It was an emotional introduction to a call for prayer as Elmer Manatad, treasurer for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the central Philippines, related survivor stories from the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook the central Philippine islands of Bohol & Cebu exactly three weeks ago. During the annual meetings at the headquarters of the Church in the southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD) in Silang, Cavite, Philippines, administrative leaders representing the Adventist church in the 14 countries in SSD’s territory gathered each morning for a devotional and sharing time.
During the November 4 devotional hour, Manatad related that three weeks after the trauma, many people in Bohol and Cebu still don’t know how to start life again. Manatad further told about farmers who struggle with their businesses and how an Adventist worker who lost his home still sleeps in the car with his family for fear of aftershocks.
Joshua Mok, president of the church in the southeast-Asia territory of SSD, and Kevin Costello, associate secretary and treasurer of SSD, then led in the prayer for those affected by the earthquake.
The Adventist church continues to respond to the needs there. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Philippines is involved in ongoing relief operations for local communities. Motorbikes and trucks were mobilized to transport volunteers and relief goods to villages. ADRA worked closely with the church leaders in central Visayas (CVC) and the local Adventist church in Tagbilaran, the capital of Bohol. Every target family received one food pack from ADRA Philippines. Every pack consists of a bag of rice and other food items in accordance to Sphere Minimum standard for the daily energy requirement per person which is 2100 kcal. For the families with five members, one food pack can supply their daily energy requirement for 6 days.
[Gay Deles]
