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December 9, 2014
Missionaries pick up after Typhoon Hagupit
By Susie Rain


	The deadly storm that battered the Philippines for days weakened Monday and fizzled out. IMB missionaries thank you for praying as Typhoon Hagupit rumbled from one island to another.

	“We just want to thank the people in Southern Baptist churches in America for praying for Typhoon Hagupit here in the Philippines,” Kathy North, a missionary from Tennessee, said. “We appreciate so much that you constantly pray for us. We appreciate your giving so that we can live here and we are so grateful for the volunteer teams that have come through to work and minister.”





Skype Update |  IMB missionary Kathy North explains (via skype) the importance of your offering and prayers for their work in the Philippines. (Pardon the technical issues, Typhoon Hagupit raged on as Kathy taped this, causing a substantial delay.)

		 

		Typhoon Hagupit’s projected path was across the same area that was devastated 13-months ago by Super Typhoon Haiyan. As people prayed, the storms veered to the north and weakened. Carl and Suzie Miller, veteran missionaries who live in one of the hard hit areas from the 2013 typhoon, said the eye of the storm may have missed them but fierce winds and torrential rains slammed them.

		So far, at least 27 people were killed in the storm, according to the Philippine Red Cross. The Texas missionary said that there is damage from the latest typhoon, but they will know more when he and a team of Filipino Christians go out to assess where the eye of the storm hit on East Samar.
		“Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s old from last year’s Yolanda (Haiyan) and what’s new from Ruby (Hagupit),” Carl said, adding that one of the areas where victims of last year’s storm received significant damage. “One of the temporary shelters in town had an entire row of bunk houses lose their roofs.”

		The typhoon pelted the 7,000-island country for days. By the time it reached the halfway point on Sunday, however, it had been downgraded from a typhoon to tropical storm. Dave Daggett, IMB missionary from Florida, said the storm reached him at 8 p.m. Sunday. He and a team of medical and dental workers had already planned clinics for six towns way before the typhoon had even formed. Instead of canceling, they decided to use the opportunity to go out and help.

“Rain or Shine, the CLF medical team will be out working,” Daggett said on a facebook post. “Glad we didn’t cancel the medical/dental missions. Lots of people will be sick and in need of treatment the next three days.”

		Being in place to start ministering immediately after a disaster is one thing that the makes IMB missionaries especially grateful. North explained that the Philippines normally deals with about 20 typhoons of varying severity a year, not to mention earthquakes as a result of living in the “ring of fire” in Southeast Asia. The Norths, Millers and other missionaries were able to open their homes to Filipino families seeking refuge.

		“One thing that people in America need to realize is that sometimes YOU don’t realize what a big party you play in what we do here,” North said, tears welling. “We couldn’t be here without your support … your prayers … your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Without your love for us a family, we couldn’t be the  hands and feet of  Jesus.

		“Your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, BGR and Global Hunger Funds allows us to know the language and already have relationships in place,” she continued. “That allows us to stay here to love the people with the love of Jesus. Your sacrificial giving brings the hope of Jesus Christ to people day in and day out.”

		As cleanup begins, Missionaries ask that you continue to pray for the Philippines.





Skype Update |  IMB missionary Kathy North asks (via skype) for prayer as the "after storm" ministries start up once again in the Philippines. (Pardon the technical issues, Typhoon Hagupit raged on as Kathy taped this, causing a substantial delay.)

			 

			 

Prayer Requests:

1. In Eastern Samar where the typhoon hit the hardest, the assessment of damage is slow. Pray there is no further loss of life. Pray that the people will be able to recover from the damage of the storm and pick up with life.

2. Pray for  the Filipino Christian community, especially the Philippines Convention of Southern Baptist Churches. Pray that they have wisdom as they assess damage and figure out where to begin working and ministering. Pray that they will be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are hurting. Pray for open doors.

3. Pray for our IMB personnel across the Visayan Islands. They have been involved in disaster relief since the 2013 super typhoon which was followed by a 7.2 earthquake. Pray that they pace themselves in God’s unique role that He has for them in this area so they do not hit “disaster fatigue” with the overload of needs.




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Comments






Typhoon Hagupit



Story: After the Storm



Typhoon Hagupit passed through the Philippines. Clean up begins. IMB missionaries say thank you for prayers, keep praying.




Story: Typhoon Hagupit



Your global missions offering helps IMB missionaries minister in the midst of Typhoon Hagupit. Give and Pray to help.






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