Half a Year has Gone but Philippines Typhoon Victims See Little Signs of Rebuilding

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the Typhoon Victims in Philippines]

In this January, CEDAR’s staff travelled to Philippines to support Food for the Hungry (FH), also an Integral Alliance member, helping out in releasing relief materials.[1] Our staff spoke to Hon, a 10 years old boy living in Basey. He said, ‘I wish that there is no typhoon in the world. I wish that there will be no more deaths….’ This is because Hon experienced the power of Super Typhoon Haiyan last November. Now whenever someone asked him to describe how he escaped from the Typhoon, he still exhibits great fear in his heart and cannot control his body from involuntary shaking. Rehabilitation phase has been started in the devastated areas however more manpower and materials are needed to fulfill the needs in basic living, health and safety. Helping those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome is also an urgent task.

FH’s staffs have been working very hard in the past six months to provide relief assistance to the typhoon-affected communities in Marabut and Basey. Flor, a mother of two kids attending primary education, serves in FH to help the disadvantaged communities in Philippines.. Moved by God’s love, she immediately headed to the affected areas from Manila after Super Typhoon Haiyan left Philippines. She may look tough on the outside but inside having a gentle heart. ‘In the stricken regions, it is very difficult for us to implement relief work with limited support from the government and shortage of resources. Apart from tackling the problems and limitations in the disaster areas, I still need to handle my emotions from not living with my family members…. In fact, I feel very sad every time my children call me. They always ask “Mom, we miss you very much. When will you come home?”’ Flor is not able to return to her home due to her involvement in rebuilding the disaster area. The typhoon victims are also awaiting to see their homes rebuilt. They are both anxiously looking forward to their “home return date”.

The Super Typhoon Haiyan hit Philippines on 7 Novermber 2013 and victimized over 13 millions people. CEDAR reacted immediately and supported the local partner Philrads and local churches in Leyte and Samar, delivering about 100,000 food bags and over 8,500 sets of shelter repair kits to the affected families, and also providing trauma care and medical service. CEDAR later received a HK$1.24 million relief grant from HKSAR Government to further provide 3,600 food bags, 1,200 sets of relief materials (in which there are blanket, mosquito net, mat and cutlery) and 450 sets of hygiene kits in Marabut and Basey through Integral Alliance and FH.

[1] CEDAR Typhoon Relief︰http://bit.ly/cedar-philippines-typhoon-relief-2013-video-chi

Meditation on Scriptures
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46: 1)
The typhoon victims lost their homes and families overnight, but have to endure endless of unsettling nights. How can they escape from such pain and unrest? The shelter promised by our God is one that no one can destroy. It is solid and firm. May God be their ever-present help in trouble, leading them to find peace on earth and in their hearts.

Pray for the Typhoon Victims in Philippines:

    1. FH helps over 5,000 affected children through the ‘Child Friendly Space’ project, providing them public hygiene facilities and hygiene education. Hope that this project can really help to improve the local hygiene conditions and reduce the threat of epidemic and spread of germs in disaster areas.
    2. FH has introduced the ‘Cash for Work’ project, so victims can earn living by cleaning up the disaster areas. Give thanks to God’s provision! Many of the victims now have basic fishing tools and also seeds for farming. Pray that God will continue to provide for their needs and the victims will soon become self-sufficient.
    3. Pray that Philippines government and the NGOs will have a comprehensive planning on rebuilding the houses and communities. Pray that God will provide solid shelters to the victims, help in rebuilding of the victims’ homes, and strengthen the frontline aid workers for taking part in the disaster rehabilitation work.
    4. The new typhoon season is coming. Pray for total recovery of the affected communities and from pain in people’s hearts; and for strength given to the victims in facing their new living and coming challenge.

Relief Donation

  • Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  • Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  • Visa/ Master Card (Download donation form)
  • Online donation

(Please mark “Philippines Typhoon Relief”)

[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.

Contact Method

Tel>23819627
Fax>23922777
Email>sharing@cedarfund.org
Add>G.P.O. Box 3212Hong Kong

CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in Past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://cedarfundeng.wordpresss.com/relief-approach/

 

Why Sigh and Not Reduce Carbon Emission? | Tiffany

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ ‘SHARE’ Mar-Apr 2014 -Taking Precaution ] TAKING ACTION

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Author> Tiffany Lam

When a disaster strikes, everything valuable seems to vanish in a moment. What can man do but sigh? You might think that the photo was taken from a landfill, but it is Basey, a picturesque and fertile land west of the Philippines with a thriving fishing industry.

Human beings seem to be very passive and can do nothing to avoid or control an unforeseen disaster. Disasters happening far-away seem surreal and irrelevant. But is it really true that we have no relation to the disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan hitting the Philippines in 2013, severe droughts and famines in East African countries in 2011, floods across South Asia in 2010, Africa’s droughts and floods in 2009, and the Sichuan Earthquake in 2008?

Human relationships with God, others and the earth are broken. Immeasurable destruction is caused by selfishness, naivety and greed when human exploit and thoughtlessly develop natural resources. Melting glaciers in the North Pole caused by global warming may take years to affect Hong Kong, but this is a grave matter for people living in low-lying lands. Residents of Basey told us, ‘Super Typhoon Haiyan causes massive destruction. In recent years, we, especially the coastal inhabitants, have been threatened by frequent flooding and what worse is the flood level gets higher every year – a mere “amber rain warning” can mean a rise of water level of over a meter.’

How do Christians respond to ecological imbalance and ever greater hardship of disadvantaged groups? CEDAR is holding her annual Carbon Fast during Lent so that Christians can through meditation and reflection renew their personal life and their relationship with God, individuals, communities and the earth. This year’s theme is ‘Reduce Carbon Emission ~ Share Our Love’, with an objective to show that our action is not merely a virtue or purely for preservation of environment, but should reflect external practice of our internal reflections, our belief turned into action, and real practices to care for our neighbours and faraway people who suffer from climate problems. Dear readers, rather than sighing over natural and manmade disasters, let us take positive action and reduce carbon emission. Carbon Fast 2014 awaits your participation!

‘Carbon Fast’ website: http://cedarcarbonfast.wordpress.com/

Tiffany graduated from bible seminary and joined CEDAR last August, taking part in mobilising churches to practise Integral Mission. 

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