Anglicans in Jamaica, Cayman Islands to raise funds for the Philippines
By ACNS staff
Anglicans across the diocese have been asked to take a second collection to help typhoon-affected people in the Philippines
Photo Credit: ACNS/Neil Vigers
While the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda may have faded in some people’s minds, this weekend Anglicans in the Caribbean are planning to raise more funds for the people in the Philippines.
Bishop of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the Rt Revd Dr Howard Gregory revealed that this Sunday (15 December), all the churches of the diocese are being asked to have a collection for those affected by one the country’s worst natural disasters.
“The people of the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands have been deeply moved by the level of devastation which has impacted the life of the people of the Philippines with the tremendous loss of life and property as a consequence of the passage of Typhoon Haiyan,” said Bp Gregory.
“We have also been impressed by the level of resilience displayed by those who have survived in trying to cope with their grief and loss, and in trying to put their life back together.”
The Bishop explained that the people of the diocese were well placed to empathise with Filippinos.
“As people of nations which are subject to similar onslaughts from tropical hurricanes, and who have benefitted from the generosity and support of other Christians across the Communion and the globe in such moments, we deem it a privilege to share out of our limited resources a symbolic expression of our love and solidarity with the people of the Philippines as they attempt to re-build their lives.
“Accordingly, we have made an appeal to the congregations in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands to contribute to a fund to this end. The funds collected will shortly be transmitted through our Anglican networks for disbursement to the Anglican community in the Philippines.
“We will continue to offer our prayerful support to these our brothers and sisters as an expression of our solidarity with them in what we know will be a long-term undertaking of re-construction of structures and personal and communal life.”
Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was an exceptionally powerful tropical cyclone that devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, in early November 2013.
It is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record killing at least 6,000 people in that country alone. Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and unofficially the fourth strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of wind speed.
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Footnote: St George’s Anglican Episcopal Church in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands have already been collecting funds at their Sunday services in aid of relief for the Philippines.
PHOTO: Worshippers at St George’s Anglican Church Grand Cayman
