It was raining in the Philippines capital Manila as the plane took off with Christians in the Media’s Dominic and Catherine Steele on board.

But Dominic and Cathie had no idea that the bad weather they were experiencing was part of a storm that 80 kilometres away was causing landslides and floods and would leave more than 300 dead.

Mr Steele was in the Philippines speaking at a conference of Christian journalists from across South East Asia.

This week he will address a dinner in Sydney on the subject of ‘Where is God when life is tough?’

‘As we face war, terrorism and so called natural disasters like the one we have seen in the Philippines this week people are asking “Where is God?” said Mr Steele.

The dinner at the Macchiato Brasserie in Glebe is part of Christians in the Media’s ‘Where is God?’ mission to Annandale that on Saturday.

The mission involving 50 young media workers and communications students who are members of the Christians in the Media network is hosted by Annandale Community Anglican Church.

Activites for the week include a Saturday night jazz night, Where is God to make my life work?,  a super space kids club, a party in the park, the Where is God when life is tough? dinner and church meetings on Sunday December 12: Where is God and can we be friends?.

Mr Steele says he hopes that people who are contacted through the ‘Where is God?’ week will then take part in their Introducing God course starting in late January.

Other speakers at the Philippines conference included author of The New Christendom, Philip Jenkins, Editor of the Philippians Star, Isaac Belmonte and former Indonesian Foreign Secretary, Delia Dominigo Albert.

The conference was organised by international Christian Journalists group Gegrapha, headed by former Time Magazine Journalist and author of Jesus in Beijing, David Aikman.