Dear Members and Friends:

It is 6:00 in the evening of Monday, September 26, as I write this update.  

I have just arrived from Singapore, where I was nervously monitoring super typhoon Karding as he took aim at Balesin yesterday, Sunday.

Miraculously, Balesin suffered almost no damage. It was as if the typhoon, having ravaged North and East of the Polillo Islands, upon sighting Balesin, took pity on our beloved island and veered north westward!  

Upon landing in Balesin a couple of hours ago, I went quickly around the island and confirmed Evans Ramos’ hour by hour report to me. Her prayers had been answered and the typhoon, which had been bearing down on Balesin with its powerful and destructive winds had, at the last minute, changed course. Other than a few fallen trees that were almost dying of old age anyway, and about 10% of our bananas at the Banana Republic were the only casualties. What a relief!

Since all flights were cancelled, we had 173 people on the island when Karding struck. Except for missing their Sunday night dinner, all were safe and well.

Also, our Baguio Mountain Lodges was spared, as Karding exited Luzon a couple of hundred kilometers south of Dagupan.

Many have claimed credit for the salvation of Balesin through their constant prayers. I can only thank them all.