ILIGAN CITY — Dizon Christ said hello to the world last December 15. Melanie Ermac held her healthy 6.8 pound baby girl so tenderly. But it seems some gifts are meant to be savored for only a time.

When killer storm Sendong hit Purok Katipunan in Barangay Palao, two days after baby Dizon Christ was born, the infant wailed in pitch darkness, waking the rest of the family.

Using a flashlight, Elmer, the head of the family, found his baby daughter and secured her on his belly. Together with Melanie and their other kids Merson and Alfia May, they jumped out of their window and swam towards their neighbor’s house.

As Elmer made his way up the roof, Dizon Christ slipped her hold and was mercilessly towed by the strong current.

Will it be too late to save the drowning infant? Click HERE to continue reading the story.

In the remote Iligan village of Panoroganan, Dalama Bualan, an 80-year-old who could barely walk, was carried from his mountain-top home by his daughters and grandsons for a grueling hour to get to Operation Blessing’s medical mission. 

Dalama, the village’s oldest among 3,800 residents, had been suffering diarrhea for five days. He was fighting for his very life when his relatives broke through lines of people seeking medical help.

His vital signs were alarmingly abnormal. His blood pressure plunged and he was severely dehydrated. An OB volunteer doctor had him rehydrated on the spot and was put on close watch during the entire medical mission.

A few minutes later, Dalama’s 72-year-old wife Tako Tuan was also rushed to the mission site and was immediately attended to by the medical team. She had difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with some form of lung disease a year back.

Will Operation Blessing's medical mission save the elderly couple in time? Click HERE to find out.