Updated 25 February 2014: documentary now embedded in page
A DOCUMENTARY about The Salvation Army's response in The Philippines to Typhoon Haiyan will receive its premiere on Monday 24 February at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, and online at the www.savn.tv website. The film was put together by the team from SAVN.tv (Salvation Army Vision Network), which is based in the USA Western Territory.
Commissioner Jim Knaggs (Territorial Commander, USA Western) writes: 'More than three months after Typhoon Haiyan ravaged The Philippines it is no longer front page news, yet the suffering and relief efforts continue. The Philippines government says at least 6,166 people were killed, 28,626 were injured and 1,785 are still missing.'
The documentary, titled Bayanihan – A Journey of Hope, follows two Salvation Army cadets as they search for their families, not knowing if they have survived the typhoon or not. It is a journey of hope, a mixture of despair and desolation, ultimately triumphing through bayanihan – a Filipino term taken from the word bayan, which mean a nation, town or community. Bayanihan refers to a spirit of communal unity or effort to achieve a particular objective.
'Someone has said: "What the eye cannot see, the heart cannot grieve,"' adds the commissioner. 'This documentary was filmed and timed for release, so that the eye can see, and the the heart grieve, some three months later. Our prayerful and financial support is needed now, more than ever – especially because most of the initial support has faded into the background.'
Salvationists and friends are encouraged to watch the film and to share it with colleagues and fellow church members.
IHQ Communications would like to thank the USA Western Territory and SAVN.tv for their willingness to work in partnership in telling the world about The Salvation Army's international ministry.
Bayanihan – A Journey of Hope will be streamed online at www.savn.tv at 6pm PST on Monday 24 February 2014.
Report by IHQ Communications
International Headquarters