Joel Marmita had not been to church for a long time, when Typhoon Haiyan struck his home town of Palo.  Joel had a difficult time finding work afterwards, to provide for his wife and children.  Joel prayed, “God, please do not forget us.  I know you are trying to speak to us through the typhoon.”  Joel began attending New Life Baptist Church of Palo again.  He found that God had indeed not forgotten him.  God was already working to keep his family from hunger.

God provided money through a group of Filipino believers in the US, the Omega USA foundation, to fund an effective livelihood project.  Pastor Gamaliel Aliposa from the Palo church used these funds to purchase bicycle taxicabs, called pedicabs, to give typhoon victims a source of income. Beneficiaries of the program pay less than a dollar per day.  After a year, the pedicab will become theirs.

We were greatly pleased when we visited the Palo church, which Allene and I helped to start, and found that the church has almost doubled in size after the typhoon, partially because of relationships built through the pedicab program.

We decided to help expand this successful program to 8 other churches, whose communities were also damaged by typhoon Haiyan.  35 new pedicabs are currently being manufactured, to be delivered at the end of October.  Thank you to those who gave generously to help typhoon victims!

 

 

 

 

 

Roofs Over Their Heads Phase 2

As I drive around the islands of Leyte and Samar, I am saddened to see many families who have still not been able to rebuild their homes, almost a year after Typhoon Haiyan (called Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines.)  In the second phase of our roofing program, we delivered roofing to 50 more families on the islands of Leyte and Samar, making a total of about 250 families that have received corrugated steel roofing since the typhoon.

 

 

 

Pastor Concepcion’s Family Survives

 

 

For many months after the typhoon, we were worried about Pastor Allan Concepcion and his family.   We could not find them.  I tried to visit their home in Basey, Samar, but the road was blocked.  We were filled with happiness when Pastor Allan finally was able to contact us.

During the typhoon, Allan and his family fled their home and climbed above the church ceiling.  Their little boy slipped 3 times and almost fell into the flood waters rushing through the church.  When they climbed down, nothing was left of their home except part of the cement floor.  Allan collected coconuts to feed his family, since there was little food after the storm.  His neighbor stole the family pig right in front of his eyes.

Today, they are staying in a tiny store owned by relatives, hoping to rebuild their home. Allan is faithfully evangelizing and teaching. We were greatly moved when the Concepcion family visited us.  After the meal, their oldest daughter played the piano, while the children sang:

There’s a roof up above me I’ve a good place to sleep There’s food on my table and shoes on my feet You gave me your love Lord and a fine family Thank you Lord, for your blessings on me

They know how to be thankful, while they have so little.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for believers here in the Philippines to not grow tired in demonstrating compassion to those still suffering the effects of the typhoon, almost 1 year later.
• Pray for the growth of all 20 churches in the New Life Baptist family of churches.  Many hearts remain softer, after suffering in the typhoon.
• Pray for Michelle Comedero, a 15 year old girl suffering from chronic seizures and unable to walk unaided. We took her to the doctor and got medicine to prevent the seizures.  She can now walk.  It was so gratifying to see her smile for the first time, after getting medicine.  Pray for her and her family to trust Christ.  They are very poor.
• Pray for Pastor Allan Concepcion to be able to rebuild their home.