Bacolod spared......

This is a picture that Landon took as the typhoon was hitting Bacolod.  He was on his way to Focus to check on the site and the people there. I don't know HOW he got around that tree, I guess up on the lawn?  Kacey and I were freaking out that he was out in the storm :(   About 12:30 pm last night we received a message that the storm was dying down, and they are safe.  As of this morning (Friday), he's still at the site.  The electricity is still out, and they are working to get it fixed.  We haven't heard much more.  I know as of right now, he has to be extremely tired, as he's only had about 3 hours sleep in 2+ days

More info below taken from the internet:

Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said the city had been spared from greater damage that could have been caused by the storm.  He said it was “unexplainable” that Yolanda seemed to have split around Bacolod contrary to earlier forecasts, which showed that the city was on the path of the storm’s full force.

“We have to be thankful for what can be described only as a miracle,” Puentevella said as he pointed out that City Hall had been preparing for massive evacuations since this is the first time in recent years that Bacolod had been placed under Storm Signal No. 4.

Read more about Bacolod here

Why is everyone talking about this?

Super Typhoon Haiyan aka Yolanda, which slammed into the Philippines early Friday morning, is one of the strongest storms ever recorded on the planet. Here are some fast facts about the storm:

• Super Typhoon Haiyan had winds of 195 mph and gusts of 235 mph. This is one of the highest wind speeds ever recorded in a storm in world history.

• It made landfall as the most powerful typhoon or hurricane in recorded history, as based on wind speed measurements from satellites.

• The strength of Haiyan is equal to that of an extremely powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic. (Typhoons are the same type of storms as hurricanes).

• No hurricane in the Atlantic has ever been this strong; Hurricane Camille hit the U.S. Gulf Coast with an estimated wind speed of 190 mph.

• The storm is over 300 miles wide: The width is about equal to the distance between Boston and Philadelphia.

• Haiyan is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2013.

• The Philippines typically gets hit by more typhoons than any country on Earth, usually about six or seven each year.

• About 10 million people live on the central Philippine islands and are most at risk of a direct strike from Haiyan.

• A storm surge as high as 15 feet is possible in some parts of the Philippines.

• A 50-mile wide swath of 8+ inches of rain is predicted to cross the central Philippines, which will lead to dangerous flash floods and mudslides.

• Sea level rise from global warming is escalating the risk posed by storm surges across the globe, including in low-lying areas of the Philippines.

• Haiyan is the Chinese word for petrel, a type of bird that lives over the open sea and returns to land only for breeding.

• Haiyan is the 28th named storm of the 2013 Western Pacific typhoon season.

• The storm is known as Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. The World Meteorological Organization officially assigns typhoon names, to have a consistent name for a storm, but other countries are free to create their own names too.

I am stressing.............

I am following this website -

It says:
Storm signal number 3, meanwhile, is in effect over the following areas: Siargao Island Dinagat Province Rest of Antique Iloilo Guimaras Northern Negros Occidental (THIS IS WHERE BACOLOD IS)

These areas can expect winds of 101-185 km/h within 18 hours. There will be heavy damage to agriculture; moderate to heavy disruption to power and communications; damage to structures made out of light to medium materials; and large trees could be uprooted.  Travel by any means – land, sea, or air – is dangerous.

I've just been FB messaging with Landon, and as usual, he is calm and collected..........and in bed. I need to quit looking on the internet.

Super Typhoon Yolanda

Landon Facetimed last night to let us know about a typhoon that is heading towards the Philippines.   He wanted us to hear about it from him, before we heard about it on the news.

He said that it is on track to hit their island about 2pm their time on Friday, which will be about 11pm our time tonight (Thursday).

If you Google "Super Typhoon Philippines 2013" you will worry.  We did.  Landon's island is one of those in RED. However Bacolad City is located on an "inner" shoreline, and hopefully this will keep it somewhat more protected.  

Landon assures us that his home is in a safe area on higher ground (to not be affected by the storm surge, but not too high, to be affected by mudslides).  He is stocked up on food and water.   We are anxious about this, but will try not to worry too much.  Please pray with us for Landon and Cody, and everyone in the Philippines.