Opong villagers believe their faith is what saved them from Typhoon Haiyan
Village where no one lost their life in killer typhoon vows to always holdprocession to say thanks
Returning to their destroyed village after a catastrophic typhoon that killed thousands in the Philippines last year, a weary band of Catholics vowed a lifelong sacrifice to thank God for saving them.
They had walked through the streets of the village for three days before the storm with icons in hand while praying and asking the Lord to spare them from the looming disaster.
We want to thank the Lord for giving us a second chance at life
Although giant ocean surges that swept through their coastal village destroyed many homes, and some of the most powerful winds recorded on land tore roofs off others, all of Opong's roughly 3,500 residents survived.
The devotees' ensuing vow was to perform a religious procession similar to their pre-typhoon marches at least twice a week for the rest of their lives.
"We want to thank the Lord for giving us a second chance at life. We want to thank Him for giving us the strength of our faith," said Elsie Indi, a mother-of-four, who is one of the regular members of the procession.
Ten days after Super Typhoon Haiyan hit, AFP photographer Philippe Lopez took a dramatic photo of Indi at the head of the Opong procession that came to symbolise the devotion, hope and resilience of many typhoon survivors.
