Philippines
Eternal Impact
Philippines
November 9

One cannot underestimate the spiritual benefits of care and compassion. The mere presence of HealthCare Ministries relief teams in the midst of suffering and pain provides abundant opportunities for sharing Jesus. So when the Philippine and Samoan Islands were deluged from the recent typhoon and tsunami—forever altering the lives of thousands—HCM was quick to respond with medical care, turning the disaster to an opportunity to show Christ’s compassion.

Days before the torrential rains from Typhoon Ondoy hit the northern islands of the Philippines, an HCM team was already in the southern island of Mindoro holding a medical evangelism clinic in Mansalay with missionary associates Ray and Deborah Miller. As the team wrapped up the clinic, reports of flooding in the capital city of Manila couldn’t be ignored. Incessant rain had caused the worst flooding in 42 years, inundating many areas of the city in 18 feet of water. HCM was called upon to send a relief team to Manila. Four team members from the original clinic in Mansalay traveled north to be a part of the disaster relief.

Dave Smith, a paramedic from California who was on the team, said he stayed behind because helping people is where his heart is. With experience in disaster relief in the States, Smith felt the Lord leading him to use his background in this disaster response in Manila.

“I have been so blessed by God, it is a requirement of God’s people to help others in times of need,” Smith said.

Four veteran team members joined the group in Manila to begin a relief effort, including HCM’s director, Dr. Deb Highfill, AGWM International Ministries director, Dr. JoAnn Butrin. Southeast Asia’s area director Bill Snider hosted the team and was grateful for the quick response.“You were in the right place at the right time,” Snider said.

For the next five days, the team, along with national doctors and nurses, set up a mobile clinic, each day in a different church in Manila and surrounding areas. They treated many infected wounds brought on by injuries from escaping the floods, respiratory illness, fungus, infections and diarrhea. Church members helped with crowd control, interpreting, and spiritual counseling for the victims of the typhoon.

Loretta Speicher, RN, recalled the the people’s emotional trauma when she told stories of children who days after the storm would start screaming they were going to drown when it would rain. She wrote:

“They escaped with their lives from Ondoy’s deluge, yet remained deeply traumatized by the near escape.”

The church members, pastors, and missionaries focused on making the people feel welcome in the clinic, praying that those who had never set foot in a church would return again soon to worship the Lord.

During the second day, the team ministered to the area surrounding a small, brick church in San Mateo located next to a river. Pastor Flora, who escaped only with the clothes on her back, told how the water rose so quickly, there was no time to save anything. She told of losing the church computer, keyboard, sound system, sermon notes, but noted the most precious possession she lost was her Bible. Yet she knows through God’s strength they will begin again.

Regional director of Asia Pacific, Rev. Russ Turney, praised the team for the encouragement they brought to these pastors and churches.

“The national church leadership truly appreciated the work done by the team,” Turney said. “[They] have encouraged them and made a tremendous statement to them in strengthening the good relationships to the national church and from the General Council to the local district and churches.”

Bill Snider also joined in this gratitude, saying that HCM’s coming was, “a catalyst for many national church activities as well as bringing nurses and doctors together around a single focus.”