January 18, 2014

Allene Arrives

I am very thankful that Allene could join me here in the Philippines.  She arrived the day after Christmas.  We spent the following week in the city of Baguio, north of Manila, where we had the yearly Field Council meeting for our ABWE missionaries in the Philippines.  One of our major topics of discussion was how to assist people affected by the recent Typhoon Haiyan.  Allene and I returned to devastated Tacloban City on January 12.  I am preparing to distribute funds to rebuild churches and parsonages on the island of Leyte and Samar.

 Givers

We are thankful for those who have prayed regularly for us and given towards the Philippine Typhoon Relief project.  Many people in the US, Canada, and Australia have given to help those still without adequate shelter.  God has also sent us some special people to assist us.

Dale

Dale Barkubein, a missionary with Titus International in  the Philippines, heard of the damage wrought by typhoon Haiyan.  He decided to give sacrificially of his time and talents to people in the path of the typhoon.  Dale used his many years of building experience in both the US and Philippines to tell us how many bags of cement, rebar, and other materials would be needed for each church building to be repaired.  I traveled with him to visit 8 churches damaged by Typhoon Haiyan.

 

<=Dale with Pastor Ging Aliposa in Palo

 Ariel

Ariel Ubben responded to my call for help in taking some of the burden of financial and communication work during the month of December.  Ariel spent almost a month here, missing Christmas with his family.  He assembled all the building information gathered by Dale into a list of materials.  Ariel also set up our new website, www.jlatzko.com, and produced the videos of typhoon survivors.  Thanks also to Maranatha Baptist Church of Grimes, Iowa for supporting and sending him to us.

Mark and Dave

ABWE Project office volunteers Dave Manore and Mark Wagner arrived from the US to plan and oversee repair of church buildings and parsonages.  They have completed a survey of 8 churches. These churches have been inspected for structural damage, and a plan of reconstruction has been completed for each church.  Sunday, January 19, Dave and I will meet with the board of New Life Baptist Mission, and set priorities for the order in which the buildings will be reconstructed.  We have also located a local Christian contractor who will supervise the building process.

 Typhoon Survivors Demonstrate Compassion

As I talk to my neighbors in San Jose Tacloban, where many people lost their lives, the most common question is, “What happened to you during the typhoon?”  The most common answer is, “Everything in our house was washed away, but we are thankful to be alive.”  Believers from surrounding churches know what it is like to suffer anxiety and hardship, and are doing their best to share food, clothing, and especially the Love of Christ to hurting people around them.

New Life San Jose, Tacloban:  This church, located next to our house, has been very active in showing Christ’s love to their neighbors.  Almost every Sunday, the members distribute food that has been donated.

New Life Palo:  This church is feeding children in their hard-hit neighborhood, with assistance from Kids International Ministries.  Pastor Ging’s wife, Dr. Agnes, treats people suffering trauma and sickness related to the typhoon at a hospital across the street from the church.

New Life Tacloban, along with New Life Palo, has been providing a base for a number of relief teams from other churches in the Philippines and from abroad.  During week days, tents cover the floor of the worship center.

Carrying the Light,

Jim and Allene Latzko