UPDATE: Compassion office in Philippines reporting that the typhoon has passed. No major damage or danger. Trip is on!
A “super typhoon” (category 5) Songda has swept through the Philippines. The storm was expected to directly hit the islands but instead glanced the Philippines’ northwestern provinces with winds up to 165 mph.
Compassion is monitoring the situation and will definitely cancel our blogging trip if there’s potential danger to our bloggers. But that’s not expected to happen at this point. The storm is leaving the Philippines and should be well on its way to Taiwan by the time we are scheduled to arrive.
This is the second time Compassion bloggers have visited a country on the heels of a tropical storm. Last time, it was hurricane Ida in El Salvador. That storm caused us to change a few of our plans since roads to Compassion partner churches we were to visit were covered by landslides. But we visited other churches and had a rare opportunity to see how Compassion brings relief to sponsored children and their families when disaster hits – and to help raise disaster relief funds.
Continue to pray for this trip. But more importantly, please pray for the people of this region. This is only the first storm of what is predicted to be a more tumultuous rainy season than usual.
I’ll keep you posted if plans change but, for now, we’re flying to the Philippines this weekend and will start blogging about Compassion’s ministry there on May 29th. Read all about it here.
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JessicaB says:
Sigh. Am I the only one depressed by the increased hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides, wild fires, earthquakes…….
Rebecca says:
No. I think there’s quite a few of us.
Kelli says:
Praying for you all and for our sponsored boy, Jonri, and his family who are in the Philipines. Be safe!
kris says:
Will remember you all and those affected in my prayers. Kyrie ELeison.
Jill Foley says:
Already praying for you all as you begin to say goodbye to families and travel to the Philippines.
Jason says:
I’ll keep on praying, Shaun!
bendedspoon says:
Thank you for coming to the Philippines! Lives will be touched and one of it could be possibly be yours. God bless you ๐
noelle says:
Praying for you all! If you meet a little girl (7) named Bianca de Fate with her mother, Jane, please let them know their sponsor loves them!