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The Salvation Army in the Philippines assists evacuees from the Middle East.
A Salvation Army program in the USA providing assistance to American citizens evacuated from Lebanon has led to a similar program being set up in the Philippines, with many people now receiving vital assistance.
When hostilities broke out in Lebanon, The Salvation Army in New Jersey provided help to hundreds of passengers who were evacuated from the region and flown to McGuire Air Force Base.
Personal hygiene products, teddy bears, phone cards and emergency financial assistance were provided to those in need. Casework services were also provided in collaboration with the US Department of Health and Human Services and the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
When The Salvation Army in the Philippines learned about the work in the USA, Army representatives made contact with the Philippine government, and this led to a partnership which was formed with the Overseas Workers Welfare Organization (OWWA). All workers returning from Lebanon to the Philippines were taken to the OWWA center, and Salvationists were allowed to meet with them to offer help and support, as well as providing food parcels.
The Salvation Army team was also asked to visit three workers who were hospitalized. Again the Army provided food and personal items, along with two new wheelchairs so the patients can attend therapy sessions.
The assistance being provided by The Salvation Army in the Philippines comes at a very busy time for the territory. Chief Secretary Lt. Colonel Graham Durston reports: “We are also providing food for 400 families evacuated from below a volcano which is showing all the signs of imminent eruption, and there is another operation now in progress providing food, blankets and other assistance to flood victims.”
From an international news release