Over the past two days, torrential rains have caused severe flooding and destructive mudslides in Santa Maria, the town where I lived in the Philippines. For residents living in houses made of concrete, this is bad enough – but for poor people whose homes are built of woven bamboo and palm thatch, the rushing waters are completely destroying their homes.
At right: Yesterday on Facebook, my former neighbor and parishioner Jay-An Bague shared a video of her home, torn open and nearly swept away by the rushing water.
As you know, Father Silouan was cut off from the Philippines by the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, and has since been assigned to a parish here in the US – but many generous mission partners continue to make recurring or one-time gifts to support the growth of the Church in the Philippines. All donations received here are sent either to the secretary of the Philippine Diocese for clergy training, mission projects and expenses, or to the diocesan Department of Charity for benevolence and emergency relief.
Any funds received this November will be sent to the Department of Charity for flood relief. Can you or your parish help families in Santa Maria to rebuild and to buy staple foods and medicines?
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