I have a lot of friends from the Philippines so wanted to pass this on to as many people as possible. Even if we think that this small country isn't going to effect us, any economy or moral structure that fails is, eventually, felt by the entire world.
My
Beloved Philippines
By Father James Reuter,
S.J.
BY HER own admission, GMA
(Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades, our
republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more
progressive neighbors. Forty years ago, we were second only to Japan in economic
stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia and Thailand ..
Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where
Thailand is. 1. A population of 160 million; 2. Of those, 70 to 90 million
(equivalent to our current population) will live below the poverty line; 3. Our
national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos
fled, and US$53B today); 4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even
Vietnam , but against Bangladesh ; 5. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia
, if not in the world (we’re already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by
Transparency International)...
THE SIGNS are clear. Our
nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral
decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We’ve seen many men and women of
integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups and people’s
organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times
against insurmountable odds. But not even two people’s revolutions, bloodless as
they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved
one step forward, but three steps backward. We need a force far greater than our
collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the
battle to the spiritual realm. It’s time to claim God’s promise of healing of
the land for His people. It’s time to gather God’s people on its knees to pray
for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. Is prayer really
the answer?
Before you dismiss this as
just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I’d like you to consider some
lessons we can glean from history. England ’s ascendancy to world power was
preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers. The
early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most
powerful nation today -- a strong faith in God and a disciplined prayerful life.
Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of
revival and prayer movements swept across the land. In recent times, we see
Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest
Chris tian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it
has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.
Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For where there
is genuine humbling and seeking of God through prayer, moral reformation
necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. Yes, we
believe prayer can make a difference. It’s our only
hope.
TODAY, we launch this email
brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for
the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for
much. We only ask for five minutes of your time in a day, to forward this email
to your close friends and relatives. This is the kind of unity that can make a
big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of
prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer
center. We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe
it’s time to try prayer power. God never fails. Is there hope? Yes! We can rely
on God’s promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as
a people, God will heal our land.. By God’s grace, we may yet see a better
future for our children. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble
themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then
will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.”
(2 Chronicles 7:14). If you care for your children and grandchildren, PLEASE
pass this on.... Let’s not just abandon the Philippines
.
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