The northern region of the country is set to receive a distribution of Bibles and Christian resources soon from Mission Cry, although distributing to this area means navigating state anti-conversion laws. 

“It is against the law in the country of India, via their president, to send Bibles,” says Mission Cry President, Reverend Jason Woolford. “That has not stopped us.” 

“If you convert from being a Christian and ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, you could be at (risk) of death, imprisonment, for sure. And we’ve seen this already in India and in Pakistan, where churches are being destroyed, set on fire,” says Woolford.

“There’s a very real spiritual battle taking place, and our brothers and sisters are crying out for the Word of God.” 

In Africa, where Boko Haram came in, a missionary there told Woolford, “Reverend, our people, your brothers and sisters, are being killed or murdered, beaten for a God that they can’t even read about.” 

The same is happening in Northern India and around the globe as brothers and sisters seek the ability to read about the one true God.

The average American has six Bibles on their shelves. In places of poverty, people cannot afford the very book they defend. When they receive a Bible from someone with plenty, they cherish the book and love it, thankful for the opportunity. 

Mission Cry needs the materials to send and the resources to send them.

“When we send a container, it (costs) $11,000, but that has half a million dollars worth of free Bibles and Christian books in it. (With) this particular container to India, we have to pay more, and we have to do things to basically give money to some people to be able to get this cleared secretly with no issues,” says Woolford.

Please pray that when this container arrives, it’s cleared with no issues and that God will provide the funds for the mission. Pray that God will prompt and break the hearts of people at the right times to come alongside the ministry. Pray also for the ministry and leadership for protection as they go into areas of spiritual upheaval. Pray for the families and individuals whose homes and lives have been destroyed or lost by the flood. Pray that God will work through this event to reach people. 

Mission Cry is having a bible drive and is asking people to go through their homes to look for Bibles, go to thrift stores, garage sales, and local bookstores, and tell them about Mission Cry. 

For locals to the Fowlerville, Michigan area, donations can be delivered in person; otherwise, donations can be shipped. 

Engage your congregation in this drive and let the world hear your mission cry. Go to missioncry.com or contact the organization at 517-223-3193.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

While
the crisis has faded from the headlines, many survivors are still struggling with
finding adequate shelter, medicine, or clean water. According to the International Red Cross, over
1,200 people lost their lives, 50,000 homes sustained damages, and 1.14 million
people were affected in some capacity by the storm and subsequent flooding.

In
the wake of the storm, authorities said some land remained unsafe for
rebuilding and forbade people to return to their homes. There's also a risk of
waterborne disease, and hospitals in the region have been put on alert. Because of the situation, the Red Cross
doubled its aid request to $6.1 million.

Food
for the Hungry /Philippines is also responding to help survivors through a local
network of Campus Crusade for Christ. FH/Philippines is supporting the work of Campus
Crusade for Christ by providing food, water, and other emergency needs
for displaced families. Additional
supplies are still needed, including food, water, mats, blankets and hygiene
kits.  

Food
for the Hungry is doing as much as possible in the region through Light of the World Church and
another Wesleyan church in the region.

Aside from the meeting the physical needs, the ministry team is
sensitive to the emotional and spiritual needs that have manifested since
December. Church partners are building relationships
with those they're helping, and finding Gospel opportunities. Through other partnerships, they're starting
Child Friendly Spaces. This is a place created that helps children cope with
the massive upheaval and loss they've just experienced.

FH long-term plans will help the affected communities re-establish
infrastructure and develop small businesses and education opportunities.

FH relief workers are trained to ensure a community's
culture stays intact. It's why they
strive to continue operating until the community can care for itself and
flourish. The job is finished when the community no longer needs assistance and
can care for itself — the goal of every relief and development mission.

Of those hit by the catastrophe three weeks ago, many are still affected, says Director of Emergency Response for Food for the Hungry Peter Howard says, "About three quarters of a million people have been affected by this disaster. And at least 40,000 to 50,000 people are living in evacuation centers."

While Food for the Hungry can't help all of them, they're doing their part through two local churches. "Since the storm hit 2 1/2 weeks ago, those churches–with the help of Food for the Hungry and other partnerships–have been responding and reaching out and meeting needs in their community."

FH is working with a Light of the World Church and another Wesleyan church in the region. Howard says through these churches, they're helping with food, clothing, medical supplies, and hygiene kits.

However, FH is going to start doing more for the children, says Howard. "After a disaster like this, children get separated from their families and parents. Also, their lives get interrupted."

That's why FH through other partnerships are starting Child Friendly Spaces. This is a place created that helps children cope. Howard said,"They can go to school, and even if it's not in a school, maybe a tented area — an area where they can be safe and away from the effects of disaster. They can learn, play and be children. And, that protects them from the dangers going on around them."

Howard says this outreach helps physically, and also spiritually. "Food for the Hungry comes alongside these churches to reach out not only to their own parishioners, but into their community. And it really is an amazing opportunity for Christians to show the love of Christ to people who are suffering."

It's uncertain low long FH will be in this area. "This is their community, and our job is to build the capacity to reach out in the name of Jesus to their community. So we'll stay as long as we're asked. But when they're on their feet and ready to go, that might be time for us to move somewhere else where there's a need," adds Howard.

Howard says $100 can actually start a child friendly space. If you'd like to help, click here.

The government warns that tens of thousands of flood victims could be stuck
in tent cities for up to half a year waiting for the government construct
temporary housing to free up schools that are now serving as refugee camps.

The United Nation is calling for about $US28 million in funding to help
those affected by Typhoon Washi. Southern
Baptists are also mounting a relief effort through Baptist Global Response and
local partners in the Philippines.

"Typhoon Washi brought heavy rains, strong winds, and a large number of
flash floods to the area," said Pat Melancon, BGR's managing director of
disaster response and training. "The government has reported around 10,000
homes damaged or destroyed, and estimates are that 335,000 people have been
affected."

In the evacuation centers aid workers were providing food, clothes,
blankets, bottled water and hygiene kits. A lack of running water was still a major concern. Many shelters have
poor sanitation which brings a high risk of waterborne disease.

BGR released funds to meet the immediate needs for food, shelter, and water
and sanitation needs. The initial rapid response also will include assessment
of longer-term response needs in the area.

"Storms regularly occur in the Philippines," Melancon noted. "However,
Typhoon Washi struck the southern part of the country, where these types of
tropical storms are not as frequent and people are not as prepared to deal with
them. BGR has worked in the past with flooding situations in the
Philippines and continues to partner in providing assistance in this event as
well."

BGR was created to help believers become more effective and efficient in
responding to global crises and their partnership allows Christians on the
ground to be the hands and feet of Christ. Catastrophe often opens doors for deeper
spiritual questions, so pray for both Gospel opportunity and wisdom for the
team.

In addition to children lost, 460 homes were affected by the disaster. 359 of those homes belonged to Compassion families and were completely destroyed.

Compassion International U.S. Communications Director Kathy Redmond says this disaster struck out of nowhere. “When you’re talking about a flash flood, you can’t really prepare for it. You don’t know it’s coming, and it seems to have hit right in the heart of a few Compassion projects.”

Many Philippine churches house child development projects through Compassion. But with many churches destroyed as well, those projects are inevitably affected.

“When you’re trying to bring the kids back to normal and provide some normalcy for them, usually it’s going to the projects. But if the projects are destroyed too…then obviously you can’t do that,” says Redmond. “So it really affects the kids mentally and psychologically.”

Redmond estimates that there are over 2,700 Compassion kids that have initially been affected in some way by this flooding. However, it is difficult to know for sure.
Compassion is currently working to raise funding to meet the needs of the community hit.

According to Redmond, “Initial estimates show that we will need more than $500,000 in both disaster and other funding which will provide immediate relief, recovery, and then rehabilitation.”

In these times of crisis in the Philippines, the Gospel is needed more than ever. “When you can provide that kind of message of hope and that kind of message of strength [in the Gospel]…that’s a survival need as well.”

Redmond refers to other times when disaster struck a community; the church was often the leader in bringing the community together to provide relief for those affected. She expects that to be happening now in the Philippines as well.

“You really see a spirit of cooperation between the churches because they know how important it is that they be functioning. They know how important it is to spread the Gospel…to be able to reach out and to provide for people’s needs in such a time as this.”

Please be in prayer for Compassion families and children still reeling in the wake of this disaster. Click here to donate to Compassion’s emergency relief fund.

Mass burials are being prepared for many of the dead. A government official told BBC News, "We lost count for those still missing."

Tens of thousands have been affected by the flooding in Mindanao, including children from Compassion International's child development centers.

"It's difficult to confirm anything because our electricity and the phone lines are unavailable right now, but what seems to be coming in is that we have had children killed, and that we have some more that are missing," reports Kathy Redmond, Compassion's U.S. Communications Director.

Redmond says at least 10 church partners have been affected as well, but everything has been difficult to confirm. Even when they are able to communicate, Compassion staff are still unable to reach affected areas. Redmond says the island structure of the Philippines only enhances that obstacle.

Compassion has about 54,000 children in 320 development centers in the Philippines. Most of those are in areas away from Mindanao. Those that have been affected will at least have the means to determine who is missing when transportation becomes plausible again.

"We have more information on these kids than even the government has," notes Redmond. "So we would be able to pretty much detect rather quickly which kids are missing and that sort of thing."

Compassion is doing all they can to connect with the affected children in their programs. It will be a long road to recovery, which will include replacing books, buildings, homes and keeping children from disease. Assessing the scope of the situation will be a long and arduous process, though.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, Compassion is providing survival necessities, says Redmond. "The first thing that we need to do in that area is to just stabilize it and provide for immediate needs of the people that are there–they're going to need food, drinking water and clothing."

Compassion works closely with the local church, and Redmond says many in need have already been heading to churches to look for help. Community members who may never otherwise visit the church are now coming, knowing they will be helped by the believers there. Pray that if nothing else, this disaster will provide Gospel opportunities.

If you sponsor a child with Compassion who has been affected by this disaster, you will be contacted via phone. If you're not contacted, Redmond says, your child is likely okay. Call 1-800-336-7676 for more information on a sponsored child, or to give. Give to disaster relief also at Compassion's Web site.

Flash floods and landslides were brought on by monsoon rains,
displacing two million people in the northwest provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and Kashmir.

Aid is already on its way. The Pakistani army has mobilized tens of thousands of troops, rescuing
20,000 people from marooned areas.  

Fortunately, because of the military's offensive against the
Taliban, many humanitarian agencies were already in place. Additionally, millions of dollars' worth of
aid is on its way as are rescue vehicles.

However, food and fuel are running low, so help is racing
borrowed time. Bridges to some of the worst hit areas have washed away or
broken apart with the force of the waters, making travel with humanitarian
supplies nearly impossible. Some cities,
such as Peshawar, are entirely cut off from the rest of the country.

There has been a break in the weather pattern, which helped
some of the flooding to recede, but forecasters say more monsoon rains are on
their way.

Peter Howard with Food For the Hungry says, "This is turning into a significant
disaster that's having a major impact on the poor." 

Food for the Hungry's Emergency response unit is still
assessing the needs. However, their
teams are readying themselves. "It's getting clean water, hygiene kits,
and basic shelter materials like tarps, and tents, and even things
like mosquito nets to keep malaria at bay. We have not yet begun our response.
We're finding out how best we can support the efforts." In turn, Food for the Hungry also will be
supporting the Gospel. 

"If Food For the Hungry can come alongside local
churches and local Christian organizations and support them, then those
organizations not only will provide the immediate needs in the name of Christ,
but they can be there in the long-term."

Pray for flood survivors, especially the thousands who are
displaced from their homes and vulnerable to disease. You can help their Emergency Response unit
as they reach out to help Pakistani families in need. Click here.