A Prayer for Those Affected by Typhoon Haiyan

[UPDATED] On Friday, November 8 Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines with sustained winds of nearly 150 miles per hour. It is the strongest typhoon in the world this year, and possibly the most powerful ever to hit land. Local officials estimate loss of life could reach 10,000 people, and it is estimated that up to 12.9 million people will be affected.

Please join us in praying for the families affected:

God of mercy,

When Elijah experienced a great and strong wind on Mount Horeb, you were not in the wind. When Elijah felt the tremors of an earthquake and the heat of a fire, you were not in those, either.

As the wind and rains whip through the Philippine islands, let your gentle whisper, your sound of sheer silence, come to the aid of your people.

Give shelter to those who need it. Give comfort to the distressed.

And give us eyes to see our Filipino neighbors, that we may respond with wisdom and mercy to their deepest needs.

You are our rock and our salvation, the one who gives us life. We ask all of this in the name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your help, Lutheran World Relief will respond with sustainable solutions and a lasting promise of support. 

LWR’s Philippines staff report they are safe and are now coordinating with our partners to assess the needs of those affected by the typhoon and plan out a response. LWR has mobilized an initial emergency fund of $50,000 for typhoon response activities and is seeking $2,500,000 to help communities recover from the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

LWR’s response will likely include:

• a cash-for-work program that helps get cash into the hands of those who need it and aids in the clean-up of storm debris from places like schools, roads and other public spaces;
• distributing non-food items, such as shelter repair kits, Personal Care Kits or Baby Care Kits; or
• distributing Mission Quilts that provide warmth and comfort to disaster-affected families;

We have already set aside $50,000 to meet the needs of those affected. Please help.

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