W I T H I N R E A C H G L O B A L

Within Reach Global 1

God’s Faithfulness in the New SeasonAfter experiencing major challenges with our health, persecution, and difficulties in the latter part of 2010, the Lord led us to return to America to recharge. Hindsight is always 20/20, but in the heat of the difficulties we were wondering why there was so much against us. But God saw our path ahead, and understood the new season we were entering. He was there as we took every step, leading us into His perfect times and seasons.

Before we left China in January, we saw how years of training had inspired our local co-workers to be independent from us, grabbing the reigns of the ministry, planting churches, discipling unreached people groups, managing our training centers, and flourishing without our physical presence. We felt a peace about stepping away from China to grow the ministry

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven... A time to plant and a time to harvest. Yet God has made everything beautiful in its own time.” ~Ecclesiastes

Soon after we arrived in Prescott, AZ, we found out that the China business visa we have been using for 7 years had been cancelled by the government. But God was already at work behind the scenes in the midst of this shift.

A couple from our home church in Arizona allowed us to stay in their extra studio type apartment for

one year with no charge. What a blessing! Two families lent us their phones with free service for the time we are here. We were able to cash in our life insurance policy to purchase a car for long road trips that we have set up to speak at churches from Los angeles to Seattle, New York to Miami. Doctor friends have set us up with free medical checkups because we do not have insurance. This is truly a season of refreshment and rejuvenation, a time to seek God for more direction for the expansion of Within Reach Global. As we step back, we can see the bigger picture of what the Lord is doing among

the nations, and we are excited for the next step in reaching unreached people groups!

Blazing New TrailsIn April, David went back to China for our quarterly Co-workers Convention, underground leadership training, and vision planning, while Lorna stayed in America for health reasons. We were blessed to have two visiting partner pastors, Pastor June Alonzo from the Philippines and Pastor Richard West from America.

Pastor June led the Road Mapping vision planning as our local co-workers waited upon the Lord. Each one of them heard from the Lord personally, and thus formed our vision and mission statements, calling, central task, areas of excellence, ministry scope, and strategic goals. It was amazing to see the vision and direction of our ministry become more localized and indigenous. God personally spoke His master plan to each of our local missionaries, and they are now running with the vision. Here it is:

“我们是开拓者带着活水和光进入未得之民当中.”

"We are trailblazers, bringing light and living water to unreached people groups."

With a clear vision and mission statement, we are excited for the next steps of WRG. It's a new season for China, and God is expanding our ministry scope to reach many more people.

God’s Faithfulness in the New SeasonGod sees the path ahead, and understands the season we are entering.Page 1

Blazing New Trails“We are trailblazers, bringing light and living water to unreached people groups.”Page 1

Training 80 Underground Church LeadersThey are hungry for Biblical truth, and represent thousands of church members.Page 2

Ordaining 4 New Apostolic Tribal LeadersWe believe in empowering the local Church by standing behind them in prayer, encouraging them to reach their own spheres of influence with the gospel. Page 2

The Harvest is in the SeedA church plant ten years in the making.Page 3

Sacrificial Giving and the Suicide of Auntie Zhang’s SonFrom a cow pen to kingdom mansions, Auntie Zhang’s story is tragic and inspiring.Page 3

Kids on Myanmar Border Pray Against the RainOn the mountains near the Myanmar border, our new young disciples are rising up in faith to pray for clear skies so that they can learn more about Jesus.Page 2

A Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2011

David and Lorna Joannes challenge the Honor Academy interns at Teen Mania

Ministries to be part of fulfilling the Great Commission among unreached people

groups in Southeast Asia.

Within Reach Global local co-workers baptize a new tribal believer.

The Hub English Corner250 college students, bi-weekly English Corners, bi-weekly discipleship classes, and a powerful orphan outreach.Page 4

Voice for the VoicelessFrom Los Angeles to Seattle, New York to Miami, we are traveling all over America, challenging the Church to fulfill the Great Commission.Page 4

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Training 80 Underground Church LeadersWe had nearly 80 underground Christian leaders attend our underground training as Pastor Richard West taught on the topic "Accessing The Favor Of God In A Hostile Environment." They came from all over the city and province to receive deeper Christian training, encouragement, and renewed passion for the ministry. Over ten underground churches and thousands of persecuted Christians were represented at our training.

The training encouraged them to continue blazing new trails among the unreached despite hardships and persecution. These underground Christian leaders of the persecuted Church are the true heroes of China. Yes, there are dangers as they share the gospel; uncertainties of getting in trouble, being physically harmed, and even jailed simply for sharing the name of Jesus. But they all came, gathered in an undisclosed location, listened and meditated on God's calling over them. Everyone went back to their churches charged with strength to be trailblazers.

Ordaining 4 New Apostolic Tribal LeadersFor the past year, we have been praying about ordaining more of our local co-workers. We need an apostolic anointing to impact the ethnic

minorities who have yet to hear the name of Jesus.

In May 2010, we ordained Brother Yang as the apostolic leader over the tribal ministry of Within Reach Global. In only one year, we have seen his growth and influence as a Christian leader. But our ministry team of local co-workers is growing, and we are recognizing new leaders faithfully rising to the occasion as well. God is promoting them for the task of reaching the unreached.

Last month we ordained four more co-workers: Brother Li, Brother Hu, Sister Li, and Sister Zhang.

Alongside all our co-workers and visiting partner pastors from America and the Philippines, we laid hands on them and began praying for each one. The room was filled with God's presence and anointing as everyone prayed aloud. Tears of joy streamed down everyone’s cheeks. Hands were outstretched, and the prayers were passionate. Love, joy and freedom.

The presence of God was evident and tangible and memorable.

"I pray that every one of you has the opportunity to be ordained as well," we told the rest of our local co-workers. "God has a time table for each of you. As you are faithful in the small things, He will promote you to greatness!"

It is such an honor to serve the underground Church. We believe that the task of a foreign missionary is to work himself out of a job; to raise up local, indigenous ministers whose reach will stretch beyond the ability of the foreign missionary. Our job is to stand behind them, encourage and empower them, and watch as God uses them to fulfill the Great Commission.

Kids on Myanmar Border Pray Against the RainFor over two years now, we have been able to impact more than 150 kids along the Myanmar border. The Edge center in this region is also touching the lives of many families as the

parents see the change in their children. They are now being taught basic Biblical principles of Christian living. They are learning to walk in faith.

Because there are so many children attending our kids ministry, our co-workers cannot hold the gatherings in our training center. So twice a week they gather for discipleship on a mountain top near their village on the Myanmar border.

The weather is very unpredictable in this tropical area, and our co-workers hate to cancel the gathering when it rains. But now these young children are rising up in fresh faith to pray against the rain while they are having their activities. Simple prayers rise to God, He hears and withholds the rain!

This is just one of many miracles we have seen. The children also pray for the sick and they get healed; they pray for favor and see provision and blessing. Because of this, they have become a testimony to the community and church plants in the region.

Four new churches are now being discipled and raised up by our local co-workers in The Edge region!

God loves the little children. He sees their child-like faith. His heart is pleased by these young ones coming into the kingdom, and we are excited to share in this joy with you as you pray for them alongside us.

We are Trailblazersbringing light and living water to unreached people groups.That’s the new vision statement God gave to our local co-workers as we sought His heart for the next level of Within Reach Global’s expansion throughout Southeast Asia.

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We believe that the task of a foreign missionary is to work himself out of a job; to raise up local, indigenous ministers whose reach will stretch beyond his own reach and ability.

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The Harvest is in the SeedSeven years ago, after graduating from an underground Bible school, Brother Yang stepped out in obedience to the call of going to the Aini Tribe, one of the many unreached people groups along the Laos/Thailand border. The travel was intense: a long bus ride and hike into the mountains. He finally arrived in a village of the highly animistic Aini tribal people, and they invited him in to eat in their home. He shared meals with them, told them stories of God's love, explained the message of the cross, and prayed a prayer of salvation with them. Over the next six months, Brother Yang returned to the Aini tribal village every other week, discipling them and teaching them Christian truths. From the main city, it was a three hour bus ride and hike into the mountains, which he would make every two weeks. God’s love compelled Brother Yang, but he was frustrated because he did not see the fruit that he had been hoping for.

After six months, he left the area to plant churches at one of our training centers at the China/Vietnam border. For many years he faithfully planted churches among the Yao tribal group hundreds of miles away. But he often thought about the Aini people group. He wondered how they would ever make it without him there––a local missionary teaching them Christian truths. He wondered if all the seeds he had sown among the Aini tribe would ever grow into a harvest for the kingdom.

Seven years later, Brother Yang had the opportunity to return to the Aini village. “You know that feeling of going home? That's what it was like. I felt like I was back home with the people that I loved." Brother Yang spent two days with the same family that he had sown

seeds into seven years earlier. He noticed a life transformation. He saw the indigenous tribal house church that met regularly. He recognized God's sovereignty in his absence, and was filled with encouragement.

A handful of seeds. An unreached village. A willing missionary. Trailblazing feet. A little bit of time and then comes the vibrant harvest.

Tears of joy ran down Brother Yang's face as he shared this story with all of our co-workers during our three day Co-workers Convention. Then he paused for a moment. He looked at all of our underground co-workers and said, "So I want to encourage you, brothers and sisters. If God has called you to be a trailblazer, trailblaze! The harvest is in the seed, even when you can't see it."

Sacrificial Giving and the Suicide of Auntie Zhang’s SonBamboo is one of our church plants that has flourished over the last five years, and become independent from foreign support. The church members mostly consist of farmers from poor nearby villages. But despite their physical needs, they are able to give beyond what they can afford. They walk at least three miles to go to the church every week, giving their transportation money saved for tithes and offering. The Lord has multiplied this blessing.

Auntie Zhang was one of the faithful members of Bamboo church. She lived in a cow pen for the last ten years of her life, abandoned by her husband and four sons because they considered her cursed with a strange heart disease. Many other women in her

village also suffer from the same sickness, and there is no doubt that the area is cursed. But Auntie Zhang surrendered her life to the Lord when our local co-workers shared God’s love with her. From that time on, she made a commitment to share God’s love to the ladies she would come in contact with. She walked for many miles just to go to the church, bringing her new converts with her. She was a great encouragement to many villagers.

Soon after we rented a cheap apartment for her, rescuing her from the cow pen she was living in, she went to be with the Lord. The last few years of her life were well spent sharing God’s love. From a cow pen to kingdom mansions, she is finally rejoicing with Jesus.

One of Auntie Zhang’s son had been struggling with drug addiction for many years, and was just released from prison six months ago. When he was informed that his mother had died, he came to see her body the next day, but could not bear the shame of hurting her emotionally years before. When he saw his mother's body, the haunting memories of the pain he brought her came rushing back to him. He was overwhelmed with anger and sadness, and in his confusion he drank a vial of poison. Auntie Zhang's youngest son––the only member of the family who had returned to see her body––died there next to his mother on that cold, gray Saturday.

"There are many women in Auntie Zhang's village who are sick and alone after their families have left them as well," our co-worker told us. "We are planning to minister to them before it's too late."

God desires that none should perish, but that everyone has a chance to come to repentance.

A recent underground training where nearly 80 underground Church leaders were challenged to blaze new trails for the kingdom.

Auntie Zhang in her cow pen home.

The Hub students teach orphans English.Baptising a new Aini convert.

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The Hub English Corner: Best in the CityThe Hub student center serves two purposes: (1) it is a place for local leaders and co-workers to be refreshed from their ministries and undergo deeper Christian training, and (2) it is a place for students and young professionals from different tribal groups to know Jesus through the English Corner platform.

The Hub is known online as “the best English Corner in the city”, and we see new young people coming through our doors every week. So much so that we now host two English Corners every week. We see a hunger among these college students, and have began a regular bi-weekly underground discipleship meeting as well. We see new salvations on a regular basis.

We have seen over 250 students attend our English Corners, and are now setting up a counseling team to help students cope with the pressures of China’s social strains.

A girl who recently rejected the gospel after attending The Hub English Corner committed suicide by jumping from the ninth floor of the university we are reaching out to. It was a shock to all of us, and it is helping hone our ministry strategy and focus. In a society where counseling is almost non-existent, we seek to bring a paradigm shift to this young generation.

Voice for the VoicelessWe are back in America until August, traveling around the country speaking at churches and expanding the network of partners. We are praying for favor in finances to reach even more unreached people groups.

But we are also here to be rejuvenated and have our health restored. 2010 was very difficult for us physically, and we need serious medical help. We have also been trying to have a baby for many years, and are praying that this would be a new season for us to start a family as well.

As we prepare for another big move, growing Within Reach Global from Manila, Philippines, we covet your prayers.

Prayer Requests and Financial NeedsWithin Reach Global is growing and expanding into new areas. Please pray for us:

• Pray for the restoration of our health.

• Please pray for more partner churches to network with us to reach more unreached people groups in Southeast Asia. If you or your church is interested in working together, we are more than happy to connect. Email us today.

• Please pray for more financial provision for the expanding ministry.

• Pray for wisdom, guidance and protection over our 16 coworkers in China. Persecution is very real right now.

• Pray for our five training centers: The Hub, The Edge, 26 Tribes, Bamboo and Pilot. Pray for protection, expansion and influence in the areas they are located, that we would show the glory of God.

• Please pray for wisdom as we are seeking God for more strategies and open doors in the new season we are stepping into.

Contact Within Reach Global

To send support:

Within Reach GlobalP.O. Box 1591Prescott, AZ 86302USA

Make checks payable to “Within Reach Global”

or Paypal us at: withinreachglobal@gmail.com

Email us at: withinreachglobal@gmail.com

Want to stay updated about Within Reach Global? Go to our website and sign up for our monthly e-newsletters. Paper newsletters are sent out quarterly.

We are so thankful for your faithful prayers and financial giving. You are investing into eternity, and the harvest is in the seed.

Be blessed to be a blessing!

David & Lorna Joannes

Within Reach Global

English Camps at The Hub are a great way to reach the future heroes of China.

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Encountering God at The Hub. Tribal girls. David & Lorna Joannes. Bringing joy to young orphans.