Philippines Relief Effort

On December 16, 2021, typhoon Odette (Rai) struck the Philippines, causing widespread devastation. Former REZ pastor Duane Sarazin connected with his friend Pastor Max (Maximino Maregmen)–whose church was located on the 2nd island hit by the typhoon–to see what help was needed and make others aware. Scroll down for updates from Pastor Max.

REZ is also offering its support to Pastor Max and his church’s relief efforts to its community. Be part of this by selecting the Donate button below.

(add “Pastor Max” in the Note/memo section)

NOV 13, 2022 update

Ceiling Installed
Many thanks to all who have contributed PRAYERS and/or FUNDS to make this bit of comfort a reality for these servants of Christ. Pastor Max wrote (edited): “Here are pictures of our renovated parsonage during it’s work. My wife (Myrna) is closely supervising the details of it.”

AUG 16, 2022 update

Duane’s email
Hello Max, blessings upon you and your family. I just wanted to let you know that our church treasurer has wired $2910 to you. I am very pleased that it should be enough to finish the ceiling project for the parsonage, and perhaps if anything is left over that you will be able to employ it in the ministry. Our people receive much joy when you are able to send pictures to show the progress on such projects. Blessings upon you! Duane (edited)
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Pastor Max’s reply
All praises to God whom all blessings flow…
We have received the money you sent. We rejoice of your great love and support to us especially in answering our needs. Thank also for making almost doubled to that estimated cost we sent . To God be all the glory.
We will do the planning this week and most likely, we can start working the project next week. We will keep you updated for that. I am pretty sure the fund is more than enough. Thank you for giving me the freedom to use it for our mission in church planting.
Thank you very much. God bless us all.
Love, Max and Myrna (edited)

AUG 02, 2022 update

From Duane Sarazin:

Pastor Max and Myrna have moved. The Bishop there appointed Max to be a District Superintendent/Pastor in an area that needs much work in starting new congregations and nurturing the ones already in existence. Max has begun to identify places to plant 8-10 new churches in the next few months; so, his work spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ is cut out for him.

In the meantime, the Parsonage that they have moved into has no ceiling! It has a roof, but then it is all open between the walls and the roof/rafters. The sun beating down on the metal roof makes the house unbearably hot. The installation of a ceiling in this house will make a huge difference to insulate against the heat, and to keep all kinds of tropical critters out of the house, not to mention heavy rains that can get blown into the living quarters.

JUN 11, 2022 update

Trinity Sunday greetings. Peace and justice Sunday celebration for us here few hours from now as the new dawn of a new resurrection day will break to us here on the other side of the earth.

There are more mass shooting incident reported over the CNN news report in the US. It is a scary one because we do not exactly know where it will happen next.

Two weeks ago we wrote an email to you with a picture when we served food pantry to the typhoon survivors. Today, we are so happy to report about our children ministry on psycho social intervention. We gathered more than 80 children in a covered basketball court where we held the activity. We also had a group of our men who helped in carpentry building a small house which is believed and designed to be resilient in typhoon. Perhaps can be a model to the neighborhood.

We have been praying that you are all just fine and in the best of health. God will keep you safe always. One good news is that, our Bishop during the annual conference last week, appointed me to be a DS again here in the Visayas area. I am assigned with a local church appointment to administer in Tacloban City. This is the church I was appointed for only a year last year. The place where typhoon haiyan in 2013 has done great devastation.

This is another great challenge to me because as I assess the district, it has been very affected by typhoons, earthquakes and COVID 19 pandemic. I have to make quick visits yet to local churches nearby and do conversations with the key church leaders. Continue to pray over me and my wife. This is a great challenge for both of us. Thank you.

For Christ Ministry, Max and Myrna

Easter 2022 update

Easter greetings from the Philippines. We have celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with full of HOPE. I have communicated with DS Duane and they told me that your church has sent me funds for our mission here. I just came from the bank and it is there already. We received $878.50. Thank you much… it is just timely as we were again disturbed with a very scary experience with nature. Our parsonage kitchen was totally destroyed when the small creek was flooded and it broke the dike protection. Many of our neighbors were also flooded and there are more than 17 landslides that happened all over the mountainous area of the city. The rescue and retrieval operations are still on going. Our church committee on relief is already preparing for our distribution on Friday. These funds are so timely that we could share to our needy neighbors. Again, thank you and God bless us all.

In Christ,
Pastor Max

JAN 24, 2022 update

Below are recent pictures sent from Pastor Max showing that donated funds are being used to purchase building materials and reconstruction is taking place.

JAN 06, 2022 update

Greetings in the Great, Mighty Acts of God this new year. All praises to Him whom all blessings flow. We have been distributing rice, groceries, and other immediate need of our members and their immediate neighbors according to our capacity, but making it sure that the Love of Christ is felt. We limit the number of our recipients because of our limited resources. Thanks be to God if we could work out the idea of helping us do a greater work. This time, I suggest to consider the rehabilitation process. Rebuild their houses and assist livelihoods and work out possible income generating especially to those small-scale fisherfolks and farmers.

Below are recent pictures. The woman distributing relief is Myrna (purple blouse; Pastor Max is the man wearing the light blue shirt and hat). These are some of the damages of the fishermen’s boats that were damaged and a picture of constructing a temporary dwelling for a widow. We salvaged from torn materials from her ruined house.

JAN 11 update from Duane Sarazin

We have collected or had pledged $1175 to help Pastor Max in the Philippines with the recovery from the recent terrible typhoon storm. MANY THANKS to those who have responded thus far. He and Myrna lost their roof; and he told me that many in his congregation are literally “starving” because they lost everything…their homes and everything in them, including food. Please use the donate button above to help in relief efforts.