"TEAM PHILIPPINES" 2012

"TEAM PHILIPPINES" 2012
June 2012 Team.....waiting for our last flight in Hong Kong

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Typhoon Suvivors Take Refuge in Sabang:



Charlie and the members of New Beginnings Sabang, Philippines had the opportunity to assist aid and minister to 63 survivors of the typhoon. These 63 survived the most powerful typhoon ever in history for they were on the island of Leyte in the city of Tacloban, Philippines, where the category 5 monster hit land. The men of this group are fishermen on one of those large boats that has the appearance of a pirates ship. The call came from the coast guard warning them of the storm. The boat captain knew of a cove where he hid the boat praying it would survive and then they agreed after the storm if anyone of them survived they would meet at an decided location. The fishermen disbanded to join their family members and proceeded to take them to a safe place. They found refuge in a three story government building and hung onto the rafters of the roof until the water receded. When they escaped, the building they were in was almost destroyed and all the buildings around were not standing. They made their way to their homes stepping over dead bodies all the way. Their homes were completely destroyed, they had lost everything and neighbor's bodies were all around. When they made it to the decided location all had survived except one. The boat was safe and they headed out to Surigao City.

There is a boat captain living in Surigao City who is a member of New Beginnings Church that is a friend to these fisherman. He let them stay with him and the news got to Pastor Charlie. So they came to the campus of Fruitful Harvest and was treated to supper with proceeds from the FH and the feeding program as there were children in the group. The picture will show that the orphanage played a big role in housing them for the meal. Charlie visited with several of the men and heard horrifying stories of their survival. One of the men had a deep cut on his neck that sheet iron from sheet iron and another had stepped on a rusty nail and one of the children had diarrhea. They were taken to city health and treated. It was a touching sight when the nurses realized these people had endured the monster storm. They held the little girl and cried along with her mom. The man's cut needed stitches but it had been too many days so they cleaned and treated it.

That night at the Wednesday church services testimonies were given by the crew and family. As they spoke in the local dialect, Ma'am Aileen Barton informed Charlie that all these folks are not born again as first thought. They were Catholics and Muslims among them. So Charlie gave a salvation message and most all of them walked up front and accepted Jesus. Praise the Lord.

Charlie is praising the Lord that NB,  Fruitful Harvest,  Compassion for the Fatherless and the Sandi Chester Feeding Program could lend assistance to the refugees from this horrific record making storm. They were feed a meal, given money to help them with traveling back to their original home. The mayor sent a bus to take them home and now we can report they have arrived back in General Santos. Charlie reported that one of the crew members had graduated from a Baptist Seminary in Davao and he encouraged him to disciple the recent converts. It was a touching afternoon and many tears were shed by all.

Eating their meal in the orphanage

Survivor wounded from Typhoon

Survivors being prayed over 

 

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