Baptists appeal for help for typhoon victims in the Philippines

Baptist World Alliance press release:

(Nov. 11, 2013)

Washington, DC (BWA)–The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is appealing to Baptist organizations, churches and individuals to make generous and urgent contributions to assist victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

The typhoon, described as perhaps the most powerful ever recorded, had speeds of more than 300 kilometers or up to 195 miles per hour when it made landfall on November 8. At least 10,000 people are feared dead in the Philippines province of Leyte after the massive storm cut a swathe of destruction across the region.

Gerlie Baltero of the Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches in the Philippines said “bodies were lying in the streets” and “people have lost homes, their work, and some of their loved ones.” He reported that “many are in need of food, water and medicine” in other hard hit provinces such as Iloilo, Cebu, Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Davao Oriental, Tacloban, Surigao del Norte, and Palawan.

There are five BWA member organizations in the Philippines with total membership of about 430,000.

Donations may be made online at www.bwanet.org/give, or sent to:

Baptist World Aid

c/o Baptist World Alliance

405 North Washington Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

USA