God will not forsake you, priest tells Philippines typhoon survivors

|PIC1|Large parts of the city remain submerged under flood waters and tens of thousands are in urgent need of shelter and basic items like clean water and food after Typhoon Ketsana struck, killing more than 300 people.

Churches across the largely Catholic Philippines were filled on Sunday with worshippers who had made the difficult journey through high waters and floating debris in many places to hear sermons of encouragement.

Father Anton C T Pascual, executive director of the Manila branch of Catholic charity Caritas, broadcast a message of hope to his fellow countrymen on the radio, according to Agence France Press.

“God loves you. God will not forsake you," he told them. "Don't lose hope because these trials are challenges that will make us all the more cling to God, and to unite as brothers and sisters, and to unite as one people."

Caritas is aiding around 65,000 families across the Philippines, nearly 10,000 of them in the Archdiocese of Manila.

Many churches and Christian aid agencies are involved in the collection and distribution of relief goods for survivors. World Vision aims to raise $2 million for its response to Manila alone.

Advocacy director for World Vision in the Philippines, Minnie Portales, said the scale of the devastation not only in the Philippines but in the wake of the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami in Samoa and Tonga had put a strain on everyone.

“The important thing is to show people that they are not forgotten by getting even small amounts of aid out,” she said.

The wave of natural disasters in South East Asia were the hearts and minds of Christians on Sunday as they took part in the Day of Prayer for Climate Change.

Truro Cathedral held a silent vigil to mark the day, held ahead of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen in December.

Tearfund has called on Christians to pray for victims of the South East Asia disasters as they grieve the loss of their homes and loved ones, and face the difficult prospect of rebuilding their lives.

“The needs are enormous and after the initial loss there comes the sense of devastation and shock. People – many of whom are already desperately poor – are left with nothing,” said Matthew Frost, Tearfund Chief Executive.

“Homes and livelihoods are destroyed; loved ones are lost or missing – the disorientation and trauma is unimaginable.

“The relief effort is being built up daily. Our partner relief teams in Sumatra and in Metro Manila are assessing the need and responding, but we can also surround the crises and the families affected in prayer.”