Monday, September 28, 2009

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Typhoon Ondoy Demolishes Metro Manila

Typhoon Ondoy hit Manila 2 days ago.
106 dead.
247,000 affected.

Lorna and I were blessed to be staying in the home of a friend at a higher part of the city and therefore did not get flooded. although we were worried because we were right beside a rushing river that swelled with the heavy rainfall. We are safe though. We just lost our power for a day.

In many other parts of Manila it is a completely different story.





If you would like to give financially to the victims of the flooding, we would be happy to help be your arm to the nations. We are here in Manila until Dec 1 and can give to the many needs here. This is another way that Within Reach Global is expanding and growing, and able to bless more nations.

If you would like to give toward relief work for the many thousands of people whose lives were affected by Typhoon Ondoy, click here:

Also we are getting ready to print the Ako Ay Pilipino (I Am Filipino) coffee table book next month and are needing to raise $10,000 for 5000 copies to be printed in China (super cheap!). we are truly praying that this will spark a hunger for righteous governance, and therefore see the Philippines blessed by God's hand.

If you would like to give toward the printing of the Ako Ay Pilipino book, click here:

Saturday, September 19, 2009

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Growth and expansion of Within Reach Global

We are so amazed to see the growth and expansion of Within Reach Global this year! Nations, tribes, and countless peoples are being impacted, and we are honored to work alongside God is His redemptive salvation plan.

In the last few months we have seen an explosion in open doors for Within Reach Global. We are excited to step out into new frontiers beyond China and its border nations, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Tibet. With the Philippines now on the map, excitement grows as we play a part in helping transform nations with the establishment of the kingdom of God.



We are currently in the Philippines until early December, spear heading a movement called Ako Ay Pilipino (I Am Filipino). But still the China work is flourishing even in our absence. Our local Chinese coworkers are faithfully traveling to unreached people groups, preaching the gospel and planting underground churches

It all started with a crisis. After many months of being chronically ill in China with stomach pains, shoulder issues, back spasms and a list of other problems, David and Lorna decided to go to the Philippines for medical help. They got the care they needed, and began to feel better after a friend treated them to a little R&R in Cebu island.

They visited the statue of Lapu Lapu, a famous warrior who killed Spanish colonialists when they first arrived in the Philippine islands in 1521. It was at this significant location that God spoke.

“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.’”   ~Habakkuk 2:2

A vision to challenge the Filipinos for their part in fulfilling the Great Commission had been growing in Lorna’s heart for years, and she felt that this was finally the time. And so the huge and numerous projects of Ako Ay Pilipino began.



Returning from China, David and Lorna dove right into the task by searching for volunteers who could help with research, writing, editing and design.

The project? A 250 page coffee table book about the identity and destiny of Filipinos as seen through the 490 years of history since the cross was first planted in the Philippines. What started as a good idea has now shaped into a God idea.

David and Lorna are now overseeing 25 volunteers, coordinating the creation of the coffee table book, advertising, texts, website, huge billboards in public areas, short films and television and radio programs. With the upcoming May 2010 presidential elections and all the corruption and injustice that takes place during that time, this may very well swing the vote for a righteous presidential candidate.

The book and project launch will take place at the annual National Prayer Gathering led by the Intercessors of the Philippines in Cebu on November 17th of this year. Hundreds of churches around the country will be represented there. Is it impossible to finished this project? Yes! But with God all things are possible, and the righteous will live by faith!

Right now we are contacting large companies in the Philippines who want to jump on board in making this nationwide movement successful in sharing the identity and destiny of the Philippines.

Ako Ay Pilipino movement aims to stir up patriotism, passion for true freedom, and prayer that leads to the fulfillment of the prophetic destiny of the Philippines.

We were also amazed to hear that Lorna will be introducing the project at the National Prayer Gathering in November directly after some of the Philippines presidential candidates speak! God has truly stooped down to make us great, creating opportunities to change this wonderful nation by the power of God.

Check out some of the potential book pages here.

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

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"You're back in the Philippines?"

That's what a number of people have asked us. "But why?"

Well let me share with you some of the amazing things that are going on right now.



First of all, last year Lorna and I officially started a ministry called Within Reach Global (formerly China Project). We felt like the Lord was leading us to bigger things, things that encompassed nations even beyond China. And this year He has already began to confirm that through prophesies fulfilled and projects began.

Next year will be the 490th year since the Philippines was "found" by the Spaniards in 1521. A grouping of "seventy sevens", leading to the 490th year that Daniel spoke about in chapter nine:

"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

Lorna has been praying for almost 2 years about how to bless her nation, and the Lord suddenly put it in her heart to do a big project tracing the history of the Philippines, identity of Filipinos, and destiny for the nation.



So we are partnered with Intercessors for the Philippines to do the impossible: a 365 day full color daily readings devotional, websites, billboards on crowded streets, short films for tv, programs for radio and penetrate the whole Philippine society for the coming elections in 2010. The point? To challenge Filipinos to arise to their true destiny and help restore righteousness in the nation. This may even swing the vote for the coming May 2010 elections where the pastor of the biggest church in the Philippines is running for the presidency!

We are super excited about this project, and honored to be working here at this time.

No, we are not abandoning China. In fact, we have recently released all our local co-workers to their respective areas to impact the tribal groups they are working among while we are away, empowering them to succeed.

Please lift us up as we are here in Manila for the next 3 months in this time of destiny for the nation. We want to speed His coming and make the greatest impact on this generation!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

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Currently Under God By Toby Mac, Michael Tait see related

Within Reach Global update:

We arrived back in Kunming, China safely 2 days ago. Our time in Manila, Philippines was an amazing one. A total of 6 weeks Lorna was there, and David, 4 weeks.



After all the tests and medical procedures, we are okay. We do, however, need to be careful of the water in China (even brushing our teeth and washing our vegetables), and be careful of the food we eat. It's tough though, when traveling to villages over 10 hours from the city. The food we eat is very unsanitary. Cat. Dog. Bee larvae. There's a lot of sacrifices we make being here in China, but it is all part of our calling for the peoples yet to hear.


David's belly is getting better. He is keeping a daily food diary.
David still has a degenerated disc in his back, but is taking it easy.
Lorna's shoulder is getting better after the treatment in Manila.
And after the medical tests, we hope to get pregnant soon.

But what we thought was simply a medical trip to the Philippines turned out to be so much more.



Something has been brewing in Lorna's heart for over 2 years now, and it is finally taking place. We are sorry we have to be so vague about this project, but it is still in the planning and organizing stages because it is so nation-changing. It will stir the hearts of Filipinos around the world, and help Philippines fulfill its destiny! Within Reach Global is now able to expand to other nations in Asia. We are very excited about it.

And so we are needing some resources. We need a Macbook Air.
 
   

We also need 10 copies of Under God to be sent to our address (email us for the address details at withinreachglobal@gmail.com).

If you feel like God is stirring your heart to give towards one of these needs, please let us know. We can share more about the Philippines project personally.

Until then, stay in touch on Facebook. It is actually blocked in China right now, along with our Xanga blog, Twitter, and countless other sites, so we need a VPN to get around the Great Firewall of China. But we would love to hear from you and see how we can move nations together! God is bringing us to new levels and we are open to see how He moves...

Thursday, July 09, 2009

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this is the longest lorna and i have ever been apart: 2 weeks. and it's driving us insane!

our problem is a good one. we courted for so long (nearly 7 years), and it was a long distance relationship, me in china, lorna in philippines. so almost 6 years into our marriage we still feel like we're on our honeymoon!



i am in the hong kong airport in transit right now. flying to manila this evening to see my girl. we were both in philippines for 3 weeks, and lorna had to extend because of medical reasons. i had so much to do in china at good world studios, my new creative studio, that i returned home to help build websites and do a lot of video editing. my film company website just got up and running this week: www.doubleplusgoodfilms.com. we have been creating short films for non profits, ngo's and foreign businesses in china. trying to make some extra money, boosting support for our many projects in china.

so this evening i will arrive in manila and stay for 1 week. so here's the prayer request:
 
please lift lorna and i up as we do some procedures to help get pregnant. we have been trying for years, and are trusting that the Lord will bless us with a baby. also we are pr  aying for the finances to pay for all our previous medical problems. though the total costs are a fraction of the price they would be in america, it is still hard for us on the budget we are on.

okay. back to lorna... man, i can't wait to see her! 9 more hours...