Sta. Lucia Church of Christ Update:

 This is an account on what happened to the church over there and family members:

Sept. 29, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,Greetings in the name of the Lord! We are writing to you to appeal for help for the victims of the recent typhoon in Manila. The storm dropped 17 inches of rain in a 12 hour period causing a dike to break. The flash flood that resulted killed many and displaced many, many more. Remy’s parents’ and other relatives’ houses were submerged in the flood waters. The water rose in a matter of 20 minutes so people had no time to prepare. One of the preachers that we support almost lost his life rescuing other people and spent a day with his family(including his pregnant wife) on the roof of a neighbor‘s house waiting to be rescued himself. Some people died and many others are unaccounted for. With the water subsiding, rebuilding is now underway. In the area where we have a ministry, most houses were made of boarded shacks. Those houses are all gone, washed away by the flood. We are trying to help them get basic items such as food, clothing and shelter so they can survive. God is in control of this situation and we pray that through this tragedy, many people will see their need for a better relationship with God and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you want to donate for recovery effort, please send your tax – deductible contributions to:
Metro Manila Ministries
P.O. bOX 47261

Wichita, KS 67201-4726

Be assured that all pennies will go directly to those that were affected by the typhoon. If you have any questions, just call me at 316-943-6178.

Thank you very much for your generosity and the love that you are showing to others in times of need.

In Christian love,
The Kingsleys
(Dale, Remy, Mylene & Philip)

Sept. 29, 2009

Today, I was on the phone all day trying to contact my family. I finally got through this evening and they told me that the water subsided but there’s a lot of damage in their houses and mud all over. Everything is ruined. They don’t have any clothes left as well. The smell is so bad because there are dead animals like cats and dogs, They have to get their food in another part of town where there is electricity. They don’t have any electricity nor phone service yet. They have to charge their cell phone somewhere else.
I also talked to Danni de Vera, a preacher from Marikina church telling me that the husband of Novi, one of the members of the church that got affected died by electrocution last Saturday while the flood was rising up. Also one member of the Pasig church is almost due to have a baby. They have not been back to their place yet and see the damage. This is a family of eight and will be needing a lot since they lost everything.
He also have been in contact with some members and they will be distributing food and water this week to provide for their basic needs.
They asked us to send anything that they can use for everyday living like clothing, towels, bedsheets, etc.
The churches over there also lost all their songbooks, Bibles and teaching materials. They asked for help in this matter.
God is still in control. It will take time for them to get back to normal but with the help of the Lord through us, it will be better. Please pray for all the people that are affected. Donations are still accepted.
Thanks to all and God’s blessings.

the Kingsleys

Oct. 1, 2009

Hello! I want to update everybody on how my family and the churches over there are coping with the situation. At my parents’ place, the water subsided and they are cleaning all the mud inside the house. Their things were all damaged and the church songbooks, Bibles and materials for teaching at the home church are all gone. My dad and brother buried 30 dogs and cats yesterday. The place near their houses smell so bad and my dad said that he is so exhausted. (He’s76 years old). There is still water at my brother’s house which is not far from where my parents live so they can’t turn the electricity yet…that’s almost a week without power. They buy their food in another town since it is too expensive to buy it nearby. They are coping slowly. They are tired but their spirit is high. One positive thing that happened amidst this tragedy is a new baby is born yesterday. Elsie, a member of the Sta. Lucia church had a healthy baby girl. It was her due date while she was on top of the roof of their house when the typhoon hit. They have not been back to their house yet since the water subsided. Please uplift them in your prayers.
On the other part of town where Danni de Vera (preacher at Marikina) lives, the water subsided. He told me yesterday that he’s going to distribute food and water to to the brethren in Marikina area. He has not been back to his house yet and see the damage and he’s already doing something good for others.
The Metro Manila Ministries sent some funds today and will be there tomorrow for them to use and buy basic things that they need. We are praying that more people will donate and help them get back on their feet. Sometimes we just don’t think about the blessings that we have until it is taken away from us. I feel their pain but I know the Lord has a purpose for all of this. If you want to help, just let me know.

Please see pictures of my parents’ house and neighborhood.

Remy Kingsley
Metro Manila Ministries

October 4, 2009
The Metro Manila Ministries sent funds to the victims over there. The churches over there are now working hard in giving food, water and some necessities needed for those affected in the Balubad, Marikina and Sta. Lucia areas. If there are some funds left, they will help in the rebuilding of the boarded shacks where most of the brethrens live in that area. Regarding my family in the Sta. Lucia, Pasig area, they are now cleaning up the mess. Piles and piles of garbage are being stack up on the streets to be collected. It is so much mess after the flood but they have to start out fresh. Two people in their neigborhood died due to the flooding. They will have funerals this week. Please continue to pray for those families that lost their loved ones and also for those who are affected by the typhoon.
We also praise the Lord that the other typhoon that is supposed to hit last week diverted in the northern area of Manila and not in a densely populated part. God is good. We praise Him for his continued care for all.
I would like to thank all that prays for this disaster and for those who has given to those in need. Some of you gave sacrificially and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Some collected basic things for the victims to be sent over there and I can’t thank you enough. The Lord will bless all of you as you bless others. I am still accepting donations. If you want to give, just let me know. Will update you again. Please see more pictures after the flood at the group link. Thanks.

the Kingsleys,
dale, remy, mylene and philip

Marikina church of Christ Update:

 This was an account of Danni de Vera, a worker at the Marikina area the day of the severe flooding:

It was rainy morning and the weather announced that typoon ONDOY reach the area of responsibility of the Philippines. Supposed to be we have evangelism campaign at Cubao Church of Christ but it was cancelled due to heavy rains. Around 9 am we just observed the rains and we did not expect the flash flood then suddenly the water on the road turns to muddy color. I decided to transfer the car on the highway but to no avail the water got deeper, I just park the car near the main gate of the village and run back to our house when I reach the house the water is already on waist level. We decided to climb the roof and in just a few minutes the water is very high. My family and I has been rescued from roof b4 midnight last Saturday. We stayed on a roof from around 10:20 am til midnight without any food and water. My mom, my son Idann and my pregnant wife Eileen almost lost their lives during atempted rescue around 10 in the evening the improvised boat suddenly got leak and started to wreck. God is so good we were able to push the boat at the side and I was able to hold the electric wire and step on roof gutter of a house and push my son and my wife to climb the much higher roof, my mom was able to save by a friend and we prayed and cried at the roof while heavy rains pour it was so dark our only hope is God.  Everything that we have….all our belongings including my car were submerged  in water full of mud. It was traumatic for me and my family. I even drank flood water when I started to sink during our attempt to go on the highway where water is not deep, blessedly I have a water jug tied on my body….God is so merciful He pull us on the top of the roof. All of us were safe including my dad and my older brother who is very much frightened of water. Please help also our brethren in Balubad 100% area Marikina City, 100% of them were affected and all their belongings too were submerged and some of them lost their wooded houses and a husband of our sister died. It was really a tragic for all of us. Please pray for us and help us.

My brother who lives in Las Pinas took us temporarily on his house in order to recover and rest our tired and weary bodies. But I am thinking of all our brethren in Balubad, Marikina City and was able to send brother Steve and talked to him over the cell phone this morning according to him he cannot go down where they live because it was still under water and full of mud all over the place. Even the place where we assemble every Sunday was also damaged by 9 to 10 feet deep of muddy water. Lord willing after recovering from this tragic event probably before friday I will immediately visit them and assist them.

We really need help of any kind. Thank you so much.

I will send this letter to some of our american brethren too.

In Him,

Danni de Vera

Muntinlupa Church of Christ Update:

God always has his ways of cleaning the world while protecting his children in the process. Philippines was hit by heavy rains which causes heavy flooding but affected brethren are safe but just in need of food clothing and shelter but alive and kicking. Some of the brethren  has to do a little exercise to safety but they are safe.

 Some of the brethren who lived near the lake in Muntinlupa are flooded and their houses are still in water. They just locked the doors of their houses and went to the school building on higher areas which became “evacuation” area, as the water rises. As expected the evacuation centers are over crowded about 5 to 10 families shared in one classroom, they are sleeping on tables and benches but most of them on cartoons in the floor, they hope to be able to go back to their houses within a month or two because their houses are located on lower areas. Between the classrooms is the covered court which is also full of evacuees. This is almost the same situation in all the evacuation center in metro manila. Just imagine that there are about 147 thousand families displaced and they are crowding on classrooms and covered court of schools, very few toilets inadequate water supply, sleeping on the floor, and some of them will be able to go back to their homes in about 2 to 3 months, because in some places the flood is still 6 feet high, in Muntinlupa those who live near the lake has to take small boats to reach their houses which are still heavily flooded. There is already over 293 death toll due to typhoon and number is still rising, as people buried in mud are being found and many more are still missing.

 We offered  bro Allan’s family to stay with us because of their little children, however they told us that our house is quite far from them so it will be difficult for them in checking their house from time to time because there are burglars who are taking advantage of this kind of situations to steal, so we just help them with some cash to help them buy some of their immediate need while at the evacuation center.

 Classes in all levels are suspended in Metro manila for 1 week due to flood and the classrooms are being used as evacuation, however next week classes are scheduled to resume so that the refugees have to find relocation sites, some have to rent temporarily and wait for the flood to subside before going to their houses, some will be force to go back to their flooded houses.

 Typhoon “ondoy” has just past and the weather bureau forecasted that three are yet to come and one of them will be in the Philippine area of responsibility this afternoon, so we are expecting a few more to come but they said that it is not going to bring as heavy rain as “typhoon ondoy” the bureau said this was the heaviest rain we’ve had in 42 years.

 Sis Marycil,  4 months pregnant of their first baby was rushed to the hospital and still is confined today, their doctor diagnosed it to be viral infection, she keeps vomiting, was almost dehydrated, her color became violet and fainted before being rushed to the hospital, she is still in the hospital recovering and she hopes that the water in their flooded house would have subsided when she gets out of the hospital.

 We also visited last night sis Letty’s son Carlo, a 20 year old boy with “down syndrome” at the Philippine Kidney Center. He was confined there for kidney failure and his attending physician already told them that all they can do is ease him with his pain but they could not perform any surgery because of his heart problem and he is just waiting for his time. His heart condition creates many internal organ complications.

 Now for the good news, a young boy accepted Christ through baptism even just after the big storm. He has been asking me to baptize him 2 Sundays ago I just want to make sure that he understands the purpose and the significance of being baptized into Christ. His two sisters Marimar and Lyka had accepted the Lord through baptism 3 months ago and now this boy is very eager to be baptized, so last Sunday right after the morning service Mark Leonard DeGuzman was baptized.

 Kindly include them in your prayers.

 In His service,

Greg Gallardo Jr.

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