Joyce Meyer Ministries is on the scene in southeast Asia, reporting on their website about the typhoon crisis there: “Recently battered by a typhoon, Manila, Philippines, is experiencing continued rain and thunderstorms. And what’s worse, Super Typhoon Parma is on its way….Parma comes on the heels of Typhoon Ketsana the past weekend, which left at least 246 people dead as it passed over the Philippines.”

Samaritan’s Purse is also on the ground in southeast Asia, delivering desperately needed relief after a series of earthquakes left hundreds dead and thousands without homes. As they report on their website, in Samoa and Tonga, “A wall of water up to 35 feet high flattened villages and swept people and cars out to sea. More than 175 are confirmed dead, with dozens still missing.” On top of that, “two quakes hit Indonesia less than 24 hours after the disaster in Samoa, toppling buildings in the city of Padang and nearby regions,” their report continues.

Here are a couple thoughts I want to share with you about all this:

• Thank God for ministries like Samaritan’s Purse, Joyce Meyer Ministries, and so many great partnerships that have come together to make it possible for the Church to respond effectively.
• God is faithful.
• We cannot sit back as the body of Christ and do nothing. We are blessed to be a blessing. We have to do what we can.
• We need to pray for the victims and for those on the ground responding – that God will use this entire situation – something that seems so overwhelmingly terrible – and turn it into something that helps people encounter the hope and life that Jesus gives.

I encourage you to give. We as a church at Healing Place Church are sending an offering to these organizations (Joyce Meyer Ministries and Samaritan’s Purse) to help the effort, and I want to encourage everyone to give on your own as well.

One more thing… make sure you stay connected to the Servolution blog for updates on the efforts helping flood victims in Atlanta.