“Typhoon Gaemi has wreaked havoc in Taiwan, the Philippines, and now in China,” Brian Dennett with AMG International says.

“We are working in the Philippines [and] had word from our team there. They have had relentless rain; it’s done incredible damage, and many people have had to be rescued.”

Knee-deep flood lashes Quiapo district in the City of Manila due to southwest monsoon (Habagat) induced by Typhoon Carina (Gaemi).
(Photo, caption courtesy of Michael Peronce/Wikimedia Commons)

Super Typhoon Gaemi swept across the Philippines last week before downgrading and heading toward Taiwan. In the Philippines’ northern province, more than 18 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in some regions.

“Our long-time AMG missionary, Eden Layda, her home is completely underwater. She was rescued, and we have her lodging at the moment in AMG’s offices northeast of Manila,” Dennett says.

“Homes, roads, [and] crops have been destroyed, and that means hunger issues in the months to come.”

Over 830 public schools postponed their back-to-school opening because of the storm. AMG supports child development centers throughout the archipelago, which provide Christian education, food, and healthcare.

“We have several schools that are affected; we know of one that’s completely underwater,” Dennett says.

“We’re providing relief to those students and their families… they know that we’re helping because of our compassion and love from Jesus.”

According to the latest figures, around 4.8 million people have been affected by the combined effects of the annual monsoon season and Typhoon Gaemi. Consider helping Filipino families through AMG by donating to the Disaster Relief Fund.

“Everything we do is used to share the Gospel. As we meet these desperate needs, we are also sharing the hope in Christ,” Dennett says.

“Pray that we [can] help in providing food, shelter, water, and [in meeting] other basic needs during this trying time.”

Header image depicts Super Typhoon Gaemi as captured via satellite on July 23, 2024. (Wikimedia Commons)

Filipino believers respond to disasters quickly, offering physical help and the hope of Christ, but they’re running out of options.

(Photo courtesy of Asian Access)

“The evangelical body, headed by [the] Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, have been responding but if you have a series of calamities and disasters, you are also depleted of your resources,” Herman Moldez of Asian Access says

Back-to-back disasters

Super Typhoon Goni made landfall last week in the Bicol region, just south of Manila, as the strongest typhoon in recorded world history. Typhoon Vamco, known locally as Ulysses, may have been weaker but its timing was terrible.

In Bicol, “they only were able to rebuild one-percent and then came another typhoon, and it passed through the same path,” Moldez says. “It’s one typhoon after the other successively.”

In Manila and the central Luzon region, Vamco stirred troubling memories.

“After midnight [there was] heavy rain, pouring rain. People were caught unaware that the level of water [would] be high, and so many are remembering what happened in 2009 when we have the same problem,” Moldez explains.

“The problem became worse because the dams reached the critical level. There are three to four dams that spilled water and [the water goes] through Metro Manila.”

How to help

Asian Access supports Filipino leaders as they come alongside people who are hurting and point them to Jesus. “Let’s pray they will be able to survive this hard reality. Many of them are small entrepreneurs [and] the sources of livelihood have been washed away,” Moldez says.

(Photo courtesy of Asian Access)

You can give to their efforts here. Most importantly, pray.

“The government [is] promising to help them, but [it does not] have enough money already to support those things. The economy is bad so people need livelihood, but [jobs are] very scarce,” Moldez describes.

“When people pray, that spiritual strength [enables] people to rise and become able to continue. That is very critical, but at the same time, they are also in need of some help.”

Header image depicts severe flooding left by Typhoon Vamco. Photo courtesy of Asian Access.

As described here, a political group stirred up protestors in Metro Manila last week, and – after negotiating for an hour – police arrested dozens of people who refused to go home. “It is not really right at this point of time to gather these people and protest because that will only aggravate the situation,” Moldez says, referring to the pandemic and containment measures.

2016 photo of President Rodrigo Duterte.
(Photo courtesy of Wkimedia Commons)

“That’s what triggered the president in his comment… ‘if they resist and the police will be in danger, just shoot them’.”

CBS News ran this headline following the incident, implying President Rodrigo Duterte ordered police to kill anyone who defied the coronavirus lockdown. However, “the military and the police already know how to take statements like this that [are] quite exaggerated,” Moldez says.

“They said ‘no, we will not abuse our power; we will do the best that we can to maintain order’.”

But maintaining order isn’t always easy in the Philippines’ remote villages. Over the weekend, a drunk 63-year old man threatened village police with a scythe when they asked him to wear a face mask. An officer trying to pacify the man shot and killed him.

Filipino disaster response

Life is calmer in the rest of the archipelago, striking a stark contrast to Manila’s highly-politicized atmosphere. “People are responding [to the crisis],” Moldez says.

“The public sector, the private sector, and civil society are working together to attend to the needs of those who are really marginalized and [who] don’t have day-to-day income at this point in time.”

Filipino pastors
(Photo courtesy of Asian Access)

In order to obey shelter in place orders, pastors are finding ways to encourage their congregations from afar. Read an online devotional from Moldez here. Plus, “the Philippian Council of Evangelical Churches is updating us day-to-day and uniting us, and [describing] how we can labor together to respond in this challenging time,” Moldez says.

Together, believers are meeting the needs of their communities and congregations.

“Pastors…who have regular support in the churches in the cities and towns [are] okay. But those who only receive a love gift when they have the church service are definitely affected,” Moldez explains.

Church leaders and their community partners are pooling resources and searching for ways to help pastors with great financial need in remote and poor districts. More about Asian Access’ coronavirus response here.

How to help

Hundreds of new COVID-19 infections were reported yesterday; pray for the safety of health workers responding to this crisis. As described here, doctors comprise more than one in ten coronavirus victims in the Philippines.

Additionally, “let’s pray that this will open more opportunities for the Gospel,” Moldez requests. “We are a ‘Christian’ nation. But, like any other part of the world, when things are [going well], we search for material things.”

Pray believers in the Philippines, and around the world, will realize their material possessions amount to nothing.

“What is important now is our connection with God… that gives us inner strength to continue.”

Read our full coverage to see how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting believers around the world. Find ways to pray into the crisis here using a resource from our sister ministry, Prayercast.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Manuel via Unsplash.

Pastor Eniong Hilario with Asian Access says the Taal Volcano is within sight of a center they often use for training and retreats. “During the eruption, there was a lot of ashfall, and it reached our place where we live,” he says.

“When we woke up it was very gray… the entire area was covered with ash.”

In late 2016, Asian Access began partnering with Filipino pastors to see dynamic church growth throughout the archipelago. Learn how Asian Access develops leaders who accelerate church growth.

Taal volcano eruption

Lava fountain from Taal Volcano Main Crater.
(Photo, caption courtesy of @PHIVOLCS-DOST via Twitter)

The Taal Volcano spewed lava on Tuesday evening, raising alarm among experts monitoring the situation. The lava, combined with rising magma levels, means another eruption could be moments – or months – away.

“The volcano could stop erupting [within] four days, or the conditions could last for a number of months,” Hilario explains. “That unpredictability is causing insecurity for… most of the residents.”

Some want to take advantage of the lulls in seismic activity. “People are wanting to go back but they are not [allowed] yet because of the insecurity that this volcano has. This location is a bit unpredictable,” Hilario says.

Believers are extending help and hope in Jesus’ name to people who’ve been displaced.

“The area itself, where we had the Asian Access retreats, [is] owned by the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches,” Hilario says. “They are so kind to actually open the center as a possible place for those [who] have been affected [by] the volcanic eruption.”

Yesterday, authorities urged 450,000 residents to flee the area immediately surrounding Taal Volcano. The UN is helping with evacuation efforts; over 38,000 people have been relocated so far.

How to help

This situation is still unfolding, so it needs your continued prayers. “Pray for the people… to be firmly united and hopeful in the situation,” Hilario requests.

“Filipinos, in general, are able to deal with calamities and catastrophes. Our country [experiences] a lot of typhoons and earthquakes. We are, in a sense, used to that.”

People supporting their families through jobs in agriculture or tourism face an extremely uncertain future. Both of these industries are directly affected by volcanic activity. Ask the Lord to calm feelings of fear and anxiety. Pray messages of God’s protection and providence will resonate with people in need.

“[This region’s] main industry is agriculture and all of these things have been essentially damaged or affected,” Hilario says.

Header image depicts Taal Volcano activity on January 13, 2020.  Picture obtained via Wikimedia Commons. 

To put the crisis into perspective: of the 19 tropical cyclones that took a swipe at the Philippines last year, 10 of the storms brought back-to-back destruction.

Having barely recovered from the 2011 storm damages, residents were hit by heavy monsoon rains in August. Many of the families who had to evacuate are still living in temporary housing following the massive floods. Conditions are still very difficult with food scarce and many people unable to return home.

AMG International has partners in the affected areas. They say that 80% of Metro Manila was underwater at the peak of the disaster. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), nearly two million people in Metro Manila and the five other regions were affected by floods caused by the monsoon rains.

Eleven out of the 18 AMG childcare centers in Metro Manila also were affected by the flood. Their team distributed relief goods and other emergency supplies to about 830 sponsored families to cover their needs for a couple of days at the outset.

Many others in the communities where AMG serves asked for help since the government and other organizations' relief assistance was stretched thin because of the volume of victims.

Their team member notes:

Every year we are stricken by the monsoon rains and typhoons, and the 1.4 million squatter families — or about five million people — residing in Metro Manila always suffer because most of them live in very dangerous areas.

AMG Philippines reached out to 5,500 families in the Metro Manila area who lost everything in the floods. Please be in prayer for the Philippines and their coworkers as they continue to assist relief and cleanup efforts.

Here's the Gospel impact: Child Development Centers provide kids with medical care, warm clothing, and the love that Christ would show. The parents notice a difference in their children, and curiosity is sparked, which often leads to whole family involvement in the local church and more introductions to the Gospel.

Pray that the AMG workers with the Child Development Centers will be able to resume their work quickly. Pray for the funds to make repairs. Ask God for Gospel opportunities.

Food for the Hungry (FH) has extensive work in the region. Peter Howard with FH says, "In one 24-hour period earlier this week they got a month's worth of rain. It literally flooded the area." He adds, "Manila is a city of about 15 million people. Over 50% of the city was flooded. At least 2 million people have been impacted, and 80,000-90,000 people are in shelters."

Howard says they had no choice but to get involved. "Our staff live in the metro Manila area, so they themselves were impacted. Their homes were flooded. Their family members and churches were impacted. They're also responding in the poorer communities where Food for the Hungry works."

Because the Philippines has a culture of volunteerism, FH is ready. "We have the people. We have the volunteers. The churches are ready to go. So as long as we can come alongside and support them with resources, they're going to take that out and spread the love of Christ through their acts of kindness and generosity into their communities."

FH Country Director Debbie Toribio has been affected, says Howard. "She sent me a picture of her standing in her parents' home which was very much flooded. So she's been engaged–not just helping her own family, but all over the city in the poor communities where Food for the Hungry is working."

While the rains have eased and the water is beginning to recede, that doesn't mean it's over. Howard says, "After a house has been flooded, much of it is destroyed. So there is a lot of work ahead. Our hope is that Food for the Hungry and the local churches can be a source of encouragement and hope, even as families rebuild and try to salvage their possessions or what they can within their homes."

FH is asking you to support their work in the Philippines. Since this is an unplanned emergency, they could really use financial help. "I would request that people would go to our Web site, http://www.FH.org.

The Nomads' internship program to the Philippines included students between the ages of 13 and 21. They spent every day in classrooms distributing the Book of Hope. Some classes were especially open to their message. "The teachers would allow us to have liberty and be able to extend and give a salvation message right there. We saw many, many classrooms where the students would all bow their heads and pray at the end of our presentations," said Matt Woody, a leader on the trip.

With a goal of distributing 4.7 million Books of Hope in the country, the Nomads were able to accomplish a portion of that. 

"There's no reason for us to go in and hand out God's Word to the kids and then leave," said Woody. By partnering with local churches, they are able to leave the kids with a connection to the message they receive.  

According to Woody, the kids are not the only ones who get the message of the Gospel.  "Usually the books are read by more than those kids. The books are usually read by brothers
and sisters, and aunts and uncles, and other relatives."

Through the sharing of the children with their own families and friends, Book of Hope anticipates church growth in the area. "We want to see the churches growing through more students and more young people coming to Christ." 

Woody says, "There are also other church groups operating in some of those areas that are not real pleased with the work that we do there, so pray for God's favor–to be able to go into all the schools and to be able to reach all the children."

Just one dollar reaches three children with the Book of Hope. Reach as many children as you
wish by clicking here.

The cook and her helper purchase fresh food from the market before the first group of children arrive at 9 a.m.  They will stay until lunchtime and leave for school, making room for the other children who arrive after school for lunch. Along with their meal, they will
receive a multi-vitamin tablet. There are 44 children attending the center daily. 

Their day also consists of singing and Bible study. They learn verses together which they later recite to the director by memory. The children have memorized such verses as John 3:16, John 3:36, and Psalm 23. One girl even memorized all of 1 Corinthians 13.

The center has benefited not only the children but their parents as well. Many of the parents attend Sunday services at the center as well as a Thursday night Bible study
and Friday prayer meeting. 

Since parents are often unable to afford to send their children to the center, sponsors are necessary. Many parents are in manual labor jobs and don't make much money. It costs $25 to send one child to the center for a month. Parents are very grateful for the opportunities their children get at the center. This includes medical care, school uniforms,
and school supplies along with the daily care.

Click here to become a sponsor.