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December 2011
Merry Christmas
Severe Flash Floods Hit Iligan City
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We praise the Lord for your continued prayer and support. We have a whole list of things that we were wanting to share with you this month. We will list these important ministry items as prayer requests below. But we have to use the balance of our letter to share about the flash floods that hit our ministry areas. On Saturday morning, about one AM, after typhoon Sendong dropped lots of rain on Iligan, the Kapay and Bayog rivers flooded. These flood waters not only devastated Iligan, but also destroyed nine villages.
Since 1987 we have ministered along these rivers. The main church of MMKI is located along the Bayod river in Digkilaan. Our home in Reloading (1991 to 2001) is located along the Kapay river in Mandolog. See the articles below to see the stark differences between those who have chosen to follow the Lord and those who have not.
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Here's How you can help.
Need: Build and Equip Seven Homes:
$700 each
Need: Generator for Processing Plant
$9,000
Send Gifts to Christar:
Christar | P.O. Box 850357 | Richardson | TX | 75085
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God's Interventions
Macoy, the son of our elders, Jonie and Mercy, was awoken by realizing he was getting wet. He was alone in the house. He prayed. As his parents home callapsed in the surging waters, Macoy pulled himself up on the roof, helped a family, including a pregnant mom on board, and God steered the roof to the perfect spot where they safely landed.
Our processing plant (pictured below) was in danger of being overcome by flooding waters. Initially, waters about a foot deep were heading straight toward the plant. Then God moved the waters up a hill and to the left to avoid the plant. There was very little damage to our plant or farm.
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| God diverts the waters |
As the the same creek flowed rapidly through Tablon, a large clump of bamboo broke away from the rest. Half of it protected the farm from further damage, and half went down stream and lodged in the perfect place so that it protected Peti's, Esther's, and Ciano's (believers) homes from certain destruction.
Arnol and Liny, Maranao believers and Bible teachers in Rogongon, were praying in their rented home. The Iligan river was rising. They decided to evacuate with their small children. Five minutes after their evacuation was complete, the waters surged and engulfed all the homes along the levy of the Iligan river. Everything was gone.
Two weeks ago God gave Tom an opportunity to share Christ with a group of Maranao friends in Reloading (location of our home). The passage he was teaching was Romans 2. He taught the principle that God holds people responsible for the amount of revelation that they receive. He instructed them to be careful because the villages in the area had all heard the gospel, but only a few families believed in Christ. Today, the villages of Narsary, Tolay, Pigsootan and Reloading are gone. The only houses still standing, both built right on the river, are our home and Ebra's, (an elder of MMKI, and the only other believing family). Pray for God to work in hearts as we return there this week to teach our regular believers' Bible study and witness to our long term friends. We did lose two close friends, both unbelievers, Pokil and Tanding. Seven people died in Reloading alone. Jamail (Bible worker) also lost a sister, Monica.
We had just finished a two day clinic in Tugaya, Lanao del Sur. Exhausted and wet, Tom returned the mobile clinic to Bobonen at 8:30 PM on Friday. He then went to the LRF in the storm to deliver Christmas presents to the students before their break. As he returned home at 10:30 PM, he could see the rivers swelling. He prayed. God was at work. Although a whole area of Bonbonen was swept away, the mobile clinic remained safe. (Many large pieces of earth moving equipment was swept away in the floods all along the river.)
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| Vllages Destroyed |
All believers remained safe, but the following Bible teachers lost their homes and all belongings. Evelyn, Remedios, Elizabeth, Jonie and Mercy (student home in Iligan), Arnol and Liny, Cosain and Pernila.
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We have two critical problems as a result of the floods. One, the road to the plant is totally destroyed. It will take the government a while to fix it. Eventually, the power company will restore the power, but it could take months. Two, even in the best of times, we historically have had a few days of power outages a week. We need a 15 KVA Diesel generator so that we can process orders faithfully. During the first quarter of 2012, our teas will be launched nationwide. Also, our sales of capsules is growing in the USA. We would hate to lose this momentum. A new generator, installed, is about $9,000. Thanks for praying about this need. |
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Prayer Requests
- Pray for God to continue to bless MMKI and Perfectly Natural Herbs so that they can continue to send out workers.
- A family is preparing to go to Malaysia as our first missionaries abroad. Pray as they form a team.
- Pray for wisdom as we form a mobilization center / mission agency for all our missionaries. Pray for God to raise up the founding board. We currently have 2 of the 5 board members that we need.
- Pray for good quality time with Stephanie and Colin during their Christmas vacations.
- Colin just finished a rugby tournament for the Philippine National Team. Follow the link. Philippine Volcanos
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| Road going to Tablon |
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Merry Christmas!
We pray that God gives each one of you a wonderful Christmas. May your worship of our Lord and your sacred time as a family be truly blessed.
Love,
Tom and Michele O'Brien
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