It Is Well ...

Yesterday was was one of the most incredible days I have lived! I went to bed and it seemed as though the water was in my brain and between my ears .. I had seen so much of the stuff! Every time I closed my eyes I saw fast, muddy water that looked like coffee!

It was heavy rain again last night and I feared the worst. I left St James Subdivision and literally hundreds of people were sitting on their tricycles or standing in the mud waiting for the water to subside. With the heavy rain I thought that they would have to wait a long time. But praise God ... I found out this morning that the water finally subsided in Pastor Adonis' house at 1am!

Mary & I went to St James this morning to see the pastors and their families .. as well as many families who have sent their kids to our school in the past or at the present. A lovely christian lady texted us to swing by her house to take some food for the people. She gave us ten big boxes of noodles, two boxes of Coffee sachets and hundreds of buns. My car was full.




When we entered St James, it was like a war zone! Che, one of our members, showed me how high the water came in her house (above) and look at her belongings! Everyone, and I mean everyone, had all their earthly possessions out on the street or in their garden and all of them were busy cleaning their furniture and possessions. We saw mattresses that were drenched... sofas that were soaking... everywhere!

We visited Pastor Jun and he had already cleaned his house and had gone to help Pastor Adonis. Pastor Marlou was almost finished his house. We went to Pastor Adonis' house ... what an absolute mess! His whole house had been caked in mud. The mud was around a foot deep and the water was about 7 feet - touching the ceiling! When we saw him he was busy washing his furniture ... with a toothbrush. I told him he'd better not brush his teeth tonight! How can this man smile when everything he has has been under the water? Incredible.


Pastor Adonis took a step of faith three months ago and rented the house next to his to start a new Cornerstone Church. He pays for the rent himself and he and his family, along with some neighbours, really sacrifices to make this simple house into a place of worship. I went there a few weeks ago and there was around 60-70 people attending! Below are the photos before the typhoon.


But when I saw the devastation in the church .. I was so sad. All the PA equipment was covered in mud. The musical instruments - drums, keyboard, guitars - looked as if they were pretty much destroyed. The floor of the church was covered in mud. I just felt in the spirit, " We will get this place more beautiful than before!"



Some of our Cornerstone members' houses are in a bad way too. I said to one member, "Yesterday was a terrible day for you." His response? "Yes, but today is a day of challenge and opportunity for me and for us." In all of my travels in these last two days I have never heard one complaint or angry word. Filipinos are people of resilience, respect and gratitude ... and I admire and love them more and more.

I was so proud of our Cornerstone Pastors and workers. Yesterday, Henry told me they fed 2000 people with Congee! He was so tired. But he asked if I had any money to give him ingredients to make another 1000 meals today! So he rose at 4am and started making food for everyone again. I met them going around every street in St James with free food. People came with huge pots ... and we filled them. These people were so busy cleaning they had no time to cook ... but thanks to Henry and the team a great need was met. We also went round on tricycles giving out coffee, noodles and buns! Meals on wheels ... Cornerstone style!




I heard on the news that 24 people died in Isabela. When I saw the river yesterday, I knew that some people would have had no chance. Please pray for those who have lost so much. Pray for our Pastors as they try and get back to a normal life in their homes. Pray that we westerners could learn from these Filipinos about how to live by faith, how to respond to difficulty and how to smile. Pray for many Muslim families who had their homes completely destroyed. Pray for our Cornerstone churches .. that they would reach out and touch lives in this hour of need. Pray for all our Pastors and staff and all the people we know in Santiago who are going to bed in wet homes with no electricity tonight.

Thanks for all your prayers. If you have only started reading the blog in the last day or two, why don't you bookmark this page and check it out from time to time. Please sign our Guestbook on the right and leave a message or comment.

I leave you with the words of an old hymn that I have been singing away over the last few days:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul...

... and that, my friend, is the most important thing.

Selah

P.s. - there is one good thing that came out of the typhoon. Pastor Winston found two fish in his living room as he was cleaning it out! Will make a nice snack!

Emergency: Pray for us!

Over the last few days it has been raining heavily here in Northern Philippines. Yesterday we were warned of a typhoon that was sweeping towards us in Isabela. Some typhoons are very destructive with heavy winds, some are destructive with heavy rain ... but when you get the two together, that's when real trouble comes. And that's what happened last night...

The rain was pouring down last night. We had to wade through the water to get to the Bible School for a meeting. We were worried because many of our Pastors live in a place called St James, which is very prone to flooding. In 2007, our Pastors had to evacuate five times. But for two years there has been no floods and the government was confident that the problem had been solved.

But this morning we met one of our Teachers who lives in St James - Teacher Jennifer. She told us that she had a horrific night. She lives alone and she woke up at 2am to find the water coming up past her bed...and rising fast. She grabbed some things in her bag and ran. She left her mobile phone in her house along with everything else. She walked to Sefton Village through the storm .. and that's a long way in those conditions. On the way she was so exhausted that she just dropped her bag and let it float away. She has no way of knowing what has been destroyed in her house because it is completely submerged in water.

I texted all our pastors and staff who lived in St James. Pastor Jun told me that they were ok but stranded in their house. His pregnant wife Emmy Lou was sitting on a chair that was on top of their table. Jun said that even in the typhoon she looked like a queen! Most of our staff did not respond, so I decided to go and see for myself.

I went past the bakery and ordered 500 cakes. I went to the town while they prepared the cakes and I could not believe what I saw. On the bridges of Santiago hundred of people were looking over the river. But now, it was more like a raging ocean. Water was everywhere. The elecrticity lines were literally inches from the flowing water. People's houses were submerged. Many were on the roofs with all their worldly possessions. There was a boat going around saving people. I couldn't believe my eyes.

The police officer in charge said that in all his years as a policeman in Santiago, this was the worst floods he had ever seen. I went to St James and didn't get very far. Even the main road down to the homes was flooded ... and I know that this road was far higher than the homes below. I went around and gave out my cakes. The people were so grateful ... even though many had lost so much. I felt, "What's a cake when their world was falling apart?" But anyway, it brought a lot of happiness to many people (especially kids!) and sometimes all you need to know is that someone cares.

The police told us a few hours ago that the water was going to go higher. But as I went back to St James, I was happy to see it was receding. Please pray that he water will continue to recede. They say they are going to open up some dams nearby and that would raise the levels again. Please pray.

As I speak, I don't know the full extent of the floods. I know that all of our staff are OK but that many will have lost most of their possessions. The Pastors of Cornerstone who were not effected by the flood have been working hard helping people. Pastor Henry has just finished making meals for 1000 people and he , along with Pastor Danny, is going to find those who have no home and no hope. We are planning to use the church or fir centre as a place of refuge, if needed.

Please please pray that there are no casualties. Please pray that at this difficult time we will be able to touch the lives of thousands with practical love. Pray that out of this typhoon many will turn to Christ. Pray for our staff that have suffered and that are worried. Pray for Jennifer and Pastor Adonis ... they are the worst affected and Jun said that he was so upset watching Adonis as he stood and watched his house go under the water. Adonis' roof is almost covered with water ... everything will be destroyed.

I will do another blog tomorrow with an update. Sefton Village is ok because it is high up. My family are doing well, although Lydia is a bit upset about Pastors Jun's house and the house of her friends (Adonis' kids)

I am continually amazed at the attitude and resilience of Filipinos. Time and time again they suffer so mush with typhoons, earthquakes, volcanoes ... and yet they seem to rise up and get on with life so quickly. I am just thanking the Lord today that in all my life in UK I have never had to go through what these lovely people go through again and again. Count your blessings ... and don't hold on too much to things that perish.

Many thanks for your concern. You mean the world to us ... especially in times like these.

The Pringle Place!

Don't know why it is, but Sefton Village seems to be just as popular as Disneyland HK! Even though we are 'in the sticks' and literally hours (8) from Manila, the road to Sefton Village is always busy! We seem to have visitors, friends and family almost on a monthly basis! Our supply of Angel Delight, Salad Cream, Bisto and Tetley T-Bags never seems to diminish!

We were eating Pringles on the way up to Santiago and they have the catch phrase 'Once you pop ... you just can't stop!" And it's true! They are hard to put down after you peel back the wrapper. Claire was telling me that scientists did an actual experiment to find out why Pringles were so addictive. Well, sometimes I wonder if we should do an experiment about Sefton Village! People come ... and want to come back. And back again (with friends!) Why is Sefton so 'addictive'? Why do people always want to come here? We are in the middle of rice fields in the hottest valley in the Philippines. There are no tourist spots or nice beaches here!

Maybe you are reading this and you have been here already ... can you answer the 'Pringles' question for us???? Go on ... leave a comment for our survey!

Well, the Kerrs have arrived safe and sound and are settling into their new home, new surroundings and new lives. They have done so well. They arrived last Thursday near midnight but all of them slept well that night. And they have adjusted to the time difference with little problems. Amazing really ... but I guess that's what you call grace.

I showed them where to buy all the stuff they will need for their house and we shopped for two days solid! We managed to get 95% of what they needed so we were very tired ... but happy! We drove back up to Sefton on Sunday morning and the kids were great. It is a 7 hour drive and this time it took much longer as the people in Munoz decided to have the town fair right in the middle of the town and right in the middle of the main road! So there were tailbacks for miles. We were stuck for two and a half hours! Ah well, at least Matthew and Claire got to see the Philippines at its best! Can you imagine having a funfair right in the middle of the A92 in Scotland????? MMmmmm ... don't think so!

We arrived safe and sound on Sunday might and over the last few days they have been busy unpacking and getting organised. They have seen the great metropolis of Santiago. Keith and Anne have been great at helping out. The ex-pat community is growing ...

Next week more Brits will swell Sefton Village. My mum, dad, brother Paul and his wife Ashley, my two nephews Nathan and Aaron and my cousin's wife Monica will be arriving for a family trip to the Philippines. Mum & dad are regulars but it is the 1st time for the rest. Lydia and Josiah are totally excited about seeing their cousins here at Sefton. Every day Josiah wakes up and says, "Is Nathan and Aaron coming?"

The day they fly home we will be driving Dave and Madeliene Russon back up to Sefton. Dave is the new World Ministries Director for AoG and they have never been to Sefton. So we are looking forward to seeing them again. Two weeks after that we have Gillian Saunders from Bolton coming for a week. She is no stranger to Sefton and is a good friend. She help set up Powerhouse Kids Club here in Santiago so she will be checking out how things are going.

In December we have a short visit from Maureen and Brenda who are great friends form Cornerstone Singapore. They know Sefton Village well as they helped cover for us during our last itinerary. They are both very special and it will be good to see them again.

And then, before we know it, it will be 2008! And probably people from all over the world will (slowly) make their way to the 'Pringles Place'.