My father was on the island of Leyte, not far from Tacloban, right when the storm hit. He recently sent us an incredibly well-written report on the storm, the devastation, and current relief efforts. Prior to hearing from my dad, it was such a terrifying time, but we and many others kept the Philippines in our prayers, knowing that God is forever in control.
My father is on an extended 4 month trip in the Philippines working with a ministry he and my mom founded on the island of Leyte that meets the physical, educational, and spiritual needs of impoverished children in the rural farm communities. Now that the storm has left much of the island in distress, the children we minister to will likely be out of school for nearly a year, according to local reports. Our family-run ministry is collecting various relief goods on Cebu and transporting them to Leyte for distribution, but the goal is to always carry more than enough supplies, as they will not turn down any needy family they pass on the way to see the children. We are also coordinating to provide the kids with some sort of education in this time of chaos, which thankfully is working well so far thanks to our team of volunteers, several of whom are licensed teachers.
I am in awe of God's goodness during this time. My father not only survived the storm, but he also survived an attack by an entire swarm of hornets when he tried to visit the kids on foot the day after the storm hit. Now, instead of worrying about himself, my dad is focused on helping others and is seeking God's will and guidance at this time. According to him, he has not seen ANY government aid in the local area, only local Filipinos stepping up to rebuild their communities. It is very frustrating but my father's eyes are fixed on the Lord and for that I am rejoicing.
Brothers and sisters, I humbly ask for continued prayers for the Philippines. Pray for the government, that they would improve their coordination of getting relief aid to those who need it. Pray for the families of the thousands of victims, that they would have peace during this time. Pray for overseas families who have still not heard from their loved ones affected by the storm. If I may ask, please pray for my father, that God would continue to show him exactly the path he should take during this chaotic season, and please pray for our family's ministry and the many children we serve. Their souls are so precious and it is incredible to see how their hope has NOT faded. We continue to receive updates and pictures showing our kids praising the Lord with all their hearts. It is beautiful.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you who have prayed, and I thank the Lord for keeping those of you who are in the Philippines safe.
let's continue to hold them in our prayers.
