When news broke that the tropical storm Washi (Sendong) had hit the Philippine island of Mindanao, Haggai Institute’s Philippines’ representative Susan Chomi immediately began contacting local alumni.

The Philippines is home to 3,490 H.I. graduates. Donations have been flowing in from the Philippines Haggai Institute Association Board and Chapters. In addition, leaders from the worst affected areas, of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, have been coordinating their efforts to bring relief to the region.

Here are some of the texts and extracts from phone conversations Susan Chomi has received from Haggai Institute graduates:

Miriam Cue:

I am with the team attending to around 10,000 evacuees/victims now housed at the MSU-IIT gym. My hands are full right now with my assignment as ‘Overall Chair’ for the Crisis Intervention and Emotional Support team. We are working at stress debriefing and trauma healing, especially with the grieving marginalized families.

My husband is an engineer, I am a clinical psychologist. I attended Haggai Institute in 2005; my husband in 2008. Our first thought was how to help people around us. I knew victims had been traumatized and needed to be debriefed. I immediately rounded up my family and other volunteers who are graduates in psychology (who I have taught and trained) and spent some time in quickly coaching them about how to deal with trauma; then in an organized way, I deployed them to different areas so that we could cover large regions of those that needed help.

Tabitha T Bullecer:

My home and car in Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro disappeared under the water. My husband was rescued from our rooftop at dawn yesterday; thank You, Jesus. I am in the U.S. and have just left Colorado Springs. Please pray for all the flood victims including a pupil of a Christian School who is missing.

Aurea Suzette Redondo:

My daughter (Christine) in Cagayan de Oro emailed me that she was able to get information from neighbors that our street is badly hit and the ground floor of my house is totally covered with mud; but no one could tell about my sons and grandchildren who are staying there. Christine could not travel to Iligan City as the roads are not safe and bridges are not passable, either. We need your prayers.


Ramesh Jainani:

I am arranging a dump truck and grader to clear the street going to our place. Mr. Alarico Lim, a local businessman, has promised to help us in our subdivision. He also got a trailer with water this afternoon, our first bath in two days. We have angels in our midst. Dr. Ed and Dr. Gigi Valencia not only gave us accommodations but also shared with us their A/C room and their bed while they slept on the floor.

Buddy Gerona:

Our office accommodated the whole Gerona family, who were evacuated together with 196 young and old neighbors. Flood heights from ordinary water level rose to 22 ft. Houses carried by strong current floated along the highway for six hours, midnight until dawn. Some people survived by clinging to trees and electric posts. Thank God, Who protects the ones who trust in Him (Psalm 91). Please continue praying for us. People are starving with no water, clothes, or shelter and weary bodies.

Goel Bagundol:

At our church we are sheltering 120 families mostly from Barangay Consolacion, Burgos, and Isla De Oro.

Lalano Badoy:

Water – that is what we are praying desperately for. There is no usable water in the region. I went to try and clean up our house but we could do nothing without water. My family is staying with our pastor as of now. All the pastors in the region got together yesterday, and we looked at the situation prayerfully.

We have realized that God has allowed this calamity to befall us and we must try to make the situation work – for Him, for the extension of the Kingdom of God. We are doing all the relief work we can. This is a magnificent opportunity to live out the Gospel of Christ instead of trying to just preach it, which is what we usually do. This is when the Haggai Institute training is most beneficial to us. In every way we are trying to figure out just one thing: ‘How can we make this situation count for God?’

The Haggai Institute alumni and the people of Mindanao need our prayers as they rebuild after the catastrophe. Hundreds have died in the floods and mudslides; thousands have lost their homes. But for Susan Chomi the last few days have demonstrated how effective Haggai Institute alumni can be:

I browsed my Facebook account and was able to read about the relief being done by alumni in the area. Haggai alumni in the Philippines are all reaching out to help in every affected area.

All I can say at this time is that I am grateful to God for equipping me with the Haggai Institute training so that I am able to comprehend the reason for us being alive. This is a glorious opportunity for us to be able to take the love of God to others in action more than just words.