia that two Australians had died in the tsunami, including a 6-year-old girl.

Mase Akapo, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in American Samoa, reported at least 19 people killed in four different villages on the main island of Tutuila. Officials reported at least 50 injured.

Residents in both Samoa and American Samoa reported being shaken awake by the quake early Tuesday, which lasted two to three minutes and was centered about 20 miles (32 kilometers) below the ocean floor. It was followed by at least three large aftershocks of at least 5.6 magnitude.

The quake came Tuesday morning for the Samoas, which lie just east of the international dateline. For Asia-Pacific countries on the other side of the line, it was already Wednesday.

The Samoan capital, Apia, was virtually deserted by afternoon, with schools and businesses closed. Hours after the waves struck, fresh sirens rang out with another tsunami alert and panicked residents headed for higher ground again, although there was no indication of a new quake.

In American Samoa’s capital of Pago Pago, the streets and fields were filled with ocean debris, mud, overturned cars and several boats as a massive cleanup effort continued into the night. Several buildings in the city — just a few feet above sea level — were flattened by either the quake or the tsunami.

Several areas were expected to be without electricity for up to a month.

The dominant industry in American Samoa — tuna canneries — was also affected. Chicken of the Sea’s tuna packing plant in American Samoa was forced to close although the facility wasn’t damaged, the San Diego-based company said.

The effects of the tsunami could be felt thousands of miles away.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency said “very weak” tsunami waves were registered off the island of Hachijojima about 10 hours after the quake. There were no reports of injuries or damage in Japan, which is about 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) northwest of Samoa.

U.S. officials said strong currents and dangerous waves were forecast from California to Washington state. No major flooding was expected, however.

In Los Angeles, lifeguards said they would clear beaches at about 8 p.m. in response to an advisory for possible dangerous currents.

While the earthquake and tsunami were big, they were not on the same scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, said Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey in Seattle. That tsunami killed more than 230,000 in a dozen countries across Asia.

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Below is an article of my dear friend Bo Sanchez:

Help Flood Victims
by Bo Sanchez

This will be short.

I’m sending out an appeal to the world.

As I write this article, thousands of people are still trapped in the floodwaters of typhoon Ondoy—or in relocation sites that have no food and drinking water.

Just in case you don’t know anything about what’s happening in Metro Manila and Rizal province, here are photos of the storm: http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/ondoy

My friend, Sonia Lozada, is owner of Trinity restaurants. Since yesterday, her five restaurants have been cooking like crazy and sending packs of cooked food to devastated areas.

Sonia was right about cooked food. Because if you’re trapped in floodwaters, uncooked food is useless. You can’t cook anything. Sonia has also been delivering cases of bottled water—but they weren’t enough. One bottle of water was shared by three people.

With our financial support, Sonia’s team will continue to feed people today and tomorrow. I will personally be there, giving out food and drinking water to Flood Victims today. My team will be there as well—all of us who can help.

But cooking food today and tomorrow is only an emergency measure.

In the next few weeks and months, the real work will begin: All our organizations—Light of Jesus, KerygmaFamily, etcetera, will do the hard work of helping people rebuild their homes damaged by the floods—thus helping them rebuild their lives. It will be a long and difficult work—but we’ll be there for them.

This is what Jesus wants us to do.

Friend, you may not be here physically to help, but you can be our spiritual and financial support. First, pray for the victims. Pray for strength that they regain their hope. Many are devastated emotionally.

Second, if you can, make a donation and help them.

If you want to be part of our efforts to help Flood Victims, you can make a donation. Any amount will do. You can make your deposit online or through a bank.

Click below to help our Flood Victims now.

“Yes Bo, I want to help!”

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

PS. I know God will bless you abundantly. He will reward you for your kindness! That’s for sure. To make a donation, click below.

“Yes Bo, I want to help!”

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Today, 27th of September 2009 is the fourth year anniversary of my missing dad. I am hoping that my family will be able to know whether he’s still alive or dead already.

I can still recall the happiest moment together with my dad. When I was a kid around 3 to 6 years old, my dad would always brought me to any place where he conducted his business all over the Philippines. My mom called me, “Dad’s Pet.”

My dad was a businessman. He was trained to do business with a generous filipino-chinese family in Cebu during his teenage years. He only finished grade three. He didn’t even finished his elementary school days. But I am very proud of him because he was able to send me and my siblings to a very prestigious school in St. Peter’s College of Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines.

My dad was a generous giver. He helped a lot of people in my hometown. He was a good provider to his children and a loving husband to my mom. Oh by the way, my dad’s name is JAIME RICARTE PARMIS. His friends called him Jimmy, Jim or Jaime.

Dad, I want you to know, that we love you. We missed you so much. We will always remember you. Someday, we will see each other again in heaven. May God bless us always.

My Missing Dad Since September 2005

P.S. – If any of you happen to know the whereabouts of my dad, please email me at jamesparmis [at] yahoo [dot] com

P.S. – I want you to love your loved ones while they are still alive. Tell them, “I love you” always! Life is short.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services, Administration (PAGASA) said Saturday that the unexpected flood in Metro Manila was the worst one ever recorded in history. While Dr. Nathaniel Cruz, PAGASA director, said that yesterday’s flood was the worst in history, he added that the amount of rainfall dumped yesterday is expected to surpass the 1967 record and this month’s average.

philippine storm ondoy

Citing PAGASA records, Cruz said that a total 341.3 mm amount of rainfall had been dumped in Quezon City from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. last Saturday, just six hours following the actual landfall of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” in Central and Southern Luzon provinces. The 24-hour amount of rainfall is expected to overtake the 344 mm level recorded on a 24-hour period on June 7, 1967.

After expecting the tropical cyclone to bring stormy weather in most parts of Luzon until today, the top PAGASA official said the level of rainfall is also expected to even surpass 391.7 mm average rainfall in Quezon City for the entire month of September.

He also explained that Tropical Storm “Ondoy,” which was expected to move towards the South China Sea away from the Philippine area of responsibility early this morning, could double or at least increase the amount of rainfall in the next 12 hours.

Cruz added that “Ondoy,” which was last spotted over Pampanga province as of 5 p.m. yesterday, also dumped unusually high amounts of rainfall over Bulacan that prompted PAGASA to release 175 cubic meter of water each second from Angat when it reached its critical level at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

philippine storm ondoy2

“Ondoy” was last spotted over the vicinity of Pampanga while packing maximum winds of 85 kph near the center and a gustiness of 100 kph that prompted PAGASA to raise storm signals in 20 provinces in the regions of Cagayan, Bicol as well as Central and Southern Luzon.

Public Warning Storm Signal No.2 was hoisted over Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, and Northern Quezon, while the lowest storm signal was declared over La Union, Nueva Viscaya, Benguet, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, the rest of Quezon, including Polilio Island and Metro Manila. PAGASA advised residents living along the coasts of provinces under Public Warning Signal No. 1 and 2 to be on alert against big waves generated by Tropical Storm “Ondoy,” which could still trigger more flashfloods and landslides.

Slowing its northwestward movement from 19 kph to 13 kph, the storm was expected to cross Pampanga to Zambales tonight and reach the South China Sea at about 230 kilometers west northwest of Iba, Zambales this morning or at about 190 kilometers northwest of the town by Sunday afternoon.

Cruz clarified that there would only be a gradual improvement of weather today as the storm has been expected to continue enhancing the Southwest monsoon, which will keep bringing rains over Central and Southern Luzon provinces as well as the Visayas region.

philippine storm ondoy3

In a gale warning posted at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said that the storm will bring occasional rains with gusty winds of 55 to 75 kph that will make the sea condition the seaboards of Southern Luzon rough to very rough with big waves as high as 3.7 to 6.5 meters. PAGASA added that the seaboard of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms with gusty winds of 55 to 67 kph that will make the sea conditions rough to very with big waves as high as 3.7 to 4.5 meters.

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Pregnant Woman Got Pregnant Twice in 3 Weeks - Believe it or not?

This woman got pregnant again twice in three weeks time.  But they are not twins. This situation is an extremely rare case where an expectant woman conceives another child.

Doctors called it “Superfetation.”

Superfetation means the formation of a fetus while another fetus is already present in the uterus. It occurs when eggs from two separate menstrual cycles are released, as opposed to normal dizygotic twins where multiple ova are expelled in a single cycle.

Although common in animals, it is rare in humans, but can result in a twin or multiple pregnancy where the fetuses display a marked difference in gestational development.

Click Here to watch the full video interview coverage in Good Morning America

According to the caption that accompanies a circulating photograph of an unusually muscular canine, the pictured dog is the strongest in the world and works for the Russian Army.

At first glance, many may assume that the image has been manipulated. However, the photograph is genuine and depicts a real animal. On the other hand, the claims in the photograph’s caption are inaccurate.

According to a July 2007 Daily Mail article, the hulking canine in the photograph is a whippet named Wendy who was born with a genetic defect which caused her to grow larger and much more muscular than others of her breed:

While her head, heart, lungs and legs are the size of those of a normal whippet, her gene defect means she is “double muscled”.

Strongest Dog in the World - Believe it or not?

She weighs 4st4lb – twice as much as she should – and has bulging neck muscles, burly shoulders and haunches like a baboon. And unlike ordinary whippets known for their lithe and narrow frame, this four-year-old pedigree doesn’t just have a sixpack stomach, she has a 24-pack.

A June 2007 New York Times article reports that Wendy and others like her – dubbed “bully whippets” – have become the subjects of scientific testing.

When mutant, muscle-bound puppies started showing up in litters of champion racing whippets, the breeders of the normally sleek dogs invited scientists to take DNA samples at race meets here and across the country. They hoped to find a genetic cause for the condition and a way to purge it from the breed.

It worked. “Bully whippets,” as the heavyset dogs are known, turn out to have a genetic mutation that enhances muscle development.

In spite of her somewhat fearsome appearance, Wendy’s owner claims that she is a friendly animal who “likes nothing better than a good back scratch and isn’t shy about sitting in your lap to ask for one”.

And far from living a spartan life as a Russian Army dog, Wendy enjoys a relaxed and healthy life on a farm in Victoria, Canada.

Research indicates that there have been many contenders for the title of  “Strongest dog in the World”, but no clear and confirmed winner has so far emerged. And, in fact, reports about Wendy make no claims that she is the world’s strongest dog.

A report in the PLoS Genetics journal offers in-depth scientific information about the genetic mutation that caused Wendy’s double-muscled appearance.

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