Terrorists Displace Families in Mindanao

May 26, 2017

 

PCEC-PHILRADS MARAWI EVACUEES RELIEF APPEAL

(The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches-Philippine Relief and Development Services is a GLINTS partner-organization.)

Hundreds of armed men allegedly belonging to the Maute terrorist group (ISIS-inspired) attacked Marawi City and surrounding towns of Lanao del Sur province (island of Mindanao). The hostilities began on May 16, 2017 and continues as of this writing.

  

As a result, thousands of families fled Marawi for Iligan City, about 53 kilometers away. The evacuees first took shelter in houses of their relatives but soon many others settled in evacuation areas like the Mindanao State University (MSU) campus, and elementary schools. Presently, streams of evacuees are still pouring into Iligan City. The government has set-up reception areas in these schools and has started rationing emergency food.

  

PHILRADS is organizing a relief operation for Marawi evacuees and tapping the partnership of Christian ministerial groups for the planned assistance. Iligan City churches are also mobilizing and started gathering dry food/relief goods for distribution.

This particular project aims to provide food and other relief assistance targeting 300 families (about 1,500 persons) presently staying as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Iligan City (MSU campus and Boroon Elementary School). They are mostly Maranao families from Marawi City, who are joined by about 200 students, faculty members and workers of MSU and Dansalan College (both in Marawi City). The relief coverage may be expanded as more evacuees arrive in Iligan. The relief items to be provided are food, drinking water, toiletries and laundry supplies (bath soap.

PCEC-Philrads seeks to raise $6,000.00 to help 300 families displaced by the fighting between the Maute group and government forces. Will you help. Click here for instructions.

 


Conflict in Mindanao

May 25, 2017

Jonathan Wilson (Exec. Director, OperationSAFE), Author

I am currently in Manila, waiting for a flight for Mindanao. The president of the Philippines declared martial law on Mindanao where I was supposed to do training starting May 24th. Below is updated information regarding pushing through with the training.
 

1. After consulting with the leaders in Mindanao they want me to conduct training in Davao and bring the trainees there instead of risking taking me closer to the fighting. (About 5 hours away) Pray for my journey and the training from Saturday until Tuesday.

2. The fighting between rebel groups that align themselves with ISIS and the army has continued the last three days in Marawi, one of the larger cities in Mindanao. Civilians are fleeing the violence toward Iligan. Pray for peace, for a catholic priest and parishioners who were captured and are being used as human shields, and for around 20,000 fleeing to find safety.

3. We have expanded our response to include 7 trainees from Iligan where Nazarene pastors are conducting assessments of the needs of the refugees now. Pray for wisdom and courage for Christian churches to reach out in compassion to largely Muslim refugees.

4. We have immediate need of $4,000 to cover the expansion of the work to meet the current crisis. Pray for our partners the Philippine Children’s Ministry Network who coordinate everything behind the scenes (Ate Fe, Ate Sally, Garicel) and the local network in Mindanao who are already tackling an earthquake response in Surigao. Pray that God would cover ever need of His servants.

Please help us raise $4,000.00 to help meet the needs in Mindanao. Click here to donate.


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