Kalispell man will help typhoon relief in Philippines

A Kalispell hotel employee who is fluent in three languages spoken in the Philippines is headed to the typhoon-stricken country this week to help with relief efforts in the wake of one of the strongest storms on record.

Chris Keyes, a shuttle driver at the Red Lion Hotel, leaves Friday for Leyte, a province of the Philippines, where he will spend about three weeks helping the nonprofit charity Giving Children Hope deliver emergency supplies and assist residents of the region.

Keyes, 29, spent two years in the Philippines a decade ago as a missionary with the Mormon church. He learned not only the main language, Tagalog, but also two key dialects used in Leyte, and he has remained fluent in those languages.

One of Keyes’ colleagues, who served alongside him in the Philippines years ago, works with Giving Children Hope and knew Keyes’ language skills would be a huge asset as the charity is set to deliver six 40-foot containers of emergency supplies making their way by boat to the Philippines.

“I’m so grateful I’m able to take part,” Keyes said. “I know the area well, and I know I can be effective.

“Our mission is to connect with the drop point and effectively deliver these goods in a timely manner, as well as assist with cleanup projects.”

In addition to delivering items such as water purifiers and vital medical supplies, Keyes will put his skills as an emergency medical technician to work caring for the sick and injured.

Typhoon Haiyan swept through the central Philippines Nov. 8, killing more than 5,200 and leaving more than 3.4 million people displaced. More than 1,600 people are still listed as missing.

After completing his mission in 2005, Keyes returned to the Philippines in 2007, and there he met his wife-to-be, Vanessa, a native of the Philippines. She, too, had been a missionary for the Mormon church. The couple were married in August in Salt Lake City.

Vanessa’s family is safe; they live in an area of the Philippines that escaped much of the storm damage. She will remain in Kalispell while Keyes completes his disaster-relief work.

Keyes is bracing for the worst. Electrical power systems are still down, water supplies are contaminated, hospitals are overwhelmed and entire communities were ripped apart by the high winds.

“I’ve never seen a more humble group of people suffer,” he said. “These people live in huts and they have absolutely nothing, but yet they’ll feed you what they have.”

Keyes has been following Facebook posts by a good friend who’s already there doing recovery work, and he’s been impressed by the buoyancy and resolve of the storm victims.

“Even after the devastation, they find time to share a laugh,” he said.

Keyes is bringing most of his own food because he doesn’t want to take away from emergency rations for the Filipinos.

He is using all of his vacation time at the Red Lion Hotel for the upcoming trip. He’s worked for the hotel for six years.

“They’ve been good to me for sure,” Keyes added about his employer.

Anyone wanting to make a tax-deductible donation to Giving Children Hope can go online to www.gchope.org. 

Donors are welcome to state in the comment box that their donation was referred by Chris Keyes. By doing so, 10 percent of the donations made will go toward his travel and living expenses while in the Philippines. He estimated the trip will cost him $2,500.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.