Miracle Rain

Well, I'm exhausted but wired and have to write this before I sleep.  Tonight we had a "Prayer Encounter" Evening for our youth.  It is an interactive environment where they can walk through rooms in the building, which are set up as different prayer stations, with different ways of praying.  We had a powerful time and at the end we gathered together to worship.  That morning God had shown me a picture and said "Ask me for rain".  I thought he was speaking spiritually but tonight I felt like we were to ask him for rain in the natural.  You see, the Philippines is in the middle of a terrible drought.  We have had no rain for months!  Every day is dry.  Many farmers are losing their land and livelihood.  Everything is parched.  We have had city water in the pipes for about 3 hours only in the last six or so weeks.  There are power cuts throughout the Philippines as the dams are so low and there are electricity shortages.


So for some time the young people passionately cried out for rain.  First in the natural, but then also in the spiritual.  We rejoiced, sung and danced as we declared that Forever, God is faithful and His love endures forever.  As we were preparing to leave....the youth started shouting "It's raining!!"  and it was..... 
God truly is faithful.  All the way home, the kids were just saying over and over.. "It's a miracle.  God is so good."

He loves the Philippines.   And so do I.....

Joy

For years, my daughter and I would pray together knelt down at the front of our church... 
"Jesus, we just want to be where you want us. You say the word and we will go for you, wherever that may be."

Never did I imagine it would be the Philippines. 
I imagined somewhere else. I imagined the cost. I imagined the losses. 


Never could I have imagined the depth of love I would feel for this nation. 
Never could I have imagined the joy.

The joy of seeing children coming off the street, in school, worshipping Jesus.

The joy of seeing family after family turning to Jesus

The joy of locals rising as leaders

The joy of hearing people so excited about all God is doing in their lives...

Today, at our after-school ministry for kids (pictured above), one of our sponsored girls, came bouncing towards me - face shining.

She told me how God had met her and some other young teens the day before. They had gone up on a huge rock and began to share their struggles and problems with each other. After this they relocated to one of the boys homes. When they got there the boy suggested they pray for each other and for their problems. As they did, the presence of God came into that house so strong. Chris May said to me "We did it! We had our own house church. Just like you do!" Jesus was shining from her. God is raising young revivalists. What a joy!