On December 16th, a powerful typhoon (hurricane) roared over the Philippines, causing extensive damage. Currently, we’re still gathering information regarding the extent of the destruction. The storm took the same track as the monster typhoon Yolanda in November 2013. Like that storm 8 years ago, the swatch of damage is primarily centered in the middle part of the country, on islands like Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and northeastern Mindanao. Fortunately, none of our pastors or people have been killed, but many of our churches and member’s homes have been extensively damaged or destroyed.
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I’m sharing a few photos showing the damage in the Cebu City area, which is the 2nd largest city in the nation, with a population of well over 1 million. These photos were posted online or sent directly to me from our personnel on-site. To date, in the aftermath of the storm, there is no electricity and there won't be for at least one month. No water. Limited internet and cellular service. People are lining up for hours for groceries. Vehicles are lining up for hours for gasoline or fuel. ATMs are limited for withdrawals, but cash deposits can still be made inside the bank. Of course, the local tourist industry has been hit hard, which is the economic lifeblood for the whole region. Most roads, especially south of the city, are impassable. Shipping ports have yet to announce definite travel schedules to or from the island. That means people are cut off from leaving the island by boat (the only way most can afford inter-island travel) until further notice.
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Pictured above and below are images of our damaged church in Liloan, a town just north of Cebu City. |
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Roads are completely impassable up and down the island, due to fallen trees and power lines. The following pictures are a small sampling of the extent and severity of the road hazards people are now confronted with. |
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Restaurants, market places, and high rise office buildings were all heavily damaged. Also, the port area was torn apart, with huge ferry boats lifted up and out of the water! The images below capture the destruction left in the wake of Typhoon Odette. |
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Local Food Market Destroyed
This is the effect of the storm on a local city food market.
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We appreciate your faithful prayers of agreement for these priority issues we’re dealing with now in the Philippines: |
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In the Philippines:
Typhoon Odette. Extensive damage and destruction have taken place in the wake of this storm. Agree with us for basic utilities and social services to be restored as quickly as possible. Also agree with us for generous donations sent to MKMI USA, which we will wire overseas to help any of our displaced families and rebuild their homes and churches.
Ministry Income. Agree with us for steady and sufficient monthly income to run the ministry and continue all avenues of outreach without interruption. We’re feeding on God’s faithfulness
(Psalms 37:3).
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This is all this man has left of what was once his home on December 15th. Please send your best gift to help us help victims like this. |
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If you can help us with a financial gift to help us help our pastors and church members rebuild from the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette, please send us your best gift, designated as DISASTER RELIEF. We’ll collect the donated funds, and wire them to our MKMI PHILIPPINES office for dissemination, per our instructions and guidance. Thank you for doing what you can to help! In upcoming COLD-WATER newsletters, I’ll keep you abreast of where and how your donations are being used.
Help our brethren find some Christmas joy in all this mess they’re now having to deal with. And remember, your gifts are always tax-deductible. What better way to end your gift-giving season of 2021!
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Ethel and I want you to know how important you are to the on-going work of MKMI in the Philippines, and around the world. We are presently in a good position financially and expect that to be the case going forward into the New Year 2022. We believe we’ll get back to the Philippines as soon as possible, to resume effective and full-scale ministry operations. But wherever we are, we know we have got partners like you to lean on, as we all stand in faith for complete victory over this global pandemic attack of the enemy. |
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You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
There is a place where any Christian can go during times of stress, distress, anxiety or fear. It’s called the place of perfect peace, and it can only be experienced when we keep our minds renewed to the Word of God. When we trust the Lord (Proverbs 3:5,6), we don’t need to lean on our own understanding. That’s always a good thing, because rarely do we know everything about whatever we’re tempted to worry or be fearful about. Trust God. Feed on God’s faithfulness (Psalms 37:3). You can enjoy perfect peace, anywhere, anytime. The world can’t give it to you, and the world can’t take it away!
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FACEBOOK LIVE STREAM – DECEMBER & JANUARY SCHEDULE
Please take note of the dates for our upcoming live streams:
Dates: December 23. January 6, 20, 27.
Time: 7:30pm Arizona time, which is 10:30am Philippine time, the next day.
Dates and times are always subject to change, per the leading of the Lord.
Streaming schedules are also posted on the MKMI Facebook Page, under “Events”.
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Daily Devotionals. Find them on our Mike Keyes Ministries International Facebook page.
Read them. Learn from them. Apply them.
Also, if you have friends who need to stay in touch with us through these newsletters, please forward this information, and have them add their email address to our ever-growing list of partners and friends of this ministry. Direct them to www.mkmi.info where they can submit their email at the bottom of the page.
Have you missed previous newsletters? Check out the newsletter archive HERE.
You can also share this newsletter on your own pages with the links below.
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Contact us
Phone: 520.743.8336 (Office)
Phone: 520.331.9976 (Direct)
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