Pastor Cenor was in his church building along a steep mountainside when the earthquake hit. His church, which met on a rooftop and was appropriately named Rooftop Baptist, came crumbling to the ground and Pastor Cenor was buried under tons of concrete. After several minutes, which I’m sure felt like hours, the ground became still and Cenor was miraculously able to crawl out of the rubble. To his horror, his mountainside, which was home to hundreds of his neighbors, was nothing but piles of concrete. He could hear the cries of people buried alive in their homes. With incredible bravery and strength he immediately ran to their aid. And as the sun set on that horrible January day, Pastor Cenor dug through the debris and pulled his people out. And one by one he placed the injured Haitians on his shoulder and carried them up the mountain to safety. He repeated this all through the night. One by one, he carried these dying people up the mountain. And as long as he had strength he climbed back down and saved one more. He recalls several who were alive when he rescued them but by the time he reached the mountaintop they had died. He also recalls countless others who were trapped under the rubble that he could not save. Their church continued to meet on top of the rubble for worship each week and just this year they were able to relocate and rebuild. As Pastor Cenor told me this story, I could see straight to his heart. This man loves his people and he would literally give his life for them. What a beautiful picture of the Gospel.

Pastor Leny & his wife Margery recall similar events. They were in their home in the city when the earthquake came, not far from the epicenter. Their home was almost completely destroyed. Pastor Leny, Margery, and their son just barely made it out of their house and into the street before it crashed to the ground. Pastor Leny described the street like an ocean wave. He said it was literally swaying up and down. As the quake ceased, Leny and his wife began searching for survivors. Margery, with tears streaming down her face, recalls seeing hands reaching out of the rubble and screaming for help. There was nothing they could do. They had no equipment that could lift tons of concrete. All they could do is pray with these dying people. Leny said it seemed like a warzone. Hundreds of people filled their church and into the street looking to them for help. For months, hundreds of people lived in their yard. For months, this sweet family sacrificed everything for their people.

Dorothy, a local missionary, held a flashlight all night long for surgeries happening in the parking lot of the hospital.

Sherrie, another missionary, opened her school and it became a hospital and a hotel. She went days without eating, trying her very best to feed her children and their families.

Francisco, a 16 year old boy, lost his little brother.

Jacqueline lost her son.

Charles lost his wife.

Everyone lost someone. The pain of their suffering is still very real. And yet, because of the grace of God in their lives, they stood back up, brushed themselves off, and said God is good. The joy on their faces, their love for Jesus, and their heart for their country is absolutely amazing. God is working here in ways we cannot understand.

It has been an honor and a privilege to minister alongside these pastors and missionaries this week. By the grace of God, we were able to see 34 Haitians come to faith in Jesus. We have 34 names. 34 people whose lives have been radically changed by the Gospel. 34 people that will be baptized and discipled. But that’s only a drop in the bucket for the revival that is happening right now in Haiti. That’s why we focus so much on pastors training and missionary encouragement. These pastors and missionaries are here day in and day out. They are the untold heroes. The ones whose only aim is to bring glory to their Savior. Not wealth, recognition, or fame.

It has been incredible to see those 34 people come to faith in Jesus. But how many more can we see come to Jesus through these 200 pastors, these dozens of full-time missionaries, and the thousands of church members who love Jesus and love their people? So we pray that our impact in Haiti would not just be from this one short week, but from a longer partnership.

Relationships built. Pastors trained. Missionaries encouraged. Churches strengthened. And the Gospel proclaimed. God has changed many lives this week. Not just the lives we’ve ministered to, but our lives as well. The Gospel changes everyone.

God was working in Haiti long before we got here and He will continue to work long after we’re gone. Greater things are yet to come.

- Jacob

We are staying at a school/orphanage led by a missionary named Sherrie Fausey. She’s an elderly lady who’s been here for over 11 years and has a great heart and vision for these people. 60% of Haiti is illiterate. The majority of those who do receive an education leave Haiti for a “better life” in the U.S. Thus Haiti is without future leaders. Sherrie’s vision for her students is to bring them up in the Word of God and prayerfully raise up great godly educated leaders to bring real change to this suffering country. And she’s doing just that. These students are some of the sweetest and smartest kids I’ve seen. In fact, I was told that Sherrie’s students are considered by many to be the brightest in Port Au Prince. Sherrie’s story really is incredible – How God spared her life in the earthquake and used her in a mighty way to bring hope admits incredible chaos. But that will be a story to share another time. Sherrie didn’t set out to start an orphanage but to start only a school. But the orphans came. What was she to do? The Lord has greatly blessed her ministry and we plan to continue to partner with her for years to come.

Please continue to pray for us this week. The women on our team are doing an incredible job teaching the Haitian women how to be godly wives, mothers, and teachers. Our men are preaching, teaching, and serving literally wherever there is a need. The needs are great. Pray that God will lead us to the needs He wants us to meet. Most importantly, pray that He will guide our steps to give the Gospel to those who’s hearts are ready to receive it. The Haitian people need a lot of help, but more than anything they need Jesus.

- Jacob Via

Over the past 16 years we have taken short-term mission teams all over the world. God has faithfully opened the door for us to preach the Gospel in over 40 countries.  We’ve taken over 500 volunteers with us from 50 different local churches.  We are so very thankful that God has chosen to use this ministry to help assist the local church in the Great Commission.  And He’s not done yet. It is the desire of our ministry to partner with the body of Christ in a way that is fruitful and beneficial both to God’s people and a lost world.  This ministry exists to help facilitate the ministry of the local church in taking the Gospel to a world in need of hope. In order to better communicate this vision, we have made the decision to change the name of this ministry from World Reach Ministries to World Reach Partnerships. What a beautiful partnership it can be when God’s people are united for the sake of His Kingdom.  We would love the opportunity to partner with your church in a missions endeavor.  From training your team to planning the logistics of the trip, we want to make your next mission trip a great experience. In 2012, we are planning missions to Haiti, Uganda, Jamaica, Philippines, Honduras, and Cuba. Please see our website or contact Jacob Via for further information on our trips this year.  It is our desire to see every local church directly involved in going and sending. Together we can take the Gospel to thousands of souls around the world.

September 11, 2001. I’ll never forget where I was and how I found out. I was about 5,000 miles away from home – in the southern tip of Brazil working with some some wonderful pastors and churches there. Early that Tuesday morning, September 11, I was meeting one of the pastors in his home for prayer. The pastor did not speak English, but he did know one word – Emergency. And he kept saying it over and over “Emergency! Emergency!” I was having great difficultly trying to understand what the emergency was. Was there a problem in the church? Was there an emergency in the pastor’s family? Or an emergency here in Brazil? Finally the pastor, with a serious look of concern on his face, ushered me into his living room and turned on his television. He turned on CNN International and we watched in shock as the second plane flew into the south tower of the World Trade Center. That report was interrupted by another report that a plane had hit the Pentagon. That report was interrupted by yet another report that a plane had gone down in the fields of Pennsylvania. I remember standing there thinking, Lord, what is going on? The next report could be a mushroom cloud or nuclear explosion.

I’ve been further away from home before, doing ministry around the world. But in that moment I can tell you that I have never felt so far away from home in all of my life. As soon as I could get a phone call through, I called my family in Virginia. I spoke to my frightened 11 year old daughter who cried and cried over the phone. And then she said 3 words that broke my heart. I will never forget it. “Daddy, come home.” I don’t know what went through your mind when you found out. But I can tell you what went through my mind – I want to go home. I want to take my wife and my 5 children and hold them as close as I can hold them. I just want to be with my family. And I found myself wanting to get home so badly. But there was a problem. The president had announced that because of the crisis no one was leaving the U.S. and no one was coming in. The borders were sealed and the airports were closed. That’s not the news you want to hear when you’re trying to get home.

I felt like the day went on forever. I was scheduled to preach that night. I walked into the church building as lonely and as homesick as I’ve ever been in my life. I was hurting and I longed to be with my family. I was in a strange place with people I barely knew. I didn’t know their language. I didn’t know their culture. And yet something beautiful happened that night. The moment I walked into that church building, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, those brothers and sisters in Christ, who had already been alerted to what had happened in our nation, reached out to me, embraced me, and held me. And those beautiful people cried with me for what seemed like hours. I remember one bulky Brazilian man put his massive arms around me, held me to his chest, and began to sob and to weep. And through his broken English he said to me, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for you. I’m so sorry for your people.” And with his arms still wrapped around me, he began to pray. I didn’t understand the words that he prayed but I knew the heart he prayed it with. You know what he was saying? I will weep when you weep. Your sorrows are my sorrows. You’re my brother. We’re a part of the family of God. And we are one.

The last thing our Lord prayed before the cross, “Father make them one.” And the heart cry of every one of us that are a part of the family of God should be - Father make us one. Not divided. Not separated. Not splintered. Not fractured. Not isolated from one another. But Father, make us one.

One dear Ugandan lady stands out in my mind. She went through the clinic to get medical treatment and then stopped to hear the Gospel from one of our team members. She very eagerly received the message and placed her faith in Jesus Christ. As she was leaving, through our interpreter, she said, “I’ve received medicine from other clinics but never any hope. Today, you have given me hope for my life!” Her statement pretty much sums up the focus of this mission – to give people the hope that is found in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thank you for supporting us and praying for our team while we shared the message of salvation. You have been a part in bringing many souls into God’s kingdom. The following is a partial account of the past two weeks in Uganda:

• 5,600 people were treated in the medical clinics.
• Hundreds of Bibles & thousands of Gospel of John booklets were distributed in schools, prisons, and clinics.
• 600 pastors, wives, and church leaders were trained and encouraged in their ministries.
• One new village church was planted for dozens of new believers.
• Many Muslims heard the Gospel and a number of them turned from Islam to follow Jesus Christ.
• A portion of our team visited six prisons, where the prisoners received medicine, soap, Bibles, and heard the Gospel.
• A portion of our team visited three universities, where they conducted a sit-down discussion with students about life, philosophy, and the Gospel – putting the greatest emphasis on the Gospel.
• By the Grace of God and for His glory, 1,640 people confessed faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Pray for us as we lead 35 people to Uganda this week. Pray that God will continue to work in the nation of Uganda, that we will see many saved this week. Stay updated with our ministry in Uganda this week by following us on Twitter or Facebook.

Spending time with God does not have to be a great mystery. In fact, it can become as natural and normal as any other relationship that matters to you. Let me make a few suggestions that will help you get started in the right direction. Whether you’re a new believer just getting started or been a believer for some time trying to get back into a regular Bible study routine, I hope you’ll find these suggestions helpful.

1. Make your time with the Lord a top priority for each day.
   I know by experience that if you don’t guard that time carefully, it will easily be replaced by other things. Remember, the One who died on the cross to purchase your salvation desires your company. This time with Him each day is the lifeline of your spiritual life. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” You have an appointment with the King of Kings. Don’t dare miss it!
2. Develop a plan.
   You know the expression “If you fail to plan, you will plan to fail.” Set a specific amount of time each day that is attainable. It is better for you to spend 10-15 minutes each day and be consistent than to try to spend an hour and be inconsistent. Like anything else you do, you will get better with practice. Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh, Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
3. Keep a journal.
   As you spend time alone with God each day you will begin to discover new truths about your Lord. A journal will help you remember these new insights. You can also use it to write out your prayers to God or record prayer requests and keep a record of how God is answering your prayers. It becomes an exciting adventure as you watch God work in your prayer life.
4. Focus on a particular passage of Scripture.
   We speak to God through prayer and God speaks to us through His Word. I suggest you use a reliable and readable translation of the Bible. If you are just getting started or returning to a regular Bible study time, begin with shorter, simpler books of the Bible. The Gospel of John focuses on the Deity and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Other books of the New Testament focus on our relationship with the Lord and His people. The Psalms are beautiful expressions of worship and praise to God. The Proverbs are full of wisdom and guidance for daily living.
5. Add a Christian book to your reading.
   There are many fantastic books written by godly men and women you can pick up at your local Christian bookstore. These materials can help jump-start your own personal study of God’s Word. The thing to remember is that you are establishing a daily habit of meeting with God. Just don’t forget that God’s Word is inerrant, infallible, and to be treasured far above any written word by man.
6. Share your insights.
   One of the great joys of learning new truths from God’s Word is to share those insights with others. It will bless the lives of others you share with and reinforce that truth in your own life.
7. Ask basic questions.
   When you read through a passage of Scripture, you will have a better understanding of it by asking some simple, basic questions about the text. Here is a list of questions to apply to your Bible reading:
   • Who is writing?
   • Who is being written to?
   • Is there a thought about God, man or life in general?
   • Is there a warning to heed or sin to avoid?
   • Is there a promise or spiritual principle to apply to my life?
   • What is the overall point of the passage? What is the author trying to get across?
   • How can this passage help me in my life today?

Scriptures of Promise and Hope

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…So God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:26, 27)

Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son and you will call His name JESUS. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:30-32)

But “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)
This sin has separated us from our Lord.

“For the Son of Man has come to save the lost.” (Matthew 18:11)

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8)

“Death has been swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?”
(1 Corinthians 15:54-55)

In His death we find an empty tomb. In this empty tomb we find hope.
Eternal hope for all who believe in His name!
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Our kids in Raleigh have been working hard to bring the Gospel message of hope and relief to many of those who were devastated by last weeks tornadoes. These pictures were taken less than 2 miles from Josh & Tasha’s house.

In recent years, in the Twitter and Facebook era, it has become increasingly popular to be directly involved in trying to change the world. From a shoe company that sends shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased, to thousands of young people sleeping in the streets to raise awareness for the child soldiers in Africa – most Millennials (Born 1980-2000 – America’s largest generation) are joining the movement. My friend Dr. Alvin Reid put it this way – “This millennial generation wants to be a part of something bigger than they are. They want to be a part of a movement.” Most of us have the t-shirt, the bracelet, the sticker on our car, or the coffee mug that tells everyone which clean water project we’re a part of or which third world orphanage we’re supporting. You can’t read your twitter feed without hearing about someone doing something somewhere in the world for the “better good.” Maybe it’s a day without shoes or giving up your 2 mochas a month for projects in Africa. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that numerous celebrities in film, music, and sports are now becoming prominent advocates of many social concerns including poverty, hunger, war & peace, orphans, gang violence, HIV/AIDS, slavery, and clean water. Philanthropy is on the rise!

Is being concerned about these issues a bad thing? Of course not. There is a lot of social injustice in our world. That’s putting it softly. We live in a very sinful, fallen, broken world. As followers of Christ, we are called to serve, to love, and to do good. “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17)

But my concern is more about our heart in the matter.

According to Thom and Jess Rainer, authors of The Millennials, six out of ten Millennials support a non-profit organization financially. With the exponential growth of non-profits in our culture and our direct access to global issues via the internet and other media, one can’t help but ask the question – Is our involvement in the world’s issues just trendy activity disguised as compassion?

And if it is true compassion, then to what end? Just meeting someone’s temporary physical needs? Or could there be something deeper? Could our end goal truly be to make Christ known to every nation (Matthew 28:16-20)? Could our sole motivation truly be to see people come to know Him?

It’s easy to say that this is my desire – to see people come to know Christ. But does my life reflect that? Do our churches reflect that? Do our short-term mission trips reflect that?

My prayer is that in everything we do as a non-profit mission organization would be all about the Gospel. As we build clean water wells, build new orphanages, conduct medical clinics, train young pastors, plant new churches, and make disciples all over the world, may the Gospel be at the center of it all. Not a small part of it, but at the center of it.

It is becoming increasingly trendy to change the world. Is this statement true in my life? Is it just an insincere trend, or is it a life-style? Are my motivations selfish or is it true compassion?

- Jacob Via