Participants: Glen & Karen Wintermeyer
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000487
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00:00 [OPENING MUSIC].
00:22 HELLO, EVERYBODY. 00:24 SO GLAD TO WELCOME YOU TO ANOTHER GOSPEL OUTREACH PROGRAM. 00:27 "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS" BRINGS YOU THE FRONTLINE STORIES OF WHO PEOPLE ARE, 00:33 WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH GOSPEL OUTREACH MINISTRY. 00:37 I RESIST, AT A TIME LIKE THIS, LAUNCHING INTO MY EXPLANATION OF GOSPEL 00:43 OUTREACH AND WHAT A MIRACLE MINISTRY THIS IS. 00:47 I'VE JUST BEEN COUNTING UP ON MY FINGERS, GOSPEL OUTREACH IS CELEBRATING 20 00:52 YEARS OF MINISTRY AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE MINISTRY HAS GROWN AROUND 00:59 THE WORLD IS NOTHING SHORT OF DIVINE MIRACLES. 01:03 AND NOT THE LEAST OF THOSE AREAS WHERE THE WORK HAS GROWN IS WEST AFRICA. 01:07 I'M SO DELIGHTED THAT KAREN AND GLEN WINTERMEYER ARE HERE WITH US AGAIN IN 01:10 ANOTHER PROGRAM AND MORE STORIES ABOUT WHAT GOD IS DOING IN THAT PART OF HIS 01:20 FIELD. 01:21 SO, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TODAY-EITHER OF YOU. 01:23 TELL ME WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. 01:24 DID YOU EVER HEAR ABOUT THE GUY THAT BUILT AN ARK? 01:27 ONCE UPON A WONDER, I KNOW THAT STORY. 01:29 WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS GUY THAT'S BUILDING A DIFFERENT KIND 01:33 OF AN ARK IN BAMAKO, MALI. 01:36 O.K. 01:37 IT ALL STARTED OUT WHEN THIS GUY WAS A KID, HIS BROTHER CAME HOME ONE DAY 01:41 AND HE SAID,"YOU KNOW WHAT" HE SAID, "I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE 01:45 BIBLE BETTER THAN YOU." 01:48 AND MY FRIEND, BECAUSE HE HAS BECOME A GOOD FRIEND OVER THE YEARS OF 01:51 SUPERVISION THERE, SAID. 01:53 IS THIS HE? 01:54 THAT'S HIM. 01:55 HE IS ONE OF OUR GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS? 01:57 HE HAS BEEN-O.K. 02:01 HE IS NOW A PASTOR IN THE MALI MISSION. 02:06 WOW. 02:07 AND NOAH, THAT'S HIS NAME, NOAH BUILDING THE ARK FOR SAFETY. 02:12 I SEE WHAT YOU'RE DRIVING AT GLEN. 02:15 ANYWAY, NOAH SAID, "I'M GOING TO CHECK THIS GUY OUT BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS 02:20 THE BIBLE BETTER THAN ME." 02:21 SO HE STARTED STUDYING WITH THIS FELLOW THAT HIS BROTHER INTRODUCED HIM TO 02:27 AND SURE ENOUGH, NOAH DISCOVERED THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO KNEW THE 02:33 BIBLE BETTER THAN HIM. 02:37 AMAZING! 02:40 HE WAS GOING TO MAKE-ACTUALLY, NOAH WANTED TO MAKE HIM INTO A 02:45 PENTECOSTAL INDIVIDUAL BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY TURN OUT THAT WAY. 02:52 THE TABLES KIND OF TURNED? 02:54 THE TABLES TURNED. 02:55 HE DISCOVERED THAT HIS BROTHER WAS RIGHT AND THIS GUY REALLY KNEW THE BIBLE 03:01 BETTER AND AT 18 NOAH WAS BAPTIZED INTO THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 03:06 ALREADY HE WAS A MINISTER IN THE PENTECOSTAL? 03:09 NO, HE WAS JUST ATTENDING THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH. 03:11 OH, I SEE. 03:12 O.K. 03:14 HE WAS A PART OF IT AND HE HAS JUST BEEN A VERY SPIRIT DIRECTED INDIVIDUAL 03:18 OVER THE YEARS. 03:19 WOW. 03:22 BUT HIS MOTHER WAS A CATHOLIC AND HE WOULD GO TO CHURCH WITH HER BUT 03:29 INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, DAD HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT. 03:36 HE DIDN'T LIKE ANY CHURCH REGARDLESS OF ITS NAME. 03:40 HE JUST WANTED TO AVOID THEM AND SO MOM STILL GOT TO GO TO CHURCH. 03:47 SHE WAS A PRETTY DETERMINED PERSON AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GO TO CHURCH 03:51 ON A REGULAR BASIS. 03:53 HIS FATHER HATED ALL CHURCHES. 03:55 HE THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST CORRUPT AND WANTED TO GET MONEY. 04:00 NOAH COULD SEE THAT THOSE WHO WERE FOLLOWING JESUS WERE DIFFERENT AND HE 04:07 WANTED TO HAVE A PART OF THAT. 04:10 AND SO, HE STARTED STUDYING AND STUDYING AND STUDYING TO FIND OUT WHAT 04:17 THE BIBLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT SALVATION, CHRISTIANITY, FORGIVENESS AND ALL THOSE 04:24 DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS. 04:25 HE WANTED TO KNOW IT. 04:28 AM I JUMPING AHEAD OF YOUR STORY IF I ASK WHAT IMPACT NOAH'S BAPTISM HAD ON HIS 04:33 FATHER? 04:35 WELL, THAT'S WHERE THE STORY GETS INTERESTING. 04:40 I THINK IT IS AN ONGOING, UNFOLDING STORY WHAT FATHER THINKS ABOUT THIS 04:45 BUT I'LL GET TO THAT. 04:47 BUT HIS BAPTISM-HE WAS WAITING TO BE BAPTIZED. 04:52 AT FIRST, HE NEVER TOLD HIS FATHER BECAUSE HE KNEW HIS FATHER HATED ANY 04:58 CHURCH- HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RELIGION. 05:00 HATED ANY CHURCH. 05:02 NOAH GREW UP IN NORTHERN TOGO AND JUST OUT IN THE BUSH IN A THATCHED HUT. 05:18 VERY REMOTE PLACE. 05:19 HE HAD EIGHT BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM A POLYGAMUS MARRIAGE. 05:26 THERE WERE FOUR MOMS AND ONE DAD. 05:29 CAN YOU IMAGINE GETTING ALONG IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT? 05:32 NO, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. 05:35 BUT NOW, HIS MOTHER WAS THE CATHOLIC SO THERE WERE THREE OTHERS WHO MAY NOT 05:42 HAVE BEEN? 05:43 I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE WERE AND LITTLE BY LITTLE THOSE WOMEN WENT AWAY 05:47 BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET MONEY; THEY WEREN'T OBEDIENT OR WHATEVER, 05:51 WHATEVER SO IT ENDED UP JUST HIS MOM BEING AT HOME-WITH THE EIGHT 05:56 CHILDREN NOW? 05:57 YES. 05:58 SHE WAS A NURSE SO SHE COULD EARN SOME INCOME. 06:03 THE OTHERS ALL LEFT BECAUSE THE FATHER WOULDN'T GIVE THEM ANY 06:05 MONEY-THE WOMEN. 06:09 THEY LEFT THEIR CHILDREN THERE, THOUGH? 06:11 THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE CHILDREN WITH THEM? 06:13 I DON'T KNOW ALL THOSE DETAILS OF HOW THAT ALL HAPPENED BUT YOU KNOW IT 06:18 WAS HARD LIVING. 06:20 YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR STORIES LIKE THIS AND CONTRAST THOSE EXPERIENCES 06:33 WITH OUR LIVES AND THE BLESSINGS THAT WE'VE COME TO TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT, 06:40 YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS, THOSE 06:46 KINDS OF PRESSURES. 06:47 INDEPENDENCE- WHATEVER. 06:49 THEN I REALIZE THAT LIKE IN YOUR REGION THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT AS A 06:58 REGULAR WAY OF THEIR LIVES AND IF LIKE THE NOAH'S CAN LEARN ABOUT JESUS, THEY 07:05 HAVE SOME HOPE OF RELIEF FROM THAT. 07:09 AMEN. 07:10 IT MAKES THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM AND KNOWING JESUS SO VERY, VERY ATTRACTIVE. 07:15 YES, FOR SURE. 07:17 WELL, HE MET -THERE WAS AN ADVENTIST GROUP, A COMPANY, IF YOU PLEASE, IN 07:22 NORTHERN TOGO BUT THERE WAS NO CHURCH. 07:26 THEY WOULD MEET UNDER A TREE. 07:28 THEY WOULD MEET IN SOMEBODY'S HOUSE. 07:31 THEY WOULD MEET IN THE EVENING AROUND THE FIRE. 07:36 SO IT WAS A VERY INFORMAL KIND OF SITUATION BUT IT WAS UNDER THESE TREES IN 07:43 THIS KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP THAT NOAH MET THE GOSPEL OUTREACH 07:49 WORKERS WHO HAD BEEN TRAINED IN TOGO TO GO OUT AND DO CHURCH PLANTING. 07:55 WOW. 07:56 AND SO THAT WAS NOAH'S FIRST INTRODUCTION TO GOSPEL OUTREACH 08:00 INTERNATIONAL. 08:03 SO THAT REMINDS ME TO TELL OUR VIEWERS THAT'S WHY WE HAVE GOSPEL OUTREACH--TO 08:11 CROSS PATHS WITH HUNGERING AND THIRSTING PEOPLE. 08:13 AMEN. 08:14 AMEN. 08:15 IT WAS WONDERFUL. 08:17 ANYWAY, HIS DAD WENT TO CANADA TO STUDY AGRONOMY. 08:23 ALL THE WAY TO CANADA FROM TOGO? 08:25 ALL THE WAY TO CANADA TO STUDY AGRONOMY. 08:30 SO HE IS AN EDUCATED MAN. 08:32 HE IS AN ENGINEER, AN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER AND HE HAD A FARM. 08:36 IS THAT A PICTURE OF HIS FARM? 08:38 SIMILAR. 08:39 O.K. 08:40 BUT IT IS AMAZING- THEY FARM A LITTLE PIECE. 08:44 THERE ARE LITTLE PIECES ALL OVER LOOKING LIKE THIS. 08:52 ANY PLACE THEY CAN DIG A WELL AND WATER IS NOT THAT FAR INTO THE GROUND THERE. 08:56 THEY WILL DIG A HOLE IN THE GROUND, FIFTEEN-TWENTY FEET. 08:59 THESE WERE EIGHTEEN FOOT WELLS WHERE THEY WERE IRRIGATING THAT LETTUCE. 09:02 SO THEY WOULD IRRIGATE. 09:06 BUT DAD, NOAH'S DAD, DEMANDED THAT HE GO OUT INTO THE FIELDS AND WORK. 09:13 IN AFRICA, THE FATHERS ARE VERY, VERY STERN AND SERIOUS. 09:15 THEY DON'T JOKE. 09:17 THEY DON'T PLAY WITH THE CHILDREN. 09:21 THEY ARE JUST-WELL-HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD WAS NO DIFFERENT. 09:28 HE DID NOT HAVE A LOVING FATHER. 09:30 HE NEVER TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD BECOME A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST PASTOR. 09:34 THAT HE WAS TAKING THE MINISTRY TRACK TO GET AN EDUCATION. 09:39 HE STILL HAS NOT TOLD HIM THAT TO THIS DAY. 09:44 DO THEY LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER? 09:45 NO. 09:46 O.K. 09:48 NOAH LIVES IN BAMAKO, MALI WHERE HE IS WORKING FOR THE BAMAKO OR FOR THE MALI 09:54 MISSION. 09:55 YOU KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU. 09:57 HIS PASTOR WAS FIXING TO BAPTIZE HIM AND WHEN IT CAME HIS TURN, THE PASTOR 10:03 WAS JUST BAPTIZING THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, SO HE HAD TO ASK WHAT IS YOUR 10:07 NAME? 10:08 WELL, THERE WAS SOMEBODY STANDING THERE WITH A BIBLE OPEN AND THE GENTLE 10:13 BREEZE WAS BLOWING THE PAGES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN GUESS WHAT? 10:18 THERE IS THE STORY IN GENESIS OF NOAH. 10:23 NOAH HEARD THAT STORY, HE HEARD GOD CALLING HIM NOAH AND HE HEARD IT THREE 10:30 TIMES AS HE WAS BAPTIZED. 10:32 THE PASTOR SAID, "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" 10:39 WELL, HIS NAME WAS SOME OTHER NAME AND SO HE BECAME NOAH AT HIS 10:45 BAPTISM. 10:46 HE SAID, "MY NAME IS NOAH." 10:47 AND EVER SINCE THEN EVERYBODY HAS CALLED HIM NOAH. 10:51 DOES HE HAVE A FAMILY NAME BESIDES THAT? 10:53 YES, SIMDINATOME BUT HE IS NOAH. 10:57 BUT HE IS NOAH TO ALL HIS FRIENDS. 10:59 THAT'S A FASCINATING STORY. 11:00 I'VE RUN INTO ACCOUNT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ADOPTED NAMES ALL OF A SUDDEN 11:05 BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULDN'T PRONOUNCE THEIR NAME OR THEY WERE IMPRESSED THAT 11:09 THAT'S WHAT THEIR NAME SHOULD BE. 11:12 YES. 11:13 WELL, WHEN HE DIDN'T GO TO WORK IN THE FIELDS AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE GOT 11:15 THAT CLIP HERE OR NOT, BUT WHEN HE WOULD GO OUT INTO THE FIELDS AND WORK AND HE 11:21 DIDN'T GO OUT TO WORK OR HE WAS BAD OR DIDN'T DO WORK WELL ENOUGH HIS 11:25 FATHER WOULD BEAT HIM. 11:26 THERE WE GO. 11:28 YES, HERE IS NOAH WORKING OUT IN THE FIELDS AND YOU CAN SEE THEM PULLING THE 11:32 WATER AND THE WATERING CAN THERE. 11:34 THEY GO AND WATER THAT LETTUCE. 11:36 NOAH WENT OUT IN THE SITUATION LIKE THIS AND PULLED THE WEEDS AND KEPT 11:40 THE FIELDS CLEAN. 11:41 SO HE KNOWS FARMING. 11:42 HE GREW UP IN A FARMING ENVIRONMENT. 11:48 DOES HIS FATHER NOT APPRECIATE WHAT HE DOES? 11:54 I DON'T KNOW. 11:56 MAYBE. 11:58 BUT THERE IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD EVALUATE AS A LOVING, CARING FATHER SON 12:07 RELATIONSHIP. 12:08 THERE CERTAINLY WASN'T. 12:09 GO AHEAD, KAREN. 12:10 LET'S RUN THE CLIP ABOUT AND TELL ABOUT HIS FATHER. 12:14 O.K. 12:16 THERE HE IS, NOAH, SHOWING HOW HE WOULD GET A BEATING FROM HIS FATHER AND WHEN 12:24 HE WAS DONE BEATING THERE WOULD BE LARGE WELTS AND PROBABLY SOME BLOOD ON HIS 12:30 BACK AND ON HIS SHIRT. 12:32 IT WASN'T A PLEASANT SITUATION. 12:35 NOW, IN EACH OF THE PICTURES I'VE SEEN OF NOAH, HE'S GOT A FINGER 12:38 BANDAGED AND QUITE A BANDAGE ON HIS ARM. 12:42 HE HAD AN ACCIDENT AND HE HAD AN INFECTION WHEN WE WERE THERE. 12:45 OH, O.K. 12:46 HE ARRANGED THAT JUST FOR THE DAY WE WERE THERE DOING THE PHOTO SHOOT. 12:49 THE DAY BEFORE IT WASN'T THERE. 12:51 WE ARRANGED FOR THE PHOTO SHOOTS AND I SAID, "NOAH, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR 12:55 HAND?" 12:56 HE CUT HIS FINGER REALLY BAD. 12:59 OH DEAR. 13:00 BUT YOU NOTICE WHERE HE WAS SHOWING HOW HIS FATHER BEAT HIM AND THEN HE 13:04 EXPLAINED TO US THAT THERE IN THEIR COUNTRY, A FATHER NEVER PLAYED WITH THE 13:13 CHILDREN. 13:16 THEY NEVER JOKED OR PLAYED AND SO THE CHILDREN WERE ALWAYS AFRAID OF THEIR 13:22 FATHER. 13:24 HIS RELATIONSHIP WAS NO DIFFERENT WITH HIS FATHER SO THAT IS WHY HE DIDN'T 13:29 TELL HIM HE BECAME A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH MEMBER BECAUSE HE 13:33 KNEW HIS FATHER HATED ALL CHURCHES. 13:35 OH WOW, NOW IN THIS PICTURE WE HAVE JUST BEEN VIEWING THERE, WHAT IS 13:39 THAT NOAH IS DOING? 13:41 NOAH, AT THE TIME THAT HE WAS BAPTIZED-IT WAS LIKE THE HOLY SPIRIT BEGAN TO 13:49 SPEAK TO HIM-"NOAH I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE A PASTOR." 13:53 "I WANT YOU TO SERVE AS A GOSPEL CHURCH PLANTER." 13:59 AND SO HE BEGAN TO PRAY AND TO FAST AND ASK THE LORD FOR DIRECTION. 14:06 HE PRAYED EARNESTLY. 14:07 SO HE IS ON HIS KNEES PRAYING HERE. 14:09 HE IS ON HIS KNEES PRAYING. 14:10 WOW. 14:12 ONE MORNING HE DECIDED I NEED TO BE HONEST WITH MY FATHER. 14:17 BECAUSE HE'D GO OUT TO THE FIELDS AND THEN HE'D RUN AWAY AND GO TO CHURCH. 14:22 THEN HE SAID, "NO, I CAN'T DO THAT I NEED TO BE HONEST WITH MY FATHER. 14:26 I NEED TO TELL HIM." 14:27 SO THE NEXT SABBATH MORNING HE GOT UP AND GOT DRESSED FOR CHURCH AND HE 14:32 TOLD HIS FATHER. 14:33 HIS FATHER SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" 14:35 HE SAID, "I AM GOING TO CHURCH TODAY." 14:38 HIS FATHER RAISED HIS VOICE VERY LOUDLY AND SAID, "WHAT?" 14:43 "WHAT? 14:44 YOU ARE GOING TO CHURCH TODAY? 14:45 TODAY IS SATURDAY. 14:46 THERE IS NO CHURCH TODAY." 14:49 AND HE SAID, "YES, THERE IS. 14:51 IT IS THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH." 14:53 AH HA. 14:55 THERE IS THE LOGO. 14:56 YES, THAT IDENTIFIES ADVENTISM ALL OVER THE WORLD. 14:59 IT SURE DOES AND THE THREE ANGELS. 15:01 YES. 15:03 SO AT THIS POINT, HE LEFT HOME. 15:06 HE SAID THERE WAS NO MORE REASON TO STAY. 15:08 HE WAS EIGHTEEN AND WENT TO ANOTHER VILLAGE AND FENDED FOR HIMSELF. 15:19 THESE ARE THE HOUSES IN A TYPICAL VILLAGE THEN? 15:22 THEY ARE. 15:23 YOU SEE THESE ALL ACROSS WEST AFRICA IN THE SAHARA AND SUBSAHARA AREAS OF 15:29 THESE COUNTRIES. 15:30 THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE COASTAL COUNTRIES HAVE THESE THATCHED BUILDINGS 15:36 OF ONE SHAPE OR ANOTHER. 15:40 HE WAS PRAYING, FASTING AND HE HAPPENED UPON A BROCHURE ADVERTISING NO 15:49 LESS THAN THE ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY IN CAMAROON. 15:52 IS THAT RIGHT? 15:55 WOW. 15:56 SO HE BEGAN TO MAKE PLANS BUT HE NEEDED SOME MONEY. 16:00 WHERE WAS HE GOING TO GET THE MONEY? 16:02 SO HE TALKED TO HIS FOLKS AN ASKED THEM TO PITCH IN SOME MONEY. 16:06 HIS FATHER? 16:07 AND HIS MOTHER. 16:08 HE WENT TO HIS DAD AND SAID "I NEED TWO HUNDRED BUCKS." 16:14 HIS FATHER WAS VERY RELUCANT BUT FINALLY IN THE END HIS FATHER GAVE 16:18 HIM $200. 16:20 IS THAT RIGHT? 16:22 HIS DAD DID, SO YOU WERE ASKING WHEN WAS THE ICE BEGINNING TO MELT. 16:25 MAYBE THERE? 16:28 YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS. 16:29 SOMETIME DOWN IN THE FUTURE FROM NOW DAD MAY FINALLY SAY, SON YOU HAVE 16:31 BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART IN ME BECOMING A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST. 16:41 WELL, UNDOUBTEDLY THAT WILL BE THE CASE. 16:45 HE LEFT FOR SCHOOL ON A BUS BUT WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT HE WAS GOING 16:50 TO HAVE TO TAKE A VERY SMALL BOAT ON THE OCEAN TO GET TO THE SCHOOL? 16:56 TO GET TO CAMAROON-TO GET PART WAY TO WHERE HE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL. 16:59 HE WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND HE DOES NOT SWIM. 17:04 THAT REMINDS ME, TWO YEARS AGO I WAS THERE IN BAMAKO AND WE WENT OUT ON THE 17:07 NIGER RIVER AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF WATER AT ALL. 17:12 I NOTICED HE WAS A LITTLE BIT EDGY AND I THOUGHT, OH, OH, THIS BOY DOESN'T 17:17 KNOW HOW TO SWIM. 17:18 I ASKED HIM. 17:19 NOAH SAID, "NO, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM." 17:21 HERE WE ARE OUT ON THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGER RIVER. 17:24 I WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME AND POOR NOAH WAS SCARED TO DEATH. 17:27 SURE. 17:29 BUT HE SAID HE PRAYED, "LORD SAVE ME" THE WHOLE TIME HE WAS IN THIS BOAT. 17:34 THAT'S ONE OF THOSE BOATS THAT COULD ROLL OVER WITHTHO EXCUSE AT ALL. 17:38 YES. 17:39 SO HE NEEDED MONEY. 17:43 SO HE WOULD CANVAS. 17:45 HE WOULD SELL BOOKS AND HERE YOU SEE HIM KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF A HOME 17:51 THERE IN HIS VILLAGE LOOKING FOR A SALE. 17:58 GOOD LITERATURE TO SELL TO PEOPLE THAT WOULD HELP THEM AND IT WOULD HELP HIM 18:03 GO TO SCHOOL. 18:04 THE $200 HE REQUESTED FROM HIS FATHER-HOW FAR DID THAT GO WITH HIS 18:08 EDUCATION? 18:10 WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE A FAIR WAYS. 18:13 SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS WAS THE COST AT THAT TIME FOR HIM TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR A 18:18 YEAR. 18:19 I THINK THAT WAS JUST PROBABLY TUITION. 18:22 O.K. 18:23 BESIDES THAT THEY NEEDED FOOD AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE SLEPT, YOU KNOW, 18:28 UNDER A TREE? 18:30 WHO KNOWS? 18:31 VERY RUSTIC, VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. 18:33 YOU KNOW, I CAN'T HELP BUT BE REMINDED THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SO BASICALLY 18:41 AND ULTIMATELY DEDICATED TO THE LORD NO MATTER WHAT THE OBSTACLES ARE-NO 18:45 MATTER WHAT THE RESOURCES OR LIMITED RESOURCES MAY BE, THEY ARE GOING TO 18:54 FOLLOW THE LORD. 18:56 DEEPLY COMMITTED. 18:59 AND HE BECAME A GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKER, YES, AND THEN A PASTOR. 19:04 THEN A PASTOR. 19:07 THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT GOSPEL OUTREACH REALLY IS 19:12 DEPENDENT UPON ALL ACROSS THE FIELD. 19:15 WELL, IT'S THE FUNDS THAT WE, IN NORTH AMERICA, GENERATE TO HELP THIS 19:19 HAPPEN. 19:20 IN LIBERIA RIGHT NOW, THE LIBERIA CONFERENCE, ONE OF THE COUNTRIES I GO TO, HAS 19:25 JUST TAKEN ALL OF THEIR LAY BIBLE WORKERS AND TURNED THEM IN TO PASTORS 19:31 AND ARE FUNDING THEM ACCORDINGLY. 19:33 THEY HAVE BEEN FUNCTIONING AS THAT FOR YEARS. 19:36 NOW, THAT MEANS-BUT MANY OF THEM START AS GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS. 19:42 YES. 19:43 YES, AND THAT'S THE REAL WAY GOSPEL OUTREACH WAS INTENDED TO WORK BY 19:45 HELPING ESTABLISH WORK AND THEN WHEN IT IS ESTABLISHED THE LOCAL 19:47 MISSION OR THE FIELD TAKES OVER THAT AND THEN WE CAN SUPPLEMENT WITH ADDITIONAL 19:55 WORKERS. 20:01 THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING. 20:03 IT IS REALLY, REALLY NEAT. 20:05 I'M DELIGHTED. 20:06 HOW MANY MORE PICTURES DO YOU HAVE? 20:08 ONE. 20:09 ONE MORE? 20:10 ALL RIGHT LET US GO TO THAT NOW. 20:12 HE IS PRAYING BECAUSE IN SCHOOL HE SUFFERED SO MUCH. 20:15 HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE FOOD TO EAT SOMETIMES AND HE SAID, "I HATED MY FATHER 20:21 SO MUCH BECAUSE I WAS SUFFERING SO MUCH IN SCHOOL." 20:25 HE SAID, "BUT SINCE THEN I HAVE LEARNED THAT-- I HAVE LEARNED TO FORGIVE MY 20:29 FATHER." 20:30 WOW. 20:31 HE SAID, "BECAUSE I KNOW JESUS WANTS ME TO." 20:33 HERE IS THE NEAT THING, DAN; JUST RECENTLY DAD INVITED HIM HOME. 20:42 CAN YOU IMAGINE? 20:44 HERE IS THE FATHER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS-29 YEARS OF REJECTING HIS SON, 20:49 GIVING HIM A BAD TIME AND DAD SAYS TO COME ON HOME. 20:54 HE WENT HOME. 20:55 NOAH WENT HOME. 20:56 HE WENT TO HIS FATHER'S HOME IN NORTHERN TOGO AND DAD ACTUALLY SAT DOWN, 21:02 GAVE HIM A GLASS OF JUICE TO DRINK AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 29 YEARS, THESE 21:09 TWO MEN'S EYES LOCKED AND SMILED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF EACH OTHER. 21:16 HE SAID, "HE ASKED ME WHAT I AM DOING?" 21:19 FOR HIS WORK, FOR HIS JOB SO THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD HIM: HE SAID, "I VISIT 21:26 PEOPLE. 21:28 I MAKE FRIENDS. 21:30 I HELP PEOPLE. 21:31 I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE GOOD PEOPLE." 21:35 SO HIS FATHER WAS PLEASED WITH THAT AND SMILED AT HIM. 21:38 THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER IN HIS LIFE HIS FATHER SMILED AT HIM. 21:42 WOW. 21:43 HE IS NOW 29. 21:46 THIS IS ALL TESTIMONY OF THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE. 21:56 YES. 21:57 THIS YOUNG MAN, THE STORY YOU'VE TOLD ABOUT NOAH, WHERE HE WAS AND THE 22:01 EXPERIENCE HE'S BEEN THROUGH AND YES, 29 YEARS-IT SHOULD HAVE 22:06 HAPPENED A LOT SOONER FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE BUT IN GOD'S TIMING, THE FATHER 22:12 WAS PROBABLY NOW READY TO ACCEPT HIS SON ON KIND OF AN EVEN BASIS BECAUSE HE 22:20 SEES HIM BEING A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO LIFE AND HE'S TAKING 22:29 CARE OF HIMSELF. 22:30 THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT MUST MAKE THAT FATHER VERY PROUD, OF COURSE. 22:33 YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? 22:35 NOAH IS NOW SUPERVISING, GUESS WHO? 22:39 GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS. 22:41 YES. 22:42 HE'S GOT SEVERAL OF THEM THAT HE IS SUPERVISING THERE IN BAMAKO. 22:44 IS THAT RIGHT? 22:45 NOW, BAMAKO IS A PART OF TOGO? 22:50 NO, THAT IS MALI. 22:51 OH YES, YOU DID SAY THAT O.K. 22:53 IT IS A VERY LARGE COUNTRY. 22:55 I SUPPOSE ABOUT THE SIZE OF TEXAS-NOT REAL SURE, BUT BAMAKO IS DOWN IN THE 22:59 SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AND IT'S THE CAPITAL. 23:01 YOU GO UP INTO THE NORTH INTO TIMBUKTU AND LITERALLY INTO THE SAHARA 23:06 DESERT. 23:07 NOW IT'S ALSO, I THINK, VERY INSTRUCTIVE FOR US TO BE AWARE THAT THROUGHOUT 23:10 ALL OF THIS EXPERIENCE THAT NOAH HAS HAD, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN PROBABLY 23:12 NO BETTER PREPARATION FOR HIS GOSPEL OUTREACH LEADERSHIP THAN TO GO 23:30 THROUGH THOSE EXPERIENCES AND UNDERSTAND WHERE ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE, WHERE 23:36 THEY COME FROM AND WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH THEM AT THE LEVEL OF THEIR EXPERIENCE. 23:43 HE ENCOURAGES THE GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS TO MAKE SACRIFICES FOR THE LORD. 23:47 HE SAID, "LOOK HOW MUCH THE LORD HAS DONE FOR US?" 23:52 I MEAN-NOW GET OUT THERE AND GET TO WORK. 23:55 NOW, HE IS NOT A MARRIED MAN. 23:57 OH, BUT HE WILL BE IN DECEMBER. 23:59 OH, IS THAT RIGHT? 24:00 YES. 24:02 I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR A GOOD WIFE AND HE WILL BE MARRIED AND HAS HAD TO 24:05 COME UP WITH THE DOWRY-THE WHOLE NINE YARDS OF A VERY-DID YOU MEET HER WHEN 24:08 YOU WERE THERE? 24:09 NO, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HER. 24:11 BUT HE SAID TO US, "YOU MEAN IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY 24:20 ANYTHING FOR YOUR WIFE?" 24:21 OH, BUT JUST WAIT. 24:23 HE SAID, "WELL, NO WONDER THERE ARE SO MANY SPLIT UPS AND DIVORCES. 24:30 THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING." 24:32 AND SHE OBVIOUSLY IS A BELIEVER. 24:35 YES. 24:36 OH YES. 24:37 IT IS GOING TO BE AN ASSET TO HIS MINISTRY. 24:40 YES, FOR SURE. 24:41 HOW MANY GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS IN REGION 4? 24:44 FIFTY FIVE. 24:46 HOW MANY DOES NOAH DIRECT IN HIS WORK? 24:48 WELL, THERE ARE FIVE IN MALI AND HE IS DIRECTING TWO OR THREE OF THEM. 24:53 THREE. 24:54 O.K. 24:55 VERY GOOD. 24:57 WELL YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO SAY AND I'LL SAY THIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR 25:00 VIEWERS. 25:02 I CATCH THE EXCITEMENT IN YOUR VOICES AS YOU REMEMBER THE MARY IN THE 25:07 EARLIER PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD AND NOW THE NOAH. 25:10 THE WORK IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE AND INDIVIDUALS YOU GET TO KNOW AND GET TO 25:16 LOVE AND GET TO APPRECIATE. 25:18 WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH GOSPEL OUTREACH WITH THOSE KINDS 25:23 OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAPPEN? 25:25 TO SEE WHAT THE LORD DOES IN EVERYONE'S LIFE IS JUST AWESOME. 25:30 WELL, I CAN SEE IT ALL OVER YOUR FACES THAT YOU'VE BEEN BLEST TO BE A 25:34 PART OF THIS MINISTRY AND I'M GLAD YOU COULD GO THIS TIME, KAREN. 25:38 I KNOW GLEN IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO ALONE AGAIN, EVER. 25:45 SO ANYWAY, GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. 25:48 THANK YOU FOR THE CONNECTION THAT YOU MAKE FOR GOSPEL OUTREACH WITH 25:59 YOUR PEOPLE THERE AND ONLY IN THE KINGDOM WILL ANY OF US KNOW WHAT NOAH HAS DONE 26:03 OR WHO HE HAS MET. 26:05 THE JOY OF YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO BE TO RETURN THERE SOMETIME AND EXTEND 26:08 THE HAND OF FELLOWSHIP TO THAT FATHER. 26:10 AMEN. 26:11 I DIDN'T TAKE TIME TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE MOTHER. 26:13 IS THERE STILL AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS MOTHER? 26:15 YES. 26:16 O.K. 26:17 SHE MUST APPRECIATE WHAT HE DOES. 26:19 I'M SURE SHE DOES. 26:21 O.K. 26:22 WELL, THIS IS JUST MORE OF THE CIRCLE OF GOSPEL OUTREACH FRIENDS AND 26:26 FAMILY. 26:27 I WANT TO THANK KAREN AND GLEN WINTERMEYER FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND BRINGING US 26:33 ANOTHER STORY OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE GOSPEL OUTREACH FAMILY WAY OVER 26:38 THERE IN WEST AFRICA. 26:40 BUT GOD'S HAND IS WORKING HERE AT HOME AS WELL IN EACH OF OUR LIVES TO 26:46 INSPIRE US TO BE A PART OF A MINISTRY THAT WILL HASTEN THE COMING OF JESUS 26:51 AND CONCLUDE WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY BROUGHT TOGETHER WITH JESUS IN HIS 26:57 KINGDOM. 27:14 SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS. 27:15 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND I'LL BE HERE NEXT TIME. 27:18 [CLOSING MUSIC]. 27:19 I NEED TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL HERE AT HOME. 27:21 WHERE IS THE 10/40 WINDOW ANYWAY? 27:23 THOSE PEOPLE ARE TOO FAR AWAY. 27:24 SOMEONE ELSE CAN TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS. 27:27 MAYBE THEY COULD JUST WATCH TV? 27:31 NEARLY THREE BILLION PEOPLE TO REACH, MY HEAD HURTS. 27:36 THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO, I GIVE UP. 27:39 WHAT'S THE POINT OF TRYING? 27:41 I CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 27:43 ACTUALLY YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND JESUS ASKED YOU TO GO TO ALL THE 27:50 WORLD. 27:51 WHERE? 27:52 ALL THE WORLD. 27:53 HOW CAN I GO I HAVE COMMITMENTS? 27:55 YOU CAN PRAY. 27:57 YOU CAN VOLUNTEER YOUR TALENTS. 28:02 YOU CAN TELL OTHERS. 28:06 YOU CAN GIVE MONEY TO SPONSOR BIBLE WORKERS. 28:09 MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR HOPE AND MEANING BUT THEY WON'T 28:12 FIND IT WITHOUT YOU. 28:14 BE THE SPARK. 28:15 LIGHT THE FIRE. 28:18 FINISH THE WORK. 28:22 FINISH THE WORK. 28:26 BE THE SPARK. |
Revised 2015-02-06