Flash Floods in Iligan City – Monday, May 18,
2009
Kathy Bohlin
Iligan City is nestled on the coastline of northern Mindanao in the Philippines. Surround by mountains and lush forests, it is known as a city of beautiful springs and waterfalls and beautiful tropical beaches.
We sponsor 102 children and youth in Iligan City, children who would have no hope for the future were it not for the help they receive to attend school. Many of them live along the banks of the river and under the bridges. The riverbank is a hazardous place to live because of the flash floods that sweep the area. So why do they live there? They would probably say they have no other place. They live there as squatters on the public riverbank because they are too poor to live anywhere else. They live in houses of plywood and bamboo with pieces of fabric for walls and doors.
Last Monday one of the strongest flash floods yet, swept along the riverbank through Iligan City, sweeping away homes and business and anything else in the way. Only one house was left standing. It is a house we helped build a little over a year ago. The money we sent was used to build a solid foundation with strong poles. The house was built up on the poles, something like you see on our beaches here in the US, except much smaller. Under the house was a pen for raising pigs, the income source for the family. (See photo below.)
When the floods came, many people fled to this house because they thought it was “a blessed house”. They carried the pigs up the stairs into the house. After the flood subsided, the house was still standing and everyone inside was safe.
Some families of our sponsored children lost everything they owned but are thankful no one lost their life. Today we sent $300 to the pastor of our children and their families. The money will be used to help the affected families rebuild their homes and lives. We hope more “blessed houses” will be built that will withstand future floods and will be a shelter for many. This gift is possible because of our ministry partners who have given to make such help possible.
Below are some photos and stories we received from our Iligan City pastor:
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The City government provided some food, but because so many were affected in the area, their help is not enough. The churches are also helping their members.
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This is the only house remaining in this place because the other houses were destroyed by the floods. The Fullness in Christ ministries had shared some money to rebuild the house after the first flood. They used it for the foundation and posts and the 2nd floor structure built on the poles.
People in the area believe that this house was built with
the blessings of God therefore they did not go away from this house
during the flood. Gena is our Bible study leader in the area and she gathered the
children in this place where they were saved from the floods. They are
so grateful for this “blessed house.” |
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To God Be the Glory Pastor Rudy and church and the children. |
Mercedez,
one of our sponsored children, and her younger brother sit with their
mother after their house was destroyed in the flood. They lost all
their clothes and kitchen utensils. The mother said when the floods
came she entered into the house to get some things, but immediately the
floods rose and the current was too strong. She decided to lose
everything and to save her life. Today they eat their breakfast with
great sadness and they really need our prayers and help. 
These
two broken houses were the houses of Maredel and Ricky, two of our
sponsored children. They escaped the flood by going to a neighbor’s
second floor house. 
This
is the house of our sponsored child, Jesse Mae. Her father is holding a
piece of muddy cloth because their clothes are all buried in the mud.
They recovered some of their clothing and kitchen utensils from under
the mud.
This
is the house of Dona Jane. More than 20 of our sponsored children who
live by the river were affected by the floods. 
The
Blessed House
We
helped to build their piggery as their livelihood under the house.
During the flood they carried these pigs into the 2nd floor
and they were also saved in “the blessed house.”Through the work being done in Iligan city with the children and their families, the community is being impacted and lives are being changed for eternity. It is our goal that someday the children will no longer live in squatter’s communities on public land, in city dumpsites and by flood prone rivers. Instead they will be strong marketplace Christians in responsible positions where they are making decisions that will affect the nation.
You can be part of changing lives. Go to www.fullnessonline.org/GivingOptions.htm to find out how. If you wish to give specifically for disaster relief such as this, please indicate your desire with your donation.
Kathy Bohlin serves as Director, Philippine Missions, Fullness in Christ Ministries. You can reach her by e‐mail at: Contact Us.
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SIGNATURE: Kathy Bohlin, Fullness in Christ Ministries, Inc., P. O. Box 136117 Fort Worth, TX 76136.
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lived at the garbage dump for a city in the Philippines. They lived in a
shelter made of bamboo poles with plastic sacks stretched over them. No
electricity. No water. No bathroom. They lived by scavenging the dump for
items that could be used or sold. Rachel had gone to school through
6th
grade and had to drop out because there was not enough money for her to
continue. At 15, she was not in school and did not attend church. Without
help, Rachel would have spent her life as a dumpsite scavenger, just as her
parents had done. 
a child. Tears flow as I write
this to you to exclaim the goodness and faithfulness of our Father in
heaven. Every time I sowed into your ministry and sponsorship of the child
assigned to me, I sowed for my children and my grandchildren. After
learning that I would be transferring to be closer to my son and his
family, my daughter's husband also received a transfer with a nice raise! I
AM IN SUCH AWE AT THIS. I KNOW FROM THE DEEPEST PLACE IN MY HEART THAT IT
WAS BECAUSE I WAS FAITHFUL TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD THAT WASN'T MINE THAT MY
CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN ARE SEEING THE BLESSINGS. God showed up in our
lives and just blessed our socks off by returning our family to a place
where we could be together again. No person could have planned this or even
began to foresee this. I am just so thankful and humbled at HIS love.”
>Roldan
is a young man who grew up at the garbage dumpsite of a large city in the
Philippines. His parents are dumpsite scavengers, doing the only thing they
can to provide for the needs of their family. Education for the children was
only a faraway dream. Everything about Roldan would say that he would repeat the cycle of poverty
inherited from the generations that went before him. But God had a different
plan for him.
In
2008, he graduated from high school, a great accomplishment. Another sponsor picked him
up to provide the additional cost for college and he began his first year in
college, studying computer science. Not only is Roldan now a college student,
but he has become an important part of ministry to other children who, without
Jesus and without an education, have little hope of being anything more than a
scavenger. The same ministry that found Roldan at the garbage sleep and live
literally on the street. They sleep on pieces of cardboard and eat whatever
they can find. These children, mostly boys, but some girls as well, come to a
drop-in center, often twice a day where they eat, shower, change into clean
clothes and have time to be kids. A favorite activity is to get a book, a
donated children’s book, find someone who knows how to read and ask them to read
the book out loud.