A late September 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu, Philippines, displaced tens of thousands of Filipinos. Residents are suffering through thousands of aftershocks and shortages of food, water, and shelter.
Samaritan’s Purse is working through partner churches to provide families with clean water, food supplies, and shelter material.
Many families continue to sleep outside their damaged homes fearing further danger amid thousands of aftershocks—some registering as high as 5.2 magnitude.
We are serving areas in the northern part of the island in the municipalities of Bogo, Tabogon, and San Remigio, working through dozens of local churches connected with Samaritan’s Purse through Operation Christmas Child.
Samaritan’s Purse has already distributed food to more than 1,000 households, along with supplies of water. We’ve also provided more than 400 shelter kits—including tarps, rope, and sleeping mats. An additional 1,900 shelter kits, 1,000 food packs, and 2,000 hygiene kits are being prepared for distribution in the coming days. We’re also providing canopy tents for damaged churches to construct temporary shelter space for services and ministry activities.
“This has been one of the scariest events of people’s lives,” said Warren West, the Asia regional director for Samaritan’s Purse. “They’re seeing four to five really strong aftershocks a day—it feels like a bomb shakes the ground every time one of them happens. A lot of church buildings were damaged, but they’re still meeting and ministering.”
“These churches know their communities and the local officials. They’re the eyes and ears on the ground.”
Over the last decade, Samaritan’s Purse staff members have trained many church partners in the Philippines to respond during crisis with physical aid and spiritual support. In various communities, these same churches have become centers for relief—hosting tent gatherings, offering trauma counseling, and providing encouragement from God’s Word for hurting families.
Church leader Jim Sarcos, a native of the area and member of his region’s Operation Christmas Child leadership team, said he and his wife spent several nights after the earthquake sleeping in a car.
“After the shaking, there was no light at all. I was in my office. My wife was in her room. We had just finished a staff call. Suddenly, there was something that fell. The ground shook,” Sarcos said. “It shook for at least a minute. The first thing that came to my mind was to go to my wife. When I heard our things dropping, I said, ‘Let’s go.’”
Adding to the chaos was the tragic news of a woman from his church killed by falling debris—among more than 70 confirmed deaths.
Fear, though, has not kept his church from seeing the opportunity God is opening up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“We’re just grateful that even though all these things are going on, we have the opportunity to serve,” Sarcos said. “Our networks are in place, even though they are suffering, too, and they are ready to minister to families and grateful for the opportunity to serve their own people and own community. Communities are so encouraged by the presence of Samaritan’s Purse and our churches.”
As we continue to respond to needs in the Philippines, please continue to pray. This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
