Participants: Wade Brooks
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000475
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00:14 And hello good friends,
00:16 so wonderful to be back with you, 00:19 with another Gospel Outreach program 00:21 Adventures in Missions. 00:22 I have it had options to be with you for a while, 00:25 accepting some of the reruns that you probably see. 00:28 So this is a new program today 00:31 and I'm always excited when I have opportunity 00:34 to spend time with people 00:36 who are representatives of gospel outreach 00:39 close by and farther away. 00:41 And my guest today is one of those who is close by 00:46 but our program is going to illustrate, 00:48 he spent a little farther away. 00:50 And so I want to welcome Wade. 00:53 Wade Brooks, and you got to tell us 00:56 a little about you Wade. 00:57 You are one of the newer people, 01:00 I mean in the last two, three, four years 01:02 any way here at Gospel Outreach. 01:04 What do you do and why did you decide to do it? 01:07 Well, you know I have to admit, 01:09 I - you said right by Gospel Outreach 01:12 when it was a little house on college avenue 01:14 and wonder what was really going on in there. 01:16 And I worked in the corporate world 01:19 for quite a number of years. 01:21 And I just felt God moving me 01:23 to take a step to put myself in a place 01:25 where I could be more available lay ministry. 01:28 But I wasn't quite sure how to get there, prayed a lot. 01:30 God ultimately impressed us 01:32 to start our own small business, 01:35 which allowed me some flexibility in my time 01:37 and ultimately I was able to start 01:41 volunteering here at Gospel Outreach 01:43 and I just never dreamed 01:46 that my life would change so much. 01:48 Sometimes I tell people I don't hardly recognize 01:50 my life from what I was a couple of short years ago so. 01:53 You may not recognize it, 01:55 but you are delighted with it, I'm sure. 01:56 Amen, amen. 01:57 And I would like to assure you that, 02:02 since you become a part of this team 02:04 everybody refers to Wade Brooks 02:08 with gratitude and appreciation 02:10 because you have been such an inspiration 02:13 and effective leader here. 02:15 Now, break it down a little bit. 02:18 What is your role at Gospel Outreach? 02:22 Actually what I do is-- 02:25 I'm the Vice President of Field Operations. 02:27 And I have the privilege of working 02:29 with all of the regional directors 02:31 of Gospel Outreach in their various areas 02:33 of responsibility throughout the 10/40 window. 02:36 So I do what I can here at the home office 02:39 to serve their needs, to help with resources 02:42 and communication tools to be able to help us 02:46 establish those relationships, find out what the field needs 02:48 and be able to serve those needs 02:50 of the world church in the best way we can. 02:53 Just for the benefit of the people 02:55 who may not have had much experience 02:58 with Gospel Outreach and don't know 03:01 a lot about the structure. 03:03 You said regional directors. 03:05 Who are those people and how many regions are there? 03:09 We have 18 regions. 03:10 Basically what we have done is we have taken 03:13 the 10/40 window that area of the world, 03:17 10 degrees to 40 degrees north latitude 03:19 and we broke it into regions and each region 03:23 for the purpose of being able 03:24 to get good visibility what's going on in those areas. 03:28 Has a regional director sign 03:29 and they work directly with the church leadership 03:32 there in that area to determine 03:34 where those unentered areas are, where the needs are. 03:37 They act as an ambassador of sorts. 03:39 Because we want to know, and be able to adequately 03:43 address the visions of growth 03:46 for the body of Christ in these areas. 03:49 One region or several regions are in India. 03:54 And for reasons of God's leading, 03:58 Gospel Outreach is working a lot 04:00 in that area of the world and we are here 04:04 on this program today because Wade has been 04:08 to India for the first time I understand? 04:10 That's true. 04:11 And I'm sure it was a rewarding experience 04:15 as for everyone who gets to go. 04:17 You went for what purposes? 04:20 Well, briefly really three reasons. 04:23 One I was going to participate 04:26 in a workers training conference there 04:28 for a number of the workers that had come in from 04:30 Andhra Pradesh area, 04:32 several different regions around Andhra Pradesh. 04:35 Also we wanted to have sometime 04:37 with the leadership there of three of the unions to really-- 04:41 things are moving so rapidly in that area 04:43 of the world to really make sure 04:45 that we are properly understanding 04:46 the needs and the issues there. 04:48 But the third and probably one of my favorite parts 04:50 of the journey was to be able to gather testimonies 04:55 for our viewing audience of people 04:57 that are experiencing miracles of God in their life 05:00 and let them tell their own story. 05:02 And I had the privilege of traveling 05:04 with Roman Hans our videographer 05:06 and many people help make that possible but, 05:08 but that was one of the most delightful parts of the trip. 05:11 Well, we are very excited about 05:14 seeing the visual report of that trip, 05:18 and just before we go there, 05:20 I want to remind everybody who has joined us, 05:24 who we are, what this is? 05:26 This is a Adventures in Missions Gospel Outreach 05:30 and on your screen right now, is appearing an address, 05:35 telephone number, email address, 05:38 website all of that for the purpose 05:41 of putting you in touch with Gospel Outreach. 05:45 I don't know what some of you might say wow, 05:48 I would like to be involved with Gospel Outreach 05:50 on one of those trips may be or in some other way like 05:54 receiving the newsletter, which is yours month by month 05:59 if you just let folks know, how to get it to, 06:01 you can get that online now by the way. 06:04 So, I would like to encourage you 06:06 to be in touch with Gospel Outreach 06:09 in one of the avenues that you see available. 06:11 All right, Wade, we got some footage. 06:15 Yes, these were some recent video footage that we took. 06:19 I have to say, I kind of call this 06:21 little part here first impressions. 06:23 India just amazing with the diversity of people 06:26 of some 1.2 billion people that are divided into 28 states, 06:33 one of those states Uttar Pradesh 06:35 is 200 million people nearly two thirds 06:38 the population of the United States. 06:40 And so I was amazed some of these almost 06:42 seem like countries within a country. 06:44 Different cultures, some 200 dialects, 06:47 18 official languages. 06:50 India is a combination of the old and the new 06:52 as you can see here ancient civilization, 06:54 yet it's undergoing a revolution of sort of change. 06:58 Everywhere in the country you could sense 07:00 the momentum of change that is taking India 07:05 by storm in so many ways as myriads of young people 07:10 are full of energy and interest are anxious 07:14 to be able to participate 07:16 in the economic opportunities in the world. 07:19 But India is a land that you realize its very old, 07:23 so much older than our country 07:25 and--and so much of India story today 07:29 is really rooted in the past 07:31 as there are major religion, 07:34 world religions that are very strong there. 07:37 As you can see there is no end 07:40 to the entrepreneurial spirit. 07:41 I was just amazed, every where you turn there 07:44 is thousands of little shops and businesses set up 07:47 in the most unusual places. 07:49 Didn't find any Wal-Mart supermarkets there. 07:53 But yet, there was an endless variety 07:55 of different things as you can see 07:57 many rich agricultural goods in some of these areas 08:02 where people are very enthusiastic 08:07 about selling you their particular products. 08:09 You can see all these hot peppers, 08:11 sometimes we saw them laid out in the road 08:13 for eighth of a mile drying them on highway 08:17 that wasn't being used. 08:18 As you can see, here the modes of traffic, 08:23 they have these little autos, you saw those little yellow, 08:26 those little yellow vehicles buzzing around. 08:29 Very fascinating and people who have been to India 08:34 will identify with the lot of what we have seen there 08:38 and the thing that I guess impresses you, 08:41 impresses all of us when we observe something like that, 08:44 every one of those is a child of God. 08:47 Every person but she or he may not know it, 08:51 may not understand and you are going to take us 08:54 into some of their religious experiences little bit later. 08:57 Let's move along because I don't want to miss out 08:59 on anything that you bring to us. 09:01 No, I just, I was amazed that how much 09:05 effort especially in the villages that life takes. 09:08 The manual work, the effort taken 09:11 to just survive the basic needs of every day. 09:14 This was a little village 09:15 about 70 kilometers outside Hyderabad. 09:18 Where we were given a warm welcome, 09:20 I learned something about what it means 09:22 to be part of the body of Christ by traveling in India. 09:26 Began to realize that without-- 09:29 without being part of that family how lost you can be. 09:34 We found that everywhere somebody 09:36 is doing something for money. 09:38 You saw the bricks, the cows people are very 09:41 take a great deal of pride in their livestock. 09:43 In the villages life is simple 09:46 and is very, very busy from morning to night 09:51 as you can see this lady sow very carefully 09:53 sifting through the crops that she has brought in here. 09:59 In the south, it's must dryer and hotter, 10:01 the foods are spicier. 10:03 In the north, it's a little cooler, 10:05 the foods are little less spicy. 10:08 You can see she-- all the sifting, 10:10 the winnowing, the harvesting 10:11 is all very, very labor intensive. 10:14 And in a way life in the village 10:16 is a world apart from life in the cities. 10:19 Where there are call centers and factories. 10:22 Here you see some women making some ropes 10:24 just from the simple materials they have at hand. 10:29 Well, it seems to me the focus of life is survival. 10:35 Yeah, it is. 10:36 And they are resourceful, they have to be to survive 10:41 and interestingly enough, my observation would be 10:47 that God has instilled in every single person 10:50 some knowledge, some understanding, 10:52 some comprehension of what they can do, 10:56 in the light of who they are and where they are 10:58 and what they never have, 11:00 perhaps most of them all their life 11:02 been able to identify that God is the one 11:05 who has been with them all along. 11:07 Let's continue. 11:10 You know, I was just struck 11:11 by the countless deities as people, 11:14 India is a very religious country 11:16 and these people are looking for God. 11:18 We went by an idol factory here, 11:20 we are actually they were creating the Gods 11:23 and I was stunned, I look beside the road 11:26 and see before my very eyes 11:27 these various deities being carved 11:31 right out of the rock before me. 11:33 But people there is no concept within Hinduism, 11:36 animism and Buddhism of grace. 11:39 And so these people looking it's so works oriented, 11:43 you are a devote and depending 11:45 on how faithful of a devote you are 11:48 is whether or not you will be rewarded in the after life. 11:52 Hinduism being incarnated to a better form of life. 11:57 But there is a quest for dependence 12:00 or some kind of blessing from a higher power 12:04 or a deity represented in the best way they know how. 12:08 It's exactly right. 12:10 Yes, you can see this was just outside Hyderabad 12:12 a shrine of little temple that we were in there 12:16 a little Hindu temple and there was just - 12:20 this was festival for the goddess Shiva. 12:23 And the people are as you mention they are seeking, 12:28 they are searching, they will go on 12:31 long pilgrimages for many weeks, 12:33 spending great amounts of money 12:34 to find that peace, try to find that peace. 12:38 And still they keep, they keep going, 12:40 they keep looking, they keep questing. 12:42 Yes. 12:43 And certainly, Wade, that must give them 12:46 some immediate response when somebody says 12:50 this is the avenue the understanding, 12:54 the reality of the true God. 12:55 It is. 12:57 You know, I was just stunned by that singing bulls 12:59 and the bells and all the rituals 13:02 that they do to manipulate the mind 13:05 or to bring certain sounds to bring the body 13:08 into harmonics of peace and all the things 13:10 in the various temples that we went to. 13:13 There is a hunger for them to be able to experience 13:17 peace of heart and that' what that home of nirvana, 13:19 you can see that holy men 13:20 as they are seeking to advise the people. 13:26 Did the people give them money in their response. 13:28 They do, they do and many some of these 13:33 once in this particular Hindu temple, 13:36 use the drugs to try to reach that point. 13:38 But, we saw that monkeys were getting the benefit 13:40 at the end of the day. 13:42 People looking like this dear lady here for whole life, 13:46 for peace and struggling to find it, 13:48 looking to find it. 13:50 So, religion is a very significant part, 13:54 Of the culture of their living experience then. 13:57 Even in death as you can see in this picture, 13:59 there is--if you die and this is a famous 14:02 Hindu temple and they are purifying this body, 14:04 they later will burn this body. 14:07 You probably in a few frames earlier 14:09 looking for that peace even at the point of death. 14:13 And all of this and to our viewers right now, 14:18 we share these kinds of programs, 14:21 so that you can perhaps in the security 14:25 of our western world have some idea 14:28 of who are fellow human beings are brothers and sisters 14:33 in other parts of the world. 14:35 Okay, Wade, we must continue. 14:38 Yes, this is a picture of a Muslim family, 14:43 who have found the peace in Jesus or Isa al-Masih, 14:49 Christ, the Messiah. 14:50 And this lady was dying of tuberculosis. 14:54 Many of these people do not know how to read or write. 14:57 They are looking for a God who can solve their problems. 15:00 This lady underwent an amazing miracle, 15:03 she came to trust in Jesus Christ 15:05 and was completely healed of tuberculosis. 15:07 I want to share this little clip to show 15:10 the hope in the eyes of the people 15:12 as once they found Christ. 15:14 Young boy, was a beautiful singer, 15:17 and shared some very inspiring prayer song, 15:21 you can see this little girl. 15:22 They are delight and the happiness 15:25 with the believers that we worship with, 15:28 as we travel to these various villages is very inspiring. 15:32 So, what you have wonderfully portrait for us here 15:36 is the transition from that experience of quest, 15:40 hopelessness and searching, searching 15:43 to the reality of having found the relationship with Jesus. 15:48 Yes, I think of a priest, the Hindu priest 15:52 the name Bapji that we met 15:54 and just seeing his journey 40 days 15:57 of fasting every year with one meal a day. 15:59 Traveling on long pilgrimages, 16:01 doing this for seven years in order to become a priest, 16:04 that estimates 18 hours a day looking for the real God 16:08 and having found God. 16:09 And he is now leading many people to Christ. 16:12 Now, this is the blind lady right here 16:15 who when she found Christ began to share. 16:17 Her new found faith just praying for people, 16:20 she says what can I do. 16:21 She started a prayer ministry in her village. 16:27 These are the reality of who people are, 16:33 where people are that drives Gospel Outreach 16:37 on the course it continues 16:40 to reach out in the service of Christ. 16:43 You know, Dan, I have to say that there were times 16:46 I was frankly ashamed, as I saw little workers 16:50 like this going into these villages, 16:53 facing sometimes great difficulties 16:55 and even persecution but not counting the cast 16:59 and looking at their just their simple raw primitive faith 17:03 and watching God and hearing their stories 17:05 about how God has answered in his raw power 17:09 in these situations. 17:10 This little lady has experienced miracles of God 17:12 and answer to prayer, simple prayers in her village. 17:16 And people are happy to have her come and pray with them. 17:20 And that shows their search and their desire 17:24 to have a relationship with God too. 17:26 Yes. Yes. In that. 17:27 All right, Wade has brought a wonderful series 17:32 of illustrations that he and Roman 17:34 secured while in India. 17:36 I just want to keep you posted as who we are and where we are, 17:41 you see the information on the screen right there. 17:43 But Wade has got more pictures for us. 17:46 So let's proceed. 17:48 We went one day to see a baptism, 17:50 we went through a village that was--I called it stone city. 17:55 Every thing in this city was about rock. 17:57 As we went out there was a quarry 17:58 which you can see in this picture. 18:00 And literally layers of rock had been cut out over the years. 18:03 They have these saws that come out 18:05 and they pry them out after it had been cut by hand. 18:09 Incredible excruciating labor intensive work, 18:13 hundreds and thousands of trucks 18:15 moving as everything in this town is about stone. 18:18 But we were going to see those whose hearts 18:21 have been turned from stone to heart of flesh. 18:24 And we went over some of the worst road 18:27 I think I have ever been on. 18:29 Big holes on the road we travel for a long time. 18:31 As we headed out in this stone quarry, 18:34 I pass the little town with the countless 18:37 slabs of stone for sale. 18:39 We went down to this quarry, 18:41 they got permission to have this baptism 18:43 and all the workers in the stone quarry 18:45 are watching this baptism as we had some, 18:48 I think it was seven people make a decision 18:51 to enter into baptism and give their heart to Christ. 18:55 And that's what we are seeing here, 18:57 I have never seen anything like it. 18:58 People were very curious wondering what on earth 19:01 is going on in the stone quarry. 19:03 And we just walk right down into the middle of the job site 19:07 and nobody seem to be, you know, 19:10 seem to be too shocked. 19:11 Be trouble by that. Yeah. Yes. 19:13 And so, we went through this 19:16 and just to see the happiness, the joy of the believers 19:21 and then participating in a small feast. 19:24 They give us no doubt their best of this meal 19:28 and it was just an honor to be able to worship 19:31 with believers as they-- 19:33 And those who were observing what was happening there 19:36 are obviously going to be very curious at least 19:40 by driven by the spirit to ask what's going on? 19:44 What does this mean? Yes. 19:45 And somebody is going to have an opportunity 19:48 to testify based upon what they have seen there. 19:51 Yeah, it's so true. That's beautiful. 19:54 Yes. 19:55 It just reminded in a way, it was almost like being 19:58 part of an apostolic era of baptism. 20:01 You know just out under the sun 20:04 and in the middle of the workplace in the day so. 20:05 Often we do things behind closed doors but this was. 20:09 You know, Jesus says, let your light start shine 20:13 and that's exactly what was happening that day there. 20:15 See, I think that's so beautiful, 20:17 there you are greeting them, Wade. 20:19 I think it's so beautiful. 20:20 They are in their clothing, their street wear so to speak, 20:24 went down to be baptized and here they are 20:27 and they are not upset about that they are waiting 20:29 for for the sun to dry them out. 20:31 And ready to go to work for the Lord. 20:32 Yes, it is. 20:36 All right, I want to get to that 20:37 next special story you have got. 20:39 I think it's coming next anyways. 20:41 Yes. And so let's go to that. 20:43 So we don't miss it. 20:46 One of our Gospel Outreach workers 20:47 had really impressed me. 20:50 He is a tremendous preacher, 20:53 soul winner but he is handicapped. 20:58 He had polio when just a child 21:00 and he can't use his legs very much 21:03 and as he and I were talking, 21:07 he told me the difficulty that he has 21:10 trying to pastor three churches, 21:12 riding a local bus and you know what buses are here. 21:16 Yeah. 21:18 Getting up and getting down off those buses 21:20 and going from this village to that village 21:23 has been such a trial for him. 21:27 So, I took picture of him, submitted his story 21:31 to Gospel Outreach couple of years ago. 21:36 And it's him thought you were somewhere in there 21:38 that you discovered this. 21:40 So I'm going to get a chance to meet this mystery person 21:43 I have seen his picture. 21:44 Why don't you introduce me to this fine young man 21:46 sitting over here on the edge? 21:48 I would like for you to meet Shaker Bob. 21:49 Thank you so much. 21:50 Shaker Bob, it is a pleasure to meet you. 21:52 I heard about you, I have seen your picture but-- 21:55 Thank you, sir. 21:56 This is the first time that we actually got to meet. 22:01 You know you are correct Dan. 22:04 Dan did send a story to Gospel Outreach here. 22:08 It's been a while back and I was going through 22:12 those emails one day trying to--there are so many we get 22:15 from time to time and actually daily often. 22:19 And as I was going through those emails 22:22 that you have sent, I saw Shaker Bob's picture 22:25 and I read the story and it was so compelling to me 22:30 about the effort that he was spending everyday 22:33 out there working for the Lord in these villages 22:36 and the extreme difficulty that he was having. 22:39 And I just thought, I'd send you an email 22:41 to find out what was going on and at that point 22:44 how much was going on. 22:46 Aiding pretty much come to a standstill. 22:49 We haven't been able to raise any funds for him. 22:53 And so when you picked up the interest there 22:55 and said I'm going to take this to my Sabbath school class. 22:58 You know, I remember about that time, 23:01 somebody left a little sheet of paper on my desk, 23:04 saying that somebody wanted to donate some funds 23:07 to help Gospel Outreach workers with transportation. 23:11 And I called this lady and it had been 23:13 quite sometime since she had called, 23:14 a note had gotten stuck in between some papers. 23:17 And she actually was having a tough time, 23:20 she was a small business person. 23:22 And, but when she heard Shaker Bob's story, 23:25 I told her about that, she got so excited 23:28 and she wanted to be a part of that 23:31 and then also God just brought other people 23:34 that wasn't not enough to cover the project 23:36 as a piece of transportation or little motorbike like this, 23:40 is not a small vespa, this may have to be modified. 23:44 So I think you were able to talk 23:46 and other people came forward and one thing another, 23:50 pretty soon the full amount of the project 23:52 for this three wheeler was raised. 23:57 Now, you have mentioned to me, 24:00 you are looking after three churches. 24:03 Can you go to all three churches 24:05 in one day now with riding the bus? 24:08 No, sir. 24:13 So you can only go to one or two. 24:16 Now you can only go to one. 24:18 It's not possible. Yeah. 24:20 But with the motorcycle now, 24:22 he will be able to go to at least two, 24:24 may be three on Sabbath day. 24:26 Good, good. 24:28 So before all the years up to this time, 24:32 what is your normal day like in your work 24:36 when it comes to transportation, 24:38 how would you get from place to place? 24:40 (Speaking in Foreign language) 24:46 Well, sometime I used to wait 24:48 long time to catch a bus, I never used to get auto also. 24:52 If I hire a auto for a day, it will be costing more money. 24:56 So I used to walk with more difficulty, 24:59 though it's very difficult to walk 25:02 to attend the church services, 25:03 but I never used to attend three churches on Saturday. 25:09 So the difficulty really is to as just the bus 25:12 was just such a waste of time. 25:13 You lost so much time trying to wait there 25:16 in all kinds of weather for those buses to come 25:19 and often you could miss 25:22 other appointments with your church members. 25:25 Shaker Bob, we just want to tell you 25:28 how much we are inspired 25:30 by what God is doing to you and our prayers 25:34 and I just pray that the prayers of our 25:36 listening audience will be with not only Shaker Bob 25:42 but all of our Gospel Outreach sponsored workers 25:45 as we worked hand in hand with the church to reach India 25:50 and indeed all through the 10/40 window for Jesus Christ. 25:54 Thank your for your dedication and your faithfulness 25:58 and we are looking forward to more good reports 26:01 on how God is working in your villages. 26:04 Thank you. Thank you sir. 26:06 And I hope that vehicle will be real blessing to you. 26:09 Thank you so much. 26:11 You know I was just so inspired by Shaker Bob, 26:14 his energy and his devotion. 26:16 As you can see him he has a just a terrible limp. 26:19 But just that was not holding him back. 26:21 He works with many different religions 26:24 and in fact he has helped to lead many others, 26:27 and some hundreds of just in a short period of time. 26:32 Well, this is such a--and I want to show our viewers 26:37 this is kind of ministry Gospel Outreach is involved in. 26:41 If there's a worker like that whose service can be improved, 26:47 can be extended Gospel Outreach 26:49 wants to do something about getting a vehicle 26:52 that would let him go where he needs to go 26:54 as the Lord is leading it. 26:56 And I am so delighted also that you have our 26:59 dear, dear gospel outreach leader Dan Walter there. 27:03 Yes, he is the regional director in that area 27:05 and he was able to share. 27:07 In fact he was-- he was the one 27:09 that introduced me to Shaker Bob 27:11 and I had an opportunity 27:14 to travel several days with Dan, it was a delight. 27:17 You know, he just couldn't quit smiling, the Shaker Bob. 27:20 To have this vehicle was just beyond a dream 27:22 come true to him and even got to take 27:24 some practice driving lessons 27:26 with another vehicle someone let him try 27:29 and you could tell the excitement 27:32 was just right there on the surface for him. 27:34 And I suppose typically among his people, 27:37 you never would get a vehicle like that. 27:40 You know, often handicap people they--yeah, 27:43 it's just, special need folks, 27:45 they don't always have the same opportunities. 27:47 Wade, thank you, thank you and thanks to you 27:51 who are a part of the Gospel Outreach family. 27:53 Your support helps people like Shaker Bob 27:57 and so many thousand 27:59 and thousands of other faithful people. 28:01 And thank you for praying for us. 28:03 We'll remember you too until next time. 28:06 I'm Dan Matthews. |
Revised 2014-12-17