Elena stands amid the debris of her home in Cagayan province, in the Philippines. The house and many of the family’s possessions were destroyed by Typhoon Haima in October 2016.

On Oct. 20, 2016, Super Typhoon Haima blasted Cagayan province in Luzon, the northernmost island in the Philippines with torrential rain and140 mph winds -- gusts to 195 mph. When the winds died down and the skies cleared, survivors began picking up the pieces of their lives to begin again.

More than 200,000 families were affected – almost a million people -- the national disaster management agency says.

Elena says she’s never experienced anything like Haima. “I thought we would die. I only prayed for Him to spare my children,” she says.

In coordination with the Philippine government, World Vision has distributed hygiene kits, bedding, mosquito nets, and kitchen sets to meet the needs of families like Elena’s.

Photo ©2016 World Vision, Joy Malujo