Guam (MNN) — Super Typhoon Mawar hit Guam as a Category 4 storm three weeks ago, bringing heavy rain and hurricane-force winds to the North Pacific island.
Today, hundreds of people remain in public shelters. Thousands have no electricity or running water. “Buildings have been flattened, and infrastructure has been completely torn down to the ground,” Trans World Radio’s Daryl Renshaw says.
“Parts of Guam look like a warzone.”
From Guam, TWR broadcasts the hope of Christ throughout Asia, reaching places like China and North Korea. Believers in these countries “greatly rely on the broadcast we do each night because some of them have no other way to hear the Gospel,” Renshaw says.
Mawar battered TWR equipment, taking programs off the air for several days. More about that here. TWR’s team quickly took action.
“Over the past two and a half weeks, they’ve been moving broadcast projects to other service providers. Many of them [are] in different parts of Asia, and one in the northern part of Australia,” Renshaw says.
Super Typhoon Mawar mangled all five of TWR’s antennas, damaging two beyond repair.
(Photo courtesy of TWR)
Global intercession began as Mawar approached Guam in late May and after the storm passed. Thankfully, the Lord hears the prayers of His people. “[Last] Thursday night, our Guam station came back on the air with one of the antenna systems, and that’s been a big help,” Renshaw says.
“We’re hoping to have another of the five antennas up by the end of this week.”
Use the prompts listed alongside this report to continue praying for Guam. “The number one prayer [need] right now is for God to encircle our team with His protection and minister to them and their families,” Renshaw says.
“Our team members perform these repairs at an elevation of anywhere from 100 to 150 feet
above the ground.”
Help TWR get the hope of Jesus back on the airwaves here. Super Typhoon Mawar presented the ministry with an unforeseen major expense. TWR must raise $338,000 to cover the costs beyond what insurance will pay to fix the extensive damage.
“Several years ago, our stewardship team concluded that it made good sense for us to accept some risks to keep the premiums for insurance at a lower level,” Renshaw says.
“We took a higher deductible, and as a result, we’re trying to cover that deductible amount through donations.”
In the header image, a team member shows one of the broken wires left behind by Super Typhoon Mawar. (Photo courtesy of TWR)
