Disaster in Philippines: Bermuda residents feel the pain

The full horror of Typhoon Haiyan is hitting home.

Residents of Bermuda have lost loved ones and property and the enormity of what’s happened is still emerging.

Nora Benueza Leigh was a resident of Bermuda for 20 years but returned to her homeland several years ago to answer a call from God. Together with her 17-year-old Bermudian daughter, Hannah Joy Leigh, Pastor Leigh is delivering food, water and clothing to storm survivors.

Alex Alferez, a software engineer at Bermuda Commercial Bank, is grieving for three cousins — two teenagers and a boy. One of them, 19-year-old Intoy, was killed while trying to rescue Mr Alferez’s aunt from the family home. He and his five-year-old brother were crushed by a falling tree as they tried to lead her to safety.

Pedro Cabugawan, a plumber, left the Philippines for Bermuda six years ago to fund a family home. His house was flattened by the typhoon: “I work here in Bermuda just to build my house and to pay for college for my children,” he told us. “Now I will have to start building my house again.” 

Bermuda teen is helping relief effort

She was a resident of Bermuda for almost 20 years but returned to her homeland to answer a call from God.

Nora Benueza Leigh has been helping people in the city of Iloilo for the past five years, but is now frantically trying to save lives in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

Together with her 17-year-old Bermudian daughter, Hannah Joy Leigh, she is delivering food, water, clothing and materials for shelter.

We first spoke to her for Wednesday’s paper and she gave us an update. 

Ms Leigh said: “It broke our hearts to see dead bodies not being able to get buried because there is no money for caskets. People can’t put them in their houses as their homes were also heavily damaged. 

“We have brought rice, food and water but it is not enough for the people. They are queuing to buy water, and people are so hungry. 

“Our government is helping and we have several donations from different nations, but it is not enough, especially in remote areas.

“There are two islands that were covered (by the storm surge) and no survivors at all. They are still finding bodies and people at the fishing port are waiting to identify the cadavers.

“The schools which were the evacuation centres have no roofs. I sent food to one of the barangays (villages) with a motorcycle because our transportation can’t pass by, because of heavy posts and trees blocking the road.” 

Ms Leigh left Bermuda in June 2008 to set up her own ministry, Jesus Christ the Victorious Ministry, of which she is the senior pastor.

She worked in Bermuda and married Bermudian Steven Leigh in 1996 but they divorced in 2004: “I met beautiful people in Bermuda and it is where I had a personal encounter with the Lord and how awesome God is,” Ms Leigh told us. “That’s the reason why I came back, to share the love of God.”

She praised Bishop Neville Smith of the Radnor Road Christian Fellowship, where she was president of the Filipino Fellowship, “as an instrument to help me grow in my spiritual life... I left all the comfort in Bermuda; I decided to walk from the comfort zone to a faith zone. God spoke in my heart and that is the reason I’m here.

 She described the devastation. “Electric lines and posts are all over the road and there are no communications... We will help for almost two months until people can get back on their feet,” she said.

Ms Leigh’s Bermudian daughter Hannah is studying tourism at Central Philippine University but is missing classes in order to help mom. Ms Leigh said: “She always assists me, like feeding the children, she sees to it that everyone eats.  She likes giving to the people and is gathering most her clothes to give away on the next trip.

“She plans to go back to Bermuda after graduation to work.” 

You can send clothing and supplies to: Jesus Christ the Victorious Ministry, Inc., C/O Pastor Nora B. Leigh, Oasis, Blk 18 lot 8, 16th St, Bakhaw Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Philippines. 5000. Or call Ghenie Edwards at the Filipino Club 2000 on 538-3749.