Christ is reaching those who are hurting.
Convoy of Hope, an arm of the Assemblies of God, has sent in its first semi-trailer of 100,000 meals and is comforting several Filipino provinces that are harder for the government, military, or international relief organizations to help.
World Vision is using four trucks to haul 25 tons of supplies into remote villages north of Cebu City, offering food, blankets, mosquito nets, tarps, hygiene kits, and emergency shelter.
And Far East Broadcasting Co. (FEBC) is the only radio or TV station on the air. They are “The Voice of Hope in the Midst of Calamity.” Through the local relief arm of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, FEBC is offering humanitarian aid as well as broadcasting emergency information and words of hope in Jesus Christ.
Not all of us are called to physically go to the hard places in the world, but all of us can be the hands and feet of Jesus. As the momentum of Christian relief efforts begin to build, help us show Filipinos that, though Jesus did not cause their suffering, He can supply physical comfort—and in the end, eternal safety. 100% of your donation through Haven Ministries will reach typhoon survivors, and all in the name of Jesus.
I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” – Isaiah 6:8
While the U.S. military has arrived and multiplied the means to distribute food and water, it is the Christian organizations like Samaritan’s Purse that are distributing aid in the smaller, harder to reach places.
As these groups meet victims’ needs for food and water, the next area of relief will be medical care and shelter. In a tropical country such as the Philippines, the sun bears down hard and the humidity is close to 100 percent. The super typhoon has long since passed, but a torrential afternoon downpour is still a daily occurrence. This makes it very hard for everyone, especially the children, who are exposed to the elements.
While the 100 or so volunteers from Convoy of Hope were offering relief, residents from Bito-on, a tiny nearby island, came seeking food. They came in the only boat they had left – their small island’s only hope for outside help. Convoy of Hope provided 150 kilos of rice, two boxes of noodles, and a case of canned corned beef.
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. – Matthew 18:12-14
Praise the Lord for Christians who are eager to help, and for Christian unity as the body of Christ comes together to help those who are suffering!
Pray for the many Filipinos who are wondering why good karma has failed them and allowed disaster to strike. This is a unique opportunity for the gospel to penetrate the hearts of those who believe they have lived a good life, and have put their eternal hope in their own merit.
Tragedy almost always leads people to reach out for God. Join us in praying that the messages from Christian relief workers and radio broadcasts would communicate God’s Word effectively to those who are desperate.
And for those who feel as though God has deserted them, pray for the insight that, like Job, we must confess that we don’t understand God’s ways. We must trust Him and plead before His throne that, through these trials, His mercy may be shone and that many would come to know the only source of Hope for life and eternity.
Pray for the FEBC first response relief workers, who are broadcasting and handing out food and water in the name of Jesus Christ. Please also pray for the Haven broadcasts airing there, that the Holy Spirit would use what we say and the relief aid that we send to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
With the hymn writer Charles Wesley, may our hearts sing, “Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly, while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high. Hide me, O my savior, hide, till the storm of life is past; safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.”