Since my last blog entry about Typhoon Glenda, I’ve received pictures from Sister Ofel that help one better visualize the extent of the damage.  It’s a bit sobering to become more aware of someone else’s pain, and then to remember they are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, members of our same body. I think of how 1Cor12:25-26 says to the body that “…its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…”
After viewing this post, I hope you will consider praying for or helping financially with recovery efforts.  It is estimated that it will take about $2000 to complete repairs at EBI, and probably another $1000-2000 to help the other PAMI churches and church members.  There is no insurance to help with this unforeseen extra expense, so we could really use extra gifts.  If you want to make a tax-deductible gift, see the donate tab on the PAMI website: http://www.pamimission.org/donate
Sister Ofel says they will probably  be without electricity for the whole month, since many electrical poles in the province are down.  At this point, they are using a small generator to charge cell phones to be able to send text messages.
Note that this is just the start of the tropical storm season.  About 20 major tropical storms pass by or through the Philippines each year.  Right after Typhoon Glenda came Typhoon Henry (aka Matmo).  But this one seems to be staying over water, just to the east of the Philippines.  Even though this one is weaker and passing further from our area, it’s still close enough to yield heavy rains and keep Sorsogon at a storm signal #2.  Please pray for protection from future storms, and that the people find hope and strength from the Lord as they cope and heal, and experience love and encouragement from His people.
Sister Ofel says her 9 year old daughter Shelley and Ptr Rafael’s  7 year old daughter Jane Kyle are still a bit traumatized by the strong winds of Typhoon Glenda.  Everyone had to hunker down in the sturdiest buildings during the storm.  Pastor Raf’s family took refuge in Sister Ofel’s pastoral house while parts of the roof blew off from Pastor Raf’s house.
The following pictures include damage at the EBI campus where there were lots of big trees blown down, including a big tree that fell on the session hall with some branches even busting through the corrugated steel roofing.  The session hall had the most damage, with steel roofing bent up and blow off, rafters broken, and window glass broken.  Pastor Raf’s house also had roofing blow off.  The campus church had roofing loosen up and bend and some ceiling plywood give way.  The two cottages also sustained damage–one of them completely collapsing and one getting a lot of holes in the nipa leaf roof.
After pictures of the Bible school are pictures showing roof/ceilling damage at PAMI Bulubog church, Sister Nova’s house collapsed (a member of the Bulubog church) and roof damage at Sister Janet’s house.
Although we don’t yet have pictures from other places, we also know there is roof damage to the PAMI Penafrancia church, the PAMI Castilla church and parsonage, and maybe other churches and homes as well.  Communication with other places is still sketchy without electricity.  Although there is a lot of damage, roofs can be always be fixed.  We are just thankful that all PAMI people are unhurt.