Since our September workday, a lot has happened in the Philippines. It was like a repeat of typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and the great floods happened exactly on the last week of September and first week of October. You might wonder what MEANS role is again this time. It took several days after the thyphoons before we got some news due to lack of communication and internet connection from the Philippines. This week, we have received some news and yes, requests for help.
Alliance of Philippine Partners in Enterprise Development, (APPEND) The MEANS board approved that we will be helping a ministry partner organization, APPEND, a Christian NGO that gives opportunities to the poor through microfinance and microenterprise. They have an extensive work in the areas that are heavily damaged by the flood: Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac.
Through APPEND, MEANS will help some families to meet their basic needs at this time. We are glad that APPEND will be accountable to us as we send help to these families. Virginia Juan, APPEND CEO, wrote: “Typhoon Nesat (local name Pedring ) and Nalgae (local name (Quiel) have caused so much devastation in Central and Northern Luzon . More than 100,000 clients from our partners including some of their board members and 90% of their staff were affected by floods. Around 20-feet floodwaters submerged many of these areas. Thousands of the clients’ houses were either wiped out or submerged in floods and up until this time, many of these areas are still flooded. Our clients and their children are in dire need of food, clothing, slippers, medicines, clean drinking water and blankets”
Your $20.00 gift will go along way to help these families recover. The $ 20.00 can purchase a simple cooking stove, basic pots and pans.
Carmena and Lina met Virginia Juan, 3 years ago at Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. APPEND is also responsible for hosting Global Leadership Summit Philippines. This year will be their 3rd year as GLS host. For more info on APPEND, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/user/appendnet. We are also helping APPEND reach out to some Filipino groups here in the US to help and send relief to flood victims.
IVCF Philippines ask students to help
IVCF has requested IVCF Alumni and MEANS to help the flood victims – Relief will specifically be given to Zion Christian Community Church in Calumpit, Bulacan. The church was submerged in water at the height of the 2 typhoons onslaught. IVCF Phil. National director, Ferdinand Juni. has designated Eleazar S. Canonigo, an IV staff to coordinate Operation Ahon (relief efforts) in Calumpit. NCF Philippines under the leadership of Phebe Pendon, a department under, IVCF Phil. has also mobilized the nurses to help in whatever capacity they can by collecting goods and donations to be given to the most needy affected areas.
I am sure more requests will be coming in the days ahead. We will update you. In the meantime, let’s pray for those who are suffering as a result of the flood, esp. the children.
Let us open our Hearts once again…
Pray for the Philippines. The area that has been extensively affected by the flood is Central Luzon, rice granary of the Philippines. Crops that are ready for harvesting have been damaged and what had happened will contribute to more impoverishment of the Filipinos.
Let us open our hearts and our hands to once again extend help to our “kababayans” especially at this time of need.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
Isaiah 58:6-7
This is what I will call our “Kairos” moment — God challenging us to respond to the opportunity to help. Responding carries with it a seed of blessings from God — for both the giver and the receiver. Please GIVE as God leads you … and be BLESSED
LINA PADILLA, MEANS BOARD CHAIR PERSON
MEANS 
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