A message of love and hope for the Philippines

By +Most Rev. Isao Yama Kikuchi, Regional President of Caritas Asia

To our dear brothers and sisters in the Philippines,

The 23 Caritas member organisations in Asia, along with other Caritas members from other regions that are present in Asia, are one in conveying to you our deepest sympathy and concern for the loss of your loved ones who perished from the wrath of the Super Typhoon Haiyan.

We are deeply saddened by the widespread devastation and loss of lives caused by the typhoon. We hope that in the midst of the great sorrow and pain, you will find comfort in the fact that millions of people, including our Caritas family, are in solidarity with you.

On behalf of the Caritas confederation in Asia, Caritas Asia brings you our message of love and hope, as well as, our prayers and our commitment to lend a helping hand in rebuilding the shattered lives of the typhoon victims.

In our capacity as a Caritas confederation in Asia, we hope and pray that the indomitable spirit that resides within you as a Filipino people, together with your deep faith in God, will continue to be as strong as ever to help you rise above this great tragedy. May you find courage in God and always be reminded that our strength emanates from Him.

We join you in your prayers for the speedy recovery of our brothers and sisters who were battered by the typhoon. May the passage in the scripture that says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me,” [Psalm 23:4] resonate in our prayers, so that we may find courage and hope in these times of sorrow.

As Caritas, we also join the other members of our confederation across the globe in sharing with you our resources, and in exerting our best efforts to bring humanitarian aid to the communities that have suffered the brunt of the typhoon.

Our Caritas family will work side by side with NASSA-Caritas Philippines in delivering timely and appropriate aid to the victims. In close coordination with the affected communities, we will do what best we can to help in alleviating the suffering of the afflicted families; rebuild their lives; and bring back the bright future that awaits them.

Caritas will be with you in these difficult times.

+Most Rev. Isao Yama Kikuchi, Regional President of Caritas Asia