Floods and Ministry in Mindanao

It is December 20, just days before Christmas of 2011. Ethan and I have accompanied my parents to Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines. We flew into Cagayan De Oro yesterday and then took a van the rest of the way. We are here to spend precious time with them while they are near. My Mom is now 74 and my Dad 72 and they are still going strong, full time in ministry. My Father was invited to preach the special sessions for the Lanao District Council Convention for the Philippine Assemblies of God.
This trip has been planned for many months but as of this past week-end, we weren’t sure if the ministry would continue due to the typhoon, heavy rains and the flash floods we were hearing about on the news Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Manila. The coordinator didn’t contact us and so we boarded the flight, not being certain that they would meet us at the airport, because all that we had was an E-mail address and no phone number.
In the newspaper on the flight, I saw that the number of confirmed dead in this area has now reached over 600 and the death toll is expected to exceed 1,000 because hundreds are yet missing. It was the wife of the District Superintendant who picked us up. We found that from their Church alone, 12 people are confirmed dead. The flash flood which took the lives hit at around 1am and swept entire homes and families away. We crossed the river on the way to Iligan, one which had swelled and overflowed to deadly levels. We saw flattened foliage, cars and trucks bashed, turned sideways and even upside down. Houses and business establishments were crumbled and destroyed for several kilometres. Mud is everywhere even on the highway miles away from the disaster zone. So much mud that vehicles are literally stuck like they have been cemented and doors of houses cannot be opened because the mud is more than half way up.
Many of the funeral homes and hospitals have stopped receiving bodies because they have no more facility or materials to treat the bodies. They have run out of chemicals. The bodies, since they are filled with muddy water are decaying so quickly that there is a fear that identification in many cases will be impossible. It’s sad, friends. Very very sad...
There were water trucks in Cagayan De Oro stopping in neighborhoods to provide fresh water to people waiting with plastic containers. Relief workers are arriving in groups of dozens and hundreds from all over the Philippines. The trip from Cagayan to Iligan which normally would take maybe 1 ½ hours took almost 4 hours because of the incredible amount of traffic.
But there are miracles! God is sovereign and He chooses what to do when people pray based on what is best according to the “big picture” that only He knows. One Church member had only ankle deep water in their home, but the rest of the homes around them had water beyond the first floor. It just doesn’t make sense! A Church which is in a low lying area and has been flooded repeatedly through the years is bone dry! Amazing! My favorite miracle I have heard so far saved the life of an 80+ year old woman.
She was on the roof of a neighbors 3 story house in one of the worst hit areas with many other people when the house was struck by a large tree in the flood. The house was in her words, “broken” and everyone was swept off into the mud and debris filled water... except for her. She called on the name of Jesus and as she spoke His name, her dress caught on something which held her in place until the flood waters subsided and she was safe. Awesome God!!!
The Philippine authorities have actually picked people up at sea who were swept out from rivers of flood waters. But for every one that survives, multiple dozens didn’t survive.
I am watching God move in these meetings in a spectacular way! We know that God moves when hearts are broken, open and hungry. Please pray not only for this current ministry, but for the Church in Iligan, Cagayan, Dumaguete and the other affected cities in Mindanao, Philippines. Rebuilding these lives is going to take much hard work, sacrifice, outside help and supernatural intervention. Our greatest prayer is towards the harvest! May God use this catastrophe in order to save lives for eternity! May His Church be mobilised in power, strength, determination and with compassion!
If you are led to donate to the victims of this catastrophe, we will funnel the funds directly and in full to the Churches that we personally know and work with in Iligan City. Please E-mail me for instructions on how to deliver the funds most rapidly depending on where you are. pastorstevemckinney@gmail.com