TYPHOON DAMAGE

Throughout the Philippines, extensive damage from the recent typhoons has been reported, but I was not prepared for the extent of damage to the relocation settlement I visited with Harvesters Christian Church on Sunday October 11.















The river that overflowed. Note how high we are above the river.

The land above, on which I was standing to take this picture, was flooded to 3 meters height all over. Can you imagine how much water that is??

taking a break

These are concrete structures some 6 meters (18 feet, that’s two stories high) above the adjacent river, at ground level. The water level was roof high (about 3 meters). I thought I would see houses full of mud, with all paper and electronic stuff destroyed. What I saw was quite different, the buildings were destroyed - concrete buildings!

I share with you some of the images. Note this is just one small community. The same images can be found in many other places!

WHY I WAS THERE

As usual when I visit Manila, I visit my friends in Harvester Christian Fellowship, a church established in the squatter area of Tondo. The government recently began clearing these squatters, and relocating them north in Bulacan. Many of the Harvester congregation were included in this relocation, so they started a church service in this area, going up every Sunday afternoon (in addition to other ministry during the week). So I went up with them for the Sunday afternoon worship service. We carried with us a meal for them.