6.9 EARTHQUAKE HITS DUMAGUETE CITY, 52 DEAD & 79 PEOPLE MISSING -- As I sit typing this we just experienced another after shock (some as strong as 5.). It all started just before lunch today with a long violent shake. As I walked out of our Mission Center the cement under my feet felt like I was in the wake of an ocean wave. All the PTA staff came out of our buildings. Shonda came out (while everything was moving) with a big smile on her face praising the Lord! Other than a long crack in our Mission center (4 stories) and several broken glasses everything seemed alright although we have yet to give everything a close inspection.
The government gave warning on the radio of a possible tsunami which caused near panic among the people. Schools and businesses closed and the streets were packed with vehicles and people on foot all going to higher ground. The tsunami never came. As the news came in, north of us one hour, in another town, 52 people were killed while 79 people are missing as an entire mountainside slide down burying this community. The roads and 2 bridges are damaged so food and supplies will become a need and issue.
Please pray for the people of Guihulngan City.
CONTINUED RELIEF WORK PTA is joining hands with our missionary friends, Michael & Meiyen Ohlmann who lives in Caygayan De Oro which is the hardest hit by the typhoon last December. There are still over 1,000 missing which are mostly children and infants that most likely are buried in the mud and debris. The community that he is working with still has no water. We will still be helping here in the Dumaguete area but also sending funds and relief boxes to Michael. He is well organized and God is using him there. He reported to me that when it first happened dead bodies were in the path of the flood, horrible scene. Because the needs are so many, he has focus on one community that was hard hit. After visiting and assessing the situation with the help of a social worker Michael observed that the people were hurt and angry. After brining the drinkable water, food and relief goods the people’s hearts began to open and want to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for these people.
WELCOME OUR NEW MISSIONARY FAMILY! Welcome Pastor Donny & Shayla Gunter and their children, (Jacob (14) Benjamin (13) Sarah (12) and Daniel (9) as they moved here to the Philippines this week. They had an interesting flight from Manila as the President of the Philippines was on the plane coming to visit the earthquake hit area. Please keep them in your prayers as they adjust and get settled.
I N D O N E S I A We leave next week for Indonesia for pastor’s seminars. Please pray that the pastors will all be able to attend and pray for our PTA missionaries that live there, Samuel & Marsha. Pray for the Church as radical Islamist are actively moving against Christians all over the country.
Thank you supporters for your faithful giving and generosity towards this Mission. Also thank you who have given towards the Relief needs. God is so good and we are so blessed serving the Lord in Asia.
Your missionaries, Jim & Shonda Davis |
