Smiles amidst the ruins ” “

Thanks to her passion for photography, her studies in international law and her interests in the development of South-East Asia – notably Papua New Guinea – she has been documenting world poverty, to share her experiences and the missions she has been devoting herself to. Carole Rekinger, born in Luxembourg, is a young woman that could easily have led an easy and brilliant life. Instead, she decided to dedicate herself to the poor in the world. She just came back from the Philippines, having arrived in the very first days following the recent tragedy that devastated the country and its population. Sarah Numico interviewed her for SIR Europe. Why did you decide to go to the Philippines? “I was born in Luxembourg, and the awareness of living a privileged condition and in a privileged country since childhood, even when compared to the rest of Europe, led me to dedicate my time and my energy to those socially disadvantaged, marginalized and without a voice. I focused my academic studies on themes regarding the development of South East Asia, with a master in international politics. Over the past ten years I have been actively engaged with local non-profit organizations in the region. When I heard the news of the typhoon I immediately felt I was involved in the disaster. Then Caritas, with whom I have worked in the past, asked if I could give a helping hand. My decision was rapidly made: after a few hours I had packed my luggage, and obtained from Caritas the information needed for the mission. I cancelled also previously taken commitments and greeted my parents. Four days after the typhoon I was in Cebu, where I stayed for three weeks”. What were your impressions and reflections before the destruction and poverty in the Philippines?” “I learned to view material richness as something relative, and even amidst destruction and tears I experienced the solidarity shown by the local population. Whoever could help, whether rich or poor, gave a helping hand where needed. Thousands of volunteers from across the Philippines have helped us provide emergency relief for Caritas and for all humanitarian organizations involved. Without the volunteers, it would have been much more complicated and aid would have been given at a much slower pace”. Did you ever feel alone or suffer from the distance during the mission? “I was with Luxembourg’s Caritas relief team that worked 24 hours running. They gave me the support I needed. I was in touch with them every day, even several times per day. Knowing that I could count on a group of experts in all situations, available whenever needed, comforted me since the beginning. I was the only one from Luxembourg, but I met colleagues from Caritas Austria with whom I had worked in the past: they were all kind, patient and capable of addressing a difficult situation such as this one. We worked in conjunction with Caritas Philippines, which gave me the certainty that we were truly reaching out to those who most needed our support. I met many special people, but a nun in particular impressed me most of all with her dedicated commitment, her smiles and her contagious laughs. Also my family and friends have been a great support in this experience”. Which experiences impressed you in a special way? “I met many people and heard many tragic stories. To digest these stories is even harder than seeing the devastation. For example, Analyn has four children. She lives in a small village of fishermen in the north area of Negros Island. Their home was torn down and only the hen-house resisted the storm. Their neighbours helped them remove the rubbles and offered them shelter in their home until they find another place to live. Analyn’s husband earned a living as a fisherman, but his small boat went lost in the tempest. Now they are left with no source of income. The children’s books went lost and they don’t even have the money to buy new ones; the children won’t even be able to go to school in the coming months. They completely depend on the good will of their neighbours and of organizations like Caritas. It’s hard to see people who used to lead a decent life suddenly reduced to being beggars. It’s important to help these people rebuild a new life so they may no longer depend on others but rather lead a dignified life”. Will you return to the Philippines? “Yes, I will go back at the end of the year, or at the beginning of January, for a new mission of a few months”.