Devastating floods in Manila

Flooded Cainta, Rizal, Metro Manila (two photos and above and first below)

Last October I posted an item in The Pilgrims' Inn, the editor's blog of Misyon, about my friend Louella 'Lala' Vicente and her extraordinary story. Lala was born with Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) and left in a garbage pail. I also posted the story, 'Lala' and Queen Elizabeth, on this blog. She lives in the L'Arche community in Cainta, Rizal, an area that was very badly hit by the floods in Manila over the weekend. Cainta is one of the many cities and towns that make up Metro Manila, a totally urban area with very little open space and hardly any parks.

Yesterday, the 27th, was Lala's 30th birthday. I don't have any news on the situation in Punla, the name of the house where the L'Arche community lives. I do know that Lala had been looking forward with great excitement to her big day.

Juding by the photos above, Lala and her friends must have been badly affected as Punla is low-lying.

A shelter in Pasig City, Metro Manila

A mother in Cainta grieving for her son