Participants: Wade Brooks
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000391
|
00:22 HELLO AND WELCOME TO "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS".
00:26 WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM PLANNED FOR YOU TODAY. 00:28 WE ARE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES IN THE COUNTRY OF ETHIOPIA 00:31 AND SEEING HOW JESUS IS LEADING THOSE PEOPLE. 00:33 MY NAME IS DAN PREAS. 00:35 TODAY I HAVE WITH ME, WADE BROOKS. 00:38 WADE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR FIELD OPERATIONS FOR GOSPEL OUTREACH. 00:42 WELCOME TO "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS". 00:44 THANK YOU! 00:46 I HAVE KNOWN WADE FOR AWHILE AND I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW WADE AS A PERSON WHO IS VERY INTERESTED IN 00:52 SHARING THE GOSPEL. 00:54 WADE, CAN YOU JUST SHARE A FEW MOMENTS OF WHY THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU. 00:59 YOU KNOW, DAN, IT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A JOURNEY FOR ME. 01:03 SOMETIMES I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I HARDLY RECOGNIZE MY LIFE SOMETIMES FROM WHERE I THINK IT 01:08 WOULD NORMALLY HAVE BEEN. 01:11 I GUESS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BY THE LORD TO WHAT IT REALLY MEANS 01:16 TO BELONG TO GOD. 01:17 I HAVE TO SAY THAT HAS BEEN CALLING ME PERSONALLY 01:21 TO A GREATER LEVEL OF SURRENDER IN MY LIFE. 01:25 I GUESS AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD REMAKING MY LIFE THAT IT HAS FILLED ME WITH SUCH A JOY AND 01:30 APPRECIATION FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE THAT I COULD NEVER REPAY THE DEBT. 01:34 I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT GIVES A GREATER JOY THAN SEEING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST 01:42 IN SOMEBODY'S FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME. 01:43 I GUESS THAT IS WHAT DRIVES ME MORE THAN ANYTHING; WHAT REALLY MADE ME THINK ABOUT DOING A 01:49 MISSION TRIP OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES. 01:55 WADE, SPEAKING OF MISSION TRIPS, HERE RECENTLY YOU TEAMED UP WITH 01:59 ANOTHER ORGANIZATION TO GO TO ETHIOPIA. 02:03 TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TRIP AND THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU WENT WITH. 02:07 WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAD BEEN PRAYING FOR A WHILE 02:09 FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON A MISSION TRIP. 02:12 BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST CHOOSE A MISSION TRIP AND JUST HAVE IT BE SOMETHING THAT I CHOSE. 02:17 I WANTED GOD TO DIRECT WHAT THAT WOULD BE. 02:20 AND SO I PRAYED BUT I WAITED FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF MONTHS. 02:25 ONE DAY I WAS SHARING THE MESSAGE IN A LITTLE CHURCH IN THE VALLEY AND AFTER THE SERMON 02:30 TIME, MIKE TRUCKEY CAME UP TO ME REPRESENTING KCADO . 02:34 THAT IS KIND-HEARTS CHILD AID DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION . 02:37 IT IS KIND OF A LONG NAME BUT BASICALLY IT IS A MINISTRY IN ETHIOPIA FOR CHILDREN. 02:44 I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND. 02:46 HE INVITED ME TO BE PART OF AN EVANGELISTIC TEAM GOING TO ETHIOPIA HERE IN OCTOBER AND 02:53 NOVEMBER TIME FRAME. 02:54 SO THAT WAS THE RIGHT TIME. 02:55 I JUST KNEW THAT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT I HAD TRIED TO PUT TOGETHER 03:00 BUT THAT GOD WAS IN IT. 03:02 SO I WAS PREPARING FOR A ADVENTURE. 03:05 YOU HAD MENTIONED TO ME EARLIER ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT MISSION 03:11 TRIP, PARTICULARLY, WITH THAT ORGANIZATION. 03:12 IT WAS HAVING SOME THING TO DO WITH SALT. 03:15 CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? 03:17 I SHOULD PROBABLY BACK UP A SLIGHT BIT. 03:20 KCADO ACTUALLY IS EVOLVED. 03:22 IT IS A NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION IN ETHIOPIA, 03:26 DEDICATED TO MINISTRY IN ETHIOPIA. 03:28 AND IT IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. 03:31 REALLY, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT IT REALLY DOES. 03:33 NUMBER ONE, IT REACHES OUT TO CHILDREN. 03:36 THERE IS A CRYING NEED FOR SCHOOLS IN ETHIOPIA. 03:39 THE GOVERNMENT DOES WHAT IT CAN BUT HAS LIMITED RESOURCES. 03:42 ETHIOPIA HAS AN EXPLODING POPULATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE. 03:46 PROBABLY IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AMAZED ME MORE THAN ANYTHING WHEN I WAS IN THE 03:49 COUNTRY; HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THERE WERE. 03:51 SO SCHOOLS ARE A BIG PROBLEM. 03:53 EVEN IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THE GRADUATION RATE IS 25 PER CENT. 03:58 SO IT IS VERY DIFFICULT. 03:59 SOMETIMES YOU HAVE ADULTS STILL TRYING TO GET THAT EIGHTH GRADE CERTIFICATION. 04:03 KCADO IS WORKING TO START SCHOOLS IN THESE AREAS. 04:06 THERE ARE SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING IN DEBRE BERHAN AND SOME OTHER PLACES. 04:11 THE THING ABOUT SALT, TO GET BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, 04:15 IS THAT SALT IS A LUXURY ITEM, SALT. 04:19 FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT IT IS EXPENSIVE. 04:22 THE BODY, WE KNOW, NEEDS IODINE. 04:25 I AM NOT A MEDICAL PERSON BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THEIR GOITERS BEGAN TO GROW IF THE 04:30 PEOPLE DON'T GET ENOUGH IODINE. 04:32 IN ONE OF THE TOWNS WHERE I WAS IN WELKITE THIS IS PARTICULARLY A PROBLEM. 04:36 THESE GROW VERY SLOWLY OVER TIME BUT THE THYROID TRIES TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOW LEVELS. 04:41 THESE PEOPLE HAVE GROWTHS. 04:42 YOU CAN IMAGINE A YOUNG PERSON WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 04:44 THEY FEEL VERY EMBARRASSED, PLUS ALL THE HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT CAN GO WITH IT. 04:51 WE STARTED DELIVERY SALT TO THE PEOPLE. 04:54 FOR A FAMILY OF SALT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS COSTS 25 CENTS IN THE U.S. 05:00 SO NOT ONLY IS IT CREATING ENORMOUS GOODWILL AND APPRECIATION BY THE PEOPLE, 05:04 BUT ALSO IT HAS BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT 05:09 AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. 05:12 THE THIRD THING IS THAT IT INVOLVES EVANGELISM. 05:15 JUST SHARING THE GOOD NEWS AND THE HOPE OF CHRIST IN MANY DARK AREAS IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THERE 05:20 IS REALLY NO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 05:22 AND SO THAT WAS THE LAST PART IS WHERE I GOT INVOLVED, WITH THE EVANGELISM; 05:26 AT LEAST A PORTION OF IT. 05:27 OKAY, SO YOU WENT TO FULFILL YOUR DREAM TO SHARE THE GOSPEL THROUGH 05:31 AND EVANGELISTIC SERIES IN ETHIOPIA. 05:34 YES! 05:35 VERY GOOD! 05:36 WADE, I AM REALLY INTERESTED. 05:37 I CAN REMEMBER MY FIRST TRIP OVERSEAS. 05:40 WHEN I GOT OFF THAT PLANE AND LOOKED AROUND, MY EYES OPENED WIDE. 05:45 I WAS SHOCKED! 05:46 TELL ME WHAT WERE YOU FIRST IMPRESSIONS WHEN YOU GOT OFF THAT PLANE? 05:50 MY! 05:51 I THINK THAT ONE OF THE FIRST SHOCKS WAS ADDIS ABABA. 05:58 THE CITY IS AMAZING! 05:59 I BELIEVE IT HAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 5,000,000 PEOPLE. 06:03 I GUESS THE SHOCK IS THAT YOU HAVE THE 18TH CENTURY 06:06 AND THE 21ST CENTURY ON THE SAME SIDEWALK. 06:08 IT IS A CITY OF MASSIVE CONTRAST, CONTRADICTIONS. 06:12 THE BILLBOARDS WERE HUGE. 06:14 EVERYTHING WAS SO DIFFERENT. 06:16 IT IS A CITY OF ENORMOUS ENERGY. 06:19 A LOT OF CHANGE IS COMING BUT YOU SEE MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE AREA OF THE CITY JUST STRUGGLING 06:27 TO STAY ALIVE, JUST STRUGGLING TO STAY ALIVE. 06:29 THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT TAKES TO DO THAT WAS JUST MIND BOGGLING TO ME. 06:35 IT JUST SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE IS IN BUSINESS DOING SOMETHING. 06:37 EVERYBODY, I'M SURE IT WASN'T EVERYONE BUT IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYWHERE YOU TURNED EVERYONE 06:43 WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO SURVIVE AND TO MAKE A LIVING. 06:47 I AM TRYING TO THINK OF OTHER THINGS. 06:51 SPEAK SPECIFICALLY; YOU MENTIONED A CONTRAST BETWEEN 18TH CENTURY AND 21ST CENTURY. 06:59 WHAT DID YOU SEE THAT SAID THESE PEOPLE ARE WAY BACK IN THE 18TH CENTURY? 07:04 I CAN REMEMBER IN INDIA WHAT I SAW JUST HOW PEOPLE HARVESTED THEIR FOOD. 07:08 THEY SPREAD RICE ON THE ROAD AND LET THE CARS RUN OVER IT THEN THEY PICKED IT UP 07:12 AND WENT FOR IT. 07:13 DID YOU SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT? 07:15 YES, I DID! 07:16 IN FACT, ONCE WE GOT OUTSIDE OF ADDIS ABABA . 07:20 I THINK MY FIRST BIG BOUT OF CULTURE SHOCK WAS ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH SOUTH ADDIS. 07:28 IT WAS JUST THAT I SAW SO MUCH SO QUICK. 07:29 PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CULTURE SHOCK, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR WHAT I SAW; 07:35 THE MASSES OF PEOPLE AND THE DESTITUTION IN MANY PLACES. 07:40 AS I GOT OUT INTO A MORE RURAL AREAS, 07:44 I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED WITH WHAT IT TOOK TO STAY ALIVE EVERYDAY. 07:50 I SAW HUNDREDS OF THESE LITTLE DONKEYS. 07:51 THEY HAD LITTLE WOODEN FRAMES ON THEM AND THEY WOULD STRAP THESE FIVE GALLON WATER CONTAINERS 07:57 THAT WOULD GO MILES AND GREAT DISTANCE TO GET WATER JUST FOR THE DAY. 08:02 I WOULD SEE PEOPLE WITH THESE LITTLE SICKLES HEADED OUT, 08:06 MEN AND WOMEN HEADING OUT TO THE TEFF MILLS. 08:08 THAT WAS THE GRAIN THAT THEY MADE THEIR INJERA OUT OF. 08:11 LOOKING AT THOSE BALES AND THINKING ABOUT THEM BEING CUT DOWN BY HAND AND ALL THE WORK 08:17 THAT HAPPENS AFTER THE GRAIN AND SEEING THE MULES LOADED WITH THOSE GREAT BIG PILES OF TEFF 08:22 BEING TAKEN FOR FURTHER WORK. 08:25 I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT I REALLY WENT THROUGH AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THERE WAS A SENSE 08:31 OF DEVASTATION; RECOGNIZING MY UTTER AND COMPLETE INABILITY TO DO ANYTHING HUMANLY SPEAKING. 08:39 WHATEVER HAPPENED THERE HAD TO BE A "GOD EVENT" BECAUSE HUMANLY I COULD JUST IMAGINE JUST HOW 08:45 FEW OF THOSE PEOPLE HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 08:48 I THINK GOD NEEDED TO DO THAT TO ME; TO HELP ME RECOGNIZE MY DEPENDENCE, TOTAL, 08:55 ABSOLUTE DEPENDENCE ON HIM. 08:57 I AM JUST TRYING TO THINK THAT THERE WERE JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT I SAW, 09:03 THE HOSPITALITY OF THE PEOPLE, THE FRIENDLINESS, THE ENERGY, THE HOPE OF PEOPLE TRYING TO 09:10 HAVE SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT THEY MAYBE HAD AT THAT MOMENT AND TIME. 09:14 LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION. 09:15 WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GOT OUT AMONGST THE PEOPLE; YOU MENTIONED YOU WENT OUT INTO THE 09:19 VILLAGES AND STARTED YOUR EVANGELISTIC MEETING, WHAT DID YOU FIND? 09:23 DO YOU FIND THAT JESUS CHRIST HAD BEEN ALIVE AND WORKING IN ETHIOPIA? 09:28 HOW DID THE PEOPLE SEE SOMEONE COMING FROM AMERICA WANTING TO SHARE THE GOSPEL? 09:34 I THINK OF THE CHILDREN. 09:37 THE CHILDREN REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART. 09:40 I CAN REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS THERE IN WELKITE . 09:42 I JUST KEPT WATCHING THE CHILDREN, HUNDREDS OF THESE LITTLE CHILDREN COMING RIGHT TO 09:47 THE FRONT. 09:48 IN FACT, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND MY LEGS IF THE PEOPLE 09:50 HADN'T BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM REARRANGED. 09:52 THE SMILES, THE LIGHT, WHEN THEY WOULD SING THOSE SONGS TO CHRIST. 09:58 IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN RAFTER IN THAT FIELD WHERE WE WERE AT, I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE LIFTED 10:02 THEM WITH THE DRIVE, THE DESIRE. 10:04 I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT JUST BEFORE THE MEETINGS.THIS WAS AFTER WE GOT THE HALL, 10:09 WHICH I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT IN A MINUTE HERE ABOUT. 10:13 THERE WAS THIS GREAT HALL AND THERE WERE THESE CURTAINS THERE ON THE STAGE AND I HEARD THIS 10:19 MURMURING, THIS INTENSE INTERCEDING AND I THOUGHT, WHAT IS THAT SOUND? 10:25 I ASKED THE PASTOR, "WHAT IS THAT NOISE BEHIND THE STAGE?" 10:29 HE SAID, "THOSE ARE PEOPLE PLEADING WITH GOD; PRAYING TO GOD FOR THESE MEETINGS." 10:34 I SAID, "WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO MEET THESE PEOPLE." 10:38 THEY BROUGHT OUT BEHIND THE CURTAIN AFTERWARDS THESE FOUR SHY WOMEN, 10:42 WHO BEEN EARNESTLY PLEADING WITH GOD. 10:44 EVERY NIGHT IT WAS A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE. 10:46 I SAW AN EARNESTNESS AND DESIRE. 10:48 ONE DAY THREE YOUNG MEN JUST SAID, "CAN WE MEET WITH YOU?" 10:53 THEY MET WITH ME. 10:54 THERE WAS SUCH EARNESTNESS AND A LOVE FOR GOD IN THESE YOUNG GUYS FACES. 11:01 THEY SAID, "HOW CAN WE SHARE CHRIST IN THIS TOWN, WELKITE ?" 11:04 WE HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLE TIME JUST VISITING, 11:09 TALKING AND DREAMING ABOUT WHAT COULD BE IN THAT PLACE. 11:13 I SAW GOD'S FACE IN MANY WAYS. 11:16 I CAN REMEMBER WHERE GOD PUT ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE ONE TIME. 11:21 THE FIRST SERIES OF MEETINGS WE HAD WAS IN ASELA IN THIS TOWN T WAS SO PATHETICALLY DIFFFERENT 11:29 THAN ANY TOWN THAT I HAD BEEN IN THAT IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO JUST MAKE A MENTAL AJUSTMENT. 11:35 SO ONE DAY PASTOR DAN SAID, "LET'S GO FOR A WALK IN ASELA ." 11:40 SO WE BEGAN TO WALK THE STREETS. 11:42 I DON'T HAVE TIME TO TELL YOU ALL THAT HAPPENED ON THAT WALK 11:45 BUT THERE WERE A FEW UNSETTLING EXPERIENCES. 11:48 WE GOT INTO ONE AREA THAT PROBABLY WASN'T VERY SAFE. 11:51 THEN WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TAKE A PICTURE OF ONE THING THAT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE SUCH A WISE IDEA. 11:58 THAT IS KIND OF ANOTHER STORY. 12:00 BY THAT TIME I WAS A LITTLE UNSETTLED, I HAD EXPERIENCED QUITE A FEW NEW THINGS ON THAT 12:05 WALK THAT MORNING. 12:07 AS WE WERE COMING BACK DOWN THE HILL, BACK TO OUR MOTEL, THIS MAN WALKED OUT OF THIS LITTLE 12:14 ESTABLISHMENT THAT WAS KIND OF A HOUSE -LITTLE LOUNGE KIND OF A THING. 12:21 AND HE SAID, "DON'T YOU RECOGNIZE MY FACE?" 12:24 I AM LOOKING AT HIM AND I AM THINKING, "I DON'T RECOGNIZE HIM." 12:28 HE SAID, "I HAVE BEEN COMING TO YOUR MEETINGS. 12:30 PLEASE COME IN AND HAVE A DRINK." 12:34 WELL, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I LOOKED DOWN, I SAW A DARK DOORWAY AND I SAW TWO MEN 12:39 SITTING THER WITH DARK SHADES ON. 12:41 FRANKLY, I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS GETTING INVITED TO 12:44 BUT AT THAT MOMENT YOU JUST GET CONVICTED. 12:46 YOU JUST TRUST THE LORD. 12:48 JUST GO! 12:49 YOU ARE IN GOD'S HAND. 12:50 YOU ARE DOING GOD'S WORK. 12:51 SO WE WENT IN. 12:52 IT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE. 12:53 IT WAS A LITTLE DIMLY LIT ROOM. 12:55 WE WERE EXPERIENCING SOME GOOD ETHIOPIAN HOSPITALITY, SOME DRINKS OF AMBO , 13:01 SOME MINERAL WATER. 13:03 DURING THAT TIME, THERE WAS A MAN ENJOYING ANOTHER BEVERAGE THERE BUT IT WAS A STRANGE 13:08 BEVERAGE AND IT SOON HAD QUITE AN EFFECT ON HIM. 13:11 HE WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO HAVE A LITTLE OF IT WITH HIM. 13:13 I WAS TRYING TO TALK WITH HIM. 13:17 HE WAS A LITTLE INTOXICATED PLUS WE HAD A COMMUNICATION BARRIER. 13:21 I FOUND OUT HE WAS AN EX-MILITARY MAN. 13:23 WHILE WE WERE TALKING IN OUR BROKEN, DYSFUNCTIONAL, DISJOINTED KIND OF WAY, 13:28 THIS MAN WHO HAD INVITED US IN, HE NAME WAS GULAT. 13:32 HE LOOKED AT ME WITH INTENSITY AND SAID, "YOU TELL HIM TESTIMONY OF JESUS." 13:40 I WAS CHALLENGED AT THAT MOMENT TO SHARE CHRIST WITH THIS MAN. 13:43 I THOUGHT, "HOW CAN I DO THIS? 13:45 I DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. 13:46 MY FRIEND HERE DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF HIS SENSES TOGETHER." 13:52 BUT I BEGAN TO JUST SIMPLY TELL WHAT JESUS HAD DONE FOR ME IN MY LIFE. 13:57 I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT SOMEHOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TRANSLATED. 14:02 HIS MIND BEGAN TO BE TOUCHED WITH WHAT I WAS SAYING. 14:05 AND HIS FRIEND SAYS, "HE UNDERSTANDS. 14:07 HIS HEART IS TOUCHED. 14:10 YOU KNOW GOD REALLY TAUGHT ME THAT IF WE ARE WILLING TO STEP OUT OF OUR FEAR AND OUT OF OUR 14:15 COMFORT ZONE, AND WILLING TO LET GO OF OUR ANXIETY, WE CAN SEE CHRIST IN MANY THINGS THAT WE 14:21 WOULDN'T ORDINARILY SEE. 14:22 AMEN! 14:24 FRIENDS, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOSPEL OUTREACH. 14:28 THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS DOING THIS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS WITH INDIGENEOUS PEOPLE. 14:33 WE ARE REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE IN FOREIGN LANDS. 14:37 I WANT TO PUT UP SOME ADDRESSES, SOME PHONE NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU. 14:42 FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PART OF THE GOSPEL OUTREACH FAMILY. 14:48 PLEASE! 14:50 GET OUT THAT CHECKBOOK, WRITE A CHECK NOW. 14:52 A HUNDRED PER CENT OF THESE PROCEEDS GO TO THE LANDS. 14:56 THIS IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION. 14:58 I WANT TO READ YOU THE ADDRESSES. 15:00 IT SAYS, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DONATION VIA CHECK OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO MAIL TO US, 15:06 YOU CAN DO THAT BY WRITING; GOSPEL OUTREACH , 15:14 IF YOU ARE IN CANADA, YOU CAN MAIL THAT TO: 15:26 OUR PHONE NUMBER TO REACH US HERE IS: (509)-525-5951. 15:30 IN CANADA IT IS: (250)-545-2212. 15:39 FOR THOSE WHO ARE TECHNICAL SAVVY, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO OUR 15:42 WEBSITE: @GOAIM.ORG AND MAKE A CONTRIBUTION. 15:47 WADE, TELL ME, I AM SURE IN ALL THESE MARVELOUS STORIES THAT YOU HAD, 15:57 THAT YOU HAD SOME TRYING TIMES WHILE YOU WERE THERE. 16:01 CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW GOD YOU THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULTIES TIMES AND WHAT WERE THEY? 16:09 I THINK GOD HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR SOMETIMES IN THE LESSONS THAT HE TEACHES US. 16:16 THREE LITTLE STORIES COME TO MY MIND. 16:19 THE FIRST ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS THAT THERE WERE SO MANY CHILDREN AS THE CROWDS GREW 16:26 EVERY NIGHT, I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO SHARE A CHILDREN'S STORY WITH A SPIRITUAL MESSAGE 16:29 FOR THE EVENING, JUST FOR THE KIDS. 16:31 THIS ONE PARTICULAR NIGHT, I WAS GOING TO SHARE THE STORY OF MARK CHAPTER FOUR, 16:37 ABOUT JESUS AND THE STORM. 16:39 HOW JESUS CAN CONTROL ANY STORM IN OUR LIVES. 16:43 LITTLE DID I KNOW HOW THAT DAY WOULD "PAN OUT". 16:46 AS I WAS WORKING ON THAT AND THE MESSAGE FOR THE EVENING, I BEGAN TO HEAR THUNDER. 16:54 A STORM BEGAN TO ROLL INTO WELKITE WHERE WE WERE AT. 16:58 I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND I WAS JUST HORRIFIED TO SEE ANGRY, 17:03 NASTY CLOUDS ROLLING ACROSS THE HORIZON. 17:06 IT WAS STARTING TO RAIN. 17:07 AND I AM THINKING AT THAT POINT OUR MEETINGS WERE OUT IN THIS OPEN LOT, 17:11 JUST A LITTLE TABLE WITH A SHEET HUNG ON A FENCE. 17:15 I THOUGHT THIS MEETING IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN. 17:18 WHAT CAN WE DO? 17:19 AS I WAS WRESTLING WITH THAT THINKING, I SAID, "LORD, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS?" 17:24 I FELT SO HELPLESS. 17:25 AND THE LORD SAID,"ISN'T JESUS THE GOD OF THE STORM?" 17:31 IT JUST HIT ME, I HAD BEEN READING MARK 4, WHERE JESUS SAID,"WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL? 17:37 WHY ARE YOU AFRAID? 17:38 WHY ARE YOU NOT HAVING FAITH?" 17:39 THOSE WORDS JUST BURNED INTO MY MIND. 17:42 I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I WAS FIGHTING A STRUGGLE. 17:45 I'M THINKING, "I AM ASKING GOD TO CHANGE THE WEATHER OVER WELKITE ." 17:50 THAT IS A BIG PRAYER. 17:51 I STRUGGLED AND MY FAITH STRUGGLED. 17:55 I STARTED TO PRAY. 17:56 AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A GIANT OF FAITH. 18:00 I STARTED TO PRAY TO THE LORD AND THAT RAIN STOPPED. 18:05 LATER THAT EVENING AS WE BEGAN TO WALK, I LOOKED UP IN THE CLOUDS AND THEY WERE COMING IN 18:10 GROM ALL DIRECTIONS. 18:11 IT DID NOT LOOK NICE OUT THERE. 18:13 THE PEOPLE CAME. 18:15 BIG NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WERE POURING INTO THE COMPOUND. 18:19 WE BEGAN THAT SERVICE. 18:20 I TOLD THE CHILDREN THE STORY. 18:23 AS WE BEGAN THE SERVICE, I JUST WENT FORWARD AND TRIED TO FOCUS ON THE MESSAGE FOR THAT EVENING. 18:31 I TELL YOU AS THE LORD IS MY WITNESS, WE FINISHED THAT MEETING. 18:35 I SAID THE CLOSING PRAYER. 18:36 I SAID, "AMEN" AND I REACHED TO CLOSE MY LAPTOP AND GET THE PROJECTOR. 18:39 IT WAS LIKE THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN OPENED. 18:42 IT RAINED SO HARD THAT THUNDER AND THERE WAS LIGHTNING. 18:45 WE HAD TO FLEE FOR COVER. 18:47 WE COULDN'T EVEN HEAD BACK TO HOME FOR A TIME. 18:51 IT KNOCKED POWER OUT IN THE CITY. 18:53 IN FACT, IT DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL 9 OR 10 THE NEXT DAY. 18:56 WE HAD TO WALK HOME ON MUDDY STREETS IN THE PITCH BLACK. 19:01 GOD IS THE GOD OF THE STORM. 19:04 HE WAS TEACHING ME THROUGH A LITTLE CHILD'S STORY. 19:07 IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE WE ARE AT OR WHAT WE ARE DOING, 19:10 HE WILL BE THERE FOR US IF WE CRY OUT TO HIM. 19:13 I THINK OF ANOTHER TIME. 19:16 SO MANY TIMES IN LITTLE WAYS GOD WAS WORKING TO SUSTAIN. 19:20 I REMEMBER ONE NIGHT A LIGHTNING STORM CAME UP AND ALL THE POWER WENT OUT. 19:24 I FOUND MYSELF TALKING TO A WALL OF DARKNESS. 19:27 I KNEW THERE WAS CLOSE TO A 1000 PEOPLE BUT I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THEM. 19:31 MY OVERHEAD PROJECTOR WENT OUT. 19:33 WHAT DO I DO? 19:34 IT IS LIKE JUST KEEP PREACHING. 19:36 SO I DID! 19:37 AFTER A WHILE THE POWER CAME ON. 19:39 THE PROJECTOR CAME UP RIGHT WHERE I NEEDED IT ON THE SCREEN. 19:45 I WAS BEING TAUGHT THAT NO MATTER HOW UNPREDICTABLE THE PROBLEMS WERE, 19:52 I COULD FACE THEM. 19:53 THE LORD COULD TAKE CARE OF ANYTHIING. 19:55 MY PROJECTOR SHOULD HAVE DIED SO MANY TIMES BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HARD SHUT DOWN A PROJECTOR LIKE 19:59 THAT WITHOUT POTENTIALLY BURNING OUT THE BULB. 20:02 GOD KEPT WORKING THOSE LITTLE MIRACLES OF KEEPING THINGS LIKE THAT GOING. 20:06 AMEN! 20:08 SO YOU ARE FINDING OUT THAT GOD TRAVELED WITH YOU ALL THE WAY FROM THE UNITED STATES TO 20:12 ETHIOPIA. 20:14 HE GAVE YOU A MESSAGE AND HE TOLD YOU, "I AM BIG ENOUGH TO TOUCH THESE PEOPLE. 20:21 THE STORMS AREN'T GOING TO BOTHER ME. 20:22 THE LACK OF ELECTRICITY ISN'T GOING TO BOTHER ME. 20:25 I AM THERE BECAUSE I HAVE A MESSAGE TO GIVE." 20:29 RIGHT! 20:30 THAT REMINDS ME OF ONE MORE LITTLE SHORT STORY THAT I WANT TO SHARE. 20:36 I THINK GOD HAD TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS FOR ME TO JUST TRY TO BUILD MY FAITH. 20:40 I THINK HE PROBABLY DID IT FOR ME AS MUCH AS FOR ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LEARN THOSE 20:45 LESSONS IN MY OWN LIFE. 20:47 FINALLY THE MEETINGS WERE ABLE TO BE MOVED FROM THE VACANT FIELD OR LOT NEXT TO THE LITTLE 20:53 CHURCH; THE LITTLE STICK-IN-THE-MUD CHURCH THERE WITH THE LITTLE METAL ROOF, 20:57 I CAN STILL SEE IT IN MY MIND, TO THE TOWN HALL. 21:01 THAT WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE WERE COMING TO THAT MEETING. 21:05 I THINK WE EVEN PICKED UP SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE PEOPLE, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST FEW MEETINGS. 21:11 AS I LOOKED AT THAT FIRST NIGHT AND AS I LOOKED AT THE CROWDS COMING IN, 21:15 I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED MORE THAN ONE INTERPRETER. 21:18 I NEEDED THE HOLY SPIRIT. 21:20 WE HAD ANOTHER STORM ROLL IN THAT ONE PARTICULAR NIGHT. 21:24 IT KNOCKED THE POWER OUT. 21:25 I KNEW THERE WAS NO POWER IN THE HALL, NO MICS AND I DIDN'T HAVE THAT STRONG OF A VOICE AND 21:29 COULDN'T SPEAK NORMALLY TO THAT MANY PEOPLE. 21:32 WONDERING, "WHAT DO I DO? 21:34 I CAN'T RUN MY PROJECTOR." 21:36 SO I THOUGHT, "AT LEAST I NEED TO GO TO THE MEETING HOUSE." 21:39 SO I WENT THERE. 21:40 AND I AM LOOKING AROUND AND THOUGHT, "WHAT SHOULD I DO?" 21:44 IT WAS THAT LITTLE, STILL, SMALL VOICE THAT SAID TO ME; "SET UP YOUR EQUIPMENT AS THOUGH YOU 21:50 EXPECT THE POWER." 21:54 I PROBABLY LOOKED A LITTLE SILLY. 21:56 RIGHT THERE IN THE DARKNESS, I BEGAN TO SET-UP ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND POWER. 22:00 I GOT IT ALL DONE AND I SAT DOWN. 22:05 FRIENDS, THE POWER IN THAT BUILDING CAME ON. 22:08 AMEN! 22:09 I HAD WHAT I NEEDED TO DO WHAT GOD WANTED TO DO THAT EVENING. 22:13 THAT IS JUST ONE MORE LITTLE EXAMPLE BUT I THINK YOU ASKED ME, "HOW THIS HAS CHANGED ME?" 22:20 YES, YOU HAVE HAD A LOT OF FAITH BUILDING EXPERIENCES HERE. 22:25 HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOU TODAY? 22:28 WHEN YOU CAME BACK HERE, WHAT CHANGED? 22:32 SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO CAPTURE IN JUST A FEW WORDS. 22:40 THERE WERE SEVERAL BIG IMPRESSIONS THAT HIT ME. 22:43 ONE WAS ETHIOPIA IN MANY WAYS IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY. 22:51 I WOULD WAKE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH MANY CALLS TO WORSHIP FROM SEVERAL LARGE 22:57 RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. 23:02 I WAS HEARING THE MUSIC, THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC BLARING FROM SOME OF THE STALLS OF PEOPLE 23:06 USING IT AS MARKETING TECHNIQUE. 23:08 I LOOKED AROUND AND SO FEW PEOPLE KNEW 23:13 WHAT IT MEANT TO HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. 23:17 IT SCARED ME, BECAUSE I STARTED FEELING CHALLENGED AS A CHRISTIAN, 23:23 WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES MY LIFE MAKE? 23:25 IS MY LIFE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD AROUND ME AND THE COMMUNITY AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD? 23:30 I FELT A CONVICTION THAT IS HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS. 23:34 THAT IF MY FAITH IS NOT CHANGING THE WORLD AROUND ME THEN IT IS WORTHLESS! 23:39 IT IS DEAD! 23:40 IN FACT, IT IS WORSE THAN DEAD BECAUSE IT IS BEARING FALSE WITNESS TO CHRIST. 23:44 SO I FELT PERSONALLY CHALLENGED. 23:47 IS MY FAITH IN CHRIST MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD AROUND ME? 23:51 I THINK ANOTHER BIG THING IS, I GUESS MAYBE, I HAD A ROMANTIC VIEW OF WHAT IT MEANS TO 24:00 EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD IN MY LIFE. 24:03 WHAT I LEARNED AND EXPECTED IS THAT GOD WORKS IN A FORM OF CHOROGRAPHY SCENE WHERE PEOPLE 24:10 ARE EXPECTING THE ELECTRIC POWER OF GOD TO COME. 24:13 I FOUND OUT AND RE-LEARNED THE LESSON FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT GOD WORKS IN ORDINARY 24:22 AND WORKS IN THE DUST. 24:24 HE WORKS IN THE DIRT. 24:25 HE WORKS IN THE TRENCHES. 24:26 HE WORKS IN THE GUTTER TO POUR OUT HIS POWER. 24:30 IN FACT, HE DOES IT SO UNDERCOVER THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE DON'T EVEN 24:36 RECOGNIZE THAT A MIRACLE IS EVEN HAPPENING. 24:40 IT TAUGHT ME TO REALIZE THAT IF WE ARE SUBMITTED TO GOD, NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE AT, 24:48 THAT IF WE ARE TO EXPECTING HIS GLORY TO BE PLAYED OUT IN OUR LIVES, 24:52 WE CAN EXPECT AMAZING THINGS. 24:53 IT DOESN'T DEPEND ON HOW STRONG I FEEL AT THE MOMENT. 24:56 I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY PULSE OF FAITH AND FEEL HOW GREAT IT IS OR WHERE I FEEL THAT I AM AT, 25:03 BUT IF I AM WILLING TO CRY OUT TO GOD, HE WILL NOT TURN US AWAY. 25:09 THIS WAS ONE OF THE BIG LESSONS. 25:11 I WAS ALSO STRUCK BY SACRIFICE. 25:13 I SAW ENORMOUS SACRIFICE WITH THE WORKERS THERE; 25:17 INFLATION, STRUGGLES OF A NEW GROWING CHURCH. 25:19 THE CHURCH STRUGGLES TO PAY THE PASTORS WHAT THEY WANT TO PAY THEM. 25:23 MANY OF THESE PASTORS WALK FIVE, SIX OR SEVEN HOURS A DAY ON THEIR FEET. 25:28 I THINK OF THE PASTOR THAT I WAS WORKING WITH AT WELKITE. 25:31 HE HAD 20 CHURCHES AND 14 SMALL GROUPS THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR. 25:34 SO I LEARNED WHAT IT MEANT TO SACRIFICE; A LITTLE BIT MORE. 25:40 WADE, WE HAVE FRIENDS WATCHING TODAY THAT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY. 25:47 DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THEM OF HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN 25:54 SOMETHING EVEN AT HOME, GOSPEL OUTREACH OR MAYBE GOING ON A MISSION TRIP THEMSELVES? 26:02 IT HAS MADE ME LOOK IN A FRESH, NEW WAY. 26:05 I REALIZED THAT I HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE THAT I HAVEN'T FULLY APPRECIATED. 26:09 I GUESS, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHOSEN BY GOD. 26:15 SEEING PEOPLE, WHO REALLY WANTED SOMEONE TO STOP AND CHOOSE THEM. 26:19 I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN THE EFFECT IT HAD ON ME TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT IT MEANS 26:22 THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN US. 26:24 NO MATTER WHERE WE ARE AT OR WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE MOST ORDINARY THINGS OF OUR LIVES. 26:31 WE KNOW THE PEOPLE HERE. 26:32 WE KNOW THE CULTURE. 26:33 WE KNOW THE LANGUAGE. 26:35 IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW ORDINARY OUR LIFE IS, GOD IS WILLING TO DO EXTRAORDINARY, 26:40 AMAZING THINGS BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAMS. 26:44 I THINK WE ARE CHOSEN TO BE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST. 26:47 AMEN! 26:49 FRIENDS IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN HELPING GOSPEL OUTREACH, 26:54 YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY. 26:56 OUR ADDRESS, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS GOING TO BE UPON THE SCREEN BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, 27:02 DON'T JUST CONSIDER GOSPEL OUTREACH. 27:04 LOOK AROUND YOU CREATIVELY. 27:06 LOOK HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY FOR JESUS CHRIST. 27:10 HE HAS CHOSEN EACH ONE OF US. 27:13 AND HE WILL PROVIDE THE BLESSING AND THE BLESSING IS ALWAYS IN ACTION. 27:19 THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR "ADVENTURES IN MISSION". 27:21 [ CLOSING MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-06