CHINA: About 1,000 Evangelical Christian Filipinos in Hong Kong gather for a special church service to pray for victims of typhoon Haiyan

Record ID: 859355

  • Title: CHINA: About 1,000 Evangelical Christian Filipinos in Hong Kong gather for a special church service to pray for victims of typhoon Haiyan
  • Date: 17th November 2013
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WOMAN KNEELING AND CRYING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HUGGING EACH OTHER AND CRYING VARIOUS OF PASTOR, DIANNE RIVERA, ON STAGE, ADDRESSING CROWD PHILIPPINE NATIONAL FLAG
  • Embargoed: 2nd December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hong Kong, China
  • City:
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment,Finance,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAXNMQ6OYIWULWJTWDRC3MZ9U7
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: About 1,000 Evangelical Christian Filipinos in Hong Kong on Sunday (November 17) prayed for the victims of typhoon Haiyan, which has affected millions in the Philippines.
    The Jesus is Lord church, headquartered in the Philippines, held a special service for the typhoon victims on Sunday morning that began with a power-point slideshow of images from the affected areas.
    Hong Kong is home to a large Philippine expatriate community with approximately 150,000 Filipinos working in the former British colony as live-in domestic helpers.
    Some of them, like Edelisa Ocop from western Sabar's Basey who has worked in Hong Kong for 14 years, have felt the impact of the typhoon on a personal level.

    "Our houses are all already washed away. And then I have a lot of relatives in Tacloban, and on that island, all are missing up till now. That's why I want to ask some help, not only for my family. I want ask help for my countrymen in Basey, western Samar. Not enough help. Nobody go there to help, just only a few days from now," Ocop said.
    Manola Chua, who has lived in Hong Kong for 22 years, said her immediate family is safe, but at least four of her relatives in the hard-hit Tacloban have died.

    "Also all my nephew in Tacloban, my sister (in Manila) also call me, all is die, one couple and two child is die, and the house washed out with water," Chua said.
    During the special service, many taking part in the prayers were moved to tears, though staff members said the worshippers usually cry in the regular Sunday church service.
    Pastor Dianne Rivera said the church has about 7,000 members in Hong Kong and is collecting donations which will be sent to the Philippines through its iCare Compassion Ministries, an affiliated charity.

    "The whole church in Hong Kong, the Jesus is Lord Church, already collected HK$93,000 (US$12,000) and more are pouring in from employers, from the Hong Kong community, they are also extending their help," Rivera said.
    Staff at the church collected bags and boxes of donation, some having to stand on top of overflowing cardboard boxes to get them shut.
    Andrew Stanley, an American living in Hong Kong who employs a Philippine domestic helper, brought two bags of donations to the church.

    "Yeah, she's been affected, and many of her friends and churchmates have been affected as well. So yeah, so we felt the need that was an important thing for us to do and help her because she helps us so much in our lives. It's an important thing for us to do," Stanley said.
    Typhoon Haiyan has killed at least 3,681 people and displaced four million in the Philippines last week.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.
Register