Islanders Look to God After Typhoon Devastation

As the storm’s torrent ravaged the tiny island of Saipan, Aega pleaded with God to save her.

“I held on to God for 72 hours,” she said. “I was praying that I wouldn’t die here in my living room, and He answered that prayer.”

Super Typhoon Sinlaku roared from the north against her hillside neighbourhood, she recalled, and circled back again from the south a day later. The 150-mph winds flipped the neighbor’s roof against her house. She taped towels over her windows in a futile attempt to stop the storm’s fury. The glass panes shattered, and the front doors flew open sending debris into her home. In the chaos of the massive cyclone, something hit Aega in her left side, cracking her upper rib.

“All I could do was pray even though I hadn’t talked to God for a long time,” she said. “I cried more than I have in my entire life. I don’t know how loud I cried.”

Only days later, the single mother had to return to work at the airport to coordinate emergency and relief flights. As she sat at her desk overlooking the airstrip, she saw the Samaritan’s Purse plane arrive bringing relief items and hope to the battered island.

Treating the Pain, Healing the Soul

Using our 767 aircraft, the largest in our fleet, Samaritan’s Purse delivered emergency relief to Saipan, the main island of the Northern Marianas in the western Pacific. Our aircraft made two airlifts to the distant U.S. territory, first on April 18 and again three days later. Now, we are also serving typhoon survivors in the neighbouring Tinian island, where roughly 2,000 people reside.

To support the damaged medical infrastructure on the island, we’ve set up and staffed an outpatient clinic to treat basic medical needs and refill vital prescriptions. We’ve also set up three clinic restart facilities to help small, damaged health centres get back to seeing patients. And, we’ve sent out mobile medical teams to displacement shelters across the island.

“We pray that, especially, the underserved and the marginalised would feel remembered and encouraged at this time,” said Sacha Thew, the medical director for the response. “And ultimately feel the love of Christ.”

With a grimace, Aega walked into the Samaritan’s Purse clinic holding her side in pain. The same spirit of comfort she felt as she prayed during the storm overwhelmed her when she entered our facility.

“For the first time, someone prayed for me and just listened to me. I was asking myself, ‘Who are these people?’” she said of the Samaritan’s Purse doctors. “They didn’t only treat for the pain, but they also showed care for me as a human.”

Before leaving with pain medication and other resources to aid her recovery, Dr. Dan Doolittle, a Samaritan’s Purse doctor, grabbed her hands. “God rules from Heaven,” he reminded her, “Jesus sits on the throne and watches over us. He saved you.”

After years of drifting from God, the typhoon drew Aega back to her Saviour. She prayed and rededicated her life anew to the Lord as she exited our hospital.

“I have, for my entire life, worried—but now all I can do is be thankful to God that He sent Samaritan’s Purse,” she said. “I will go to church again. God helped me and saved me for something.

“It’s not about the medicine to help my pain, it’s the prayer that’s healed me,” she continued. “Thank you for bringing God’s Spirit to Saipan to help those who need it.”

Thanking God for Timely Relief

In addition to our medical work, we are providing residents with clean water and other relief airlifted aboard our 767. Beside the turquoise waters of the tropical island, our two desalination systems have pumped over 15,000 gallons of clean water to date and continue to attract hundreds of families in need each day. Through church partners, we’ve distributed thousands of tarps, solar lights, and jerry cans; hundreds of mosquito nets; and more relief items. Dozens of generators are going to the sick in the community who need electricity most.

“I want to say thank you on behalf of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands,” said the territory’s governor, David Apatang, as he visited one of our water purification sites. “This is one of the strongest typhoons to hit our islands and I want to say thank you to Samaritan’s Purse for serving my people.”

One of those who received a generator is Loida, whom doctors once told she had only three days to live after being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease. That was 13 years ago.

When the typhoon ripped the roof off her home and knocked out the electricity, she again worried for her life. She relies on a nebuliser to live and must refrigerate her insulin. A week after the storm, the 63-year-old was still out of power and out of options until she heard about Samaritan’s Purse generators at a local church.

Pastor Chad Taflinger, and his wife, Angela, of Saipan Church of the Nazarene partnered with Samaritan’s Purse to hand out 10 generators to the sick and vulnerable among them. They identified several people in their island community who desperately needed electricity—in some cases—to stay alive. Loida was first on their mind.

“These are all little pieces of hope that get people through that day, reminding them that the church is here in the mess with you,” Pastor Chad said. “These items are bridge-builders that allow us to communicate with people who have been right here the whole time, but we’ve never actually talked to them.”

Loida, a strong Christ-follower, thanked the Lord for His provision.

“This generator means so much to me,” Loida said softly as she held back tears, “because this is my life that’s at stake.”

Her husband, Mariano, also welled with tears as he hauled the heavy box into the car. A culinary teacher on the neighbouring island, Mariano couldn’t go to work and leave knowing his wife was at home without electricity. Money was thin. He felt trapped under the pressures of life until Samaritan’s Purse stepped in.

“God is good,” he said relieved. “I can take care of my family. I can know that my wife is safe.”

Within each aspect of our response to the Marianas, the Gospel is proclaimed. Chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are on the ground sowing seeds of Gospel love among the hurting people. We praise God that for those men and women who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour so far during this response.

Saipan and Tinian are beginning to recover, and many families will forever be changed by the love of God as they’ve seen it on display through Samaritan’s Purse staff. As our response continues, pray for the local church as they teach and disciple new believers—and even seasoned Christians—who’ve found refuge in His presence through this storm.