Typhoon Haiyan battered the country on November 8 and as of today 4,460 people are confirmed dead.
“The devastation faced by the people of the Philippines is horrific,” said Wayne de Jong, World Renew’s Director of Disaster Response and Rehabilitation. “Homes have been washed away, villages are completely destroyed, and many don’t know where their loved ones are or if they are safe. It is a time of true pain and darkness in which the presence of God’s love is sorely needed.”
World Renew is responding. Its primary partner is the Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines (CRCP), a denomination that World Renew has worked alongside since 1970. One of World Renew’s main goals in its long-term partnership with the CRCP has been to raise up church leaders who are equipped to reach out and respond to the needs of those in their communities. As a result of this partnership, the CRCP now has a well-organized Disaster Response Team that has been trained by World Renew in the past and has gained significant experience responding to natural disasters.
“Through the CRCP, World Renew has been able to be Jesus’ hands and feet after countless typhoons, tropical storms, earthquakes and other disasters in the past.”
“Through the CRCP, World Renew has been able to be Jesus’ hands and feet after countless typhoons, tropical storms, earthquakes and other disasters in the past,” said de Jong. “These local churches are ideally located to identify people most in need. They also offer Christian personnel to sort, transport, and distribute goods as well as provide grief counseling. By working through the CRCP, World Renew is better equipped to respond quickly when disasters arise, and we also have an opportunity to build up the reputation and Christian witness of the local church in the community.”
Together with the CRCP, World Renew is providing urgently needed food, water, temporary shelter and hygiene items to 3,000 families left homeless by Typhoon Haiyan on the islands of Panay and Samar. World Renew is also considering partnering with Philippine Relief and Development Services – an agency of the Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches. In the longer-term, World Renew will be assisting with reconstruction and rehabilitation through these capable Christian partner organizations.
“The needs of typhoon survivors are great and will continue for years to come. We would love to walk alongside them by providing physical and spiritual aid for the coming months and even years, but the scope and duration of our response will depend on the amount of financial support we receive,” said de Jong.
