(Photo by Dr. Greg Suarez courtesy of CEBU FB Page)

Hope. Yes, the light of hope is brighter than ever.

Today is the first anniversary of Adrenaline Romance! So far, our first year has been full of wonderful, crazy, and wild adventures. We visited many of the country’s many wonders, explored its deepest recesses, climbed several of its mountains, and appreciated our rich culture. We screamed our excitement and adrenaline rush as we tried out new adventures. And thanks to all of you, dear readers! Your continued readership, positive comments, interesting inquiries, and great suggestions have fueled us to undertake and bring you even more adventures.

Now, to celebrate our anniversary and our one-year success, we are ready to embark on another adventure. This time, it’s a humanitarian adventure. As we all know, last November 9, 2013, the Philippines has been devastated by Supertyphoon Haiyan (local name Typhoon Yolanda), one of the strongest storms in the world. As you have seen in the news channels, newspapers, and the Internet, the catastrophe is beyond belief, so colossal in magnitude that it shocked and halted an entire nation. It brought the country not just to its knees; Yolanda swept the archipelago flat on its face. Never have we experienced such immensity of Mother Nature’s fury. No one was fully prepared for the ferocity of the storm.

But this enormous disaster triggered something that is very rarely experienced in this world: unity. Scenes and news of the devastation spurred the entire world to help. Without any hesitation, kind-hearted people of all walks of life—regardless of age, sex, religion, nationality, financial capability, social position, etc.—have put aside differences and joined hands to help our affected brothers and sisters stand up again.

Yes, there is hope. To typhoon survivors and victims, don’t—never—abandon hope. Everyone is here for you.

Media outlets, civic organizations, local governments, and other entities have set up donation centers all around Cebu.

Tons of relief goods—rice, canned goods, used clothing, medicines, bottled water—are given wholeheartedly, without any expectation of returns.

Everyone is glad to help you!

Even the stranded tourists who are vacationing in Coron, Palawan are helping. (Photo by GMA News Online)

Office personnel, in their free time, are giving away much-needed ready-to-eat food and water. (Photo by Cynthia Castro)

So that you will conveniently have everything in one package, we have repacked them for you, all day, all night, 24/7. We know you don’t get a break from the physical and psychological trauma you are facing. That’s why we sympathize with you; we’re not taking a break. (Photo by Glenn Jubs)

Panic buying in SM Cebu? Is there another storm coming? Yes! The people of Cebu are panic buying items to give to you! Yes, there’s a storm of relief goods coming to you. Every day, shelves of canned goods, noodles, and bottled water are cleared out. (Photo by Blinky de Leon)

Just like you, fellow mountaineers and outdoorsmen slept on the hard, cold ground without a roof. A contingent of VTF mountaineers and Recon Mace 7 led by Sir Eric Clyde Sumatra waited all night long for the first available ferry in Hagnaya Pier to take them to Malapascua and Bantayan Island in Northern Cebu. They went there to assess the damage of Supertyphoon Yolanda in Malapascua and Bantayan Island. (Photo by Eric Clyde Sumatra)

And that’s just from ordinary citizens. Many of the world’s biggest companies heard your plea, and they are all ready to donate and respond.

Local shipping companies have offered to transport relief goods and lifesaving equipment to ports of calls nearest to the affected area free of charge. (Top photo by www.shipsimages.blogspot.com, bottom photo by www.myship.com)

Expert rescuers, wilderness doctors, trainers, and lifesavers like Dr. Ted “Everest Doc” Esguerra and his TAGASAGIP Rescue Team Bravo are in the most affected areas assessing the damage, establishing communications, and rescuing and treating victims. (Photo by Ted “Everest Doc” Esguerra)

When I came to work yesterday morning, I saw these medical apparatus from Denmark.

These Danish doctors are going to Northern Cebu to administer medical assistance to injured and sick victims of typhoon Yolanda.

Our own proud Philippine Army, Marines, and Coast Guard are ready to carry you on their shoulders.

Our long-time ally, the United States, has deployed one of the most powerful warships in the world, the USS George Washington and its entire strike group to aid in the humanitarian effort. This carrier is equipped with a desalinization plant that can convert thousands of gallons of seawater into fresh water. (Photo by www.wikipedia.org)

As if the carrier strike group is not enough, they’ve had USS Mercy, a hospital ship on standby to take care of those of you who are injured and sick. (Photo by www.defense.gov)

Russia, the former enemy of the US, is joining hands with its compatriot. A few days ago, the world’s largest aircraft, the Ukranian Antonov An-225, landed in Mactan to deliver a huge load of supplies (Photo by www.philippineairspace.blogspot.com).

International aid in the form of relief goods, medicine, and equipment is pouring in, in hundreds of tons (Top and bottom left photos by Kons Pascual, bottom right photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer).

In Bogo, a heavily damaged city in the northern part of Cebu, a team of Israeli Defense Force doctors erected a field hospital to take care of the sick and wounded. They were even able to deliver a baby! The parents decided to call the little guy “Israel.” (Photo by Peter Lerner, IDF Spokesman for International Media, and posted by Jan Brixx)

The world joins hands to help you. And they will stop at nothing to help you get your life back (Photo by Ruel N. Bajao)

Here’s a breakdown of the aid coming from various nations. And more are pouring in! (Infographic from Philstar)

So you see there’s hope. It’s sure and bright. Be patient for a little while longer. This is our finest hour as a united people. Today, everyone in the world is a hero.

All photos without the Adrenaline Romance watermark are not ours. Full credits belong to the owners; each photo, with the exception of ours, are provided with the source link and the proper acknowledgment. We will also be adding more photos and stories of hope as this incredible episode of our nation’s and the world’s history unfolds.

This is the first of a special three-part series of blog posts that are intended to bring hope to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Through these posts, we honor their strength, resilience, and determination to rise up.