Grace Brethren Impacted by Philippine Flooding
Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 29, 2009
News reports from the Philippines detail the lives lost and the property damaged as a result of the recent tropical storm that dumped as much as a month’s worth of rain in 12 hours on Manila and the surrounding area. On a personal level, Grace Brethren missionaries and church members are dealing with the aftermath of the storm. Below is a report from the Grace Brethren International Missions web site. To read the complete report, click here.
Also, word comes that a portion of purchases made at Woven Joy, the micro-enterprise project that supplements the income of Filipinos with handwoven bracelets and other products, will be used for flood relief. Learn more here.
Ted and Viv Ruiz, GBIM staff Philippines (presently on home ministry in the States), send word that prayer and relief is needed for Metro Manila, which is experiencing severe flooding from a tropical storm that was upgraded to a typhoon before it subsided this last weekend. News coming out of the Philippines presents a harsh picture of this national disaster, which has caused the worst flooding seen in Manila in over 40 years, with a month’s worth of rain falling in one day.
Currently the Ruizes and Christian Beuggert, GBIM’s Philippines Team Leader, are trying to get in touch with national friends and church members, but communication is especially difficult given the state of emergency. Christian is in the Philippines and hopes to visit the affected areas by the end of the week, which should allow him to personally contact our affected brothers and sisters. Ted and Viv report that they were able to receive text messages from their house helper on Sunday, but that they continue to be greatly concerned for others whom they have not been able to contact. As with any serious flooding, there are serious concerns about power outages, drinkable water, impassable roads, lingering flood waters, damage from mud, and the ability of people to acquire basic needs.
To read the complete posting, click here.
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