VOL. XIX, NO. 21 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA NOV. 25, 1991 Storms hlast the Philippines: many ~illed, memhers spared By Jeff E. Zhorne Kieffer vi ited Ormoc a week would appreciate the prayers of 1ANlLA, Philippine -Deadly after the disaster, the evidence of the brethren, however. By last tropical storm Thelma and ty­ de truction was everywhere: report. electricity and water ser­ phoon Ruth caused an avalanche dozens of de troyed dwellings. vice to Ormoc were cut off and of de truction thi autumn. downed power and telephone will not be fully re tored for at Overall. Church member fared line . knee-deep mud on ide least two months. \\ell but more than 2.300 people treets and hundreds of homeIe ­ were reponed killed and ten of people milling around makeshift 140-rnile-an-hour winds thou and left homele after refugee centers. Typhoon Ruth hit northern Thelma truck • ov. 5. Pre ident "A sickening tench greeted u Luzon i land Oct. 26 and 27. Corazon Aquino declared everal everywhere." aid Mr. Kieffer. bringing winds of 225 kilometers regions di aster area . "On the morning of our visit (140 mile) an hour. Ruth i con­ another body was recovered from sidered one of the strongest This article was compiled the mud." typhoon ever to hit northern from reports by Paul Kieffer, Mr. Bragas' hou e till bore Luzon, according to Mr. Kieffer. Philippine regional director, witness of the flood, with neigh­ High.winds and heavy rains alld media accounts. bors and family members carrying accompanying the storm lasted for History is accelerating, says buckets of mud out of the house. three days, blasting three church "I never aw anything like it Across the street, two to four feet pastorates: the Santiago and EC ambassador to PTnews editor before," aid Emilio 0 mena, a of mud covered the athletic field. Roxas churches. and an outlying provincial governor who visited Despite losing everything on Bible study in Tuguegarao; We are living in a time that Andreas Van Agt (left), EC ambassador the we t coa t of Leyte i land by the first floor of the house. Mrs. Baguio and Mankayan; and the to the United States, calls the "acceleration of history." Mr. Van helicopter. "Bodie \\ ere every­ Braga said: "Thank God we are San Fernando. La Union, and Agt speaks with Gene Hogberg about U.S. relations with the where. Children. old women. It all alive. That i what really Laoag churche . European Community, before his address to the World Affairs was really vel") ad." counts anywa) .,. Pastor Hone to Ru tia reported Council in Los Angeles, Nov. 7. [Photo by GA Belluche Jr.] Mr. Braga and hi family (see STORMS, page 3) Wall of water Onnoc. a pon city of 150.000 about 340 mile southeast of o. God expect that a per on the gospel-the good news­ Manila. will long remember 'ov. repent and begin tithing faithful­ does entail the great future hope 5. when tropical torm Thelma ly from that point forward. for all God's people--the sec­ dumped more than six inches of PERSONAL FROM However, each one should pray ond coming of Ie u Christ. and rain in two hours. for God's understanding and Rainwater ran off the nearby WJ~ the establishment of his rule hills (which had been denuded by / decide what to do about unpaid over all nations. unlawful logging) without ob­ tithe as his or her con cience Yet, there are al 0 equally struction. AI o. illegally built irri­ Dear Brethren, do good and does not do it, to before God demand . important past and pre ent gation catch-ba in , high in the aspects of the go pel. A God' We continue to hold back him it is sin" (lame 4:17, ew Proclaim the go pel mountains and used b) sugarcane King James). people, we need to under tand barons, collap ed under the pre ­ expenses wherever po ible We all realize that God ha and focus on all the go pel, not I pray that any who have been sure of exce rainfall and added as we pray for a turnaround given us a job to do-to pro­ just anyone part of it. (Thi is keeping God's tithe will repent to the flood de cending on Ormoc, in the recession. claim the gospel of the kingdom. one of the many les ons to be Mr. Kieffer told The Worldwide and begin to tithe in faithfulne . But just what is the go pel of the gained by keeping the three News. Year-to-date income re­ The question ometimes ari ­ kingdom of God? "A 10-foot-high wall of water mains at about 5 percent annual fe tival sea on .) filled with log , mud and debri under last year. Let's all be es, would God nece sarily Sometimes, it is all too easy If we focus mo t of our atten­ came crashing through the center praying for an upturn in require that tithes be made up to think of the gospel of the tion on just one part of the of the city, sweeping hundred of income, as well as for God's that had not been previou Iy kingdom as having to do primar­ gospel, it is likely that we will residents downstream," said Mr. paid? ily with a future event. Indeed, (see PERSONAL, page 3) Kieffer. "Officials counted 6.000 wisdom in how and where to human ca ualties and another trim expenses. 2.000 missing or pre umed I certainly pray that all minis­ drowned." ter and members are faithful in Reports from Ormoc aid hun­ tithing, and not holding back on Answering vital questions dred of bodie were een floating that which belong to God. I in the flooded treets after fast-ri ­ know there alway eems to be a Biblical cover stories support Plain Truth focus ing water 'urged eight to 12 feet percentage in the Church who, deep in a ingle hour. for whatever reason. do not tithe George Bragas. a ingle mem­ By Bernard W. Schnippert zine a year from now. with a clearer under tanding of ber in Tacloban (hometown of and find way· to excu e their PASADE A-Since the Plain Here are ummarie of Plain what it mean to follow Jesu former Fir t Lady Imelda Mar­ unfaithfulne . God i patient Truth staff plan cover and cover Truth cover torie cheduled to Christ. cos), stood waiting at a jeepney and merciful to all, and forgive stories before publication, writers appear between January and June The March is ue of The Plain station about 100 meters (60 when we repent. A James are already working on article 1992. (Please keep in mind. how­ Truth feature a cover article titled yards) from hi home when the wrote. "To him who knows to scheduled to appear in the maga- ever, that some of these articles "Missing the Mark-the Average wall of water came rushing down are still developing. and the focus Sinner's Guide to Sin." the street. could change.) Today's religious education He grabbed an anchored con­ often tells people they are "sin­ crete pillar of a shed. swam aero r;; Zaire: Courage in face of scarcity Bernard W. Schnippert is ner ," that they need to "repent" Media Operations director. and that they need to be .. aved." the street and waited on the roof I- Although food is still scarce and outrageously expensive, of a neighbor' hou e until the "brethren are hanging on with remarkable courage," said These expressions have tended to We will begin 1992 with "Have become, however, religious clich­ water subsided. Bernard Andrist, who serves brethren in Zaire. Mr. Andrist You Read the Book?" This article es. Cutting through uch cliche , When Ted Sernal, Tacloban gave an update on brethren facing difficulties in this central asks readers if they've read the the article helps reader under­ pastor, his wife, Luz, and Mr. African country. Bible, a yearly best-seller translat­ stand exactly what sin is, what's In Kinshasa, 217 members and families attended services ed into 1,500 language . so bad about it, what happens if Nov. 9. Brethren seem to be getting small quantities of beans, The article says readers may be we don't repent and what should and they also eat tutu, a starch-filled root paste made with surprised by what the Bible ays happen when we do. manioc (cassava). Fufu is tasteless but it fills your stomach. INSIDE and how it can change lives, bring "In the Steps of Paul," the cover Many citizens were killed in early November, when the happiness, help olve problems article for the April issue, discu s­ army threw grenades in bars where people opposed the and give life meaning. es the apostle Paul's me sage as regime of President Mobutu Sese Seko. After Mr. Mobutu's Ever been "Whatever Happened to ew government announced its intent to arrest all foreign media he fIrst entered Europe in the mid­ Testament Chri tianity?" i the dle of the first century. reporters, the reporters fled to neighboring Brazzaville. snubbed? .. 2 title of the February lead article. It Of the three governments existing side by side, Mr. Mobu­ The article goes on to how that points out fundamental precepts of this message of salvation the tu's seems the most powerful and influential. Much of the Coup in Haiti: army appears faithful to him. the Christian religion as portrayed Greeks received nearly 2.000 A few days ago the U.S.