Baptists are responding to the tragedy of Typhoon Ketsana that struck Luzon in the Philippines on Saturday, September 26. Manila, on the island of Luzon, and the province of Rizal were the hardest hit by the storm. With numbers of those impacted by the typhoon growing daily, the true extent of the disaster is now being revealed.
The Luzon Baptist Convention (SBC) serves the area of the disaster, and is appealing for resources so that they can play their part in the relief efforts.
"For Christians, every disaster is a call to action, "said the LBC President, the Rev Joel E Raner." We are called to help those who are suffering when they need it, and this is certainly the time of most need."
Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance is urging the worldwide Baptist family to respond to the drastic needs from the Typhoon and floods.
"We are also concerned that Typhoon Ketsana is now heading for the Mekong delta in Vietnam, "said Paul Montacute, BWAid director." The BWA has relationships with some Baptist groups in Vietnam, and BWA President David Coffey visited there with a group of Baptist leaders.
Further weather depressions leading to heavy rainfall are also anticipated for the Philippines, leading the government to ask for international aid. Baptist World Aid's Rescue 24 team, operated by Hungarian Baptist Aid, and made up of international and well trained volunteers, is exploring offering its services to the Philippine government, Luzon Convention and to Vietnam, where Sandor Szenczy and Bela Szilagyi, HBAid leaders currently work.
Donations to assist those affected by the current Typhoons should be sent to
BWAid Appeal addresses - please designate for Typhoon relief.
Baptist World Aid
Baptist World Alliance
405 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA22046, USA
Phone: +1 703 790 8980
Fax: +1 703 790 5719
Email: BWAid@bwanet.org
Contacts: Paul Montacute or Lee Hickman
A US tax receipt will be issued.
Donations may also be made by Visa or MasterCard, in US dollars. State the Gift Amount in US$; Card No; Exp. Date; Signature of donor; and name as it appears on credit card.
Click here to see how you can give to Baptist World Aid.
http://www.bwanet.org/BWAid/Donate.htm
We continually pray that all of our disaster appeals and approved projects will be fully funded, and celebrate when God answers our prayers. If the project to which your gift is designated has been funded, we will direct your gift to meet a similar need.
----------------------------------------------
Cheques in British Currency
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Baptist House
Box 44, 129 Broadway
Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8RT
England, UK
Phone: +44 1235 517700
Fax: +44 1235 517715
Email: info@baptist.org.uk
Contact: Philip Putman
------------------------------------------
Germany and Rest of Europe.
This is a BWA Bank Account
Spar-und-Kreditbank
Evangelisch-Freikirchlicher Gemeinden
Postfach 1262
61282 Bad Homburg v.d.H.
BLZ 500 921 00
Konto-Nr.791-03
Germany
---------------------------------------------
Checks in Canadian currency
Canadian Baptist Ministries
7185 Millcreek Drive
Mississauga,
Ontario L5N 5R4
Canada
Phone: +1 905 821 3533
Fax: +1 905 826 3441
Email: gking@cbmin.org
Contact: Gordon King
----------------------------------------------
Cheques in Australian currency
Baptist World Aid - Australia
Locked Bag 122
Frenchs Forest
NSW 2086
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9451 1199
Fax: +61 2 9452 4720
Email: Les.Fussell@baptistworldaid-au.org
Contact: Les Fussell
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Residents walk through mud caused by Typhoon Ketsana, locally known as Ondoy, in Montalban Rizal, west of Manila September 29, 2009. Philippine authorities braced on Tuesday for another storm as the ...
