Typhoon Haiyan approaching the
Philippines on November 7, 2013.
(Image courtesy NASA via Wikimedia Commons)

Philippines (MNN) — We have another recovery update from the Philippines, this time from SEND International. You may be wondering why we’re sharing so many Typhoon Haiyan updates, but keep in mind the scope of last year’s storm.

Known locally as “Typhoon Yolanda,” this was one of the strongest storms to ever make landfall anywhere.

“Typhoon Yolanda changed the lives of thousands,” says James Aberin, the Area Director for SEND Philippines. “We thank the Lord that He has come and helped these people.”

Remembering Typhoon Haiyan

On Friday, November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall for the first time in the Philippines on the coast of Eastern Samar. It arrived ahead of schedule, catching many people by surprise.

Over the next 48 hours, Haiyan swept through the Central Philippines like an atomic bomb, its 20-foot storm surges carrying people, animals, and buildings out to sea. Between 6,000 and 8,000 people were killed in the Philippines, and more than four million were displaced.

(Photo credit SEND Philippines via Facebook)

Many survivors were without food or water for days upon end. Haiyan destroyed most island infrastructure, and transportation was difficult, to say the least.

“We have at least five cities where 95% of the whole villagers were devastated,” Bishop Efraim Tendero shared with MNN last November. “[On] one island, the fear is that up to 80% of the people are gone–washed into the sea. So, that’s the very painful situation.”

The Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) coordinated and facilitated immediate relief efforts, while SEND International funneled immediate and long-term aid through its in-country partner.

Over the past 12 months, SEND has been ministering to spiritual and physical needs in two phases: immediate relief assistance and long-term assistance. Immediate relief included things like food, clothing, and medicine, while long-term help included rebuilding churches and pastors’ homes, and providing grief counseling for pastors.

Moving forward

Bodies were still being found in the Philippines
2 months after Haiyan made landfall.
(Photo credit SEND Philippines via Facebook)

One year after the Philippine archipelago experienced a hellish week wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan, there are both blessings and room for more progress.

With the help of donors, SEND was able to help 40 pastors rebuild their homes. SEND also provided grief counseling for pastors so they could, in turn, help communities turn to Christ for hope.

“I would personally like to thank you for your prayers…for the gifts that you have sent in support of the work to rehabilitate, provide relief, for those who were victims of the typhoon,” Aberin says.

He then shares the story of Pastor Dante, who lost three of his four children to Typhoon Haiyan, as well as his home and church building. Through financial support from donors, SEND helped Pastor Dante and his wife rebuild their home.

“They have invited children of their relatives, who have lost their parents, into their house,” Aberin shares.

SEND also helped the couple purchase new property and construct a church building.

“They have 100 believers, and they have recently baptized new believers,” adds Aberin. “We thank the Lord for how He has given new hope to people who have been victims of the typhoon.”

A new day dawns in Tacloban.
(Photo credit SEND Philippines via Facebook)

There’s still more work to do, though. Click here for details.

“Mbuhay mrangepunsalamat sangyalahai — thank you very much, God bless you.”

Please keep praying for people in the Philippines, especially in light of the one-year anniversary. The amount of damage wrought by Haiyan will take years to recover from, especially on smaller, hard-to-reach islands. Pray that Filipino believers won’t lose faith in Yahweh, who promises to work all things for good for those who serve Him.

(Satellite imagery courtesy NASA)

Philippines (MNN) — It’s typhoon season and the first major storm has rolled through the Philippines. According to reports, Typhoon Rammasun, known locally as Glenda, has killed at least 10 people and caused hundreds of thousands to be evacuated.

Rammasun is technically the seventh typhoon to pass through the Pacific archipelago in 2014, but it is reportedly the strongest thus far. The storm carried winds upward of 93 mph and gusts nearing 115 mph. Though the storm sideswiped Manila, widespread power outages were observed, and over 370,000 people were evacuated from high-risk areas.

“It was like a drill,” Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada told the Associated Press. “We hauled people away from dangerous seaside areas, whether they liked it or not.”

Remember the rebuilt widows’ homes and kids’ trauma counseling we told you about earlier this week? Those Christian Aid Mission and Operation Mobilization missionaries will be busy responding in Christ’s name, not only to the aftermath of this storm, but to dozens more that are sure to come.

The Philippines see an average of 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations.

Last year’s historic Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people and left millions without a home. About 90% of Tacloban’s structures were flattened, and the super-storm created around $2.8 billion of overall damage.

Will you keep ministry workers and the Filipino people in your prayers? Pray for strength as believers share God’s love and hope. Ask the Lord to protect Haiyan survivors from more suffering. Pray that the never-changing Truth of Christ is made evident through physical disasters.

More stories from the Philippines here.

OM Philippines conducted Operation Safe camps in three areas of Northern Cebu and Tacloban that had been badly affected by Typhoon Haiyan, as well as in different areas of Cebu City and Bohol.
(Image, caption courtesy OM)

Philippines (OM) — It’s been months since Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, but for some child survivors, recovery is starting now. Through Operation Safe, emotional scars are being healed one-by-one.

Four workers from Operation Mobilization (OM) Philippines received training in trauma counselling for individuals–especially children–in Calbayog, Samar, in March.

“This was a timely training, since Philippines recently experienced a series of disasters that have badly affected many areas and traumatized people, especially children, at different levels,” said Xenia Bodero, OM Philippines’ social worker.

Convinced of the benefits of this training, OM Philippines conducted Operation Safe camps in three areas of Northern Cebu and Tacloban that were badly affected by Typhoon Haiyan, as well as in different areas of Cebu City and Bohol that were hit by the earthquake.

Street children from Lorega Cemetery in Cebu City also underwent the program weeks after their community was destroyed by a fire in March that reportedly left 7,000 people homeless.

“These camps are basically aimed to cater for children ages seven years old and up,” said Bodero. “They facilitate psycho-emotional restoration through stress-debriefing [by means of] dance and songs, craft making, creative snacks, fun-filled Bible stories, adventure storytelling and team time. [These children] where able to ventilate their experiences and emotions caused during the disaster.”

One of the children in Northern Cebu who attended the Operation Safe camp was very quiet during the first few days of camp. He had seen his home fly away during Typhoon Haiyan.

“During the week, he slowly began to interact with other children and enjoyed the activities, especially song and dance,” noted Bodero. “By the end of the camp, he had become lively and active.”

Scholars who benefit from OM Philippines’ Scholarship Program also helped run various Operation Safe camps in Cebu City and Bohol. “Not only were they able to further develop their leadership skills, but they also had the opportunity to share God’s love with trauma survivors,” Bodero added.

OM Philippines provides training in trauma counseling for individuals, especially children, in areas that have been badly affected by recent disasters.
(Image, caption courtesy OM)

One of the scholars said that Operation Safe had helped her change her attitude “because I met people who are very kind to me…. Even though they experienced great loss and trials during Typhoon Yolanda [Haiyan], they still believed in God. Their smiles, even in pain, were very encouraging.”

Another scholar was amazed to see how “the tragedy brought people closer to God, especially in those places where we [hosted] Operation Safe. We were greatly blessed.”

Pray for more healing as Operation Safe camps continue through the summer. Learn more about OM’s work in the Philippines here.

More Haiyan recovery updates here.

(Photo courtesy Advancing Native Missions)

Philippines (MNN) — Advancing Native Missions has almost 40 native ministry partners in the Philippines, and many of these were affected by Typhoon Haiyan (also called Yolanda).

It was the strongest storm on earth in 2013, and one of the most destructive, with damages estimated at over $5 billion. The country’s economic planning secretary noted that he would not be surprised if the reconstruction cost was closer to $250 billion.

102 days after the storm flattened a dozen islands in the Philippines, the United Nations warns that millions of people still require urgent assistance to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. Thousands died, many more thousands were displaced, infrastructure was ruined, and many lost all they owned.

ANM’s Bo Barredo says, “We already have advanced coordinators there, and in most of these places, these coordinators are pastors and their families and their people.” Because of this, they were ready to provide for victims’ immediate and long-term needs. “We organized 12 relief teams to do relief and medical operations in at least 11 of the islands that were in the path of Typhoon Haiyan. The teams have been so effective and so efficient in doing these relief operations–and medical operations among the victims of the typhoon–because of one reason: we were church-based.”

Shell-shocked by the ferocity of the destruction, Barredo describes survivors “like zombies first, walking around, trying to find enough food for the next two or three days.” Their teams provided the following supplies: “100 kilos of rice, canned goods, bottles of water, hammers, nails, steel wires, fruits, dried fish, dried meat, hygiene products, sugar, salt, matches, candles, even straw mats.”

(Photo courtesy Advancing Native Missions)

ANM was one of thousands of groups who mobilized quickly to help. But the other part of their assistance came during a series of pastors’ conferences that were held at the end of 2013. “We had two pastors’ gatherings: One in ground zero, which is Tacloban City, and there were 58 pastors and their wives or more than 100 people. And then the next day on Samar Island. Almost all of whom have lost either homes, or churches, or both.” And Barredo was shocked at what he heard other leaders had preached. “They preached on the wrath of God and the judgment of God on the islands and upon them, insinuating that they had not been good enough Christians, they have not been spiritual, and they have fallen short of the mark. It really discouraged them.”

The danger: discouragement. Since these pastors are the frontline defenders, it was doubly important to encourage them. “When the pastors are struck by the enemy or by calamities like this, the flock will scatter.” ANM brought human dignity along with hope during their conferences. Refreshing these leaders will have other long-term effects.

Teams also share the hope of the Gospel along with the relief supplies. In many cases, people have lost everything. Barredo says he got a glimpse of this when he asked the pastors’ gathering, “’Who are those amongst you here, pastors, who have lost both houses and churches?’ Almost 90% of them raised their hands. It broke my heart.”

(Photo courtesy Advancing Native Missions)

Because they are working in their home islands and towns, they will continue to serve as long as there are needs, which will be many months or years. Barredo explains, “God has allowed us to minister and to give out to at least 10,447 families. One Filipino family has the average size of six or seven persons, so this is like ministering to 60,000 or 70,000 people.”

One of ANM’s core values is relationship, so when their partners experience a tragedy, ANM feels it, too. And yet, a little encouragement goes a long way.  Barredo says despite the sorrow, there is joy…and more importantly, faith. “In those places where the Gospel was preached by the relief team members, 1,553 of those that were in these relief distribution centers, they raised their hand to receive Christ Jesus.”

The three words, pray, give, go are not just a routine and clever logo. They mark the path that leads to genuine and Christ-honoring advocacy. Click here to see how you can get involved.