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Three Asia Pacific Nations Impacted by Natural Disasters in Five Days

(Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and Tsunami impacted the Philippines, Indonesia, and Samoa)

The Philippines

On Saturday, September 26, 2009, Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy) poured 15 inches of rain on Metro Manila in a few hours, bringing serious flooding and devastation. Rivers overflowed banks, and 10- to 20-feet-deep water surged through many subdivi-sions across the metro area. Approximately 1.8 million people were affected, with over 400,000 displaced.

Two missionary families had to evacuate as their homes flooded. Both Steve and Beth Dailey and Jerome and Heather Sack had several feet of water inside the houses. Furniture and appliances were damaged or destroyed, and both vehicles were submerged for several hours. After two days they were able to get out of their neighborhood and temporarily stay with other families.

National church leadership and missionary personnel are working together to help the many thousands of families affected by the flooding. Many AG churches have become distribution centers for needy families in their communities. As the waters subside, families will be returning to damaged, muddy shells of homes with little that can be saved inside. Many local Christians have responded by giving time, energy, and even finances to help those in affected areas.

Samoa and American Samoa

Three days later an 8.3 magnitude earth-quake struck about 120 miles off the coast of Samoa. Tuesday morning, September 29, the quake caused a tsunami that took only ten minutes to reach Samoa’s coast. Four tsunami waves, between 15 and 20 feet high, surged one mile inland destroying buildings, vehicles, and anything in their path. More than 180 people died, with many others injured or missing. Another nine are reported dead in the northern area of Tonga.

One person said, “It was like a monster, just black water. It wasn’t a wave that breaks; it was full force of water coming straight at you.” Immediately local churches responded, and members began helping the injured.
C. L. and Aileen Haston live in American Samoa, which is an American territory and part of the chain of Samoan islands. They had recently moved inland from a house along the shore to one closer to the Bible school. This move, made just weeks earlier, spared them from the immediate impact of the tsunami. The Hastons have been taking students to the churches, helping open roads, repairing houses, and serving food to impacted families.

Samoa has about 220,000 people, and American Samoa—a U.S. territory—has 65,000. Both island countries, along with Tonga and other parts of the Pacific, were affected by the surging waters.

Two Indonesian Earthquakes

On Wednesday, September 30, there was a 7.6 magnitude earth-quake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, not far from the city of Padang. The next day a 6.8 magnitude quake damaged many more buildings and left many people trapped under fallen buildings. More than 700 people died, and many others are missing. The death toll is expected to rise. No AGWM missionaries are living on Sumatra, although a German couple lives in another area of western Indonesia.

How Do We Respond Appropriately to Personal Crisis?

Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our protector, our place of safety, our strength, and our provider.

1) Focus on God’s greatness, not our weakness.
2) Focus on helping others, not feeling sorry for ourselves.
3) Focus on God’s blessings, not our losses.
4) Focus on giving Him thanks, not grumbling.
5) Focus on His faithfulness; not blaming others.
6) Focus on His Word, not surrounding circumstances.

When we do the right things, He will revive our spirits. Then we are able to say with Paul, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NASB). How do some get stronger during personal crisis? They give their energy to doing the right things, focusing in the right direction, letting go of the hurt/anger, and making up their minds that they will not stop until they have found that place of inner peace. Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God,” and verse 11 follows with, “The Lord Almighty is with us” (NIV).