More News from the Philippines
Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 29, 2009
Dan and Tori Beaver, Grace Brethren missionary associates in the Philippines, have sent this report about the widespread flooding in the Manila area in the wake of Typhoon Ketsana, known in Asia as Typhoon Ondoy.
As many of you have heard Manila has been devastated by the worst flooding in over forty years. Some of the hardest hit areas are right where we live when in Manila. The water in the rivers that wind through and among our communities rose 8-20 feet. At the time it just seemed like a heavy rain that would not stop, but as the hours passed, the realization of the devastation taking place began to hit home. We were spared and without water damage, because our apartment building is on higher ground; but Tori and I watched a whole hill landslide down, covering our road and cutting off power for three days. The squatter communities near us had their homes swept away by the raging, rising waters of the river near by. In neighboring communities people were trapped on roof tops. There are some hard-to-get places where people are still waiting on roofs for someone to rescue them. We saw one lady, sobbing because she could not find her mother after her house was washed away.
The damage is so wide spread, so extensive, that we wish we could report on all the things we are doing to help, but yesterday it took us hours to weave through thick muddy streets trying to find the highest ground to get to Tori’s mom who was on the other side of the city in the hospital. For three days she was there without us, as we were separated by the flood.
Eighty percent of Manila was under water!
Nearly two million homes have been effected and 400,000 people are homeless. They’ve crowded into schools, churches and gyms. Even President Gloria Arroyo has given parts of the Malacanan palace for extra space. News agencies have said in just 12 hours more rain fell on Manila than Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans in 2005.
Thousands have been rescued, but many more are still stranded. There is the fear of widespread disease and illness due to exposure already hitting children and the elderly, aid agencies are scrambling to get food, clean drinking water and medicine to the desperate city.
On some personal notes… many of our Filipinos friends have had all of their belongings destroyed. Fellow missionaries suffered losses as well. Our friend, Jeff Long, walked (swam) five miles in water chest deep. A dead pig floated by. The same walk was done by Benji, our handyman, eight hours later. He passed three bodies.
We thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support. In less than 45 hours we will greet 18 volunteers coming from Hawaii to help with the physical and spiritual needs of the Filipino people. We are praising God for their willingness to leave the comforts of their homes to serve others.
Filed Under: Uncategorized