Hello again.
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And welcome
again to this segment
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of ASI Members in Action
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where we are listening to
what ASI members are doing
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in their part of God's vineyard.
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Have you enjoyed the
story so far this evening?
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Each one of these gentlemen
represent different ministry.
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So welcome to all of
you who are joining me here
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on the platform
also this evening.
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Vaughan Sparrow is the president
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of Wildwood Institute
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and Lifestyle Center and Clinic.
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Vaughan, welcome. Thank you.
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We're going to be talking
about Wildwood for just a minute
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but before we do that,
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I'd like to maybe introduce you.
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And perhaps you could
tell us where you're from,
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and how you got involved,
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and how long
you've been involved
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as president there at Wildwood?
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I've noticed a little
Southern accent in your speech
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but not the kind
of Southern accent
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that you'd run
into here in Texas.
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It comes from the deep South.
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Deep South, okay.
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South Africa. South Africa.
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I was born to farming
parents in South Africa.
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At the end of my high school,
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my father wanted us
to get some education.
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Went to Helderberg
College in South Africa.
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When I graduated
there, we went farming.
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And the Lord convicted us
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to get involved in
medical missionary work,
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worked it out that we
could come to Wildwood
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and we've been there
for about 12.5 years.
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Wonderful.
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Give me a bird's eye view
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of what Wildwood is
and what you do there?
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Wildwood is a ministry
of dedicated lay people,
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volunteers to service,
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trying to spread
God's love and His Word
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to hasten His soon return.
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We have a video
that will explain
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a little bit more
about what Wildwood does.
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And so perhaps if we could
roll that video at this moment
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and enable to
give you a good idea
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as to what Wildwood's about.
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Thank you.
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Hidden among the
outskirts of Chattanooga,
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there is a
place called Wildwood.
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A community of
Seventh-day Adventists
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that focus on the
ministry of Christ
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by claiming
lives for His kingdom
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through medical missionary work,
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health evangelism,
and social interactions.
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The environment, the mindset
of the place is beautiful.
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It's not the
money, it's the love,
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that understanding
the person in general,
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the physical part
and the spiritual part.
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We can't come
here and not smiling.
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Everybody wave to you, "Hi!"
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So it's new but I love it.
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I hope I can use that to
change mindset of my people
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where I came from.
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What I love about Wildwood
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is that Wildwood is so much more
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than what happens
here on this campus.
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It may start here
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but then people
go out from here.
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And they go out,
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and they start
lifestyle centers.
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They start projects,
they do mission work,
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they change their communities,
they work with their churches.
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Wildwood is
basically like a launching pad.
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It's somewhere that people come,
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they get
inspired, they get trained
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but then they go to
all corners of the world
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and do amazing
things for the Lord.
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How does
something like this happen?
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Wildwood is the
result of many miracles.
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It's inspiring
reading and hearing
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about those numerous miracles
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from the many resources
that we have available.
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The men and women who
started Wildwood had a vision.
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They believed in ministry
that would impact the world
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as well as
their local community.
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We are now living
in the consummation
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of that vision
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as medical missionary work
has extended across the globe.
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Vaughan, you recently celebrated
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an anniversary
there at Wildwood.
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What was your? What year was it?
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Seventy five
years. Seventy five years.
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And in that time,
there have been many miracles
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that have happened
but some challenges also.
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And I understand that this
year there was a challenge,
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but you were able to
overcome that with God's help.
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Tell us a little bit about it?
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I believe that we are
blessed but challenged.
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And this past year,
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we've had challenges
on our education front
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with our medical
missionary training program.
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We were seeking
different type of visa.
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And as we asked questions,
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the State decided that
they needed to shut us down.
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And they told us
to remove our webpage
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and they did some
further investigation.
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But by the Lord's grace,
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we were able to
get legal opinion.
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And as we sought
that legal opinion,
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we were eventually
granted religious exemption
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for our education program,
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and that was a real blessing.
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You see the Lord's
hand in that decision then?
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Amen. Amen.
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So the education department
is back up and running?
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Back up and running,
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and we're training missionaries
that go all around the world.
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And there is a project
that ASI is helping you with.
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What's that all about?
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We have a community
center that we have started.
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It's a project, and
thanks to ASI and our donors
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we are able to
start this project.
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We've had many challenges
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in location, in
licensing, weather.
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But we are ready to roll
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and hopefully by
the end of this summer,
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we will have at
least the earth work done.
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And so it's
been a real blessing.
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And again, we want to
thank you to ASI for the support
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that is being given to us.
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In that 75 years again
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many, many stories
that couldn't be recounted
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but, perhaps you have just one
which you could share with us?
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We have so many.
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On the education front,
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we have lives being changed,
characters being formed.
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In our lifestyle center though,
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we get to see
firsthand God's healing.
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And Michelle was
experiencing numbness,
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tingling in her arms,
hands, and feet, and legs.
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And eventually, she
was diagnosed with MS.
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And after a lot of
medication, a hospital stay,
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she decided that she didn't
want to continue with this
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the rest of her life.
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After she was
released from hospital,
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she decided to
go on a juice fast
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and take things
into her own hands.
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She experienced
healing in a significant way.
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But a short time after,
she started to slip again.
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And her own words
here, "We called Wildwood
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and within a few
hours, we arrived.
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I did not think that I
could financially afford
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to stay the 25 days
but God opened the door.
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It was such a blessing
under the care of doctors
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who are not trying to
push poison into your veins
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but to use God's
method of healing
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combined with their
knowledge of the body
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to facilitate
healing and restoration."
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And she says, "I
appreciated the fact
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that the doctors took time
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to pray with each
of us as patients.
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I have seen Him work
some miracles in my life
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and in the lives
of the other guests
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that were with me.
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Before I left Wildwood,
my symptoms had abated.
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During my time at Wildwood,
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I received not
only physical healing,
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but also emotional
and spiritual healing."
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And as we listen
to these testimonies
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of these lifestyle guests,
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it's a highlight every
two weeks in our program
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to hear how the Lord
is actively healing people
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and changing lives.
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The physical
healing is important,
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but it's the spiritual
healing that we're really after.
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That's right.
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Well, Vaughan, it's been
a pleasure speaking to you.
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Thank you so much.
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John Davidson is the
president of Eden Valley.
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Perhaps you could tell me was...
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Let's say five years ago,
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being the
president of the Eden Valley,
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something that you
were planning to do
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and was on the top of your list?
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Well, five years
ago, I wouldn't...
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I'm sorry about
that. Five years ago, no.
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One year ago, no.
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Really? Okay.
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It wasn't on the radar. Okay.
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Tell us how it happened?
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Oh, well.
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It kind of is a longer story
but it happened by Lisa Hodges
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coming to my house
and asking me to do that.
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But there is kind
of a lengthy story
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that goes along with that.
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Yeah.
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We don't have time for
the whole story, of course,
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but the key here is
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when God calls,
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you need to be
ready to answer it.
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And we discussed
just a little bit about
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what that means for
you, let's talk about that?
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Well, being born in a
Seventh-day Adventist home
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and baptized at 12
years old like many of us,
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you grow up being a
Seventh-day Adventist
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but really not dedicating
your life to the Lord.
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You do all the right things
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but you don't dedicate yourself.
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And my dad would
tell me as I grew up,
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and even he would tell me today,
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"You have to dedicate
yourself unconditionally."
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And that's the
hard part, isn't it?
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Unconditionally?
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Think about that for a second
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when a military army
surrenders unconditionally.
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And that's your heart,
giving that to God and saying,
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"Whatever you want
me to do, I will do."
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Amen.
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Now, we've got a video
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that explains
just a little bit about
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what Eden Valley is about.
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And also you've
had some challenges
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in the last year or so.
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And so we want to
know what those are.
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But if we could look at
the video that will explain
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what Eden Valley is
and what you do there?
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In 1962, Eden Valley
Institute of Wellness
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was founded at the foothills
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of the Rocky
Mountain National Park.
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A lifestyle center was
started a few years later
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to reach out to those
who were in health crisis.
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Implementing God's
natural laws of health
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outlined in the
Bible in our treatments,
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our guests experience
rest, healing, and peace
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in the beautiful nature setting
surrounding the property.
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More
importantly, they were brought
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to the knowledge of Jesus
who only can give true healing
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both physically and spiritually.
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Today, Eden Valley is blessed
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with more than 30
dedicated volunteers on staff.
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Our two week
natural remedies program
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has helped hundreds of people
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to restore their
health and their faith.
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Our three month
educational program
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which combines medical
missionary work and evangelism
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has provided our students
with knowledge and tools
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that have been used
to improve the lives
00:11:04.96\00:11:07.00
of believers and nonbelievers
00:11:07.03\00:11:09.06
all across the globe.
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In 2017, we also
started a new program
00:11:11.90\00:11:15.60
geared towards
health professionals.
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The Natural Remedies
Program for Health Professionals
00:11:17.91\00:11:20.91
is an intensive
one month program
00:11:20.94\00:11:23.08
designed to equip individuals
with medical background.
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Here at Eden Valley,
our mission is to restore
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the lives of our guests,
students, and community members
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through the use of
Scripture based education,
00:11:36.06\00:11:39.03
natural remedies, and
spiritual nourishment.
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But the challenges
are big and ever changing.
00:11:44.63\00:11:47.87
In 2010, Eden Valley
operations were threatened
00:11:47.90\00:11:51.27
by some requirements
imposed by the county.
00:11:51.31\00:11:54.54
Included in their list
00:11:54.58\00:11:56.14
was a $1
million new sewer plant.
00:11:56.18\00:11:59.31
By God's grace,
since August, 2016,
00:11:59.35\00:12:02.85
the new sewer plant
has been fully operational.
00:12:02.88\00:12:06.02
The boy's dormitory
has been recently renovated
00:12:06.05\00:12:08.66
with funds
donated for this purpose.
00:12:08.69\00:12:11.26
All rooms received new carpet,
00:12:11.29\00:12:13.46
a fresh coat of
paint, and new furniture.
00:12:13.50\00:12:16.87
Eden Valley's lifestyle
center must be expanded.
00:12:16.90\00:12:19.97
More space and new equipment
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.77
means we can
accommodate more guests
00:12:21.80\00:12:23.87
and perform
treatments and programs
00:12:23.91\00:12:26.31
that are not possible
with our current structure.
00:12:26.34\00:12:30.81
Until our Lord
and Savior returns,
00:12:30.85\00:12:33.55
many people still
need to be touched
00:12:33.58\00:12:35.88
by the medical missionary work.
00:12:35.92\00:12:38.19
Please pray for Eden Valley
00:12:38.22\00:12:40.12
as we continue in our
journey to share God's love
00:12:40.16\00:12:44.29
through the gift
of better health.
00:12:44.33\00:12:46.49
Now, John, the video
mentioned one challenge
00:12:50.43\00:12:53.70
but there's another challenge
that you mentioned also.
00:12:53.74\00:12:55.77
And you're a recipient
of the project offering
00:12:55.80\00:12:58.37
that will help
with that challenge.
00:12:58.41\00:13:00.18
Tell us what it is?
00:13:00.21\00:13:01.54
Yeah, that
challenge is a new kitchen.
00:13:01.58\00:13:04.41
The county came just like
00:13:04.45\00:13:06.28
they did with
the sewer plant there
00:13:06.31\00:13:08.38
and they said, "We
needed to make a change."
00:13:08.42\00:13:10.69
And the change is we
needed a commercial kitchen,
00:13:10.72\00:13:13.62
we are cooking there.
00:13:13.66\00:13:15.12
And it's not legal if you will.
00:13:15.16\00:13:19.16
And so we are working towards
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.40
building a brand
new commercial kitchen.
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.30
So they said, "We
love what you're doing,
00:13:24.33\00:13:25.67
just need to be legal."
00:13:25.70\00:13:27.20
So we can be legal. Okay.
00:13:27.24\00:13:29.80
It wouldn't be
complete if you didn't tell us
00:13:29.84\00:13:31.97
a little bit of a
story about what's going on
00:13:32.01\00:13:34.68
and what the Lord's
doing at Eden Valley right now?
00:13:34.71\00:13:36.71
Well, you saw a little bit
about the education department,
00:13:36.75\00:13:39.31
students learning to do
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.25
what we do there at Eden Valley,
00:13:41.28\00:13:43.22
our lifestyle center.
00:13:43.25\00:13:44.59
I'm just going to
tell you a quick story
00:13:44.62\00:13:45.95
at the lifestyle center.
00:13:45.99\00:13:47.56
There was a group
of people that came.
00:13:47.59\00:13:51.09
It was about a month ago.
00:13:51.13\00:13:52.56
We do an outreach
session, it's one week long.
00:13:52.59\00:13:54.90
And there was a man
there that talked to me
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.47
and he said, "I really didn't
have a good picture of God.
00:13:57.50\00:14:00.80
I had a picture in my
mind of what God was like."
00:14:00.84\00:14:04.31
But after
dealing with our people
00:14:04.34\00:14:06.44
there in the lifestyle center
00:14:06.47\00:14:08.18
and studying the
Bible each morning,
00:14:08.21\00:14:10.05
we have worship
at 6:30 each morning,
00:14:10.08\00:14:12.38
he says, "Now I have a
new picture of what God is.
00:14:12.41\00:14:15.92
God is love.
00:14:15.95\00:14:17.29
The way that you treat me
here shows what God is like."
00:14:17.32\00:14:22.36
And so his complete
picture of God has changed.
00:14:22.39\00:14:24.93
"I see a loving God,
00:14:24.96\00:14:26.59
a God who wants me to
spend eternity with Him."
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.70
Yeah, that's the picture
00:14:30.73\00:14:32.07
that we need to leave
with people, isn't it?
00:14:32.10\00:14:34.27
Whether they're
Bible believing Christians
00:14:34.30\00:14:36.27
or not Bible
believing Christians,
00:14:36.30\00:14:37.71
they still need
to have that picture
00:14:37.74\00:14:39.74
from all of our institutions.
00:14:39.77\00:14:41.11
John, thank you for
talking to us this evening.
00:14:41.14\00:14:42.71
Thank you.
00:14:42.74\00:14:44.61
The next organization
is a new organization
00:14:44.65\00:14:48.18
called Adventist Help.
00:14:48.22\00:14:49.92
And in fact, I guess you could
say actually a fast moving,
00:14:49.95\00:14:54.96
up and coming entrepreneurial,
00:14:54.99\00:14:56.86
rough and tumble
kind of organization.
00:14:56.89\00:14:59.43
And so you're
doing some exciting work.
00:14:59.46\00:15:01.73
I'd like to
introduce to some of you.
00:15:01.76\00:15:04.17
Probably most of
you know, Kim Busi.
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.27
He's been in mission
work for many decades
00:15:06.30\00:15:09.67
and a good friend.
00:15:09.70\00:15:11.04
And also a new friend
Dr. Michael von Horsten.
00:15:11.07\00:15:14.01
I think I mangled
your name appropriately.
00:15:14.04\00:15:17.11
And you are also
involved in this new work.
00:15:17.15\00:15:22.58
I'd like for Kim
to take just a moment
00:15:22.62\00:15:24.79
to give us the cliff notes
version of what the work is
00:15:24.82\00:15:28.26
and how it really came to be.
00:15:28.29\00:15:29.99
It's something
that's fairly brand new
00:15:30.03\00:15:31.99
and just always evolving.
00:15:32.03\00:15:33.36
So give us an
overview of it, Kim?
00:15:33.40\00:15:35.70
Two years ago at the
ASI Europe Convention,
00:15:35.73\00:15:39.20
we went to Budapest,
00:15:39.23\00:15:40.57
we found 3,500 refugees
00:15:40.60\00:15:42.67
sleeping in the
local train station.
00:15:42.70\00:15:44.91
An ASI member from
North America came to me
00:15:44.94\00:15:47.21
and said, "Kim, can you get
me 10 minutes with your board?"
00:15:47.24\00:15:50.25
I said, "Sure."
00:15:50.28\00:15:51.91
He presented to the
board an opportunity
00:15:51.95\00:15:54.98
to serve these
hundreds of thousands of people
00:15:55.02\00:15:58.12
in a tangible way
00:15:58.15\00:15:59.65
as they are
fleeing war and terror
00:15:59.69\00:16:02.86
in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan.
00:16:02.89\00:16:05.79
And we had no
idea what would happen.
00:16:05.83\00:16:09.06
Three months
later, what you see here
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.47
is Adventist Help
initiative was created.
00:16:11.50\00:16:14.07
We ended up with a
bus turned into a clinic
00:16:14.10\00:16:16.81
on the shores of Lesbos.
00:16:16.84\00:16:18.67
This facility
was the one and only
00:16:18.71\00:16:21.78
medical emergency
facility on that island.
00:16:21.81\00:16:25.41
As you see, the
picture of the boats here,
00:16:25.45\00:16:27.45
people coming in.
00:16:27.48\00:16:29.18
Just imagine yourself
having lived in a desert,
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.45
you end up here.
00:16:31.49\00:16:32.82
We all know
00:16:32.85\00:16:34.19
that thousands of people
have drowned on their way.
00:16:34.22\00:16:37.13
Lord lead
wonderfully in this ministry,
00:16:37.16\00:16:39.93
thousands of people
have been ministered unto,
00:16:39.96\00:16:42.73
volunteers from around
the world fly themselves.
00:16:42.76\00:16:47.17
They pay for
themselves to be there
00:16:47.20\00:16:49.17
and they serve the
needs of these folks.
00:16:49.20\00:16:51.84
When they closed Turkey so
the boats couldn't come out,
00:16:51.87\00:16:56.48
they close the gates of Greece
00:16:56.51\00:16:57.85
so the refugees
couldn't enter Europe.
00:16:57.88\00:17:00.05
They asked us to establish
a facility at a refugee camp.
00:17:00.08\00:17:04.29
And you saw in that
slide, a 40 foot container.
00:17:04.32\00:17:08.09
A person whom we
all know, elder...
00:17:08.12\00:17:12.16
Did I say that
right, Ted Wilson.
00:17:12.19\00:17:14.26
I'm sorry, Ted. Yes.
00:17:14.30\00:17:15.63
I remember your dad.
00:17:15.66\00:17:17.37
Heard about Adventist Help,
00:17:17.40\00:17:18.73
he appealed to Viriato Ferreira,
00:17:18.77\00:17:20.74
the president of ASI Europe,
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.14
he said, "Can
Adventist Help come to Iraq?
00:17:22.17\00:17:25.21
There's a great need in
Iraq for this type of ministry."
00:17:25.24\00:17:29.84
We kind of drew sticks to see
00:17:29.88\00:17:31.25
who would win the
trip to Iraq and I won.
00:17:31.28\00:17:33.55
So I got to go to Iraq.
00:17:33.58\00:17:35.28
And shortly
thereafter, my good friend here,
00:17:35.32\00:17:37.92
Dr Michael von
Horsten from South Africa
00:17:37.95\00:17:40.62
came to spearhead
that work in Iraq.
00:17:40.66\00:17:44.49
He was a great
strength to us in Greece.
00:17:44.53\00:17:48.00
And so in Iraq,
what you're going to see
00:17:48.03\00:17:50.13
is a partnership between MENA,
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.40
the Middle East North Africa.
00:17:52.43\00:17:55.57
Middle East North Africa, right,
00:17:55.60\00:17:57.24
and ADRA and Adventist Help
00:17:57.27\00:18:00.68
and volunteers
from around the world.
00:18:00.71\00:18:03.48
Dr. Michael, maybe
you can give us an idea
00:18:03.51\00:18:05.28
of what typically
is going on at this...
00:18:05.31\00:18:10.39
Well, it's a
hospital there in Iraq.
00:18:10.42\00:18:12.99
And also how did it get going
exactly there in that vicinity.
00:18:13.02\00:18:18.29
And did you do
it all by yourself?
00:18:18.33\00:18:20.30
No, definitely not.
00:18:20.33\00:18:21.66
So this is been one of
the most exciting projects
00:18:21.70\00:18:24.70
I've ever been involved
in as in my medical career.
00:18:24.73\00:18:27.80
So we came to Iraq
in February this year.
00:18:27.84\00:18:30.97
I went there to
possibly open up a small clinic
00:18:31.01\00:18:33.41
like we opened in Greece,
possibly two or three beds.
00:18:33.44\00:18:36.75
And I walked
into the ADRA office,
00:18:36.78\00:18:39.11
and we talked
about the possibilities
00:18:39.15\00:18:40.98
for opening up this unit
00:18:41.02\00:18:42.35
and collaborating
with ADRA Kurdistan.
00:18:42.38\00:18:45.25
And from there,
it just skyrocketed.
00:18:45.29\00:18:47.12
I actually don't
even know how it happened
00:18:47.16\00:18:48.69
but the facility we
have on the ground now
00:18:48.72\00:18:52.99
is a 45 bed hospital,
a six consultation room,
00:18:53.03\00:18:56.56
primary care unit,
a mental health unit,
00:18:56.60\00:18:59.13
a dental unit that's busy
being developed at the moment,
00:18:59.17\00:19:03.51
nine bed emergency unit
00:19:03.54\00:19:05.34
with the three
bed heart care units,
00:19:05.37\00:19:06.88
an X-ray unit, and
ultrasound facility,
00:19:06.91\00:19:09.38
and a
laboratory, plus a pharmacy
00:19:09.41\00:19:12.35
which is absolutely
nothing short of a miracle.
00:19:12.38\00:19:15.52
So, yeah, we're really
excited to be on the ground.
00:19:15.55\00:19:18.15
Just to give you an
idea of the location,
00:19:18.19\00:19:20.96
we're actually 20
kilometers east...
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.43
20 miles east of
the city of Mosul.
00:19:23.46\00:19:26.90
So for those of you who
are following Middle Eastern,
00:19:26.93\00:19:30.07
the events
happening in the Middle East,
00:19:30.10\00:19:31.87
this is one of the
strongholds of ISIS.
00:19:31.90\00:19:34.47
And the liberation process
00:19:34.50\00:19:36.50
that's been underway
for the past two months
00:19:36.54\00:19:38.94
in the area has displaced
00:19:38.97\00:19:40.38
hundreds of thousands of people.
00:19:40.41\00:19:42.08
And currently we,
there's a cluster of five
00:19:42.11\00:19:45.75
internally
displaced persons camps
00:19:45.78\00:19:48.52
with collective
populations of 100,000 people
00:19:48.55\00:19:51.32
that's 20,000 children sitting
00:19:51.35\00:19:53.36
with no access to emergency care
00:19:53.39\00:19:56.32
in patient
facilities on the ground.
00:19:56.36\00:19:58.23
And that's where ADRA
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.00
and Adventist
Help have stepped in
00:20:00.03\00:20:01.76
and put this facility together.
00:20:01.80\00:20:04.23
So, yeah, it's
incredible to be there.
00:20:04.27\00:20:06.67
Just to give you
an idea of people
00:20:06.70\00:20:08.04
we are dealing with...
00:20:08.07\00:20:09.60
This is a
population that has absolutely
00:20:09.64\00:20:11.47
no medical care for three years.
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.74
You know, every
day, we've seen children
00:20:13.78\00:20:16.08
that have been
starving to death.
00:20:16.11\00:20:18.01
They've been
living on rice water.
00:20:18.05\00:20:20.85
The parents have
been eating grass
00:20:20.88\00:20:23.32
which they buy
for $12 a kilogram,
00:20:23.35\00:20:25.75
they've been eating cat's meat
00:20:25.79\00:20:27.46
that they bought
for $45 per kilogram.
00:20:27.49\00:20:30.49
They've been starving,
00:20:30.53\00:20:31.86
it's been a siege of
biblical proportions.
00:20:31.89\00:20:33.66
And so we're
dealing with children
00:20:33.70\00:20:35.60
with miasmas of
severe acute malnutrition.
00:20:35.63\00:20:37.37
We're dealing with people
00:20:37.40\00:20:38.73
with severe
mental health issues.
00:20:38.77\00:20:40.84
We're dealing with
people who've seen crucifixions
00:20:40.87\00:20:43.41
on a day to day basis.
00:20:43.44\00:20:44.97
People who have had
their children beheaded,
00:20:45.01\00:20:47.14
people who've had
their brothers and sisters
00:20:47.18\00:20:49.31
thrown off buildings,
00:20:49.34\00:20:50.75
who've been sex
slaves, who've been tortured.
00:20:50.78\00:20:53.48
We see children in our clinics
that have been electrocuted
00:20:53.52\00:20:56.32
and tortured by ISIS.
00:20:56.35\00:20:58.79
So this is a group of people
that are incredibly vulnerable.
00:20:58.82\00:21:02.82
These are not terrorists,
these are victims of terrorism.
00:21:02.86\00:21:06.36
And we are here
to reach out to them.
00:21:06.39\00:21:08.16
It's a beautiful entering
wedge into the 10/40 window.
00:21:08.20\00:21:11.93
Yeah.
00:21:11.97\00:21:13.54
This type of work is something
00:21:13.57\00:21:15.57
that you could probably
tell us stories for hours.
00:21:15.60\00:21:21.04
Unfortunately, we only
have a few seconds left.
00:21:21.08\00:21:23.18
So if someone
wants to get involved
00:21:23.21\00:21:25.08
in the work that you're doing,
00:21:25.11\00:21:26.45
if someone here is listening
00:21:26.48\00:21:27.82
and they'd like to get involved,
00:21:27.85\00:21:29.18
how can they get
involved in what you're doing?
00:21:29.22\00:21:30.95
Well, right now, we
have an Adventist Help booth
00:21:30.99\00:21:33.15
here at the convention.
00:21:33.19\00:21:34.52
And I invite you to come, see
Cloustee, Michael, see myself.
00:21:34.56\00:21:38.49
This is been a faith
venture from day one.
00:21:38.53\00:21:40.66
We responded to a call
that God put before us.
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.70
And it's been a
miracle to watch it happen.
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.00
Every two weeks,
we have bills to pay
00:21:46.03\00:21:47.84
and we have no
money in the bank account.
00:21:47.87\00:21:49.74
We need volunteers
from around the world
00:21:49.77\00:21:52.07
to keep this hospital open.
00:21:52.11\00:21:53.51
We went from a 40 foot
clinic to a 45 bed hospital.
00:21:53.54\00:21:57.58
We have no administration,
we have no paid help.
00:21:57.61\00:22:00.08
It's simply a miracle
00:22:00.12\00:22:01.98
that we see God working
to touch the lives of people,
00:22:02.02\00:22:05.32
to share the love of
Christ in a tangible way
00:22:05.35\00:22:08.19
in countries where we have
not had success in years past.
00:22:08.22\00:22:11.76
Please, come by the booth,
00:22:11.79\00:22:13.19
or you can visit
www.AdventistHelp.org.
00:22:13.23\00:22:16.97
Thank you so much, gentlemen.
00:22:17.00\00:22:18.33
And ASI is praying for
each one of your ministries.
00:22:18.37\00:22:21.97
We'll keep you in prayer.
00:22:22.00\00:22:23.34
And we know that God is blessing
00:22:23.37\00:22:24.71
and He will continue
to bless in the future.
00:22:24.74\00:22:26.17
Thank you so much.
00:22:26.21\00:22:27.54
Amen. Thank you, Cal.
00:22:27.58\00:22:29.68
I do what I do
00:22:29.71\00:22:31.05
because I
believe that the gospel
00:22:31.08\00:22:32.61
is the most beautiful
compelling thing there is.
00:22:32.65\00:22:36.08
And at times, I don't
believe that we communicate it
00:22:36.12\00:22:39.35
as beautifully as we can.
00:22:39.39\00:22:40.82
So I design for ministries
of the Adventist church
00:22:40.86\00:22:44.03
because the
message is beautiful,
00:22:44.06\00:22:47.10
the audience
doesn't always see it.
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.06
I think ASI is really great
00:22:49.10\00:22:50.60
because it
provides an opportunity
00:22:50.63\00:22:52.07
for me to meet bunch
of really great people
00:22:52.10\00:22:55.50
who have been doing very
inspiring work in the church.
00:22:55.54\00:22:58.17
And as I want to work
with Adventist ministries
00:22:58.21\00:23:01.44
and help them
communicate what they're doing,
00:23:01.48\00:23:04.01
I love knowing
what they are doing.
00:23:04.05\00:23:05.71
And it inspires me to
be a better Christian.
00:23:05.75\00:23:08.62
And I think that's something
00:23:08.65\00:23:10.35
that we can all see as
having really great value.
00:23:10.39\00:23:12.95
We're delighted
to be here tonight
00:23:21.36\00:23:23.26
and to talk about
some fantastic things
00:23:23.30\00:23:26.33
that God is doing
in the lives of people
00:23:26.37\00:23:29.54
who are ministering
right out on the frontlines.
00:23:29.57\00:23:33.07
I want to get right to it,
00:23:33.11\00:23:35.24
Fred and Jill Comforth are here.
00:23:35.28\00:23:37.31
I want you to know that Fred
is our new chapter president
00:23:37.35\00:23:40.72
for the North Pacific
Union Conference and ASI,
00:23:40.75\00:23:44.59
our ASI chapter up there.
00:23:44.62\00:23:46.05
Fred, you were a part of
ASI a long time ago but tell us.
00:23:46.09\00:23:50.56
Yeah, no, it's
remarkable to think to be back,
00:23:50.59\00:23:53.19
involved with ASI.
00:23:53.23\00:23:54.56
The last two or three years
00:23:54.60\00:23:55.93
there's been so
much good done by ASI
00:23:55.96\00:23:57.83
that we felt drawn back to it
00:23:57.87\00:24:00.74
and we've become very
involved, very involved
00:24:00.77\00:24:05.04
and it's been a
wonderful experience.
00:24:05.07\00:24:06.81
We just see so much potential
00:24:06.84\00:24:08.94
and as you can tell
from all the other people
00:24:08.98\00:24:10.78
before just
wonderful miracles of God
00:24:10.81\00:24:13.15
happening in
people's lives every day.
00:24:13.18\00:24:14.72
So in Boise which
is where our home is,
00:24:14.75\00:24:19.05
we just completed an Amen Clinic
00:24:19.09\00:24:21.49
where we had
just under 1400 people
00:24:21.52\00:24:25.96
that came over a
three day period.
00:24:25.99\00:24:29.06
And I think one of the
most remarkable things to me
00:24:29.10\00:24:31.67
was that over
half of our volunteers
00:24:31.70\00:24:35.04
were in their 20s and 30s,
00:24:35.07\00:24:37.04
so it was a younger group
00:24:37.07\00:24:38.94
but it was
really remarkable to see
00:24:38.97\00:24:40.98
these people getting
involved in people's lives.
00:24:41.01\00:24:43.14
And my wife has some stories
00:24:43.18\00:24:45.45
she would like to tell that
came from the clinic itself.
00:24:45.48\00:24:49.42
What a pleasure it was to work
in the mission field of Boise.
00:24:49.45\00:24:53.99
I know that we hear
about the mission field
00:24:54.02\00:24:55.86
being so far away
00:24:55.89\00:24:57.26
but really in our hometowns
00:24:57.29\00:24:58.96
you can find mission
fields wherever you live.
00:24:58.99\00:25:02.16
So, yes, it was a
privilege for us to serve there
00:25:02.20\00:25:05.23
in this capacity at
this medical clinic.
00:25:05.27\00:25:08.97
I am a pediatric nurse
by education and by training
00:25:09.00\00:25:12.21
and so I gravitate
towards the children.
00:25:12.24\00:25:15.14
And one of my stories
is about a little girl,
00:25:15.18\00:25:17.51
her name was Naomi
00:25:17.55\00:25:19.35
and her mother,
actually their whole family,
00:25:19.38\00:25:22.85
there were three kids
and a mother and a father,
00:25:22.88\00:25:25.75
that came to my attention
00:25:25.79\00:25:27.12
because they were a
very special family.
00:25:27.16\00:25:28.76
They had waited in
line for five hours
00:25:28.79\00:25:31.43
to finally get her
daughter to be seen for vision
00:25:31.46\00:25:33.90
only to find out
00:25:33.93\00:25:35.26
that she didn't
quite make the age bracket
00:25:35.30\00:25:40.77
that we had advertised
for and so were turned away.
00:25:40.80\00:25:42.14
Long story short,
they went back in line
00:25:42.17\00:25:45.91
and waited again and waited
three hours to get to dental
00:25:45.94\00:25:50.31
because she
also had a toothache.
00:25:50.35\00:25:53.18
So they made it to
the front of the line
00:25:53.21\00:25:54.72
only to find out that,
00:25:54.75\00:25:56.08
you know, it's getting
to be the end of the day
00:25:56.12\00:25:57.85
and these people were
so gracious and beautiful
00:25:57.89\00:26:01.16
about having to
wait this whole time.
00:26:01.19\00:26:03.39
They weren't angry.
00:26:03.43\00:26:04.96
So we ended up getting them in
00:26:04.99\00:26:07.20
because we realized she
really needed her vision done.
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.46
We got her through
the process really quick.
00:26:09.50\00:26:12.63
And she just was so excited
about finally getting glasses.
00:26:12.67\00:26:16.20
She just said,
"I just want to see,
00:26:16.24\00:26:17.74
I just want to see."
00:26:17.77\00:26:19.37
So upon testing found out
00:26:19.41\00:26:21.08
that she had
such horrible vision
00:26:21.11\00:26:24.38
that we couldn't
help her that day
00:26:24.41\00:26:26.38
and she was just sobbing,
00:26:26.41\00:26:27.98
you know, "I just want to see."
00:26:28.02\00:26:30.55
Come to find out
her family, her parents,
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.62
her mother was
a stay at home mom
00:26:33.66\00:26:35.52
but her dad had three jobs
and they were all part time
00:26:35.56\00:26:39.06
so they didn't have
any health insurance.
00:26:39.09\00:26:41.26
And she wasn't going
to be able to get screened
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.06
for vision till second grade
00:26:43.10\00:26:44.83
and she was only six years old.
00:26:44.87\00:26:47.34
So she was going to have to wait
00:26:47.37\00:26:48.70
several years to get screened.
00:26:48.74\00:26:50.17
So we ended up giving her
00:26:50.21\00:26:52.77
the strongest prescription
glasses that we could
00:26:52.81\00:26:55.41
and sent her home.
00:26:55.44\00:26:56.95
So she couldn't
still see very well
00:26:56.98\00:26:58.78
but she was just sobbing
00:26:58.81\00:27:00.55
when she put on her
bright yellow glasses
00:27:00.58\00:27:02.32
that she had picked.
00:27:02.35\00:27:03.69
She was so excited.
00:27:03.72\00:27:05.05
So we know, in a few weeks
later she got her real glasses.
00:27:05.09\00:27:07.69
So we know that we
just helped this one family.
00:27:07.72\00:27:10.59
They came back the next day
00:27:10.63\00:27:11.96
and got all
their dental work done.
00:27:11.99\00:27:14.06
And it was just such a privilege
00:27:14.10\00:27:16.46
to be placed in her life.
00:27:16.50\00:27:19.10
Another super
fast story is we had,
00:27:19.13\00:27:21.40
it seemed like a
lot of our people
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.24
that came for the
dental needed extractions
00:27:23.27\00:27:26.27
and a lot of them
had job interviews
00:27:26.31\00:27:28.28
that they were really
looking forward to doing
00:27:28.31\00:27:30.75
so wanted to be their best.
00:27:30.78\00:27:32.65
So we just really felt like
00:27:32.68\00:27:34.02
we were empowering
people by helping their health.
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.92
Our theme in
Boise was Love Heals
00:27:36.95\00:27:39.92
and that's going to be the title
00:27:39.95\00:27:41.89
of our northwest convention
00:27:41.92\00:27:43.83
in the spring of 2018 but...
00:27:43.86\00:27:47.90
We had a home that
our company had built
00:27:47.93\00:27:50.40
that was on the market
00:27:50.43\00:27:51.77
and a realtor
had showed the home
00:27:51.80\00:27:53.87
and had noticed that
the crawl space cover
00:27:53.90\00:27:56.34
was not quite in
there straight and correct.
00:27:56.37\00:27:59.71
And after the
showing, went back and looked
00:27:59.74\00:28:02.41
and found in the crawl space
00:28:02.44\00:28:03.78
that there was a
sleeping bag and some clothes.
00:28:03.81\00:28:07.18
And we found out that a
young man, 18 years old,
00:28:07.22\00:28:10.12
who had aged out of
the foster care program
00:28:10.15\00:28:13.19
and was still just a
junior in high school
00:28:13.22\00:28:15.66
had nowhere else to live
00:28:15.69\00:28:17.03
and so he had somehow
found his way into the home
00:28:17.06\00:28:19.43
and was lived there at night
00:28:19.46\00:28:20.86
and then when he'd go
off to school during the day,
00:28:20.90\00:28:22.76
he would put his
stuff in the crawl space.
00:28:22.80\00:28:25.50
And so that impacted us
00:28:25.53\00:28:27.37
and we're setting up
some homes in the area
00:28:27.40\00:28:30.11
that have an older couple
00:28:30.14\00:28:32.37
that will have two
or three of these kids
00:28:32.41\00:28:34.44
that have aged out of
the foster care system
00:28:34.48\00:28:36.54
and we're hoping that they're
going to able to live there
00:28:36.58\00:28:38.48
for two or three years
till they get on their feet,
00:28:38.51\00:28:40.68
maybe even get into
college is our hope.
00:28:40.72\00:28:43.08
We're also helping
00:28:43.12\00:28:44.45
with a number of
orphanages around world.
00:28:44.49\00:28:46.02
It's been a huge blessing to us.
00:28:46.05\00:28:49.16
There's been about 30 or so
orphanages that we have helped
00:28:49.19\00:28:52.99
in different
places and there's just,
00:28:53.03\00:28:54.96
you know, sometimes
there's so much need
00:28:55.00\00:28:57.87
and I think that's one
of the positive factors
00:28:57.90\00:29:00.10
about ASI is that,
00:29:00.14\00:29:01.47
you know, you can't do it alone.
00:29:01.50\00:29:03.57
And there's so much
encouragement that comes
00:29:03.61\00:29:05.67
when you're with people
that have that like mindedness
00:29:05.71\00:29:08.14
of being a
conduit for God's love.
00:29:08.18\00:29:10.58
And that's something
that Jill and I both,
00:29:10.61\00:29:12.75
we have committed ourselves
to is seeking out people
00:29:12.78\00:29:15.85
that are like
minded, that are like hearted
00:29:15.88\00:29:18.55
and whether it's a clinic,
an orphanage, a foster home.
00:29:18.59\00:29:23.32
And two last little things
that we're involved with to
00:29:23.36\00:29:26.49
and I shouldn't say little but,
00:29:26.53\00:29:28.83
you know, if we have the
slide about human trafficking.
00:29:28.86\00:29:32.63
There's millions of
people that are caught up
00:29:32.67\00:29:35.00
in human trafficking right now
00:29:35.04\00:29:36.47
and only one
percent are actually rescued
00:29:36.50\00:29:39.54
from that environment.
00:29:39.57\00:29:40.91
Can you imagine that?
00:29:40.94\00:29:42.28
Just 1% are actually rescued.
00:29:42.31\00:29:45.08
And we, our area
in Boise which has,
00:29:45.11\00:29:48.82
the community of
Boise about 700,000 people
00:29:48.85\00:29:52.82
has over 70% church attendance
00:29:52.85\00:29:55.42
but we have one of
the highest hit rates
00:29:55.46\00:29:58.06
for reported human trafficking.
00:29:58.09\00:29:59.93
So even though you would think
00:29:59.96\00:30:01.60
it would be a
Christian community,
00:30:01.63\00:30:03.93
we've got a real
problem on our hands
00:30:03.97\00:30:05.47
and we're also reaching out
00:30:05.50\00:30:06.84
trying to do
something there as well.
00:30:06.87\00:30:08.24
So Fred and
Jill, you are actually
00:30:08.27\00:30:10.24
in the business of
commercial real estate.
00:30:10.27\00:30:13.21
That's correct.
00:30:13.24\00:30:14.58
But you are finding every
way that you can to do ministry.
00:30:14.61\00:30:18.08
Every minute.
Amen, that's awesome.
00:30:18.11\00:30:20.55
Dee Casper, Dee,
glad to have you here.
00:30:20.58\00:30:24.79
Now, Dee, as my understanding
00:30:24.82\00:30:26.49
that you grew up in the
shadow of a big satellite dish.
00:30:26.52\00:30:31.39
That's true. Tell us about that?
00:30:31.43\00:30:32.76
Yeah, I grew up
about 25 to 30 miles
00:30:32.79\00:30:35.36
away from the
3ABN World Headquarters
00:30:35.40\00:30:37.17
and had never actually heard
00:30:37.20\00:30:38.53
of a Seventh-day
Adventist for 21 years.
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.60
And found it on
television in the fall of 2006.
00:30:40.64\00:30:43.57
Okay.
00:30:43.61\00:30:44.94
So the
television station next door
00:30:44.97\00:30:46.31
you discovered in 2006.
00:30:46.34\00:30:48.84
So what programs
did you start watching?
00:30:48.88\00:30:51.41
Doug Batchelor's Most
Amazing Prophecy series,
00:30:51.45\00:30:54.48
he did at Berrien
Springs was the first thing,
00:30:54.52\00:30:56.55
it was super helpful.
00:30:56.58\00:30:57.92
I remember thinking, I
wasn't doctrinally rooted,
00:30:57.95\00:30:59.85
remember thinking I've
never heard this before
00:30:59.89\00:31:01.56
but that's what the text says.
00:31:01.59\00:31:03.19
And the more I was hearing,
00:31:03.22\00:31:04.56
after that was
David Asscherick's
00:31:04.59\00:31:05.93
Discover Prophecy series.
00:31:05.96\00:31:07.53
And from there I went
to find anything of David's
00:31:07.56\00:31:10.17
that I could on the
Internet to listening...
00:31:10.20\00:31:11.70
You were baptized when?
00:31:11.73\00:31:13.70
December 4th, 2010.
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.07
Okay, December 4th,
2010 is your anniversary.
00:31:15.10\00:31:18.31
And you became a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:31:18.34\00:31:19.97
because of the
television station next door
00:31:20.01\00:31:22.04
and their ministry.
00:31:22.08\00:31:23.58
And then you've
become involved in ministry,
00:31:23.61\00:31:25.38
in fact, I believe you
are now leading a ministry
00:31:25.41\00:31:28.32
right next door to 3ABN.
00:31:28.35\00:31:29.75
Yeah, Our ministry is actually
located on Miracle Lane.
00:31:29.78\00:31:32.99
We're on Miracle Lane right
next to the original TV studio.
00:31:33.02\00:31:35.96
So UnScene Media Group,
the ministry I work for,
00:31:35.99\00:31:38.03
that's where we're located.
00:31:38.06\00:31:39.39
Yeah. Okay.
00:31:39.43\00:31:40.76
Now, tell us a little
bit about that ministry?
00:31:40.80\00:31:42.16
So we are professional
filmmaking organization.
00:31:42.20\00:31:44.40
So we create content internally
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.87
but we're doing a lot of
work for other organizations.
00:31:46.90\00:31:48.90
So this picture here
is some devotional videos
00:31:48.94\00:31:51.77
that GYC has been
releasing through Facebook,
00:31:51.81\00:31:54.01
we produce those for them.
00:31:54.04\00:31:55.84
There's another video we are,
00:31:55.88\00:31:57.21
or a picture we
have right after this
00:31:57.25\00:31:58.58
of a cooking program we did
00:31:58.61\00:31:59.95
for a physician here in
Texas, Dr. Dona Cooper Dockery.
00:31:59.98\00:32:03.45
And she has a television program
00:32:03.49\00:32:06.05
encouraging
people to get healthy
00:32:06.09\00:32:07.82
and how to use food as medicine.
00:32:07.86\00:32:09.19
So we actually
filmed some cooking programs
00:32:09.22\00:32:11.43
for those
television shows that she has
00:32:11.46\00:32:14.13
while we were down in
Texas earlier this year.
00:32:14.16\00:32:16.30
We've done stuff for
like Nat school evangelism.
00:32:16.33\00:32:18.40
We made their promo
video and other places.
00:32:18.43\00:32:20.10
So that's the industry
that we use to raise funds
00:32:20.14\00:32:24.21
to do a lot of ministry.
00:32:24.24\00:32:25.61
So we do
filmmaking professionally
00:32:25.64\00:32:27.64
but our burden is to raise funds
00:32:27.68\00:32:30.28
to use internally to be
able to do a lot of ministry.
00:32:30.31\00:32:32.95
So we have, basically
our burden is to make content
00:32:32.98\00:32:36.42
to reach young
people through social media,
00:32:36.45\00:32:38.75
that's principled,
that's Christ centered,
00:32:38.79\00:32:40.49
that's modern
00:32:40.52\00:32:41.86
but we also have
training programs
00:32:41.89\00:32:44.09
to equip young
people to do media.
00:32:44.13\00:32:45.99
So the next
picture that we have here
00:32:46.03\00:32:47.80
is from our summer film camp.
00:32:47.83\00:32:49.73
Basically 13 to 17 year olds
for two weeks in the summers,
00:32:49.76\00:32:53.44
they get a
chance to actually learn
00:32:53.47\00:32:54.80
how to make
their own short film.
00:32:54.84\00:32:56.17
We teach them how
to write a script,
00:32:56.20\00:32:57.87
how to do the storyboarding,
how to film with 4k cameras,
00:32:57.91\00:33:01.24
how to edit on final cut pro
00:33:01.28\00:33:03.55
and we let them use
macbook pros to do that.
00:33:03.58\00:33:06.01
And then we have a film
festival at the 3ABN church
00:33:06.05\00:33:08.45
at the end of those two weeks
00:33:08.48\00:33:09.82
for them to show
what they've made.
00:33:09.85\00:33:11.19
It was a huge success the
year that we did it last year.
00:33:11.22\00:33:13.72
And then we also
have a nine month
00:33:13.76\00:33:15.62
internship training
program called Idea.
00:33:15.66\00:33:17.96
This is one of our interns
actually giving a devotional
00:33:17.99\00:33:20.23
at Harvard Hills Academy
00:33:20.26\00:33:21.90
where we did a week
of prayer this last fall.
00:33:21.93\00:33:24.17
And the next
picture is of small groups
00:33:24.20\00:33:27.64
happening in Texas
00:33:27.67\00:33:29.00
where we had a youth
event called War Plans,
00:33:29.04\00:33:30.71
basically training
churches to start small groups
00:33:30.74\00:33:33.68
and particularly to
grow their youth groups
00:33:33.71\00:33:35.61
in their community
00:33:35.64\00:33:36.98
dealing with heart
issues for young people,
00:33:37.01\00:33:38.51
showing to the point
like TED talk format.
00:33:38.55\00:33:40.72
Then they break
into small groups
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.08
and start to digest even more
and then we kind of leave them
00:33:42.12\00:33:44.55
with materials to watch together
00:33:44.59\00:33:46.55
then do small groups
for the following weeks
00:33:46.59\00:33:48.22
to grow their youth group.
00:33:48.26\00:33:49.62
So that's our burden
is media and evangelism.
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.79
The Idea program,
00:33:52.83\00:33:54.16
the nine months training program
00:33:54.20\00:33:55.53
is basically like film school
00:33:55.56\00:33:56.90
and a school of
evangelism put together.
00:33:56.93\00:33:59.17
So if people have an
interest in digital media
00:33:59.20\00:34:01.10
would also have an interest
in how to give a Bible study,
00:34:01.14\00:34:03.81
how to preach, how
to share their faith.
00:34:03.84\00:34:05.77
We teach them all of that
and it's an internship format.
00:34:05.81\00:34:08.44
So it's not just
sitting in the classroom all day
00:34:08.48\00:34:10.81
and learning with
very, very hands on.
00:34:10.85\00:34:13.11
So I travel and
do week of prayers
00:34:13.15\00:34:14.58
and speak at a school somewhere,
00:34:14.62\00:34:16.25
they come with and
they get to share too
00:34:16.28\00:34:17.85
when we travel
and do film making
00:34:17.89\00:34:19.22
for GYC and others.
00:34:19.25\00:34:20.69
Our girls last year
actually filmed that
00:34:20.72\00:34:22.69
and did the editing for it.
00:34:22.72\00:34:24.13
So you get to work
on hands on projects
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.16
to advance the
world churches mission.
00:34:26.19\00:34:28.06
It's an awesome opportunity,
we're really excited for it.
00:34:28.10\00:34:30.33
So that's the
ministry side that we're doing.
00:34:30.37\00:34:32.63
We travel and speak in churches,
00:34:32.67\00:34:34.30
we do weekends,
a week of prayers
00:34:34.34\00:34:36.97
and any youth
events things like that,
00:34:37.01\00:34:38.84
that's one of
our biggest burdens
00:34:38.87\00:34:40.21
is to not just make content
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.01
but also be involved
in personal ministry.
00:34:42.04\00:34:44.51
And probably the
most amazing testimony
00:34:44.55\00:34:46.78
I've witnessed in the times
00:34:46.82\00:34:48.42
I've been into
UnScene since August of 2015
00:34:48.45\00:34:51.62
is someone given
a DVD of a sermon
00:34:51.65\00:34:54.69
I shared at a church locally.
00:34:54.72\00:34:56.06
So running this film
making industry has allowed us
00:34:56.09\00:34:59.29
to do lots of personal ministry
00:34:59.33\00:35:01.16
and preach in
churches and do other things,
00:35:01.20\00:35:02.60
that's what
keeps the doors open.
00:35:02.63\00:35:04.13
So an opportunity
that came from this
00:35:04.17\00:35:05.70
was I preached in a church
00:35:05.73\00:35:07.07
and a family
member gave them the DVD,
00:35:07.10\00:35:08.50
the message and I
covered the sufferings of Christ
00:35:08.54\00:35:10.74
from Gethsemane to the cross.
00:35:10.77\00:35:13.14
And this person has wrestled
with homosexuality for years,
00:35:13.17\00:35:16.85
say were a young person.
00:35:16.88\00:35:18.38
And they heard this message
00:35:18.41\00:35:20.92
and they had the most
profound response to the gospel
00:35:20.95\00:35:23.55
I've ever seen in my life.
00:35:23.59\00:35:25.55
And they could not
turn this message off,
00:35:25.59\00:35:28.52
they literally put it on
repeat when the message ended
00:35:28.56\00:35:30.59
and put that on
non-stop repeat for days.
00:35:30.63\00:35:33.80
They even let this
thing playing for their dogs
00:35:33.83\00:35:35.80
to listen to when
they left their house.
00:35:35.83\00:35:37.87
They couldn't turn it off
00:35:37.90\00:35:39.23
because for the
first time in his life
00:35:39.27\00:35:40.87
he saw that he could be saved,
00:35:40.90\00:35:43.27
first time in his life.
00:35:43.30\00:35:44.64
He had an awful
experience in religion,
00:35:44.67\00:35:46.01
not in
Adventism, another church.
00:35:46.04\00:35:47.71
But it just been, had
received a whole lot of scrutiny
00:35:47.74\00:35:50.65
and unbelief being
heaped upon him by Christians.
00:35:50.68\00:35:54.25
And so he
thought, "This is the way
00:35:54.28\00:35:55.62
that Christians feel about me.
00:35:55.65\00:35:56.99
This must be the way
that God feels about me."
00:35:57.02\00:35:58.65
But to hear this message
he saw that God is not hate
00:35:58.69\00:36:02.09
and that God actually
loves and cares for me.
00:36:02.12\00:36:04.79
And what end up happening
00:36:04.83\00:36:06.16
was he told me the
most profound thing
00:36:06.19\00:36:07.76
I've ever heard in my life,
00:36:07.80\00:36:09.40
he said, "That message
separated me from being gay."
00:36:09.43\00:36:14.34
It literally separated him
00:36:14.37\00:36:16.07
from a former
identity he had had.
00:36:16.10\00:36:18.17
And he said that, "It was,
for the first time in my life
00:36:18.21\00:36:20.48
I saw that I
don't have to identify
00:36:20.51\00:36:22.24
myself as a homosexual
00:36:22.28\00:36:23.95
that Jesus
doesn't see me that way."
00:36:23.98\00:36:26.28
And just an
amazing, amazing story
00:36:26.31\00:36:28.72
that is continued to strengthen
my faith in the gospel
00:36:28.75\00:36:31.95
and to know that
because of the work
00:36:31.99\00:36:33.52
that God has allowed
us to do in filmmaking,
00:36:33.56\00:36:35.69
we can actually see this make
a difference in people's lives
00:36:35.72\00:36:37.83
all around the country.
00:36:37.86\00:36:40.00
Dee, if I'm hearing
correctly and it's very moving,
00:36:40.03\00:36:43.06
thank you.
00:36:43.10\00:36:44.50
There's two
really good passions,
00:36:44.53\00:36:46.33
two really strong
passions you have.
00:36:46.37\00:36:47.90
One, is training. Yes.
00:36:47.94\00:36:50.27
You want to train other people,
00:36:50.31\00:36:51.64
especially young people to
be able to utilize the passion
00:36:51.67\00:36:55.34
that God has given them
in their skill development,
00:36:55.38\00:36:57.41
but you're also reaching out
00:36:57.45\00:36:58.78
and touching specific
people through the ministry.
00:36:58.81\00:37:01.48
Yeah, personal
ministry, 100%. That's awesome.
00:37:01.52\00:37:03.99
Thank you very much
for what you're doing.
00:37:04.02\00:37:05.39
Thank you.
00:37:05.42\00:37:06.76
It's my privilege to introduce
my good friend, Radim Passer.
00:37:06.79\00:37:10.76
Radim hails...
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.19
he comes from the
beautiful city of Prague,
00:37:13.23\00:37:15.83
Czech Republic
00:37:15.86\00:37:17.50
and Radim is a businessman.
00:37:17.53\00:37:20.84
He actually is in commercial,
00:37:20.87\00:37:22.34
he makes his living in
commercial real estate.
00:37:22.37\00:37:24.27
We have two
commercial real estate people
00:37:24.31\00:37:25.71
up here today.
00:37:25.74\00:37:27.08
But, Radim, several years ago
00:37:27.11\00:37:29.68
you discovered that your passion
00:37:29.71\00:37:33.72
was to see people come
to Christ and evangelism.
00:37:33.75\00:37:37.39
And you heard about a little
program called New Beginnings.
00:37:37.42\00:37:40.89
And I want you just to
tell us a little bit about
00:37:40.92\00:37:44.59
how you have
used New Beginnings,
00:37:44.63\00:37:46.70
which of course all of
you know is the DVD project
00:37:46.73\00:37:51.13
where we actually teach
laypeople to preach sermons.
00:37:51.17\00:37:55.84
You used that
extensively in Prague.
00:37:55.87\00:37:57.91
Tell us about it?
00:37:57.94\00:38:00.24
Good evening ASI.
00:38:00.28\00:38:02.38
We would like
to thank ASI family
00:38:02.41\00:38:05.15
for the amazing tool
which is New Beginnings.
00:38:05.18\00:38:08.48
We're using this
project typically two ways.
00:38:08.52\00:38:12.55
One of them is public meetings
typically five times a week
00:38:12.59\00:38:18.53
which we are doing once a year.
00:38:18.56\00:38:21.40
And we started about
one and a half year ago
00:38:21.43\00:38:23.67
to do something
for the business people
00:38:23.70\00:38:26.03
because business
people very rarely can attend
00:38:26.07\00:38:29.40
all these
meetings five times a week.
00:38:29.44\00:38:31.97
So we decided to
prepare for people
00:38:32.01\00:38:34.04
from business community during
three days all 26 lectures
00:38:34.08\00:38:38.98
plus life story of the preacher.
00:38:39.01\00:38:41.35
And thanks God, it's feasible.
00:38:41.38\00:38:44.05
That's awesome.
00:38:44.09\00:38:45.42
So two ways,
just want to point out
00:38:45.45\00:38:47.19
the traditional way of preaching
00:38:47.22\00:38:49.42
you've used where you
do the regular programs
00:38:49.46\00:38:51.49
but also the intensive
00:38:51.53\00:38:53.43
and that
intensive is something new.
00:38:53.46\00:38:55.03
We've all been very impressed
00:38:55.06\00:38:56.87
watching that
three day intensive,
00:38:56.90\00:38:59.10
Radim, you've tested that out.
00:38:59.13\00:39:00.80
Sometimes the
Europeans lead the way
00:39:00.84\00:39:04.11
and we're glad for that.
00:39:04.14\00:39:05.47
But, you know, there was
an experience that you had.
00:39:05.51\00:39:08.81
You took a
group down to Tanzania
00:39:08.84\00:39:12.08
and in Tanzania you were
going to do a mission trip
00:39:12.11\00:39:14.62
from Central Europe.
00:39:14.65\00:39:17.22
And you were going
to go on that project.
00:39:17.25\00:39:19.32
Tell us a little
bit about how you are,
00:39:19.35\00:39:21.06
how many people you took
00:39:21.09\00:39:22.42
and how this guy
sitting next to you, Richard...
00:39:22.46\00:39:24.66
Richard, glad to
have you here too.
00:39:24.69\00:39:26.39
How Richard got
involved in this?
00:39:26.43\00:39:28.56
I worked with Richard's father
a long time for private videos
00:39:28.60\00:39:32.53
and for the
corporation videos for us.
00:39:32.57\00:39:35.24
And his father asked me
00:39:35.27\00:39:38.14
before we went to Tanzania
to take also his son with us.
00:39:38.17\00:39:43.35
And my decision was immediate
00:39:43.38\00:39:45.88
because I hope it would be
a great experience for him.
00:39:45.91\00:39:49.58
Okay.
00:39:49.62\00:39:50.95
Now, Richard, you,
00:39:50.99\00:39:52.42
I want to direct
the question to you now.
00:39:52.45\00:39:54.29
You got to go on this trip,
00:39:54.32\00:39:56.56
what was your situation
right at that time in your life?
00:39:56.59\00:40:01.46
Well, Dan, my situation
I can tell you at that time
00:40:01.50\00:40:04.33
I was a big mess.
00:40:04.37\00:40:05.70
I was a big wreck.
00:40:05.73\00:40:08.30
In my high school years
00:40:08.34\00:40:09.67
I ended up
experimenting with some drugs
00:40:09.70\00:40:11.54
and I ended up being addicted
for about 10 years in my life.
00:40:11.57\00:40:16.51
And right around
that time that I met Radim
00:40:16.54\00:40:19.05
is about the time that
my mom had enough with me
00:40:19.08\00:40:21.92
over here in the United States.
00:40:21.95\00:40:23.95
And she said go
back to your father
00:40:23.99\00:40:25.85
and work with him for some time,
00:40:25.89\00:40:27.46
maybe he'll straighten you out.
00:40:27.49\00:40:29.56
So thinking that
I would just go back
00:40:29.59\00:40:31.29
to the Czech Republic
00:40:31.33\00:40:32.66
and kind of
escape this addiction.
00:40:32.69\00:40:36.26
That did not happen,
actually it got even worse.
00:40:36.30\00:40:38.50
I ended up using heroin
00:40:38.53\00:40:39.87
and methamphetamines over there.
00:40:39.90\00:40:42.54
I did end up meeting Radim
00:40:42.57\00:40:44.57
and started doing some video
work for him with my father.
00:40:44.61\00:40:49.74
And some of the first work
00:40:49.78\00:40:51.38
that we had the
opportunity to do
00:40:51.41\00:40:53.08
was the New Beginnings.
00:40:53.11\00:40:54.85
And when we
started the New Beginnings,
00:40:54.88\00:40:56.75
I started seeing some
very revolutionary things
00:40:56.79\00:40:59.62
that I've never heard of,
00:40:59.65\00:41:02.19
I mean, I've
heard of Jesus before
00:41:02.22\00:41:04.56
but just as, you know,
some maybe mythical character
00:41:04.59\00:41:07.50
but the things
that I heard there,
00:41:07.53\00:41:09.16
the whole 25 lectures we had,
00:41:09.20\00:41:11.00
I mean, my world
got flipped upside down.
00:41:11.03\00:41:14.64
And so that was the beginning
00:41:14.67\00:41:17.84
of maybe some sort of at
least a mental transformation.
00:41:17.87\00:41:22.21
So then soon
enough I heard the theory
00:41:22.24\00:41:25.21
because I did
three of those seminars.
00:41:25.25\00:41:28.52
And after that, but my addiction
00:41:28.55\00:41:31.15
kept getting worse and worse.
00:41:31.19\00:41:32.52
I mean, I was just a wreck,
00:41:32.55\00:41:34.69
I mean, I could still videotape,
00:41:34.72\00:41:36.06
I could still
function and all that
00:41:36.09\00:41:37.99
but as long as I had my dose,
00:41:38.03\00:41:40.76
that was priority at
that time, that was my God.
00:41:40.80\00:41:43.43
So what end up happening,
my father already knew of that
00:41:43.47\00:41:46.10
so he asked Radim, he said,
00:41:46.13\00:41:47.47
"Look, can I take
my son with me to,
00:41:47.50\00:41:50.44
you know, the Tanzania maybe
that'll have an influence,"
00:41:50.47\00:41:53.14
because I mean, trust
me, he was hopeless with me,
00:41:53.17\00:41:55.14
I mean, he didn't
know what to do anymore.
00:41:55.18\00:41:57.18
So Radim said yes and
I appreciate that a lot
00:41:57.21\00:42:00.05
because they knew
about my situation
00:42:00.08\00:42:01.58
and, you know, I was
scheduled to say the least.
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.42
So we have, you
know, risk takers.
00:42:04.45\00:42:06.62
One of the things about ASI
00:42:06.65\00:42:07.99
business people
have to be risk takers.
00:42:08.02\00:42:10.63
So, Radim, you took a risk
00:42:10.66\00:42:12.49
that this guy could come
and still contribute, right?
00:42:12.53\00:42:16.46
Are you glad you did that risk?
00:42:16.50\00:42:17.83
I think we are all
risky people for Jesus.
00:42:17.87\00:42:20.04
That's right.
We're looking for Jesus.
00:42:20.07\00:42:21.77
So you were grateful
00:42:21.80\00:42:23.14
that he took the
risk on you, Richard,
00:42:23.17\00:42:24.51
and you recognize
that he was taking a risk.
00:42:24.54\00:42:27.64
Yeah, I did recognize that,
00:42:27.68\00:42:29.01
I mean, it was a big risk
00:42:29.04\00:42:30.38
but at the same time
what ended up happening is
00:42:30.41\00:42:32.41
that I was there
for about one month
00:42:32.45\00:42:34.68
and that was the first time
00:42:34.72\00:42:36.28
that I was
actually in a community
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.05
with Seventh-day
Adventist for one month,
00:42:38.09\00:42:40.02
I mean, can go
anywhere, you know.
00:42:40.06\00:42:42.16
And I met this other guy Bill
00:42:42.19\00:42:43.76
and he had the
same experience as
00:42:43.79\00:42:45.83
or he went through
an addiction as well.
00:42:45.86\00:42:48.60
So I talked to him
00:42:48.63\00:42:49.96
and he was the first
person I actually opened up to
00:42:50.00\00:42:51.33
because, you know, that
time I was kind of hiding it,
00:42:51.37\00:42:53.37
I mean, I was kind
of embarrassed about it.
00:42:53.40\00:42:55.37
So Bill was like,
"Man, I was, you know, I was,
00:42:55.40\00:42:58.77
you know, an addict
as well with my wife
00:42:58.81\00:43:00.24
but we gave
ourselves to the Lord
00:43:00.28\00:43:01.74
and from day to
day it was just gone.
00:43:01.78\00:43:03.88
From that, at that time,
00:43:03.91\00:43:05.41
I mean, I was going
through hopelessness,
00:43:05.45\00:43:06.88
I thought it was
never going to end.
00:43:06.92\00:43:08.25
I mean, they tell you,
00:43:08.28\00:43:09.62
you know, at all these
meetings and AA and all that,
00:43:09.65\00:43:11.05
they're like, oh,
you're an addict for life."
00:43:11.09\00:43:13.56
So that's a very
hopeless situation
00:43:13.59\00:43:15.72
but so he was like, "Just
give yourself over to Jesus.
00:43:15.76\00:43:19.79
Just talk and prayed."
00:43:19.83\00:43:21.36
So I went back to
the Czech Republic
00:43:21.40\00:43:23.57
after this
whole inspiring moment
00:43:23.60\00:43:25.63
and about, still
took me another two years,
00:43:25.67\00:43:27.50
I mean, it's quite some time.
00:43:27.54\00:43:28.94
And I went to rehab
there and I did just that
00:43:28.97\00:43:32.27
when that big
withdrawal came through
00:43:32.31\00:43:34.14
because those
seven years of opiates
00:43:34.18\00:43:35.74
and I can tell you
right now that's, it's rough.
00:43:35.78\00:43:39.58
So over there in the detox,
I said, "Lord," I was like,
00:43:39.61\00:43:43.52
"If you're out there and
if you're listening to me
00:43:43.55\00:43:45.59
like, all these
people said that you were,
00:43:45.62\00:43:48.59
I promise I will
go the right way,
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.46
just get me out
of this situation."
00:43:50.49\00:43:52.56
And I can tell
you that the next day
00:43:52.59\00:43:54.26
he did just that.
00:43:54.30\00:43:55.80
Amen.
00:43:55.83\00:43:57.17
I want you all to know,
yeah, thank you, go ahead.
00:43:57.20\00:43:59.20
Say, express your feelings.
00:43:59.23\00:44:03.44
There's a two part
formula that Richard has shared.
00:44:03.47\00:44:07.71
And I want all of
you both those of you
00:44:07.74\00:44:09.64
who may be watching
from home right now,
00:44:09.68\00:44:11.81
those of you
who are in audience,
00:44:11.85\00:44:13.18
you may have struggled
with addictions yourself,
00:44:13.21\00:44:17.52
you may have a family member
that struggles with addictions.
00:44:17.55\00:44:21.62
Addictions are
everywhere in our society.
00:44:21.66\00:44:24.69
But I want you to
know that here's a man
00:44:24.73\00:44:26.19
that had a two pronged approach.
00:44:26.23\00:44:28.90
One was give your heart
to Jesus and pray, right?
00:44:28.93\00:44:32.23
When a man
gives or a woman gives
00:44:32.27\00:44:33.77
their heart to Jesus
and prays, things happen.
00:44:33.80\00:44:35.90
Secondly, you
got professional help
00:44:35.94\00:44:37.41
and went into rehab
00:44:37.44\00:44:38.81
and the prayers were answered
00:44:38.84\00:44:40.18
and you have had an incredible
journey since that time.
00:44:40.21\00:44:44.38
Now I want to
take a few more minutes
00:44:44.41\00:44:45.75
and just talk
about your journey, okay.
00:44:45.78\00:44:49.65
Now in that journey
since you had that victory
00:44:49.68\00:44:52.22
and you begin,
00:44:52.25\00:44:53.59
your life has been
full of all kinds of things.
00:44:53.62\00:44:56.29
Tell us a little bit about that?
00:44:56.32\00:44:57.66
Okay.
00:44:57.69\00:44:59.03
So, the first thing was,
00:44:59.06\00:45:00.40
after this miraculous
healing that came about
00:45:00.43\00:45:03.87
and this is just
after one prayer that,
00:45:03.90\00:45:05.33
I mean, I didn't
do anything else,
00:45:05.37\00:45:06.94
I just prayed.
00:45:06.97\00:45:08.30
So the next day, I felt like
00:45:08.34\00:45:09.80
I was maybe 10 years younger so,
00:45:09.84\00:45:12.37
and I had this
like tingle in my spine
00:45:12.41\00:45:13.91
and I just knew
that this was the way,
00:45:13.94\00:45:16.14
I mean,
everything just clicked from,
00:45:16.18\00:45:18.08
you know, from what I
learned from the New Beginnings
00:45:18.11\00:45:20.12
and everything just
clicked in all together.
00:45:20.15\00:45:22.25
And so what
happened then is that,
00:45:22.28\00:45:23.69
obviously I went
through the whole rehab
00:45:23.72\00:45:25.55
and I came out fresh.
00:45:25.59\00:45:26.92
I mean, I went out of there,
00:45:26.96\00:45:28.29
I was like I'm
drug free for life,
00:45:28.32\00:45:29.82
I mean, people are
like, "Are you crazy,
00:45:29.86\00:45:31.19
you know, you'll
be back here again,"
00:45:31.23\00:45:32.56
and, you know, they're
doubting me and all that.
00:45:32.59\00:45:34.36
But I knew already in my
heart that once I follow Jesus
00:45:34.40\00:45:37.57
that He'll be
able to get me out.
00:45:37.60\00:45:39.43
And, you know,
frankly I was like,
00:45:39.47\00:45:41.24
"Well, what I was
doing back then was bad
00:45:41.27\00:45:44.34
so I need to go the
totally opposite direction,
00:45:44.37\00:45:46.54
not just stay off the drugs,
00:45:46.57\00:45:47.91
I mean, I need to
go the whole nine yards
00:45:47.94\00:45:50.25
as far away as I can."
00:45:50.28\00:45:51.98
And I was like,
well, the best thing to do
00:45:52.01\00:45:54.45
is to follow Jesus,
I mean, He was sinless,
00:45:54.48\00:45:57.15
I mean, you know, He
was the definition of good.
00:45:57.19\00:46:00.52
So I did just that
00:46:00.56\00:46:02.09
and from then on I
figured I was like,
00:46:02.12\00:46:04.83
I got to tell
more people about this.
00:46:04.86\00:46:06.19
I mean,
obviously, I mean, this is,
00:46:06.23\00:46:07.56
if I would have
known this earlier
00:46:07.60\00:46:08.93
I would have done this way back.
00:46:08.96\00:46:10.60
So what end up happening is,
00:46:10.63\00:46:11.97
I end up going back to the rehab
00:46:12.00\00:46:13.74
because there's
these AA meetings
00:46:13.77\00:46:15.10
that you're
allowed to go back to
00:46:15.14\00:46:17.17
as a member of the
rehab, progs finest.
00:46:17.21\00:46:22.51
I was able to go back over there
00:46:22.54\00:46:23.88
and share my
testimony with them.
00:46:23.91\00:46:27.85
During the wintertime, I go
there at least once a week so.
00:46:27.88\00:46:30.55
Okay. Good.
00:46:30.59\00:46:31.92
Our last question
I just want to ask.
00:46:31.95\00:46:34.02
If you, a lot of people
are listening to you right now
00:46:34.06\00:46:36.42
and your testimony is a
very powerful one, Richard.
00:46:36.46\00:46:39.86
If you could say
anything you wanted
00:46:39.89\00:46:41.23
to any of these
people or anybody
00:46:41.26\00:46:42.60
who might be
watching on television,
00:46:42.63\00:46:43.97
what would you say?
00:46:44.00\00:46:45.33
Okay.
00:46:45.37\00:46:46.70
Well, I would say that
we do have to understand
00:46:46.74\00:46:49.34
it's really
difficult with addicts.
00:46:49.37\00:46:50.71
I mean, you can't trust them
00:46:50.74\00:46:52.97
which is why I was even
surprised that Radim did,
00:46:53.01\00:46:55.88
I mean, knowing that,
you know, I would, I could,
00:46:55.91\00:46:58.71
you know, cause
a lot of trouble.
00:46:58.75\00:47:00.08
I was very unreliable.
00:47:00.12\00:47:01.45
So I would say to them
00:47:01.48\00:47:04.82
definitely have
compassion and lot of love.
00:47:04.85\00:47:08.52
You know, the trust part,
00:47:08.56\00:47:10.46
you always have
to keep an eye out.
00:47:10.49\00:47:11.99
But the prayer, I
think it's very important.
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.03
The prayer is really important
because I know that Radim
00:47:14.06\00:47:17.33
and a bunch of
people from the organization
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.03
were praying for me
00:47:19.07\00:47:20.40
because my dad
reached out to them.
00:47:20.44\00:47:21.77
I didn't know that until later.
00:47:21.80\00:47:23.24
And so the prayer is
definitely very important.
00:47:23.27\00:47:26.11
And then, like you
said in the beginning,
00:47:26.14\00:47:28.01
I mean, the
involvement in the community
00:47:28.04\00:47:29.68
I think was very strong for me.
00:47:29.71\00:47:31.05
I mean, that was a
big testimony because...
00:47:31.08\00:47:33.31
I mean, you can
hear a lot of things,
00:47:33.35\00:47:34.98
let's say on the street
00:47:35.02\00:47:36.35
but when you
involve somebody in,
00:47:36.38\00:47:39.62
like a Seventh-day
Adventist community
00:47:39.65\00:47:41.82
that they can see the true love,
00:47:41.86\00:47:43.99
I mean, I was telling myself.
00:47:44.03\00:47:45.83
I was like, "These people have
something that I've never had."
00:47:45.86\00:47:48.26
I mean, they
have some kind of love
00:47:48.30\00:47:49.90
that I really, really want.
00:47:49.93\00:47:51.33
And that's what
ended up happening,
00:47:51.37\00:47:52.70
that's what ended up
drawing me near to that.
00:47:52.73\00:47:55.27
So the prayer and
then the involvement.
00:47:55.30\00:47:58.01
Amen. Can you say amen?
00:47:58.04\00:47:59.37
Amen. Thank you, all.
00:47:59.41\00:48:00.78
Now, Radim, last question.
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.21
Are you glad that you
invited him to Tanzania?
00:48:02.24\00:48:05.31
I'm grateful to God
00:48:05.35\00:48:06.72
because He's so
good and always...
00:48:06.75\00:48:09.68
this is
experience by experience.
00:48:09.72\00:48:11.39
He's overcame our expectations.
00:48:11.42\00:48:14.99
Amen, amen.
00:48:15.02\00:48:16.36
Thank you.
00:48:16.39\00:48:18.69
I remember once
upon a time, I was...
00:48:18.73\00:48:22.46
I started pastoring very early.
00:48:22.50\00:48:25.23
I was about 21 years old
00:48:25.27\00:48:26.87
and I remember sitting
in my first board meeting.
00:48:26.90\00:48:29.90
And I asked them,
"I didn't know about
00:48:29.94\00:48:31.77
Robert's Rules of Order
or anything of that kind."
00:48:31.81\00:48:34.64
And I said, "What you
guys want to talk about?"
00:48:34.68\00:48:37.45
The board meeting
started at about 6 o'clock
00:48:37.48\00:48:40.12
and it ended at 10 o'clock
that evening, four hours.
00:48:40.15\00:48:44.29
I learned an important
thing about organization.
00:48:44.32\00:48:49.49
And that is, before we
expect to have a great outcome,
00:48:49.52\00:48:53.43
we must be willing
to work beforehand.
00:48:53.46\00:48:56.10
The reason why
that board meeting
00:48:56.13\00:48:57.47
took about four hours
00:48:57.50\00:48:58.83
is I realized that I
didn't have the tools
00:48:58.87\00:49:02.80
to do something greater
to organize the meeting.
00:49:02.84\00:49:05.91
And as a result, we
drag down and wasted time.
00:49:05.94\00:49:10.01
And I believe things like
ASI, GYC help with those things.
00:49:10.05\00:49:13.45
They give you
tools, they give you vision
00:49:13.48\00:49:16.32
so that you're able to work well
00:49:16.35\00:49:18.22
and not waste people's time,
00:49:18.25\00:49:20.36
and really have a great
outcome idea and be efficient.
00:49:20.39\00:49:24.16
And that is my tip that
I want to leave with you.
00:49:24.19\00:49:27.63
Work, and work, and work well.
00:49:27.66\00:49:30.60