Pastoral Letter to the Philippines

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Pastoral letter to the people of the Philippines from the Christian Conference of Asia

FROM: CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE OF ASIA

TO:   National Council of Churches in the Philippines
            Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches
      Episcopal Church in the Philippines
            Iglesia Filipina Independiente
          Iglesia Unida de Cristo
            Lutheran Church in the Philippines
          United Church of Christ in the Philippines
            United Methodist Church

Beloved Sisters and Brothers in the Philippines:

We are deeply worried about you, brothers and sisters in the Philippines as you suffer again another disaster (super typhoon Pedring, internationally codenamed Nesat), leaving in its wake 21 people dead, 33 missing, 5,000 homeless and an estimated Php 982 million in damages to agriculture and infrastructure…thisafter barely coping with the destruction of previous typhoons.

Beloved in Christ, the CCA member churches and councils around Asia are ardently praying with you, with the assurance that our God is a refuge to the needy in their distress (Isaiah 25.4, NRSV). Be assured of our solidarity and pleadings to God Almighty, that perseverance and abiding faith be yours as we uphold you in prayers. May the needed help and comfort to the afflicted be soon on their way, as we find ways to reach out to you further.

May I appeal again to CCA members to lend support and offer prayers to our Filipino sisters and brothers. You may contact the Rev. Rex R.B. Reyes, General Secretary of NCC Philippines to convey your support (Tel: Tel: +63-2-928 8636/929 3745; Fax: +63-2-926 7076; Email – padirex@gmail.com).

I reiterate here our plea for CCA members and partners to continually support the CCA Emergency Fund. (Acct. Name: Christian Conference of Asia, Hang Seng Bank, Acct No.: 295-4-709594, Hankow Road Branch, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; Swift Code – HASEHKHH; Account Type: Multi-Currencies Account). This is our way of affirming our being one in God’s household in times of calamities and pain.

We may feel desperate and frightened, but the God of love and compassion embraces us all.

Yours in Christ’s service,

HENRIETTE HUTABARAT LEBANG
General Secretary
cc: CCA Members, General Committee Members, PAC Members
CCA Ecumenical