Welcome to the 70th ASI
International Convention.
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And I'll greet you warmly
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on behalf of the
Texas Conference,
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50,000 to 80,000
members here in Texas
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and we greet you
and will walk with you
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is our prayer that at
the end of this convention
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that we'll leave this
place feeling more called,
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more chosen, and more committed
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to do what God
has called us to do
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and to haste in His soon coming.
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I welcome you here to Houston
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and may God bless
you in your stay here.
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It's a privilege tonight
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to welcome our
ASI family to Texas.
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Thank you for
allowing us to join you here.
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And the Texas
Conference has been busy
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helping us actually
prepare for this event.
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We had a Health Expo here today,
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a lot of stuff is going on
in preparation for the meeting.
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So we're just happy
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that each one of
you has joined us here
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this evening.
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And we're praying
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that God will grant
us a special blessing.
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You know, Texas is
a big place, isn't it?
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Is that what I
heard? I heard a rumor.
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That the Lone Star...
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Everything's big in Texas.
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Well, we're looking for
a big blessing in Texas.
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Amen.
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And just, again, we're
happy that each one of you
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have come here to join
us for this convention.
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And we are also praying
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that the Holy
Spirit will do something
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in a very individual way.
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A general way to...
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We want the Holy Spirit
to be present here with us
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in our meetings.
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But we want the
Holy Spirit to do
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something in your
life individually.
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We want the Holy
Spirit to take over your heart
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and to impress you personally
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about what you should
be doing for God's work.
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And so tonight, again, we just
thank you that you have come.
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We welcome you.
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And if you are here and you
run across something you need,
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contact one of
the ASI staff members
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and have them
assist you with that.
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We're also gonna
pray for you tonight.
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Elton is gonna pray for us
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as we begin our session tonight.
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Thank you so much for joining us
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and for praying for us.
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Amen.
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Let us all bow our
heads together for prayer.
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Our most
gracious Heavenly Father,
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we come before You this
evening in the name of Jesus.
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And we're thankful that
You brought us here safely,
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we're thankful that
You brought us here,
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Father, to this convention
so that we can have more tools
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to continue to work for you.
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And, Lord, I pray
that you will bless us
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during our time together
that in everything we do,
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Father, may You be present.
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And we pray for Your Holy Spirit
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to touch our
hearts in a mighty way
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that when we leave
this place, this convention,
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Father, we will
leave with the desire
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to continue to work for
You, to finish the work,
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so You can come
and take us home.
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So bless each participant,
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bless each individual
that are here tonight,
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and those who are
still traveling, Father,
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we pray for traveling mercies,
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we place this
convention in Your hands.
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In Jesus' precious
name we pray, amen.
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Amen.
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Have you ever
wondered where we began?
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The spark to
begin this movement?
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Remember.
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It took me a long, long
time to learn to really believe
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that all things
worked together for good
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to those who love the Lord.
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I still will have to
learn many more things,
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but I have been led over a path
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that has helped me
to stabilize my faith
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that great truth
can be depended upon
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if one will only
stay by the Lord.
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Under her guidance,
this college was established.
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Self-supporting,
inspiring, educating,
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the foundation was laid.
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Ministries sprang
up all over the world,
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lay members and church leaders
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burned to join
ministry with the church,
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ASI was born.
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Today,
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ASI continues with the
example of the Apostle Paul,
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sharing Jesus
Christ in the marketplace.
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Business professionals
were needed on the team
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and as ministry
and business united
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in the efforts, a
dynamic network was formed.
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Every day ASI
members and ministries
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carry the light
to mission fields
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across the North
American division
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and the whole world.
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It's important
to be a part of ASI
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because I'm able
to share my gifts
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with the team of people
in so many ways worldwide.
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It's not just a
blessing to the people I teach,
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it's a blessing to me as well.
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Building a One-Day Church
is a really special experience
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because you get to come in here
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and these people sometimes
don't even have a church
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or whatever they
built for themselves
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and it's really special,
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you see them come to
you, they're all happy,
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they come shake
your hand and say,
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"Thank you, thank you."
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They value the church so much.
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And building it, you know,
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it's a good
build, it's not hard,
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I didn't have to go through
any special training to do it,
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but the rewards
from it are incredible,
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such an experience.
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It's a great
opportunity to be part of ASI
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as a business
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because it's God who
gave us these businesses
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in the first place.
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And now being a
part of the ASI family,
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I can work
together in a strategic way
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to use my business to
multiply the kingdom of God
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in a way that I never
could have done before.
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Well, you know, I
think that this whole program
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says two or
three important things.
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Number one, it
says, I can be involved,
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no matter who I am, no
matter what my skill level
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or what my
talents I can be involved.
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And that really is a
message for the whole church.
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The takeaway is
we can work together,
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we can build a community
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that goes beyond
what differences we have.
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Healing,
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teaching,
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training,
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sharing,
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proclaiming,
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building faith,
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restoring,
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this is what we do.
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This is who we are.
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The tribulation
will bring about good
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and mellow one.
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Make one more efficient,
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and more capable
working for the Lord
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is a hard experience to learn.
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If I'd had my way
when I started out,
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I never would have traveled
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or would never have
chosen to travel over a road
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that had in it tribulations.
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I would have
always looked for a road
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that was free from
those, because as a young man,
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I'd dodged every time I could
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anything that was
hard and difficult.
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And when I was
in medical school,
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I found that even young
people that were old enough
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and had developed
enough to take a medical course
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could become quite famous
in dodging a good many things
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that they only could get
away with if you understand?
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Your wisdom is sufficient,
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that you will not
dodge any hard thing
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and take an easy road
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because if you get in
the habit of doing that,
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you're going to
have a hard time.
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We are a team in
business and ministry together
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focused on Christ,
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passionate about the
mission of the church
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just like you.
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Join us in spreading the
light of the Advent message
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to the world.
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What the world
needs is Jesus, remember.
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Amen.
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Good evening, ASI.
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It's time for a
very special feature,
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members in action.
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And it's my privilege tonight
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to be able to share a
three of them with you
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as we begin our
ASI Convention tonight.
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I have with me,
Svitlana Alekseichuk Koka...
00:12:50.70\00:12:54.84
Kokabyuff.
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I'm glad you said that.
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Kokabyuff.
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And from Kazakhstan right now.
00:13:00.28\00:13:03.98
Maybe I just go
back a little bit
00:13:04.01\00:13:05.35
before she shares to tell
you that it was in 1997, 1996
00:13:05.38\00:13:10.89
when we were in Ukraine,
00:13:10.92\00:13:12.85
conducting the first Wildwood
00:13:12.89\00:13:14.82
medical
missionary training program,
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.46
she was one of 30 students
00:13:16.49\00:13:18.26
that the conference
sent to train with us.
00:13:18.29\00:13:20.96
And out of those 30,
00:13:21.00\00:13:22.33
we chose two to
come to the Wildwood
00:13:22.36\00:13:24.40
for training for 2 years,
00:13:24.43\00:13:26.87
and then returned
to carry on a work
00:13:26.90\00:13:29.30
in that country of Ukraine.
00:13:29.34\00:13:31.14
Svitlana was one of those.
00:13:31.17\00:13:33.17
So she returned to Ukraine
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.61
and had the
privilege of helping to pioneer
00:13:35.64\00:13:38.21
what has become a
major health institution
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.28
there in Central
Ukraine, Novi Obihody.
00:13:40.32\00:13:43.39
And for 10 years,
you ministered there.
00:13:43.42\00:13:46.15
After that time, she was called
for a while to pilot a program
00:13:46.19\00:13:50.83
in Tajikistan in
Central Asia in 2004 and 2005.
00:13:50.86\00:13:56.03
And there you
began to experiment
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and to demonstrate the
power of medical missionary work
00:13:58.13\00:14:01.20
among Muslims.
00:14:01.24\00:14:02.67
Tell us something
about that experience
00:14:02.70\00:14:04.71
that you had
there in Tajikistan.
00:14:04.74\00:14:07.08
Well, it was
really a blessing for me.
00:14:07.11\00:14:09.11
It was the first time
to be in Central Asia.
00:14:09.14\00:14:12.18
And to use the
right hand of the gospel,
00:14:12.21\00:14:15.58
the medical missionary work
to reach the Muslim for Christ.
00:14:15.62\00:14:19.92
And you can see the map,
so this is the Central Asia
00:14:19.95\00:14:23.56
and we were in
that time in Tajikistan,
00:14:23.59\00:14:25.76
right now our
ministry in Kazakhstan.
00:14:25.79\00:14:28.26
But when we came to Tajikistan,
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.43
we were doing
different health programs
00:14:30.47\00:14:33.03
like cooking classes,
high blood pressure seminars,
00:14:33.07\00:14:36.57
different seminars
in the church building.
00:14:36.60\00:14:39.57
And, you know, there
was some programs like,
00:14:39.61\00:14:42.24
for example, cooking
class we had 250 people
00:14:42.28\00:14:45.78
came to the church building.
00:14:45.81\00:14:47.72
So that was amazing.
00:14:47.75\00:14:49.42
I think I remember sometimes
they would come to the building
00:14:49.45\00:14:52.02
and they would
look around to see
00:14:52.05\00:14:53.39
if anybody was watching them.
00:14:53.42\00:14:54.76
And they would just sneak there.
00:14:54.79\00:14:56.12
To sneak in a little bit. Yes.
00:14:56.16\00:14:58.13
If I remember right,
00:14:58.16\00:15:00.13
the conference leader said that
00:15:00.16\00:15:02.23
the result of that
short period of time
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.57
that you were there,
00:15:04.60\00:15:05.93
they had more
baptisms in that year
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.90
than they'd had in
three years previously.
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.81
Or even more years. Even more.
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.17
Yes, we had 19
people baptized in 7 months.
00:15:12.21\00:15:15.71
That was...
00:15:15.74\00:15:17.08
Did you hear that 19
people in a Muslim country
00:15:17.11\00:15:19.11
in seven months using
medical missionary work.
00:15:19.15\00:15:21.85
Amen? Yeah. Amen.
00:15:21.88\00:15:23.89
So after you were in Tajikistan,
00:15:23.92\00:15:27.46
you returned to Novi Obihody
00:15:27.49\00:15:29.42
and ministered
there for a while longer,
00:15:29.46\00:15:32.09
but that burden for
Central Asia never left you,
00:15:32.13\00:15:35.70
did it?
00:15:35.73\00:15:37.07
Yes.
00:15:37.10\00:15:38.43
And during that time,
00:15:38.47\00:15:39.80
God brought into
your life Doveglet
00:15:39.83\00:15:41.70
and you were married.
00:15:41.74\00:15:43.47
And she looks so happy about it.
00:15:43.51\00:15:45.47
She had her third
baby two weeks ago
00:15:45.51\00:15:47.94
here in this country.
00:15:47.98\00:15:49.81
And you can meet Nathan later.
00:15:49.84\00:15:52.28
Anyway and so he
laid a burden on you
00:15:52.31\00:15:55.28
to return to Central Asia,
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.29
in fact, one of the
conference presidents
00:15:57.32\00:15:59.72
in Kazakhstan kept
knocking on the door and said,
00:15:59.75\00:16:02.02
"Come over and help us."
00:16:02.06\00:16:03.66
Yes.
00:16:03.69\00:16:05.03
And we received
the call in 2011,
00:16:05.06\00:16:08.13
and we accepted the call.
00:16:08.16\00:16:09.96
Actually we were
praying with my husband
00:16:10.00\00:16:12.23
to go back to Central Asia.
00:16:12.27\00:16:14.30
We had really the
burden and we have been praying
00:16:14.34\00:16:17.04
that God will open the
doors for us to go there.
00:16:17.07\00:16:20.34
And so you went back
there and the huge city,
00:16:20.38\00:16:23.01
the capital city of El Monte,
00:16:23.04\00:16:24.95
and you went
there with no equipment,
00:16:24.98\00:16:27.75
no property, no buildings,
00:16:27.78\00:16:30.09
but you had a
call to come and help.
00:16:30.12\00:16:31.85
Yes, exactly.
00:16:31.89\00:16:33.22
We came there as
medical missionaries
00:16:33.25\00:16:35.66
to the conference building
00:16:35.69\00:16:37.09
and it was such a blessing
to work with the church.
00:16:37.13\00:16:40.40
And that church leaders
provided for us the four rooms
00:16:40.43\00:16:44.17
where we were able to set up
for them health consultations,
00:16:44.20\00:16:49.67
health treatments,
00:16:49.70\00:16:51.11
and we were doing
also different programs
00:16:51.14\00:16:53.24
in the conference building.
00:16:53.27\00:16:55.38
And I had an opportunity
to visit there several times.
00:16:55.41\00:16:58.45
And they were
actually putting...
00:16:58.48\00:17:00.95
They use office rooms,
00:17:00.98\00:17:03.59
converted them in with bunk beds
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.22
and had up as many
as 10 ladies in one room
00:17:05.25\00:17:08.52
who desperately want to
come to your lifestyle program.
00:17:08.56\00:17:10.86
Yes.
00:17:10.89\00:17:12.23
So our health room, you know,
has been running all the time,
00:17:12.26\00:17:15.46
so we would receive patients,
people for consultations
00:17:15.50\00:17:19.77
and we would do the treatments,
but also from time to time,
00:17:19.80\00:17:23.30
we would conduct
the lifestyle sessions
00:17:23.34\00:17:26.37
in the conference building.
00:17:26.41\00:17:28.41
That's amazing.
00:17:28.44\00:17:29.78
So you had a number
of lifestyle sessions.
00:17:29.81\00:17:31.41
Yeah, during the four
years when we were in El Monte,
00:17:31.45\00:17:34.65
this big city,
00:17:34.68\00:17:36.02
we had 11-day lifestyle sessions
00:17:36.05\00:17:40.09
and we had around 160 patients
00:17:40.12\00:17:42.76
only for the lifestyle sessions.
00:17:42.79\00:17:44.79
It was amazing to see in
a conference office building
00:17:44.83\00:17:48.03
to be able to do all that
in such a little bit of space.
00:17:48.06\00:17:50.87
Well, now God has called you
to have a real lifestyle center
00:17:50.90\00:17:53.70
and you found property
00:17:53.74\00:17:55.34
and you have been
starting to do the building
00:17:55.37\00:17:58.14
and I remember now
and seeing that property
00:17:58.17\00:18:00.54
out in the country there
00:18:00.58\00:18:01.91
and the river in the background,
00:18:01.94\00:18:03.28
you had this little
house on the property,
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.05
that's all it
was on the property,
00:18:05.08\00:18:06.72
we would
probably call it a shack,
00:18:06.75\00:18:09.05
but it became a home to you.
00:18:09.08\00:18:10.75
You remodeled that and
tried to live in it for a while,
00:18:10.79\00:18:14.46
no bathroom, no electricity,
pioneering with two babies.
00:18:14.49\00:18:19.73
And then it wasn't big enough,
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.63
you know, how
they made it bigger?
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.03
They took one of
these metal containers
00:18:23.06\00:18:25.37
that you ship overseas
with, those big metal things,
00:18:25.40\00:18:28.50
and they
attached to the building
00:18:28.54\00:18:30.41
and that became
your dining room and...
00:18:30.44\00:18:33.34
Two bedrooms.
00:18:33.38\00:18:34.71
Two bedrooms and...
00:18:34.74\00:18:36.14
People were just saying,
00:18:36.18\00:18:37.51
"Please let us come to
your lifestyle program."
00:18:37.55\00:18:39.25
Yes, because we used to
run the lifestyle programs
00:18:39.28\00:18:42.75
all the time
during those four years,
00:18:42.78\00:18:45.89
and people ask
us, "Please continue."
00:18:45.92\00:18:48.46
So we decided that we
will have lifestyle programs
00:18:48.49\00:18:52.53
at our place.
00:18:52.56\00:18:53.90
So in the meantime,
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.26
then they're
building their new center.
00:18:55.30\00:18:56.73
The building is up,
it's three stories high,
00:18:56.77\00:18:59.40
it's got the roof on
it just a week or two ago,
00:18:59.43\00:19:02.27
and they have
enough construction help
00:19:02.30\00:19:04.87
that if they have enough funds,
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.28
this building will be
00:19:07.31\00:19:08.64
ready to be fully
occupied in two months.
00:19:08.68\00:19:10.55
Yes.
00:19:10.58\00:19:11.91
We're praying
for that to happen.
00:19:11.95\00:19:13.45
Thank you so much.
00:19:13.48\00:19:14.82
Our next
interview, Members in Action
00:19:18.19\00:19:21.09
is from a member
that many of you know,
00:19:21.12\00:19:23.76
Richard Bland from
United Prison Ministry.
00:19:23.79\00:19:26.23
Hello, Brother,
good to see you tonight.
00:19:26.26\00:19:27.60
Praise the Lord. Wonderful.
00:19:27.63\00:19:28.96
You have a wonderful ministry,
00:19:29.00\00:19:30.33
it reaches all
across to our country.
00:19:30.37\00:19:32.03
You made a
mistake, it's not mine,
00:19:32.07\00:19:33.40
it's God's ministry.
00:19:33.44\00:19:34.77
Oh, thank you for correcting me.
00:19:34.80\00:19:36.14
I believe you.
00:19:36.17\00:19:37.51
And you're reaching
across the whole United States.
00:19:37.54\00:19:38.87
That's correct.
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.24
And virtually, you
have access somehow
00:19:40.28\00:19:43.28
to almost every
prison in this country.
00:19:43.31\00:19:44.85
Well, we do.
00:19:44.88\00:19:46.21
We send material to
everyone I think 400 prisons.
00:19:46.25\00:19:49.55
You had an
interesting experience
00:19:49.58\00:19:52.25
I think in Washington, D.C.
00:19:52.29\00:19:54.46
was that where
you were sharing books
00:19:54.49\00:19:56.22
and so forth and
it made the news.
00:19:56.26\00:19:57.93
Well, I think I was in New York.
00:19:57.96\00:19:59.29
New York.
00:19:59.33\00:20:00.66
Yeah, that was a
prison in New York
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.03
where they ask for
about 28,000 books from us
00:20:02.06\00:20:04.13
in one time.
00:20:04.17\00:20:05.50
In one time. And you
have a video of that?
00:20:05.53\00:20:06.87
Yeah, let's see
that clip real quick.
00:20:06.90\00:20:08.24
Let's see that. Okay.
00:20:08.27\00:20:11.91
That's my wife and I there,
just found and started in 1980.
00:20:11.94\00:20:15.81
For the first time ever,
00:20:19.95\00:20:21.28
United Prison
Ministries International
00:20:21.32\00:20:22.98
delivered 28,000
books to Rikers Island.
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.19
There were 14,000
copies of the book,
00:20:26.22\00:20:28.52
Bible questions answered,
00:20:28.56\00:20:30.23
and another 14,000
copies of the Desire of Ages.
00:20:30.26\00:20:33.90
A chaplain on Rikers
Island requested the books
00:20:33.93\00:20:36.63
after seeing Richard bland,
00:20:36.67\00:20:38.27
President of United
Prison Ministries International,
00:20:38.30\00:20:41.07
interviewed on Three
Angles Broadcasting Network.
00:20:41.10\00:20:44.21
Bland says, his
organization gives Bibles
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.88
and other life-changing books
to prisoners free of charge
00:20:46.91\00:20:50.45
and says, it has a
very positive effect.
00:20:50.48\00:20:53.65
And I said, "Why that book?"
00:20:53.68\00:20:55.02
He said, "That book
will change the lives."
00:20:55.05\00:20:56.45
He said,
"Everybody he's known to him,
00:20:56.48\00:20:58.15
read that book,
00:20:58.19\00:20:59.52
their life will
change from crime to Christ."
00:20:59.55\00:21:01.76
Antonio Hall community chaplain
00:21:01.79\00:21:03.36
of the United
Prison Ministry says
00:21:03.39\00:21:05.39
he has been incarcerated
more than a dozen times
00:21:05.43\00:21:08.60
in several different states
00:21:08.63\00:21:10.03
before he got
his hands on a Bible.
00:21:10.07\00:21:12.57
He says it changed his life.
00:21:12.60\00:21:15.70
When you have time in
prison to study God's Word,
00:21:15.74\00:21:18.71
you will be able
to know the truth,
00:21:18.74\00:21:20.24
and the truth will make you free
00:21:20.28\00:21:21.84
right there in the institution.
00:21:21.88\00:21:23.78
Bland says, United
Prison Ministries International
00:21:23.81\00:21:26.25
is able to
distribute the materials
00:21:26.28\00:21:28.25
due to the
generosity of its supporters
00:21:28.28\00:21:30.75
who believe the Word of God
00:21:30.79\00:21:32.12
will transform prisoners' lives.
00:21:32.15\00:21:34.49
That particular Bible
lessons has been developed
00:21:47.84\00:21:50.04
that you're
looking on the screen here
00:21:50.07\00:21:52.01
over 37 years of it,
00:21:52.04\00:21:54.18
prisons have had us to
put together a Bible lesson
00:21:54.21\00:21:57.45
that nobody turns down.
00:21:57.48\00:21:59.65
Stop by booth 100,
00:21:59.68\00:22:01.08
you get a copy of it
and you see what I'm saying.
00:22:01.12\00:22:03.62
And we won't have to
be here another 70 years.
00:22:03.65\00:22:05.05
Amen.
00:22:05.09\00:22:06.42
Because this book here
00:22:06.45\00:22:07.79
covers 25 of the
most important questions
00:22:07.82\00:22:10.73
that have been asked.
00:22:10.76\00:22:12.09
We have put in
this one book here
00:22:12.13\00:22:13.90
and it's designed
for everybody to get one.
00:22:13.93\00:22:16.53
I understand that
through these many years
00:22:16.56\00:22:18.43
that you've been ministering,
00:22:18.47\00:22:19.80
you've put out something like
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.17
72 million copies
of different books.
00:22:21.20\00:22:24.61
That's correct.
Truth filled books.
00:22:24.64\00:22:25.97
And that's not
only here in America to,
00:22:26.01\00:22:27.34
you know, Romania,
Indonesia, Russia, Africa.
00:22:27.38\00:22:32.21
Now I understand in
just a few days of time,
00:22:32.25\00:22:34.28
you're going to be attending
a very important conference
00:22:34.32\00:22:37.19
that that is a
prison chaplain people
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.32
all over the country.
00:22:39.35\00:22:40.69
No, that is prison work period
00:22:40.72\00:22:43.06
is they got
about 30,000 members,
00:22:43.09\00:22:45.33
the American
Correctional Association.
00:22:45.36\00:22:47.10
And we belong to that.
00:22:47.13\00:22:48.53
And the reason why
I want to mention that
00:22:48.56\00:22:50.33
because we are the only ministry
00:22:50.37\00:22:53.00
they tell us that
stays by the Bible,
00:22:53.03\00:22:55.54
that's why they came
to put us out of prison,
00:22:55.57\00:22:57.21
unless they put
the Bible out of prison
00:22:57.24\00:22:58.87
because everything we
do is out of the Bible.
00:22:58.91\00:23:00.98
They have tried, but
when they come to it,
00:23:01.01\00:23:02.64
they can't do it
because we go by the book.
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.11
I see. Praise the Lord.
00:23:05.15\00:23:07.15
So you've got these new lessons,
00:23:07.18\00:23:08.95
and in the lessons,
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.55
I've looked at it
with you a little bit,
00:23:10.59\00:23:12.35
you saw some on
the screen there.
00:23:12.39\00:23:13.99
They cover specific
Bible topics with texts.
00:23:14.02\00:23:18.89
Yeah. The most
25 asked questions.
00:23:18.93\00:23:20.93
People like, for example,
here on the top right here,
00:23:20.96\00:23:24.13
stress, defeat loneliness,
00:23:24.17\00:23:26.30
healing the
sorrow, living with loss,
00:23:26.33\00:23:28.70
and pull your marriage,
take control of smoking,
00:23:28.74\00:23:31.14
all those are right here.
00:23:31.17\00:23:32.64
Now we give them the
first 15 of what they want,
00:23:32.67\00:23:35.21
the next 10 Bible
lessons what they need.
00:23:35.24\00:23:37.58
Okay.
00:23:37.61\00:23:38.95
It tells them about who
wrote the Ten Commandments.
00:23:38.98\00:23:40.32
What happens when a person dies,
00:23:40.35\00:23:41.68
where are they?
00:23:41.72\00:23:43.05
What day is the Sabbath day?
00:23:43.08\00:23:44.42
What food to eat.
All that's in here.
00:23:44.45\00:23:45.79
They have the right answers out.
00:23:45.82\00:23:47.29
So therefore, it's foolproof.
00:23:47.32\00:23:50.69
And your goal is to
take this Bible lesson now
00:23:50.73\00:23:54.80
after this conference
00:23:54.83\00:23:56.33
and actually
before Christmas time
00:23:56.36\00:23:58.73
to get them, where?
00:23:58.77\00:24:00.24
At all the prison, we've...
00:24:00.27\00:24:01.60
What's all the prisons mean?
00:24:01.64\00:24:02.97
Well, every prison
in the United States,
00:24:03.00\00:24:04.34
every state and federal prison.
00:24:04.37\00:24:05.71
All throughout
the United States.
00:24:05.74\00:24:07.08
Yeah, we don't deal with
jails because they move so fast,
00:24:07.11\00:24:08.54
but all state and federal.
00:24:08.58\00:24:09.91
In fact, we committed ourselves
00:24:09.94\00:24:11.28
to give them 2,500,000 of these.
00:24:11.31\00:24:14.12
Of course, our
friends are going to help us
00:24:14.15\00:24:15.52
by Christmas.
00:24:15.55\00:24:16.89
Okay. Are there
some of the friends here?
00:24:16.92\00:24:18.25
Oh, yes. They've
always been there.
00:24:18.29\00:24:19.62
ASI has been my
friend since 1980.
00:24:19.65\00:24:21.19
Okay.
00:24:21.22\00:24:22.56
And when Harold
Lance was the president
00:24:22.59\00:24:24.56
and I think only a
few of us left here now.
00:24:24.59\00:24:28.46
I see Ellsworth Mckee
sitting over there and
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.20
a few other
people, most of them have,
00:24:31.23\00:24:33.34
you know, retired.
00:24:33.37\00:24:34.94
So your goal then is
to print these lessons,
00:24:34.97\00:24:37.67
get them out before Christmas
00:24:37.71\00:24:39.04
so that these can
go to all the inmates
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.88
all over the country.
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.24
Yes, but our second
goal is for everybody
00:24:42.28\00:24:43.88
here to get them too.
00:24:43.91\00:24:45.25
They're designed
for every household,
00:24:45.28\00:24:47.15
every house.
00:24:47.18\00:24:48.52
Nobody has turned us down
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.88
in the last
three or four months,
00:24:49.92\00:24:51.25
we've tested it.
00:24:51.29\00:24:52.62
These aren't
just prison designed?
00:24:52.65\00:24:53.99
No, no.
00:24:54.02\00:24:55.36
You know, any of
us could use this?
00:24:55.39\00:24:56.73
Anybody who
want to go to heaven.
00:24:56.76\00:24:58.09
Well, that sounds like...
00:24:58.13\00:24:59.46
Anybody who
want to go to heaven.
00:24:59.49\00:25:00.83
And then there... So
that's going to work.
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.20
And anybody
that they want to go.
00:25:02.23\00:25:03.57
I want to speak
this to you, Charles,
00:25:03.60\00:25:04.93
I wish all of
our Christian friends
00:25:04.97\00:25:06.30
will read Ezekiel
3:17, 18, 19, it says this.
00:25:06.33\00:25:10.07
It says that,
"We have been chosen
00:25:10.11\00:25:14.04
by God's people as watchman.
00:25:14.08\00:25:16.44
And if we don't
speak to warn somebody,
00:25:16.48\00:25:19.28
and they are
lost, we are lost too."
00:25:19.31\00:25:22.05
And this lesson is designed
so we can speak to everybody.
00:25:22.08\00:25:24.65
Amen.
00:25:24.69\00:25:26.02
And give them 25 Bible studies
with over 500 questions in it.
00:25:26.05\00:25:29.12
Right here. Stop by the booth,
00:25:29.16\00:25:30.49
you'll be convinced
yourself when you got one,
00:25:30.53\00:25:34.30
just like I showed it to you.
00:25:34.33\00:25:35.66
Thank you so much.
00:25:35.70\00:25:37.03
So booth number? One hundred.
00:25:37.07\00:25:38.77
All right, that's
easy enough to remember.
00:25:38.80\00:25:40.34
One hundred.
Stick with one hundred.
00:25:40.37\00:25:41.87
You can't win with
the method that we...
00:25:41.90\00:25:43.61
Come by and get a free lesson.
00:25:43.64\00:25:44.97
Oh, yes, yes.
00:25:45.01\00:25:46.34
And learn more about how to...
00:25:46.37\00:25:47.71
And I can show you how
to get more lessons too
00:25:47.74\00:25:49.08
that's going to cost you...
00:25:49.11\00:25:50.45
And by the way it's
supposed to be $5 to people,
00:25:50.48\00:25:51.81
we let have people for
dollar a piece, just a dollar.
00:25:51.85\00:25:53.18
Okay. But we've
got boxes of 100.
00:25:53.21\00:25:55.38
We're getting ready to
print 125 million of these.
00:25:55.42\00:25:58.55
Did you hear what I say?
00:25:58.59\00:25:59.92
A 125 millions.
Not just 2.5 millions?
00:25:59.95\00:26:01.96
No, that's how many
people in America, every home.
00:26:01.99\00:26:04.26
Oh, okay.
00:26:04.29\00:26:05.63
And we got
ex-prisoners that's getting out,
00:26:05.66\00:26:07.00
it's going to be
delivering these.
00:26:07.03\00:26:08.36
Amen. They're working for it.
00:26:08.40\00:26:10.20
Well, you have a
fantastic ministry.
00:26:10.23\00:26:11.80
I love how you...
00:26:11.83\00:26:13.17
No, not manmade. God
has a fantastic ministry.
00:26:13.20\00:26:14.54
Now you're talking.
00:26:14.57\00:26:15.90
And I love how you
involve the prisoners
00:26:15.94\00:26:17.27
to help other prisoners.
00:26:17.31\00:26:18.64
Well, we do that.
Thank you, Brother Bland.
00:26:18.67\00:26:20.01
'Cause that's
what it's all about.
00:26:20.04\00:26:21.38
May God bless you.
00:26:21.41\00:26:22.74
Thank you so
much. God bless you too.
00:26:22.78\00:26:24.71
Our last Member in Action.
00:26:24.75\00:26:26.88
Pattie Guthrie is coming
to us from the West Coast.
00:26:26.92\00:26:29.78
And she is gonna
be sharing something
00:26:29.82\00:26:31.65
that's very
precious on her heart
00:26:31.69\00:26:33.62
and her husband's
heart, who is a...
00:26:33.66\00:26:35.52
Todd, is a physician, right?
00:26:35.56\00:26:37.33
And so tell us
the burdens you have,
00:26:37.36\00:26:41.76
you don't run an institution,
00:26:41.80\00:26:43.37
you don't have a ministry
like the United Prison Ministry,
00:26:43.40\00:26:46.23
but you do have
a special burden.
00:26:46.27\00:26:47.64
God's laid something
on your heart, hasn't He?
00:26:47.67\00:26:49.80
Yeah, I'm here as a spokesman
or a spokesperson for people
00:26:49.84\00:26:55.24
who don't have a lot of talents.
00:26:55.28\00:26:57.41
I homeschooled my
children and when they left home
00:26:57.45\00:27:00.35
I was trying to
figure out, "Now what?"
00:27:00.38\00:27:02.45
Sitting in my
house, it's kind of empty.
00:27:02.48\00:27:04.79
And the Lord placed a
burden on my heart to share
00:27:04.82\00:27:07.39
and begin giving Bible studies
00:27:07.42\00:27:09.82
and doing more
health ministries.
00:27:09.86\00:27:11.39
So that's what I've been doing.
00:27:11.43\00:27:12.76
I see.
00:27:12.79\00:27:14.13
And so you have
just sort of found a way
00:27:14.16\00:27:15.50
to mingle with
people in your community.
00:27:15.53\00:27:16.87
Right.
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.23
And we have some fun
talking in ahead of time
00:27:18.27\00:27:20.14
about different
stories that you've had.
00:27:20.17\00:27:22.74
I was fascinated by the one
that some Pentecostal church
00:27:22.77\00:27:26.98
actually recognized
that you and your husband
00:27:27.01\00:27:29.71
were reaching out to
the community, they said,
00:27:29.74\00:27:31.28
"Come and join
us with a festival,"
00:27:31.31\00:27:32.95
I believe it was.
00:27:32.98\00:27:34.32
Right.
00:27:34.35\00:27:35.68
In our community, we
have an interesting community,
00:27:35.72\00:27:37.79
a lot of different religions,
most of them not Christian.
00:27:37.82\00:27:41.02
And our Pentecostal
friends invited us to come
00:27:41.06\00:27:43.43
and provide literature
00:27:43.46\00:27:45.03
for their
organic gardening booth
00:27:45.06\00:27:46.96
that was gonna be held
at this outdoor festival
00:27:47.00\00:27:49.66
in our city park.
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.40
And so we agreed, I was
really excited, she said,
00:27:51.43\00:27:54.00
"Yeah, bring
some health literature
00:27:54.04\00:27:55.37
and also please
bring a gospel literature
00:27:55.40\00:27:58.54
that we can share as well."
00:27:58.57\00:27:59.97
Oh, she asked you to bring that.
00:28:00.01\00:28:01.34
She did.
00:28:01.38\00:28:02.71
I sensed that
she wasn't interested
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.11
maybe more doctrinal stuff,
00:28:04.15\00:28:05.48
but I found a beautiful
copy of Steps to Christ,
00:28:05.51\00:28:08.08
took that, and we also had
a lot of tracks about health,
00:28:08.12\00:28:11.39
so we took those as well.
00:28:11.42\00:28:13.36
So this festival was
a kind of a new age...
00:28:13.39\00:28:19.19
Pretty much, all
of the booths were...
00:28:19.23\00:28:22.23
The theme was healing,
00:28:22.26\00:28:23.77
but it was through
sorcery or witchcraft
00:28:23.80\00:28:27.40
or some other method,
00:28:27.44\00:28:29.20
people are searching for answers
00:28:29.24\00:28:30.71
and there was a lot of
using crystals to heal people
00:28:30.74\00:28:33.54
or light shields or trance,
00:28:33.58\00:28:35.98
and people are in all
kinds of different states.
00:28:36.01\00:28:39.18
And so we were there at that
little organic gardening table,
00:28:39.21\00:28:42.88
and not too many
people were coming by.
00:28:42.92\00:28:44.52
So I just decided to take
some of the tracks in my hand.
00:28:44.55\00:28:47.56
And we started walking around,
00:28:47.59\00:28:49.02
and in whatever
state people were in,
00:28:49.06\00:28:51.39
I just said, "I have
some good news for you,
00:28:51.43\00:28:53.40
would you like,
can I share something?"
00:28:53.43\00:28:55.23
And I would just put
the track in their hand
00:28:55.26\00:28:56.80
and I'd look at
them right in the eye,
00:28:56.83\00:28:58.30
and I'd say, "You are loved
by the God of the universe."
00:28:58.33\00:29:03.17
And so people would say, "Yeah!"
00:29:03.20\00:29:06.57
And so I pretty
much was able to...
00:29:06.61\00:29:09.41
Some of them would look
at it and see it and said,
00:29:09.44\00:29:11.01
"A love letter from Jesus."
00:29:11.05\00:29:12.61
And maybe 1 in 10
would just say, "No, thanks."
00:29:12.65\00:29:15.82
But most of
them were quite open.
00:29:15.85\00:29:17.19
I think they thought
00:29:17.22\00:29:18.55
I was probably part of
what was happening there
00:29:18.59\00:29:21.79
may be on their page.
00:29:21.82\00:29:23.22
So they were receptive,
00:29:23.26\00:29:24.99
and as that I
pretty much covered
00:29:25.03\00:29:28.30
all of the different booths,
00:29:28.33\00:29:29.66
had some really
amazing conversations.
00:29:29.70\00:29:31.83
Then in the back, I
met another gentleman
00:29:31.87\00:29:35.37
who was just sitting kind of
watching the whole situation.
00:29:35.40\00:29:38.11
Kind of off by
himself there somewhere?
00:29:38.14\00:29:39.47
Right.
00:29:39.51\00:29:40.84
And so I went up, did
my little spiel with him,
00:29:40.88\00:29:42.84
and I thought maybe
he was also part of it,
00:29:42.88\00:29:45.81
but he said,
actually, he's a Christian
00:29:45.85\00:29:48.58
and he's been trying
to reach these people
00:29:48.62\00:29:50.55
and he's kind of discouraged
00:29:50.59\00:29:51.92
because he's tried to helping
with the homeless and so on.
00:29:51.95\00:29:55.56
He's tall gentleman and
I looked at him and I said,
00:29:55.59\00:29:58.06
"Well, are you homeless?"
00:29:58.09\00:29:59.93
And he said, "Far from it."
00:29:59.96\00:30:03.20
He had a simple disguise,
00:30:03.23\00:30:05.40
but he actually
is a man of means
00:30:05.43\00:30:08.14
and it ended up
being an amazing contact.
00:30:08.17\00:30:11.21
While we're standing there,
another young man came through,
00:30:11.24\00:30:14.11
who's obviously searching,
and he believes he is God
00:30:14.14\00:30:18.55
and he was
explaining that to us.
00:30:18.58\00:30:20.52
And my husband
meanwhile came looking for me
00:30:20.55\00:30:22.42
and so we were both
there sharing with him,
00:30:22.45\00:30:25.79
but long story short,
00:30:25.82\00:30:27.96
we invited them both
to come to prayer meeting.
00:30:27.99\00:30:29.79
And our prayer
meeting is an outreach,
00:30:29.82\00:30:31.19
so we provide a free vegan
supper every Wednesday night.
00:30:31.23\00:30:34.63
And people are welcome
to come from the community,
00:30:34.66\00:30:37.17
and so the older
gentleman has already come
00:30:37.20\00:30:39.10
and he's promised to bring
the young man with him as well.
00:30:39.13\00:30:42.14
So we're excited about that.
00:30:42.17\00:30:43.91
So this is a
"retired home school teacher,"
00:30:43.94\00:30:47.71
who's shy or
whatever she projected here,
00:30:47.74\00:30:51.31
but notice where
she goes to witness,
00:30:51.35\00:30:53.62
it's amazing, and the simple way
00:30:53.65\00:30:55.98
that you're
reaching out to people.
00:30:56.02\00:30:57.75
It's just...
00:30:57.79\00:30:59.12
I praise the Lord
for the opportunity.
00:30:59.15\00:31:00.99
It's wonderful.
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.36
Now you and your husband
00:31:02.39\00:31:03.83
have done a
Diabetes Undone program.
00:31:03.86\00:31:07.70
Right.
00:31:07.73\00:31:09.06
And that's a new program
by Life and Health Network.
00:31:09.10\00:31:11.53
And I've done it three times.
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.13
Last fall was the first
time we ran it in our church.
00:31:13.17\00:31:15.94
And the format is
such that you have people
00:31:15.97\00:31:17.67
seated around tables,
00:31:17.71\00:31:19.04
you show a video
for a few minutes,
00:31:19.07\00:31:20.41
and then you have a discussion.
00:31:20.44\00:31:21.78
And one of the ladies
00:31:21.81\00:31:23.14
who had come is
Buddhist and from China,
00:31:23.18\00:31:27.45
and she's been living
in our town for a while,
00:31:27.48\00:31:29.45
and I went to the table
00:31:29.48\00:31:31.02
just to find out
how things are going.
00:31:31.05\00:31:32.59
And she looked
at me, and she said,
00:31:32.62\00:31:34.46
"Does your church
offer Bible studies?"
00:31:34.49\00:31:37.29
And the lady
sitting next to us says,
00:31:37.33\00:31:39.63
"Yeah, you should get
her to be your teacher."
00:31:39.66\00:31:42.66
And so that started a
relationship with her,
00:31:42.70\00:31:46.67
our follow-up for the
diabetes undone class,
00:31:46.70\00:31:49.37
we did a breakfast
Sabbath morning at the church,
00:31:49.40\00:31:52.67
a vegan breakfast,
00:31:52.71\00:31:54.14
and invited our attendees
to come before Sabbath school.
00:31:54.18\00:31:57.68
And so she was one of the ones
00:31:57.71\00:31:59.05
who came and then she
stayed for Sabbath school.
00:31:59.08\00:32:01.58
And that day, our
lesson study was on Job,
00:32:01.62\00:32:04.92
and she said she'd never
held a Bible in her lap before.
00:32:04.95\00:32:07.96
And so she was just reading
the Bible the whole time,
00:32:07.99\00:32:10.73
while we're having
the discussion about Job
00:32:10.76\00:32:12.69
and the terrible
things that happened to him.
00:32:12.73\00:32:14.93
After the Sabbath
school class, she said,
00:32:14.96\00:32:18.13
"I am amazed
00:32:18.17\00:32:20.00
at what I've just
learned this morning."
00:32:20.04\00:32:21.44
She said, "For 30 years,
00:32:21.47\00:32:22.80
I've struggled with
the concept of karma,
00:32:22.84\00:32:25.27
and how if you do something bad,
00:32:25.31\00:32:26.68
something bad will happen to you
00:32:26.71\00:32:28.31
or if you do some of the
good, good things will happen.
00:32:28.34\00:32:30.75
And that doesn't seem fair
00:32:30.78\00:32:32.15
and it feels like
a religion of fear.
00:32:32.18\00:32:34.22
And today for the
first time, I have peace,
00:32:34.25\00:32:36.95
I found out that
sometimes some things happen
00:32:36.99\00:32:40.36
because there's a test,
there's another reason."
00:32:40.39\00:32:43.32
And so that initiated
our relationship with her.
00:32:43.36\00:32:48.06
She went to
Taiwan for three months,
00:32:48.10\00:32:50.93
she connected with some
Chinese folks over there,
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.37
came by...
00:32:52.40\00:32:53.74
You sent her some
literature I think.
00:32:53.77\00:32:55.10
Yes, she got some... We got...
00:32:55.14\00:32:56.47
Chinese literature?
Literature for her in Chinese.
00:32:56.50\00:32:58.67
And she also got a
Bible in both languages,
00:32:58.71\00:33:01.01
English, Chinese.
00:33:01.04\00:33:02.38
And so we've been studying now
00:33:02.41\00:33:03.75
for several months
doing Bible studies,
00:33:03.78\00:33:05.21
we have a small
group Bible study ladies.
00:33:05.25\00:33:07.72
And she's given her heart
to Jesus and she is thrilled,
00:33:07.75\00:33:10.12
she's there every Sabbath
for Sabbath school church
00:33:10.15\00:33:13.46
and sharing her
faith with people
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.32
who come over from China.
00:33:15.36\00:33:16.89
So praise the Lord.
00:33:16.93\00:33:18.73
Thank you so much, Patti,
00:33:18.76\00:33:20.10
for sharing
these beautiful stories
00:33:20.13\00:33:21.96
about just being
willing to be used of God,
00:33:22.00\00:33:24.53
be sensitive to God's
opening doors for you,
00:33:24.57\00:33:27.80
and seeing the
results of these people.
00:33:27.84\00:33:30.24
Your church is amazing.
00:33:30.27\00:33:31.61
You're doing meals
for Sabbath school,
00:33:31.64\00:33:34.74
you're doing the vespers,
00:33:34.78\00:33:36.58
and using all this just as a way
00:33:36.61\00:33:38.71
to make people comfortable
and get to know them.
00:33:38.75\00:33:41.35
Yeah.
00:33:41.38\00:33:42.72
Thank you so much
for sharing that tonight.
00:33:42.75\00:33:44.09
I am glad to be
able to bring you
00:33:48.06\00:33:49.52
the first of our
Offering in Action segments.
00:33:49.56\00:33:53.16
This is a time when we
discover more about the projects
00:33:53.19\00:33:57.60
that we are
funding for this year
00:33:57.63\00:33:58.97
during this year's offering.
00:33:59.00\00:34:00.77
And an interesting
thing that you will notice
00:34:00.80\00:34:03.34
is that many of the projects
00:34:03.37\00:34:04.71
that we're
highlighting this year,
00:34:04.74\00:34:06.51
show you that there
is a lot of partnership,
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.81
there's
collaboration that's happening.
00:34:08.84\00:34:10.95
And we're recognizing
that when we work together,
00:34:10.98\00:34:13.62
our effectiveness is enhanced.
00:34:13.65\00:34:15.98
So we're happy to be
able to bring that to you
00:34:16.02\00:34:17.99
so that you understand
00:34:18.02\00:34:19.35
how ministries and organizations
00:34:19.39\00:34:21.29
are working together.
00:34:21.32\00:34:22.79
So first here with
me is Julia O'Carey
00:34:22.82\00:34:25.86
she's the director of ASAP.
00:34:25.89\00:34:28.36
Julia, tell us what
does ASAP stand for?
00:34:28.40\00:34:30.50
And tell us a little
bit about your ministry.
00:34:30.53\00:34:33.17
Debbie, ASAP stands for
00:34:33.20\00:34:34.77
Advocates for Southeast
Asians and the Persecuted.
00:34:34.80\00:34:38.14
So basically, what we do
is reach out to the poor,
00:34:38.17\00:34:41.91
the persecuted, the unreached,
00:34:41.94\00:34:43.78
and refugees in
the 10/40 Window.
00:34:43.81\00:34:46.25
Oftentimes, that's
women and children.
00:34:46.28\00:34:48.68
And our main goal is
for them to know Jesus,
00:34:48.72\00:34:52.32
and to spread the gospel
00:34:52.35\00:34:54.26
in a very
difficult part of the world
00:34:54.29\00:34:56.56
where there's many
Muslims, Buddhists,
00:34:56.59\00:34:58.89
very few Christians,
less than five percent.
00:34:58.93\00:35:01.63
Now you have a
distinct privilege
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.73
of having been a
recipient last year
00:35:03.77\00:35:06.43
as well as a
recipient this year.
00:35:06.47\00:35:08.00
And so I'd like
you to tell us first,
00:35:08.04\00:35:10.01
how were the funds
00:35:10.04\00:35:11.37
that were granted
you for last year?
00:35:11.41\00:35:12.74
How were those used?
00:35:12.77\00:35:14.11
Was it a
benefit for the ministry
00:35:14.14\00:35:15.48
that you're running?
00:35:15.51\00:35:16.85
First I just wanna say,
we are so grateful to God
00:35:16.88\00:35:21.12
and to ASI
00:35:21.15\00:35:22.48
because the
funds that were given
00:35:22.52\00:35:24.55
have been used extremely well
00:35:24.59\00:35:27.16
because we have close
to 500 ethnic missionaries
00:35:27.19\00:35:30.83
in these countries,
00:35:30.86\00:35:32.19
and they only get a
small stipend of about $120
00:35:32.23\00:35:36.03
depending in which country.
00:35:36.06\00:35:37.73
And if they have
a medical emergency,
00:35:37.77\00:35:41.70
their little
stipend could never cover.
00:35:41.74\00:35:44.94
And so the funds from ASI
00:35:44.97\00:35:46.88
went to help them
for medical emergencies,
00:35:46.91\00:35:49.61
and also to help with training.
00:35:49.64\00:35:51.31
A lot of these workers
have just a basic education,
00:35:51.35\00:35:55.08
they've never gone to seminary,
00:35:55.12\00:35:57.42
and so the trainings are
so, so important for them.
00:35:57.45\00:36:01.26
And I can tell you,
just couple weeks ago,
00:36:01.29\00:36:05.46
one of our workers in Myanmar...
00:36:05.49\00:36:07.66
We get these urgent emails,
he's having kidney failure,
00:36:07.70\00:36:11.20
we rushed him to
Thailand to the hospital
00:36:11.23\00:36:14.14
because he would have died,
00:36:14.17\00:36:15.94
and because we had the funding
00:36:15.97\00:36:18.04
he could get this
surgery that he needed.
00:36:18.07\00:36:21.18
And I mean, we get so
close to these missionaries.
00:36:21.21\00:36:24.25
And to think that he
almost lost his life,
00:36:24.28\00:36:28.12
I mean, he's working
in the harshest conditions
00:36:28.15\00:36:30.39
in this village in Myanmar,
00:36:30.42\00:36:32.05
but now him and his young family
00:36:32.09\00:36:34.86
are going to be able to
continue doing their work.
00:36:34.89\00:36:37.33
And I love seeing the
pictures, he's doing fine,
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.70
and God is really blessing.
00:36:40.73\00:36:42.56
Oh, praise God.
We're glad for that.
00:36:42.60\00:36:45.13
Tell us now about
00:36:45.17\00:36:46.50
what's happening
with this year's project.
00:36:46.53\00:36:49.50
Well, this year we have
two new exciting projects
00:36:49.54\00:36:54.11
that we're praying for.
00:36:54.14\00:36:55.78
And the offering that
will be taking this weekend
00:36:55.81\00:36:59.88
can go towards it.
00:36:59.91\00:37:01.25
One is for helping
lepers in a close country,
00:37:01.28\00:37:06.42
and in this particular country,
00:37:06.45\00:37:08.76
there's over a
quarter of a million lepers
00:37:08.79\00:37:13.70
in over 600 colonies.
00:37:13.73\00:37:16.06
And ethnic missionaries,
medical missionaries reach out
00:37:16.10\00:37:21.30
and give just simple
care to these lepers.
00:37:21.34\00:37:24.81
They're not contagious,
00:37:24.84\00:37:26.17
the government gives
them enough medicine for that.
00:37:26.21\00:37:28.64
But they don't have
anybody to help them
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.08
with basics like
cutting their hair
00:37:31.11\00:37:33.78
and, you know,
just wound treatments.
00:37:33.82\00:37:38.22
They stay so incredibly busy.
00:37:38.25\00:37:40.19
So we can take a
look at the slides.
00:37:40.22\00:37:42.62
I have a couple
pictures to show you.
00:37:42.66\00:37:46.26
Oh, this one, I mean,
00:37:46.29\00:37:47.73
they will do just
whatever to help the lepers
00:37:47.76\00:37:51.80
like clean their toilets.
00:37:51.83\00:37:53.30
And look at the smile
on this missionary's face.
00:37:53.34\00:37:57.11
I mean, it's just such an honor
and joy for her to do things
00:37:57.14\00:38:00.58
for the lepers
00:38:00.61\00:38:01.94
because what she
does for the lepers,
00:38:01.98\00:38:03.31
she does for Jesus.
00:38:03.35\00:38:05.05
And this volunteer here
doing the wound treatments,
00:38:05.08\00:38:09.98
he would lay down
his life for the lepers.
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.82
One quick story.
00:38:12.85\00:38:15.66
If we go to the next
slide, we'll see that.
00:38:15.69\00:38:19.43
The lepers, some
of them have gardens,
00:38:19.46\00:38:21.40
and one day, one of the
lepers fell in this tank,
00:38:21.43\00:38:26.37
and there was no water in it,
00:38:26.40\00:38:27.74
but there was no
way he could get out.
00:38:27.77\00:38:29.74
And the lepers
around couldn't do anything
00:38:29.77\00:38:32.27
because almost all
of them are handicapped.
00:38:32.31\00:38:35.01
So somehow one of them
made their way to the missionary
00:38:35.04\00:38:38.71
that you just saw a
picture of and said,
00:38:38.75\00:38:40.48
"Please come help us."
00:38:40.52\00:38:41.92
This man ran over
there, grabbed the leper,
00:38:41.95\00:38:45.42
put him on his
shoulders, got him out of there,
00:38:45.45\00:38:47.66
brought him to the hospital,
stayed with him night and day,
00:38:47.69\00:38:50.83
he had broken his arm.
00:38:50.86\00:38:52.59
And the leper said,
00:38:52.63\00:38:54.03
"You know, my family
wouldn't have done this,"
00:38:54.06\00:38:57.27
'cause society has
totally abandoned them.
00:38:57.30\00:39:00.94
They're isolated from family.
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.81
They've experienced a
lot of loss, a lot of trauma.
00:39:03.84\00:39:07.04
And he was so
grateful to this volunteer.
00:39:07.08\00:39:11.31
He said, "Tell me
more, why are you here?
00:39:11.35\00:39:13.62
What are you doing?"
00:39:13.65\00:39:14.98
Here he is.
00:39:15.02\00:39:16.35
He was crying when he
was telling me about it.
00:39:16.38\00:39:18.22
And then they have
00:39:18.25\00:39:19.95
such an open door to
tell him about Jesus.
00:39:19.99\00:39:22.69
And so many of these lepers
00:39:22.72\00:39:25.06
have come to know the Lord
in such a short amount of time.
00:39:25.09\00:39:28.33
When I went to visit them,
00:39:28.36\00:39:30.23
I would just hug
them and shake their hand
00:39:30.27\00:39:33.20
and they said,
"Wow, you'll touch us?"
00:39:33.23\00:39:37.21
You know, it just
touched their hearts.
00:39:37.24\00:39:40.51
They said, "You are
my sister in Christ."
00:39:40.54\00:39:43.61
And it was so beautiful.
00:39:43.65\00:39:44.98
This leper here, he
was the happiest man
00:39:45.01\00:39:48.72
I have ever met in my life.
00:39:48.75\00:39:51.69
Blind, totally
bedridden, wounds,
00:39:51.72\00:39:56.26
but singing,
claiming scripture, praying.
00:39:56.29\00:40:00.00
I mean, he grabbed my hand
00:40:00.03\00:40:01.36
and he said,
"Can I pray for you?
00:40:01.40\00:40:02.73
I hear you're
going back to America."
00:40:02.76\00:40:04.10
I went to pray for him.
00:40:04.13\00:40:05.87
I mean, what a
beautiful contrast
00:40:05.90\00:40:07.90
between the
physical and the spiritual.
00:40:07.94\00:40:10.97
And I just praise the Lord
00:40:11.01\00:40:13.04
for this opportunity for ASAP
00:40:13.07\00:40:15.18
to reach out to
the least of these
00:40:15.21\00:40:16.95
because these are the
greatest in God's eyes.
00:40:16.98\00:40:19.15
Oh, that's wonderful.
00:40:19.18\00:40:20.52
So these missionaries
00:40:20.55\00:40:21.88
are actually
being befriending them
00:40:21.92\00:40:23.25
and meeting their needs.
00:40:23.28\00:40:24.62
So they're
following Christ model,
00:40:24.65\00:40:26.15
meeting their needs, and
then they opens up their heart
00:40:26.19\00:40:28.12
so they can tell
them about Jesus.
00:40:28.16\00:40:29.49
Yes. That's
great. That's wonderful.
00:40:29.52\00:40:31.56
Now when we talk
about the second project,
00:40:31.59\00:40:34.26
it has to do with an initiative
00:40:34.30\00:40:38.20
that actually started under ASAP
00:40:38.23\00:40:40.54
called Reach
the World Next Door.
00:40:40.57\00:40:42.80
So for, by way of introduction,
00:40:42.84\00:40:45.17
I think we'll go
ahead and run that video.
00:40:45.21\00:40:48.58
Welcome to the mission field.
00:40:48.61\00:40:50.28
It's North America,
it's Texas, it's Houston,
00:40:50.31\00:40:53.55
it's seven million people
00:40:53.58\00:40:55.32
in America's
fourth largest metro area.
00:40:55.35\00:40:58.19
But is that
really the mission field?
00:40:58.22\00:41:00.12
Isn't it India?
00:41:00.16\00:41:01.49
Isn't it Bhutan and Pakistan?
00:41:01.52\00:41:03.49
That's the amazing point.
00:41:03.53\00:41:05.03
There are 29,000
Urdu speaking Muslims
00:41:05.06\00:41:08.90
from Pakistan in Houston.
00:41:08.93\00:41:11.33
There are tens of thousands
of Hindu, Punjabi, Gujarati
00:41:11.37\00:41:15.07
all of them from India.
00:41:15.10\00:41:16.60
Hindus, Sikhs, who
need to know Jesus.
00:41:16.64\00:41:19.41
And if Houston
was its own country,
00:41:19.44\00:41:21.51
it would be the fourth largest
nation receiving refugees,
00:41:21.54\00:41:25.08
4,000 arrived recently.
00:41:25.11\00:41:27.78
This is the mission field.
00:41:27.82\00:41:30.29
Ellen White helped us
to see what was happening
00:41:30.32\00:41:32.55
when she said, "God in
His Providence has sent men
00:41:32.59\00:41:35.52
to our very
doors and thrust them,
00:41:35.56\00:41:37.23
as it were, into our arms,
00:41:37.26\00:41:38.59
that they might
receive the truth.
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.06
It is a divinely appointed means
00:41:41.10\00:41:43.06
of rapidly extending
the third angel's message
00:41:43.10\00:41:45.53
into all nations."
00:41:45.57\00:41:47.20
So ASAP Ministries
00:41:47.24\00:41:48.77
and the Texas Conference
of Seventh-day Adventists
00:41:48.80\00:41:50.87
decided to start
00:41:50.91\00:41:52.24
a cross cultural missionary
training center last year.
00:41:52.27\00:41:55.58
I'm standing on the
property that god is found.
00:41:55.61\00:41:58.61
We came not
knowing where we're going,
00:41:58.65\00:42:00.52
but he has provided
a place with two shops,
00:42:00.55\00:42:03.05
two houses, and five cabins.
00:42:03.08\00:42:05.32
Praise the Lord.
00:42:05.35\00:42:06.69
You can hear about it
at ASAPMinistries.org.
00:42:06.72\00:42:10.93
Our specific focus will
be to train young adults
00:42:10.96\00:42:13.50
to be cross culture missionaries
00:42:13.53\00:42:15.20
anywhere in the world.
00:42:15.23\00:42:16.73
They will learn how to reach out
00:42:16.77\00:42:18.57
by doing practical
missionary work among refugees,
00:42:18.60\00:42:21.60
international
students, and immigrants.
00:42:21.64\00:42:23.91
At the outpost center,
00:42:23.94\00:42:25.27
we'll practice
skills for befriending
00:42:25.31\00:42:27.14
and sharing with
Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus.
00:42:27.18\00:42:30.05
God has provided the
staff with missionary experience
00:42:30.08\00:42:32.58
among those groups.
00:42:32.61\00:42:34.02
At the outpost center,
00:42:34.05\00:42:35.38
we'll learn
agriculture and medical ministry
00:42:35.42\00:42:37.55
with an eye to
the least reached,
00:42:37.59\00:42:39.69
and they will learn how
to go then into the city
00:42:39.72\00:42:42.96
making friends with
international students,
00:42:42.99\00:42:45.46
befriending and
helping refugees to resettle,
00:42:45.49\00:42:48.76
and doing whatever we can
00:42:48.80\00:42:50.30
to share Jesus
with the immigrants.
00:42:50.33\00:42:52.37
I'm so excited to
see what God will do
00:42:52.40\00:42:54.50
through Reach
the World Next Door.
00:42:54.54\00:42:56.57
Will you join us
with your prayers?
00:42:56.60\00:42:58.37
Because they're
your neighbors too.
00:42:58.41\00:43:00.31
You can learn more at
ReachtheWorldNextDoor.com.
00:43:00.34\00:43:03.24
God, so tell me why...
00:43:09.75\00:43:11.65
I can tell in your
voice in that video
00:43:11.69\00:43:14.26
that you just are really
excited about this ministry,
00:43:14.29\00:43:16.32
why are you so excited
about Reach the World Next Door?
00:43:16.36\00:43:19.36
I'm so excited because
I know God is going to use
00:43:19.39\00:43:22.66
all of us in
reaching the immigrants,
00:43:22.70\00:43:25.17
the refugees, the
international students
00:43:25.20\00:43:27.80
because He wants to come
home, Jesus wants to come back,
00:43:27.84\00:43:30.34
and so He's just brought
those least reached countries,
00:43:30.37\00:43:33.11
those people right where
we can reach them so easily.
00:43:33.14\00:43:36.08
I know this is part
of His major strategy
00:43:36.11\00:43:38.21
for finishing the work.
00:43:38.25\00:43:39.58
Now I know that the
video talks about a place
00:43:39.61\00:43:42.95
where you can
actually conduct the training.
00:43:42.98\00:43:44.95
And so how many
students can come there,
00:43:44.99\00:43:46.79
and do you have to come there
00:43:46.82\00:43:48.59
in order to be
trained to do this?
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.09
We planned out 12
to 16 students there,
00:43:50.13\00:43:52.79
there's still opening
for students to apply,
00:43:52.83\00:43:55.03
if you know some young people
00:43:55.06\00:43:56.46
that you think really
want to give their lives
00:43:56.50\00:43:58.23
to missions,
00:43:58.27\00:43:59.60
let them come and
we will mentor them
00:43:59.63\00:44:01.04
as we go out
together and reach out.
00:44:01.07\00:44:03.41
But no, not everybody can come,
00:44:03.44\00:44:05.17
and we are all
in different places
00:44:05.21\00:44:07.58
where we are in workplaces,
neighborhoods, families
00:44:07.61\00:44:11.45
where there are people
who are the least reached.
00:44:11.48\00:44:14.15
And so, yes, we can
learn how to do that too.
00:44:14.18\00:44:16.55
And so how can we get
our hands on materials
00:44:16.58\00:44:18.75
that tell us how to
befriend individuals
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.12
that we might be
uncomfortable approaching?
00:44:22.16\00:44:24.43
At the ASAP Ministries booth,
00:44:24.46\00:44:26.23
we have a special prayer
guide to place in your hands
00:44:26.26\00:44:29.20
called Praying for
the World Next Door.
00:44:29.23\00:44:31.33
He will get you
praying for them,
00:44:31.37\00:44:33.03
God will place
them on your heart
00:44:33.07\00:44:34.80
so that you will see
them wherever you go,
00:44:34.84\00:44:37.11
and then there's
also some ideas there
00:44:37.14\00:44:38.97
and at the website.
00:44:39.01\00:44:40.34
Plus there's a
whole training kit
00:44:40.38\00:44:41.88
that a church can do,
00:44:41.91\00:44:43.24
just talked with
someone in Oregon
00:44:43.28\00:44:44.81
who got her church
together about 10 of them,
00:44:44.85\00:44:47.65
and they begin to
go through the kit
00:44:47.68\00:44:49.38
which led them out to
make friends with refugees
00:44:49.42\00:44:52.25
who had just
arrived from overseas.
00:44:52.29\00:44:54.26
So it gives them the
confidence and the tools
00:44:54.29\00:44:57.36
to be able to go out
and befriend individuals?
00:44:57.39\00:44:59.76
Yes. And it's so simple. Okay.
00:44:59.79\00:45:01.53
I mean, just talking
to people this weekend
00:45:01.56\00:45:04.03
as you see somebody
00:45:04.07\00:45:05.47
and maybe there's a
little bit of an accent,
00:45:05.50\00:45:07.34
you can say to them,
00:45:07.37\00:45:08.70
"So do you speak another
language besides English?"
00:45:08.74\00:45:10.74
And when they say,
00:45:10.77\00:45:12.11
"Yes, five, Tamil,
Gujarati, Punjabi, Hindi and..."
00:45:12.14\00:45:14.71
In other words,
you wouldn't recognize.
00:45:14.74\00:45:16.64
You can say, "I've
got a card for you,
00:45:16.68\00:45:19.21
MyLanguageMyLife.com."
00:45:19.25\00:45:21.48
And hand them a card
with over 150 languages
00:45:21.52\00:45:25.62
of Seventh-day
Adventist Biblical materials.
00:45:25.65\00:45:28.16
Excellent. Excellent.
00:45:28.19\00:45:29.82
Scott, thank you so
much for what you're doing.
00:45:29.86\00:45:31.59
I can feel your passion
for Reach the World Next Door.
00:45:31.63\00:45:34.26
And I know you're
passionate for ASAP.
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.77
We can all be
passionate together
00:45:36.80\00:45:38.53
and collaborate with them
00:45:38.57\00:45:39.90
and support them
in their ministry.
00:45:39.93\00:45:41.27
Thank you very much. Amen.
00:45:41.30\00:45:42.64
Our next interview
00:45:46.11\00:45:47.94
is with two of my
friends Robert Kuczek,
00:45:47.98\00:45:51.31
he is the
president of Springs of Life.
00:45:51.35\00:45:53.75
Come little closer
now, I said we were friends.
00:45:53.78\00:45:56.05
Thank you.
00:45:56.08\00:45:57.42
And Jason Fournier
00:45:57.45\00:45:58.79
who is the president
of Kibidula in Africa.
00:45:58.82\00:46:01.19
So first, I want
to talk a little bit
00:46:01.22\00:46:02.79
about Springs of Life.
00:46:02.82\00:46:04.43
So tell us
about Springs of Life,
00:46:04.46\00:46:05.93
where is it located
00:46:05.96\00:46:07.30
and what's the main
focus of its ministry?
00:46:07.33\00:46:09.76
Okay, we work in a
small country of Poland
00:46:09.80\00:46:12.33
that is located
in the geographical
00:46:12.37\00:46:15.27
center of Europe.
00:46:15.30\00:46:17.81
There is about 5,000 Adventists
in Poland, 40 million people,
00:46:17.84\00:46:23.11
so one Adventist for about
7,500 non-Adventist people.
00:46:23.14\00:46:29.35
And we work in the area
of health and publishing.
00:46:29.38\00:46:33.89
As far as health is concerned
we do NEWSTART programs.
00:46:33.92\00:46:37.73
As far as
publishing is concerned,
00:46:37.76\00:46:39.19
we publish electronically
on a 14 different web pages
00:46:39.23\00:46:43.30
as well as in
the traditional way,
00:46:43.33\00:46:45.40
on printed pages.
00:46:45.43\00:46:47.07
Now you don't publish things
00:46:47.10\00:46:48.64
that are just
distributed in your country,
00:46:48.67\00:46:50.74
they're actually
distributed worldwide.
00:46:50.77\00:46:53.41
What other countries
do you send materials to?
00:46:53.44\00:46:56.68
Basically we're actually
00:46:56.71\00:46:58.05
focusing on the
Polish materials,
00:46:58.08\00:46:59.88
but because all the ministry
00:46:59.91\00:47:01.58
is supported by
printing services,
00:47:01.62\00:47:04.49
so we do offer a
printing services
00:47:04.52\00:47:06.35
to other countries and
we print in many languages,
00:47:06.39\00:47:09.66
all over Europe
and recently in Africa.
00:47:09.69\00:47:12.73
Okay, we're gonna get
to Africa in a minute.
00:47:12.76\00:47:14.66
But first tell me a little bit
about this particular project
00:47:14.70\00:47:17.50
that is in the
offering for this year.
00:47:17.53\00:47:20.24
Our goal is to
prepare and produce
00:47:20.27\00:47:23.71
very inexpensive Bible since...
00:47:23.74\00:47:29.04
The Bibles are quite expensive
in Poland to get you...
00:47:29.08\00:47:33.48
If you would like to understand
this picture of the situation,
00:47:33.52\00:47:37.99
if we keep the same ratio
between the price of the Bible
00:47:38.02\00:47:41.32
and the income of the
average person in Poland,
00:47:41.36\00:47:45.33
and the Bible would
have to cost about $160,
00:47:45.36\00:47:48.76
US dollars to, you
know, so it's quite expensive.
00:47:48.80\00:47:52.63
Our goal is to
prepare less expensive Bibles
00:47:52.67\00:47:57.67
about four times less expensive.
00:47:57.71\00:47:59.61
And aren't there some issues
00:47:59.64\00:48:00.98
with accuracy of
message in the Bibles
00:48:01.01\00:48:03.81
that you're trying to
correct in translation then?
00:48:03.85\00:48:06.45
We are actually using
00:48:06.48\00:48:08.15
the old translation of the Bible
00:48:08.18\00:48:10.75
that is like a King James.
00:48:10.79\00:48:13.36
And we are just
changing the grammar
00:48:13.39\00:48:16.12
and making it
into a modern language,
00:48:16.16\00:48:20.40
but we keep the
accuracy of the Bible.
00:48:20.43\00:48:23.43
Okay. Excellent.
00:48:23.47\00:48:24.80
Now you mentioned that
00:48:24.83\00:48:26.17
you provide some of
those printing services
00:48:26.20\00:48:28.30
to other countries.
00:48:28.34\00:48:29.74
Right. All right.
00:48:29.77\00:48:31.11
Enter Kibidula. Right.
00:48:31.14\00:48:33.58
Before we actually
start working with Kibidula,
00:48:33.61\00:48:37.25
we have been printing
for different countries
00:48:37.28\00:48:40.72
in Europe, Sweden,
France, Germany, Portugal,
00:48:40.75\00:48:46.89
we printed the glow tracks
00:48:46.92\00:48:48.56
for different
languages but recently,
00:48:48.59\00:48:51.96
of course, we are very
happy with that close relation
00:48:51.99\00:48:56.50
with Kibidula and
printing the materials for them.
00:48:56.53\00:49:00.57
So, Jason, tell me a little
bit about this relationship
00:49:00.60\00:49:03.81
that you have
with Springs of Life.
00:49:03.84\00:49:05.61
They're printing
materials and sending them
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.71
from Poland to Africa.
00:49:07.74\00:49:10.81
Why don't you just
print the materials
00:49:10.85\00:49:13.18
that you need in Africa?
00:49:13.21\00:49:14.92
Yes, it would seem
like it would make sense
00:49:14.95\00:49:16.99
to print in Africa
00:49:17.02\00:49:18.52
since there are
printing presses around.
00:49:18.55\00:49:22.02
Unfortunately, the government
charges taxes on paper
00:49:22.06\00:49:26.26
but we can import
the books tax free,
00:49:26.29\00:49:29.66
so that's one aspect.
00:49:29.70\00:49:32.27
But over the past two years,
00:49:32.30\00:49:34.44
we've been working
closely with Springs of Life
00:49:34.47\00:49:37.14
and printed well over
half a million books now.
00:49:37.17\00:49:41.41
And they've been very helpful
on working with us on layout
00:49:41.44\00:49:47.68
and how to just get the
right size and everything.
00:49:47.72\00:49:51.35
But another challenge
00:49:51.39\00:49:52.72
we've been having is not credit,
00:49:52.75\00:49:56.89
but how to deal with payments.
00:49:56.93\00:49:58.79
It takes us quite a while
00:49:58.83\00:50:00.20
if we're printing
abroad to get a book ordered,
00:50:00.23\00:50:05.10
laid out,
printed, in a container,
00:50:05.13\00:50:07.87
shipped to Africa, cleared,
distributed, and then paid for.
00:50:07.90\00:50:11.57
And our money ends up tied up
00:50:11.61\00:50:13.88
for months on end
before we see it back.
00:50:13.91\00:50:17.01
And Springs of Life has
offered us a very helpful...
00:50:17.05\00:50:22.75
We can order our
books, they print them,
00:50:22.78\00:50:25.12
they pack them, they ship them
before we've made any payment.
00:50:25.15\00:50:28.26
And that's been very
helpful in being able to get...
00:50:28.29\00:50:32.73
I like that kind of
partnership, don't you?
00:50:32.76\00:50:35.60
Half a million
books out in two years.
00:50:35.63\00:50:37.70
And they print
them all in Swahili.
00:50:37.73\00:50:41.27
And I have a couple
of here, Steps to Christ,
00:50:41.30\00:50:44.07
and You-Turn by Hans Diehl.
00:50:44.11\00:50:46.01
And these books have just
been selling like hotcakes.
00:50:46.04\00:50:49.04
We ordered...
00:50:49.08\00:50:50.51
I think...
00:50:50.55\00:50:52.51
Or they delivered
30,000 or something like this
00:50:52.55\00:50:56.32
and they were gone in two weeks,
00:50:56.35\00:50:57.69
and we've got another
100,000 on order now, so...
00:50:57.72\00:51:01.96
That's incredible. Amen.
00:51:01.99\00:51:03.79
That's wonderful.
I'm glad to hear that.
00:51:03.83\00:51:05.89
So tell me, Robert,
00:51:05.93\00:51:08.63
how do you know that
you're making a difference?
00:51:08.66\00:51:10.17
If you're just
distributing books all the time,
00:51:10.20\00:51:11.80
do you have any stories
that you can share with us?
00:51:11.83\00:51:13.80
I have many stories.
00:51:13.84\00:51:15.17
But there's not enough
time to share all of them.
00:51:15.20\00:51:18.07
So I will tell you one story
00:51:18.11\00:51:20.28
that the Lord
gave me just recently.
00:51:20.31\00:51:22.51
About three years ago,
00:51:22.54\00:51:23.88
we've been on a
short weekend vacation
00:51:23.91\00:51:26.72
with my family.
00:51:26.75\00:51:28.08
And we went to my
parents' apartment
00:51:28.12\00:51:30.92
that most of the
year nobody's there
00:51:30.95\00:51:33.09
because my
parents are with us now.
00:51:33.12\00:51:35.79
And just during
these three days,
00:51:35.82\00:51:38.06
phone ring, and my
wife pick up the phone,
00:51:38.09\00:51:40.10
and there was a
lady on the other side.
00:51:40.13\00:51:43.73
She asked if she
could speak with me.
00:51:43.77\00:51:46.90
But I wasn't
home at this moment,
00:51:46.94\00:51:48.84
so my wife wrote her number
00:51:48.87\00:51:52.21
and told her that
I will call her back.
00:51:52.24\00:51:54.64
And when I came home,
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.01
she gave me this paper
and I looked at the name,
00:51:56.04\00:51:58.45
and I recognized that
this is my math teacher
00:51:58.48\00:52:01.58
from 30 years ago.
00:52:01.62\00:52:03.85
And I was wondering
00:52:03.89\00:52:05.22
what does she wants
from me after 30 years.
00:52:05.25\00:52:09.42
And she was giving
me actually her time,
00:52:09.46\00:52:11.79
you know, so I thought, "What!"
00:52:11.83\00:52:14.36
But I called her,
00:52:14.40\00:52:15.96
and she asked me
actually to come to her house
00:52:16.00\00:52:20.97
to share and to talk with me.
00:52:21.00\00:52:23.14
I remember when just before
graduating from primary school,
00:52:23.17\00:52:27.38
I gave her a copy
of Desire of Ages.
00:52:27.41\00:52:30.88
And when I came to her house,
00:52:30.91\00:52:32.91
she told me that
for most of the years,
00:52:32.95\00:52:36.55
the book was just sitting
on the shelf doing nothing
00:52:36.58\00:52:39.99
until her husband died,
00:52:40.02\00:52:41.79
and she was little bit depressed
00:52:41.82\00:52:43.89
and she was looking
for meaning in life.
00:52:43.93\00:52:46.39
She discovered the
book, she opened it,
00:52:46.43\00:52:48.36
she started reading it,
00:52:48.40\00:52:49.73
then she started
reading the Bible,
00:52:49.76\00:52:51.57
and she actually was calling
me to give her Bible studies.
00:52:51.60\00:52:55.20
Wow.
00:52:55.24\00:52:56.57
And of course, in few
weeks, she was baptized.
00:52:56.60\00:52:59.71
Amen.
00:52:59.74\00:53:01.08
So, you know, if
you think about it,
00:53:01.11\00:53:02.98
30 years, the
book was not in use,
00:53:03.01\00:53:07.65
but yet after this long time,
00:53:07.68\00:53:11.32
she found the time, she read it,
00:53:11.35\00:53:12.79
and she became Adventist.
00:53:12.82\00:53:14.16
Amen. Amen.
00:53:14.19\00:53:15.52
So we have 30,000 gone
in two weeks in Kibidula,
00:53:15.56\00:53:20.50
30 years later,
00:53:20.53\00:53:21.90
we have a testimony of a convert
00:53:21.93\00:53:24.90
from Great Controversy.
00:53:24.93\00:53:26.97
I tell you that's a
great collaboration,
00:53:27.00\00:53:28.77
we're happy to hear that.
00:53:28.80\00:53:30.14
And so we want
to lift their hands
00:53:30.17\00:53:32.07
and be partners with them
00:53:32.11\00:53:33.44
to continue their
ministry in Kibidula in Africa
00:53:33.48\00:53:36.48
and Springs of Life in Poland.
00:53:36.51\00:53:39.01
Wonderful. Thank you very much.
00:53:39.05\00:53:40.38
Thank you very much.
00:53:40.42\00:53:41.75