More Than 1500 Feared Dead in the Philippines

While the confirmed death toll from the landslide in the southern Philippine province of Leyte has reached 100, more than 1500 people remain missing and are feared dead. The village of Guinsaugon was essentially buried, including some 500 houses and an elementary school where more than 300 students and their mothers were celebrating "Women's Day."

The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (Disciples' Philippine church partner) local congregation, Baranggay Guinsaugon, lost at least 65 members and suffered the destruction of its church facilities. Five other UCCP congregations were also affected.

Week of Compassion is providing an emergency grant of $5000 to assist these congregations and other UCCP neighboring congregations that are now caring for evacuees.

Congregational Map Update

Also, for congregations using the new WOC Map/Poster, responses made this week include the landslide in the Philippines, ongoing earthquake relief efforts in Pakistan and interfaith hurricane recovery work in Mississippi. The complete list of our responses to date is now posted on our website.

Don't Forget, You Can Also Donate Online

The annual Week of Compassion Offering Observance continues in congregations across the U.S. and Canada. It is possible to make gifts to WOC via our website and have those gifts credited to the congregation of the donor's choosing.

Earthquake Strikes Mozambique

An earthquake registering 7.5 on the Richter Scale has struck the central part of the east African country of Mozambique. Reports of the number of people killed or injured, as well as the extent of the destruction, are sketchy and preliminary. Church World Service and Action by Churches Together are contacting church partners in Mozambique for details and to assess possible responses.

Mozambique is still struggling from December floods that destroyed thousands of homes and damaged thousands of acres of cropland.