In the Beginning...
My name is Michael Yap and I was born and raised in Monterey, California. My parents were born and raised in Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines, and eventually moved to and became naturalized citizens in the United States of America in which they worked and raised me and are now retired and enjoying their golden years living back in their native town of Kalibo. I lived in the Philippines when I was 5 and 6 years old when my dad was stationed in Mactan Air Force base in Cebu, and went back for the first time as an adult back in 1989 and have been back there at least 6 times since then to visit my parents and relatives. Each time I have gone I have grown to love the people and culture of my ancestry. Their friendliness and natural sense of hospitality, hard working and loyal nature, their food, (especially the mangos, and seafood!) and their sense of contentedness even in the midst of comparative poverty to westernized standards, is admirable. I often, at times, am ashamed of those of us in the US who have so much material possessions yet are so discontent and dissatisfied with our wealth always wanting more...
I grew up in America and married my high school sweetheart, Sylvia, and have been married now for almost 29 years with eight children and 2 grandchildren with number 3 on the way! But all this did not come easily nor did the phrase ‘happily ever after’ apply to our life. We had our ups and downs, our blessings and our deep trials of life, and at one time to the point of near divorce. It is only by the Grace, Mercy and Love of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, that our marriage has survived. And now that the we have come through the other side we are now focusing on growing the seed that God has planted in my heart to fulfill, the orphanage project in my parent’s home town of Kalibo, Aklan, officially named and recognized by the Philippine government as “Cross Point Ministries Aklan, Inc.” (CPMA).
The Seed...
The seed was planted during a visit to the Philippines back in 2004 when an aunt of mine shared stories about babies that were either dumped in garbage cans or abandoned in the ocean and local rivers. Babies that were found alive had nowhere locally to go except to Manila or a neighboring island where the nearest orphanages can be found. As my aunt shared, the Lord spoke to my heart to somehow reach out to these children for Him. The seed was planted.
During the next few years until my next trip to the Philippines in 2006, the thought of an orphanage never diminished and so I set in my heart to find out what steps were needed to begin and implement an orphanage in the Philippines. I visited and met with the directors of the SEC and DSWD of the Philippine government and found out what I needed to do but most importantly how supportive they were of what was in my heart to accomplish. I also met with the mayor of the Kalibo and almost met with the governor of Aklan, their province (or State), but couldn’t because he was out of town. They were both very supportive of the project as well.
Refining Fire...
All worthy causes are not without their struggles and trials and the next 3 years were the toughest years of my life. The economy in the US crashed and everything in my life began to crumble, our business suffered severly and even my marriage which almost came to a devastating divorce. But God... He sustained me, held me, and eventually restored my life back together with Him, my wife and family, and even our business. During this the toughest and most difficult time in my life the seed of the orphanage never died and it is this year, 2010, that God gave me a renewed and deeper sense of conviction and determination to fulfill this desire in my heart for Him and for CPMA.
Renewed Vision and Open doors!
At my own expense and time I set out to the Philippines again to pursue the project. My mission was to find out if the doors were truly open our closed. By faith I went not knowing what the Lord was going to do. No real plan or agenda. Simply by faith I went. From the time I set foot in the Philippines and within 10 days, God’s plan was set in motion. I was simply along for the ride! God secured the land, provided a tremendous partner and brother in the Lord to help be a part of the board for the orphanage, and legal recognition from the Philippine government to begin to pursue the planning, development, and building of the orphanage was given! Even as I am writing this my eyes are pooling with tears to see the Lord’s hand working despite who I am. I am completely humbled that the Lord would use me, but this is all to His glory and praise, and not anything to me.
It is all in the Name.
I had been struggling for a name for the orphanage because I had to have a name in order to submit the application to the Philippine government. I had a couple of ideas and my pastor gave me some insight about picking a name. He mentioned that names in the bible have meanings that come from life experiences and that I should reflect on what God has done in my life to come up with a name. As I was praying and reading His Word, the Lord brought me to Joshua chapter 1. I received much encouragement from this chapter as I prepared for this trip to the Philippines, namely in the words “Be strong and courageous” (vs 6, 7, 9) and I didn’t realize that I would actually find the name for the orphanage in this chapter as well! As God transferred leadership from Moses to Joshua, God’s command to Joshua was to get the people of Israel ready to cross the Jordan River from the desert and into the Promised Land. And it hit me in my heart, soul, and spirit. God has helped me during these last 3 to 4 years of the toughest years of my life and has helped me cross over into a new life with Him. He helped me cross over from a life of hopelessness and emptiness into a restored and reconciled life with Him, my wife, and my family. Similarly, each one of us has to confront a crossing point in each of our lives and we must choose to trust Him and cross over in faith or remain in the desert. That is what we are offering at Cross Point Ministries Aklan, Inc. We are offering to children a place at which they can cross over from a life of death and hopelessness into a life of love and hope with a ministry that will care for them and share with them God’s love and into the life and love of an adoptive or reconciled family. Hence the name Cross Point Ministries. A point of crossing founded on and pointing to, the Cross of Christ!
At a Crossroad.
Now that God has so clearly paved the way for this amazing beginning we are now at a crossroad of sharing this dream with others so that they can be a part of it by praying and sharing in the cost of continuing this effort. We need at least $50,000 to begin the building phase of CPMA. Not a lot of money to God at all and not a lot of money relatively speaking. It would cost so much more in the US if we were to purchase the property and to develop and build here. But since the US dollar is still worth a lot in the Philippines we can get this project up and running with relatively little money. So as you read this and see what God has done so far in my life and in this ministry, I am asking if you would like to help us by offering a tax-deductible contribution that will help to bring this dream into reality and to begin reaching out and minister to children that are so dear to our Lord’s heart.
Vision with a purpose.
This is our statement of purpose as stated in the Articles of Incorporation of Cross Point Ministries Aklan, Inc. as submitted and approved by the Republic of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission. Company Reg. No. CN201027811. Certificate of Incorporation. Duly recognized by Russell I. Ildesa, Director, on April 20, 2010.
“The basis for the purpose of this association stems from the truth of the Holy Bible where it states in James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after oprhans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”.
It pains God’s heart to see children who are unwanted or in distressing situations. Our whole purpose is to act as God’s compassionate hands to help these children by providing a safe, healthy, and caring place for them until they can either be reconciled to their family in safety and health or until a loving family can take as their own via adoption.”
Make a Stand.
Stand with us as we stand for God and make a difference in this World for Him. As you help us in this work, know that you are investing in eternity. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matt 6:19-21
