Dear Leaders and Friends,
It is almost hard to believe that we scheduled a visit to Tacloban City and Mayor Romualdez within 10 days of the monster typhoon that has turned the airport we would have flown though into a temporary morgue. No building in this coastal city of 200,000 residents appears to have escaped damage from Haiyan. The house where I would have been staying had the roof torn off and the Mayor and his wife had to swim to survive.
My dear friend Jerome Ocampo has made a strong argument on behalf of me returning next week in the event that the executive team made this decision, but I shared the following with him:
1.) I understand that Manila was largely spared and we can still do much of our conference, but I cannot imagine returning and bypassing this city (Tacloban) as I believe God put it on the original schedule for a reason and I need to go there when I return. To do so now would not make sense.
2.) I think it is in the spirit of being "As One" to not engage me at a time when Tacloban and its 7 Mountain leaders will be left out.
3.) Leif Hetland and Jack Taylor are the perfect men for this moment. Let Leif do his part in healing the land and Papa Jack inspire with a word on the "unshakable kingdom," and I will follow up with a word on restoring and building when I come back.
4.) Even now I sense the Lord is forming a clearer word within me for the nation. The Southern region with its earthquake at 7.2 and this super storm following, is evidence that a massive shaking and almost cosmic shifting of the nation is underway. Following on the heals of riots over corruption, I believe the leaders of the land will be all the more receptive to a Nehemiah word on how to rebuild the spiritual walls and the culture of its leading cities.
5.) I mentioned dates to Jerome for early December, but that will not work because of pressing family commitments with my children. I have great flexibility in January and February. It would be a great time to visit with the theme of "A Fresh Start: Building on a New Foundation." This would be a great National theme for business, government and church.
More than ever I am convinced that the Philippines, renown for its servant spirit, is called to be a leader-- a servant leader- among the Pacific Rim nations. You will model for others how a "Sheep Nation" is formed. All of these traumas and disruptions are going to work together to build a platform for a new generation of leaders to emerge with a fresh message on how to build an unshakable, prosperous and blessed Nation.
This is your hour and I am honored to be part of your company.
Respectfully - AS ONE with you,
Lance
It is almost hard to believe that we scheduled a visit to Tacloban City and Mayor Romualdez within 10 days of the monster typhoon that has turned the airport we would have flown though into a temporary morgue. No building in this coastal city of 200,000 residents appears to have escaped damage from Haiyan. The house where I would have been staying had the roof torn off and the Mayor and his wife had to swim to survive.
My dear friend Jerome Ocampo has made a strong argument on behalf of me returning next week in the event that the executive team made this decision, but I shared the following with him:
1.) I understand that Manila was largely spared and we can still do much of our conference, but I cannot imagine returning and bypassing this city (Tacloban) as I believe God put it on the original schedule for a reason and I need to go there when I return. To do so now would not make sense.
2.) I think it is in the spirit of being "As One" to not engage me at a time when Tacloban and its 7 Mountain leaders will be left out.
3.) Leif Hetland and Jack Taylor are the perfect men for this moment. Let Leif do his part in healing the land and Papa Jack inspire with a word on the "unshakable kingdom," and I will follow up with a word on restoring and building when I come back.
4.) Even now I sense the Lord is forming a clearer word within me for the nation. The Southern region with its earthquake at 7.2 and this super storm following, is evidence that a massive shaking and almost cosmic shifting of the nation is underway. Following on the heals of riots over corruption, I believe the leaders of the land will be all the more receptive to a Nehemiah word on how to rebuild the spiritual walls and the culture of its leading cities.
5.) I mentioned dates to Jerome for early December, but that will not work because of pressing family commitments with my children. I have great flexibility in January and February. It would be a great time to visit with the theme of "A Fresh Start: Building on a New Foundation." This would be a great National theme for business, government and church.
More than ever I am convinced that the Philippines, renown for its servant spirit, is called to be a leader-- a servant leader- among the Pacific Rim nations. You will model for others how a "Sheep Nation" is formed. All of these traumas and disruptions are going to work together to build a platform for a new generation of leaders to emerge with a fresh message on how to build an unshakable, prosperous and blessed Nation.
This is your hour and I am honored to be part of your company.
Respectfully - AS ONE with you,
Lance