Update 2 on Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Update - Church members of the United Methodist Churches in Leyte were affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda. DS David Dacaya Cosmiano shared that at least 60 family members of our local churches in Leyte are displaced. Ninety-eight 98% of all structures in Leyte have been destroyed by the typhoon. DS Cosmiano added that he received reports that several church members died in the storm surge. The local governments are fearing more than 10,000 people died in the flooding. Basic services like water, electricity and medical services are still down in the area. Phone lines are still down making communications difficult. DS Cosmiano has not been able to contact his son, Dzey-ahr Cosmiano, for several days now.

In Western Visayas, food and water are becoming scarce. The livelihood and crops were severely damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda. At least five local churches in Aklan were affected. DS Roy Tibalbag is on the field right now to assess the extent of the damage. The Philippines has been placed in a National State of Calamity by President Aquino due to the economic effect of the Super Typhoon.

Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters affected by the typhoon. You can send in your help through UMCOR or the Office of the Bishop -DEA.

A Public Service for Filipinos affected by Super Storm Haiyan

Update: Visayas UMC churches affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Intl: Haiyan)

DS Roy Tibalbag of Western Visayas District reports that at least 5 member families had their house damaged. The Panay island was badly hit by Supertyphoon Yolanda (Int'l Name Haiyan) last Nov 8, 2013. We have several local churches affected in Panay affected by the Supertyphoon. Affected areas include churches in the Rizal, Ibajay, San Jose and Mina-a all in the province of Aklan. Pastor Aguilar is coordinating with DS Tibalbag for updates on the affected members in the area.

On the otherhand, churches in Leyte and Samar still has no communication. The islands of Leyte and Samar are the worst hit by the Supertyphoon.  DS  David Dacaya Cosmiano of Eastern Visayas District initially reported that 98% of Leyte is badly affected. Our members are appealing for help. Any help to our affected brothers and sisters in the Visayas are welcome. Pls contact the DEA Office of the Bishop or UMCOR for details or PM me for other concerns.

Theology and Medicine: A Revisit

In the previous months, this blog has given space to encouraging churches to have a health ministry. It tried to engage churches to practice their faith beyond the four corners of the church building. This was in consonance as I started engaging with local churches, ecumenical groups and faith-based organizations this past several months.

However, one of the biggest struggles I have to hurdle amongst Christian groups is their persistence to implement medical missions as a tool for evangelizing. As I develop a curriculum for pastor's in health ministry, let me share with you a key theology that guides my actions on pushing for church health ministries, moving away from medical missions and capacitating pastor's on health skills.

God's two greatest commandment serves as foundation for our actions as Christians. First, love God with all your heart, mind and soul and the second, love others as yourself. Let me focus on "loving others."   

Love Others

I asked a fellow Christian doctor why he involves himself in free medical missions? He replied, it is his ministry to witness on God's love to people, especially the sick. I asked a bishop why he organizes and sponsors  medical missions in his area? He replied, it is an effective evangelical tool to introduce the Gospel to the people. The replies are theologically problematic in so many levels.

I will try to share in a series of reflections and essays on some theological points on health ministry, medical mission and evangelism. Watch out for these four topics :
- Health Ministry should be Free
- Health Ministry Impacts
- Medical Mission as an Evangelical Tool
- Medical Mission Impacts

Things to think about your Church Halloween Party

Do you have Halloween Celebrations in your Church? Why? Or why not? Here are some reflections you can do in your church for the Halloween.

Halloween was traditionally celebrated by Christians as All Hallow's Eve on the night before All Saint's Day (Nov 1). It is a day to remember our continuing communion with the saints who walked ahead of us and to the recently departed loved ones. More than remembering them and celebrating their faith, we celebrate the object of their faith - that is Jesus Christ. We are reminded that even in the mortal death of our physical bodies, the object of our faith continues to live because we worship a living God.

A good scripture to reflect as we remember the dead is John 11:32-44(ESV). It talks about the dead Lazarus and the Living Christ Jesus.

³² Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. ³⁴ And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³ When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” ⁴⁴ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

In the story of Lazarus, we are reminded that Jesus can raise up the dead (not a zombie – because they remain dead) and give life to it. It is not about raising a dead physical body but about GIVING LIFE TO A LIFE THAT IS DEAD. For our reflection:

1. Do you remember, once in your life you were dead because you did not know God. But God called you out (Lazarus... change it into your name, come out) And you came out of the grave and you now have life. How was your dead life before? Do you want to go back to the grave and be dead from God's presence? Is that what are we doing today, going back to the grave or following the voice of Jesus to come out?

On Nov 1 or 2, we go visit our dead. We go to the cemetery. What do you do there again? Do you pray for their souls or do you celebrate their life?

You can have your personal reasons. It may even include the reunions we have made as a tradition. But as Christians, we are told that everything we do, including celebrations, must glorify God. So the question I would like us to reflect:

2. Where is God in this holiday event? How is God part of this activity? Or maybe God is out of the equation. When you visit the cemetery, what will be the role of God? When you have a reunion with your family, what will be the role of God? When you will be invited to join Halloween parties, ask your host what will be the role of God? When Jesus came to see the dead Lazarus, Jesus had an important role to play.  What is His role now? 

Lastly, let us look at Mary. She loved her brother Lazarus so much. All she wanted was for him to get better. So when Jesus came in late, she was upset. Mary blames Jesus, “if you had been here... if... if...” Mary thinks of the possibilities IF Jesus came in earlier. Lazarus could have been saved. But Mary did not know what the heartbreaking death of Lazarus could turn out to be. That depressing event is now one of the most miraculous stories that manifest the power and divinity of Jesus. 

3. What depressing stories about our beloved’s death manifest the glory of God? Do we see anything good come out from the sad events in our lives? How can we turn the melancholy of November into a glorious story that points to Christ (mas)?

Bohol Earthquake: 3 Ways How the Church Help Feed the Babies

Last October 15, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Visayas and greatly damaged Bohol and Cebu. Response for relief efforts immediately poured in.

Powdered milk for babies were donated by well-meaning groups. One of them was a Church-related organization. However, our law, specifically Executive Order 51, regulates donations of milk during emergencies. Violations of EO 51 has been reported in evacuation centers.

Breastmilk is still best for babies, specially during emergencies. When disaster strikes, water usually becomes scarce. In Bohol, potable water is one of the primary problem. Unclean water is dangerous for babies. Formula milk needs water. If it is scarce, you cannot feed the baby. If the water is unclean, you cannot feed the baby. Breastmilk is the best option for babies during crisis situations. Popular beliefs that mothers cannot produce milk during stressful situations are not true. Mothers can still produce milk as long as they keep breastfeeding babies. Breastmilk is still the best response during emergencies.

What churches can do, if they want to feed the babies?

First, the church can help find expressed breastmilk and donate it to evacuation enters. There are milk banks in most government hospitals. There are also mothers who express their milk and give the "excess" milks to these milk banks or to other organizations.They can also help find volunteer "wet nurses" to help feed breastmilk to babies. Wet nurses can be from among their members or from breastfeeding mom groups.

Second, the church can encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding. The church can partner with breastfeeding counselors to help educate mother how to properly latch the babies. The church can set-up lactation stations where mothers can breastfeed their babies confidently. This area can also be a venue where the church can teach the benefits and the advantages of breastfeeding infants to mothers and expectant mothers.

Last, feed the mothers. As long as the church can feed nutritious food to mothers to keep them healthy, the breastfeeding mom can sustain the nutrition needed by babies (especially those 0-6 months).

Three Steps To Know How Education Reduces Poverty

As part of the Children's month celebration, this week focuses on the Children's right to Education. It has always been communicated that education significantly reduces poverty.  But how do we understand this concept as Christians?

Countless research have shown evidence on the impact of education in reducing poverty. This is the reason why NGOs, CSOs and the national governments have intensified their efforts to strengthen the education of its population. The Global Partnership for Education has reported that:

• If all students in low income countries left school with basic reading skills there will be a 12% cut in global poverty.
• One extra year of schooling increases an individual's earnings by up to 10%.
• Wages, income and productivity are higher where women receive a better education.

 So where is God in the equation? Is education really reducing poverty or is there a powerful God working at this and uses education as the tool for reducing poverty? Philippians 2:13 reminds us that "it is God who works" and not just us or our knowledge or education in itself. God is at work.

This Children's Month, we must educate children about the work of God in reducing poverty. We must emphasize that God loves people so much that God educates them and gives them knowledge to raise their living condition. Let us be careful about teaching them "the fallacy" that education is the key to fight poverty. Instead, we must emphasize God's work. Three steps needs to be settled to know how education can reduce poverty. If we can answer these 3 questions, people will see the real reason how poverty is reduced. Deuteronomy 11:13, 19 guides us in answering these steps.

1. Who will teach? "You..." v19
2. When and where to teach? "...when you are sitting... walking... lie down... or rise up..." v19
3. What to teach? "love the Lord your God, and serve Him with all your heart..." v13

The Bible reminds us that God is at work and God wants you to participate and teach the children about God's work. Are you up to the challenge?

What to tell the parent beside you when they bottle-feed their babies during Sunday worship?

This month of October is Children's month. The theme is focused on fighting poverty through upholding Children's right. This week, I gave a short devotion on the rights of a child to the basic needs like food and healthcare. These basic rights to food and healthcare starts among infants by giving them exclusive breastfeeding for six months, not bottle-fed from milk formulas. Breastfeeding is the right of every children especially babies 0-6 months old.

Christians should be at the forefront of promoting exclusive breastfeeding simply because it is God's design. If we use properly what God has purposely designed, we are worshiping God. Simply, breastfeeding is an act of worship!

Let me highlight what Isaiah 66:11-13 assumes when it used breastfeeding as an illustration how God comforts and encourages those who faithfully worship God. The Bible tells us that breastfeeding:
-   nourishes ("nurse and be satisfied, v.11)
-   gives comfort ("be satisfied from her consoling breasts, v11)
-   supplies all the needs ("I will extend peace to her... and the wealth of the nations..., v12)
-   strengthens relationships ("be carried on her arms, v12)
-   comfort and security ("a mother comforts her child, v13)

Should churches just be a place of prayer? or should we intentionally have an area for breastfeeding mothers while they are in worship? Do you church actively advocate breastfeeding or its just another sermon on a Sunday morning? What do you tell the parent or guardian beside you when they bottle feed their babies during Sunday worship?

For some devotional materials on what the Bible says are the benefits of breastfeeding, visit: 
http://prezi.com/gmkh0acorfgl/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy