Blog

“What you’ve done unto the least of these…You’ve done it unto me.”

Greetings from the Philippines!

A team from FZS is currently ministering in the cities of Tacloban and Northern Cebu doing follow-up disaster relief work since our first visit her in November when the worst recoded storm in history wreaked havoc here and cost the lives of almost 10,000 people. Even now, some 6 months after Typhon Yolanda struck the Philippines, thousands of families are still living in donated aid tents and lean-to shanties on land the government has designated as “no-building zones.” It is estimated that as many as 200,000 people will need to be resettled in the very near future, most of them have nowhere to go and no money to get there…

Thousands are still living in tent cities and shanty towns like these in Tacloban and Northern Cebu

Families live under grounded ships in Tacloban waiting for resettlement 

To date, FZS has helped provide the building material to construct 44 houses and 2 churches. We are working closely with local pastors, Bong Balauro and Virgilio Inosencio and together, our vision is to provide houses for another 500 families in Cebu and Tacloban especially those with small children having the most urgent needs. Each house can be built for only $500 each from top to bottom. We would like to begin an “adopt a Philippino family” program and provide pictures and direct contact with the family that is adopted. We would also work out a payment plan of $25, $50, or $100 per month until their new house is paid for. If you are able to help in this project please contact Bradley at: [email protected]

Susan Macalolooy, a team member with us now, is praying about heading up FZS logistics in Cebu and so we hope that after this trip, a FZS Philippines office will soon be established and working towards implementing these goals for the homeless and needy.

Cheryl and her children, Eloisa, Daniel & Lucille in their new home from FZS

FZS funding the rebuilding of this church that was destroyed in Tabogon, Cebu

Teaming up with GAIN from Holland in Tacloban, FZS is also helping rebuild a school which was devastated by the Typhoon while also engaging in trauma counseling with the children who were emotionally affected. One tragic scene really tore our hearts…

After a day of visiting families who had suffered great trauma, we stumbled across a mass grave where hundreds of people where hastily buried. As we walked along the mounds of fresh covered pits, we came upon 2 little girls that were sitting next to a grave and drawing lines on the dirt that covered it. When we asked the little girls what happened, they said: “our papa is here”… We were able to pray with them and encourage them as best we could with Yeshua’s love.

Despite all of the tragedy we have witnessed here, the Philipinno people are incredibly friendly, thankful and welcoming. We see such resilience in these broken lives, who show such determination to recover and express hope for the future. FZS is blessed to be a part of their recovery and we pray that the Lord will enable us to share the Love of Yeshua with them in both word and deed! We thank the Lord that while we were here, the Aid container sent from International Aid Trust in the UK arrived for distribution!

Thank you for your faithful support to FZS Ministries as we reach out with the love if Yeshua in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the uttermost parts of the Earth!

Bradley Antolovich
International Director