CRWRC Responds to Philippines Typhoon
The Christian Reformed Relief Committee is working with local churches and disaster response teams in metro Manila to distribute emergency supplies to survivors of Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines.
The typhoon is one of four disasters to hit Asia Pacific in the last week, including a 7.9 magnitude earthquake that rocked Indonesia and caused death and destruction early Wednesday morning.
Personnel for Christian Reformed World Missions stationed in the Philippines were not seriously injured by the storm, which is reportedly the worst in 40 years, taking more than 240 lives so far.
"While our CRWM missionaries did not experience the full force of the flood, many of our partner churches and colleagues have seen much devastation. Pray for the government as it responds to this crisis, for the CRC of the Philippines, for the families who've lost loved ones, and for the poor who, already having nothing, have lost what little they had," says a CRWM press release.
Typhoon Ketsana unleashed record amounts of rainfall this past weekend, causing extensive flooding and displacing more than 450,000 people. At one point, an estimated 80 percent of Manila was submerged.Flood waters tore homes apart, leaving many people with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
"We experienced non-stop rain since Friday afternoon," said CRWRC Philippines staff member Lem Rosselon. “The amount of rainfall in the first six hours alone was equivalent to one month’s average rainfall. It caused widespread damage, landslides, and flash floods.”
But three Christian Reformed Church of the Philippines congregations in Manila were affected. CRWRC-Manila office staff said Saturday that unaffected congregations and local Disaster Response Teams are collecting and distributing emergency aid to survivors and evacuees, including food supplies provided by CRWRC.
Volunteers from the churches, who have been working non-stop since last week, are packing bundles of cooked eggs, bread, pasta, canned goods, bottled water, clothing, blankets, matches and candles, and rice to give to hundreds of survivors.
"From mid-afternoon, sometimes until midnight, teams are dispatched to visit, bring relief goods, words of comfort, and pray with families from Pasig, Mandaluyong, Cainta, Makati, Antipolo, San Juan, Taytay and San Mateo," says a representative from Bread From Heaven Community Church in Mandaluyong. "We began on Sunday, and while we are exhausted, we are privileged to extend compassion and generosity to many who are in pain and suffering."
Experts estimate that the 1.8 million people who were affected or displaced by the storm are now at risk of contracting typhoid or other water-borne illness as they wait for the putrid, polluted flood waters to recede.
CRWRC country consultant, Joe Lamigo, was in Los Banos when the storm struck. He quickly joined forces with staff from CRWM and the CRC of the Philippines to visit affected sites and assess needs. He reported that the most urgent needs right now are for blankets, used clothes, drinking water, and food.
As staff work to meet these needs, they are also encouraging North Americans to pray. "Please pray for the thousands of Filipino families who’ve been severely affected," said Rosselon. "They are in danger of the cold, hunger, drowning and sickness. Pray for rescue teams and emergency relief efforts to reach those most in need. And pray for CRWRC and churches as we respond to the needs around us."
Information about how to support CRWRC’s response to Typhoon Ketsana can be found by clicking here: typhoon relief. Checks should be marked "Philippines/Asia Floods 2009".
