Participants: Gray Krause (Host), Bill & Trixy Coldwell, Rick McEdward
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000016
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00:01 Coming up on Global Mission Snapshots,
00:02 mission in the Cameroon 00:04 and how to relate to other world religions. 00:10 Just before He went up to heaven, 00:13 Jesus gave us a command. 00:16 He gave us a mission. 00:19 Jesus said, Go. 00:21 Go unto all the world, telling them of His love. 00:26 This is our mission. This is our "Global Mission." 00:35 Hello and welcome to Global Mission Snapshots. 00:37 I'm Gary Krause. 00:39 On today's program, we'll talk to Pastor Rick McEdward 00:42 about how Global Mission study centers 00:45 help us better relate to other world religions. 00:48 Rick grew up in the Middle East 00:49 and he and his family served many years 00:52 as missionaries in Southeast Asia. 00:55 We'll also find out how one family 00:57 found their call to mission 00:59 in a neighborhood in their own city. 01:01 And we'll talk to an Adventist missionary couple, 01:03 Bill and Trixy Coldwell serving in the country of Cameroon. 01:08 But first, let's watch a video of them 01:11 soon after they arrived in Africa. 01:48 What do you have? 01:49 That's my customer. 01:52 Little pepper. How much it costs? 01:58 My wife and I've been here about three months now. 02:01 Neither of us-- I can't fully speak for my wife 02:03 but neither is really, you know, growing up 02:06 have a vision ourselves being "missionaries." 02:11 Personally I like in bachelor for Christ. 02:14 I started to think I wanted to be a mission doctor 02:17 after I spent six months in Tanzania, 02:21 doing mission work there 02:22 and decided that it was enjoyable, I could do it. 02:34 We're in Buea, Cameroon. 02:36 Buea is located about 90 kilometers from Douala, 02:40 the economic center of Cameroon on a foot of Mount Cameroon. 02:45 Buea is home to more than 225,000 people 02:50 but only two small hospitals. 02:53 We're currently a day kind 02:55 and we've been a day clinic since 1971. 02:59 About 12 years ago, discussion was made 03:02 to create an internal child hospital. 03:05 And it's the right thing for Buea 03:06 because we have two other hospitals in town 03:09 and additional health centers, 03:11 to find a way to or find a niche to specialize 03:16 maternal challenge is the right way. 03:20 In 2005, your 13th Sabbath Offerings provided the funding 03:24 for the expansion of a small clinic in Buea. 03:27 We visited Bill and Trixy three months after 03:30 they had arrived to the newly constructed hospital building. 03:34 Because of the heavy rainfall 03:35 Cameroon receives in the wet season, 03:38 the missionaries had some final weather proofing to do 03:41 before they could open the hospital. 03:43 Our windows are a little over a meter tall 03:46 but the awning wall come out one meter 03:50 and as it comes out it'll curves down. 03:52 And as it comes out and curves down 03:55 when the wind blows even at a 45 degree angle 03:58 and we get some pretty strong winds 04:00 during the rain that it should at least cause the wind 04:05 to blow below even these windows here. 04:14 Today, the hospital is up and running and Bill and Trixy 04:17 have started sending in photos of the work. 04:22 Christ came and as we all know spent a great deal of His time 04:26 mingling with people and in the mingling, 04:29 He won their confidence. 04:31 And it was in that sort of mingling, 04:32 that He was able to do so many, many good things for people. 04:37 Not only did He heal, of course He did preach 04:41 and the message that He preached was empowered by the fact 04:44 that He was such a kindly caring physician. 04:49 My mission as a missionary coming here to Buea 04:53 would be to share the people of Buea 04:56 the love of God, through a physician. 05:00 With the help of their small staff, 05:02 they are ministering to the people of Buea, Cameroon. 05:05 Thanks to your support of the 13th Sabbath Offering. 05:17 My guests are Bill and Trixy 05:19 who are visiting the United States of America from Africa 05:24 where they're currently working. 05:26 And thanks for joining us. Why are you here? 05:29 Well, we're on annual leave. 05:31 So you're getting a bit of rest and recuperation, yeah. 05:35 So you're working in the country of Cameroon in Africa. Why? 05:41 That's a good question we get from a lot of people. 05:43 We go flying and they see our ID cards and like, 05:46 why are you in Cameroon? 05:49 My belief is that's where God has placed us 05:52 and so when God sent us... 05:53 That's a good reason. Yes. 05:54 Comes from where, you go. Wonderful. 05:56 Now Trixy, You're working--doing what? 06:00 Oh, I'm the physician there, 06:02 so I pretty much do everything medical. Right. 06:06 So you're at Buea Adventist Hospital? Yes. 06:09 And this is located in the urban area or in a rural area? 06:14 We are technically urban. 06:18 We're at regional capital of the ten regions of Cameroon. 06:21 Buea is one of the regional capitals. 06:23 And the population estimates vary widely 06:26 to about 225,000. 06:31 So we guess that there is really about 200,000. Okay. 06:35 But it's very much in the urban setting. 06:37 So Trixy is a doctor working on the medical side. 06:40 What are you doing, Bill? 06:42 Administration. Okay. 06:43 My official title is development officer 06:46 but it's a catch all if you look 06:49 at the job description for the CEO, 06:51 that's what I'm doing. Yeah. 06:53 Now, Trixy, what sort of medical cases do you care for? 06:57 Tell us a little bit. 06:58 Well, if you were to take one day 07:01 and look at the spectrum of cases, 07:05 It's--they're broad in variety 07:08 because we live in the urban setting, 07:11 you see some of the more western diseases, 07:14 because we live in Cameroon, 07:16 where it's the tropics, you also see typical tropical diseases. 07:20 So in one day I'll see cases of malaria 07:25 and cases of gastrointestinal disorders 07:30 as well as people with diabetes, 07:33 high blood pressure, as well as you know small procedures, 07:41 as well as even you know some counseling 07:44 on healthy lifestyle and other issues, 07:47 including even some mental health issues. 07:50 So the spectrum is very, very bright. 07:54 Now you're a graduate from Loma Linda University 07:57 which is a very good medical school 07:59 but were you adequately prepared 08:01 for all these different types of cases? 08:05 Okay, ever be adequately prepared? Yeah, I'm sure. 08:08 Loma Linda gave me what I needed 08:13 because I think what you need 08:16 in order to prepare for mission hospital 08:19 is a relationship with God. 08:24 And a practice and working with people 08:29 and working with them on a basis of spiritual, 08:32 mental and physical healing 08:34 and that's what I got from Loma Linda. 08:36 Now did I learn everything I needed to know about 08:39 treating malaria and typhoid and that kind of stuff 08:44 that you just have to learn as you go. Yes. 08:47 And I'm still looking things up. I'm Sure. 08:50 Now of course your wife has a nine to five job I'm sure, 08:54 five days a week. 08:55 Five days a week, nine to five, 08:56 we're never outside of those except for births. 09:02 Yeah. Emergencies. 09:06 We try to provide some boundaries. 09:10 We are now open 24x7 so we've been a clinic, 09:16 the health center has been there since 1971 09:19 and in early 2000's construction began 09:23 with 13th Sabbath Offering to develop inpatient. 09:27 And so we had it open for a little while 09:29 and our volunteers left then we've delayed 09:33 and now just in June we opened again 09:36 and we've now just in a month, actually about three weeks, 09:40 delivered five, we, she, delivered five babies 09:44 and babies don't have a schedule. Yeah. 09:47 And so she has been tired. Yeah. 09:53 Now you are cross cultural mission workers 09:56 for the Seventh-day Adventist church. 09:59 How would you describe your mission activity? 10:01 I mean you're not over there preaching 10:03 but you are doing some sort of a ministry. 10:06 How would you describe it? 10:08 I think we might each describe it a little differently. 10:12 For me, what I had always thought of as a missionary 10:16 is not at all what we do and I'm relieved. 10:19 I like to say everything I learn, 10:21 I needed to know about being missionary 10:23 I learned in Hollywood that was my first career, 10:27 meeting people where they are, without judgment 10:32 and hopefully without showing visible shock, 10:36 to care for people and nurture them in their spiritual journey. 10:42 Most everyone we meet is already Christian, 10:45 but our emphasis and I appreciate this 10:47 on revival and reformation is huge. 10:51 We need it, our church family needs it 10:54 and our community needs it. 10:57 And we've--I have found that when I first thought about 11:03 doing mission service in Cameroon, 11:05 it would be for the Cameroonians and it is. 11:09 But where we are located, we have international volunteers, 11:13 Peace Corps, GIZ from Germany, VO-- VOS. 11:18 VOS from Britain, plus independents. 11:22 And with who we are, we become a hub 11:27 and I have found our true ministry is very different 11:31 than I would ever have expected. 11:32 Yeah, I kind of like that description. 11:34 How would you describe it, Trixy? 11:37 I have a very simple approach, 11:39 mine is to work and share love through what I do. 11:45 And so my goal is to treat the patients, 11:48 treat the clients who come. 11:50 I mean, including volunteers who come with us, 11:53 with love and to show them that you know we are here 12:00 and working out of sense of love for God, 12:05 we're not here because we want to gain position in the world, 12:09 we're not here because we're trying to make money. 12:11 And that's just a very different concept. 12:14 And so that's my witness. 12:18 Sounds kind of like Jesus' ministry 12:20 when He was here on earth. 12:22 Thank you so much for joining us today. 12:23 I appreciate very much for sharing with us. 12:25 Thank you. Thank you. 13:37 I'm happy to welcome Pastor Rick McEdward 13:39 who is the director of our Global Mission Study Centers. 13:42 Welcome, Rick. Thank you, Gary. 13:44 Now some years ago, you and your family 13:46 went as missionaries to the island of Sri Lanka. 13:50 Tell me what it was like when you arrived? 13:52 Well, you know when we arrived there had been 13:54 a recent terrorist attack there in the capital. 13:58 It's the only port of entry in and out of the country. 14:01 And so when we landed on the tarmac near there, 14:04 there was 11 or 12 airplanes that had recently been bombed 14:10 by a nationalistic movement within the country. 14:15 Was it a friendly welcome? 14:16 Yeah, it kind of gave us a shock you know. 14:18 How do we know, what, 14:21 how to minister to people in this nation? 14:23 How old were your kids? 14:25 They were four and five at the time. 14:27 Great place to be with your kids. 14:28 Now wasn't so long or later that the tsunami hit? 14:33 Yeah, it was couple of years later 14:35 there had been a lot of unrest 14:37 in the community towards Christians. 14:41 So we're already trying to balance it, 14:43 we'd had the 100 year anniversary 14:45 of the church in Sri Lanka 14:47 and the people of the church who really did so much work 14:52 leading up to that for 100 years and then not long later, 14:57 the devastating tsunami that we all were gripped by, 15:00 you know visually on the television. 15:03 Yeah, but that affected us, too. 15:04 I'm sure it will, I remember visiting you 15:06 shortly after that and nothing had prepared me for what I saw. 15:10 Well, devastating impact-- the coastline of course 15:13 was totally wiped out and we worked a little bit 15:17 with ADRA and with the church on trying to help repair 15:22 from that damage, yeah. 15:24 Now after Sri Lanka, you moved to care for Global Mission 15:29 throughout the territories of Southeast Asia. 15:32 Just describe briefly the range of people 15:36 that you have in that territory. 15:37 Well, we had the Pacific Islands which are Christian 15:39 but from anonymous background but we had some of the-- 15:43 two of the top five Islamic nations in the world, 15:46 Indonesia and Bangladesh in our territory, 15:49 very populated cities, 15:50 we had Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila. 15:55 We had Buddhist nations of Sri Lanka, Thailand, 15:59 Cambodia, Vietnam 16:01 and we had some interesting places 16:04 that it's hard to get into because of government military 16:09 or communistic governments. 16:11 So there was a lot going on and not even to mention 16:15 the Hindus and the other faith groups that are there 16:19 that really made our work interesting and challenging. 16:23 And you had large cities. Yeah. 16:26 And places like Singapore 16:28 where people are secular and post modern as-- 16:31 And wealthy. And wealthy. 16:33 Yeah, sure. So poverty to wealth. 16:36 So this was actually a very good preparation 16:38 for your current job where we recalled you to be 16:41 the director of the study centers 16:43 and what is your role now? How do you describe that? 16:46 Well, as the director of the Global Mission Study Centers, 16:49 we have five study centers, a sixth one is beginning. 16:53 One focusing on each of the world religions, 16:57 one on Hinduism, Buddhism, 17:00 Islam, secular and postmodernism, 17:03 and Judaism and then we have a new one starting up 17:05 with the church's emphasis on urban ministry. 17:07 We have an urban study center beginning now. 17:10 Now, the way we've been talking about 17:12 this study centers probably not the best way to describe 17:15 what these centers do because it's not like 17:17 you're sitting in a library all day 17:18 reading up about something. 17:19 They're really ministry centers. Ministry centers. 17:21 But in essence, when we're communicating 17:23 with the outside world study centers is often 17:26 a easier thing to talk about. Right. 17:28 You know when I'm talking to a Buddhist or a Hindu, 17:30 I don't really want to tell them 17:31 that I'm there to try to evangelize. Yeah. 17:35 So the equipoise to find ways 17:40 to build friendships, to build bridges? 17:43 You know, the study centers are all about 17:45 a holistic witness 17:48 that is culturally adapted to the audience. 17:52 So often we give a one size fits all message. 17:56 We use the same methodology in one place 17:59 as we would use in another. 18:01 And when we approach people of other backgrounds 18:04 that kind of methodology may not work 18:07 or may need to be greatly adapted 18:10 and of course we encourage relationships 18:12 and friendships cross culturally, within culture 18:16 so that people can see the beauty of who Jesus was. 18:19 So these centers are watering down the message, 18:21 they are compromising the message? 18:23 Oh, not at all. 18:24 In fact, they are very strong 18:26 in presenting the Adventist message, 18:29 but doing in a way that a listener may understand 18:32 what has been presented. 18:34 Now I believe there's a biblical basis for this. Sure. 18:38 Jesus Himself who spoken in parables, 18:41 spoke differently to different audiences, the Apostle Paul. 18:45 Where are these study centers located? 18:48 Well, we have study centers in various places. 18:50 We have Islamic study center actually has three branches, 18:56 one in London, one in Nairobi 18:59 and one here in the United States. 19:02 We have a Jewish study center that was recently relocated 19:05 to Paris, France where there's a sizable Jewish community. 19:10 Our Hindu specialist is currently located in Trinidad 19:15 and then we have a study center for Buddhism 19:19 that is really in the heart in Thailand 19:23 and it has a branch also in Taiwan. 19:26 Now, Rick, there may be somebody viewing this program, 19:29 who says, well, you know I've got people 19:31 living in my street, in my neighborhood 19:33 who come from different religious backgrounds, 19:36 I'm not even sure how I should start relating? 19:38 What should I say, what shouldn't I say, 19:41 how--where can they get help? 19:43 You know, this is a common problem. 19:45 I hear it every day, people call to my office. 19:47 You know, I say the best thing to do is 19:49 take them a plate of cookies, show them friendship, 19:52 invite them over to your house. 19:53 You know, there's a commonality and by listening 19:58 we can understand more and learn and adapt 20:01 how to present it by doing that. 20:03 But there are resources from each of the study centers 20:07 to help make that bridge. 20:09 Start with the easy but there are study resources 20:13 and we have it on our Adventist Mission websites. 20:15 Some of the resources are available or contacts for us 20:18 and so we want our study centers to be available for people 20:21 to touch base with us to know how to reach us. 20:25 Just quickly before we go, 20:27 Marcia's influence in your neighborhood 20:29 when you lived in Sri Lanka, just tell us about that? 20:32 We lived in a largely Buddhist neighborhood. 20:35 It was a neighborhood that wasn't necessarily 20:39 looking at Christian or an Adventist very positively. 20:42 And when we moved in, Marcia and the kids 20:46 decided that they wanted to be friends with people. 20:49 So my children started inviting people over 20:51 for English language classes. 20:52 They were little kids but all the neighborhood kids 20:55 wanted to learn so they came and little by little, 20:58 Marcia became acquainted with all the parents. 21:01 At holiday time Marcia would take a gift of the traditional 21:05 biscuits and cookies and what not to people. 21:09 At Christmas time, we do it again 21:10 for the Christian holiday. 21:12 And little by little people began opening up their hearts 21:16 and their homes to Marcia. 21:18 She began attending their bedside when they were sick, 21:22 being there when they died and attending funerals. 21:26 People began reaching out to Marcia to be a touch point 21:30 for who we were, why we were there. 21:34 And I believe that the love she showed the neighborhood 21:37 really opened up the hearts of the community to our family 21:41 in a way that we found very special. 21:42 They--still when we go back and visit, 21:45 they open up their arms to us and we talk long 21:48 and we believe there are seeds planted. 21:50 The end isn't yet written but the seeds are planted. 21:53 Rick, thanks so much for sharing with us today. 21:56 Love speaks all languages, crosses all cultures 21:59 and speaks to all religions. 22:01 If you want more information about the study centers, 22:04 just go to AdventistMisison.org. 22:07 And please remember the study centers in your prayers. 22:20 When the city of Atlanta was preparing 22:22 for the 1996 Olympic Games, 22:25 they looked at the unsightly tenement buildings 22:28 around Centennial Park in downtown Atlanta. 22:32 And they just decided they are gonna 22:33 knock down all those buildings 22:34 and they dislocated the urban poor 22:36 and they built new condominium developments 22:39 out where the land was cheap out toward the airport, 22:43 near the freeway and just brought the people in here 22:46 away from their homes, their heritage, 22:49 their backgrounds and that's where 22:51 that landed them in places such as this. 23:03 Our neighborhood for the zip code, 23:06 has the highest child abuse rates. 23:09 It has some of the highest crime rates. 23:11 When we picked this area we partially picked it 23:14 because we actually came with some policemen 23:16 who were traveling around and we said you know, 23:18 we just kind of want to know what this area is like 23:21 and they said are you serious here now? 23:23 I said yeah. 23:24 He said, it's the only area in Atlanta 23:27 that has a continuous police presence. 23:32 We said that's where we need to be. 23:35 I tell him if you see Rusty out then you can come out 23:39 but other than that he doesn't come out. 23:43 And it's unfortunate because he's a boy 23:46 so he should be able to be, you know, 23:49 run, tumble and jumping, 23:50 whatever in a given moment but because 23:54 where we are he can't do that, you know. 23:59 Such a gated community but you still-- 24:02 Nothing gates the view. 24:07 It's Sabbath morning and we're in a apartment complex 24:12 in the suburbs of Atlanta, 24:14 where young Seventh-day Adventist family 24:16 are following the example of Jesus 24:19 and following His incarnational ministry there 24:23 living among the people there to use their phrase, 24:27 hanging help to the people and ministering to them, 24:29 showing Jesus' love and becoming part of the community 24:33 and building bridges, 24:35 building friendships and making an impact. 24:42 Now we moved into an apartment 24:44 that from the outside everything looks good. 24:48 If I was a missionary and I went overseas, 24:51 people would applaud me left and right, that's great. 24:54 You can put your life in untold danger over there, all you want. 24:59 You can sit at home and never leave the church 25:02 and put yourself in moral danger and people are good with that. 25:05 But when you start to cross the lines of race and economics, 25:10 these barriers that are build up and you just go to it, 25:15 50 miles south of where you used to live 25:17 to the other side of tracks people think you're crazy, 25:21 that you're putting your kids life in danger, 25:23 and it's just stupid. 25:26 If God has told me to go there, there isn't safe, 25:28 and if I stayed in buckets around my couch, safer. 25:36 And the myths and the fears that we had of people 25:42 that look different and were color different than us 25:45 but didn't have what we thought we had. 25:48 They were just that myths, fears. 25:55 We're all taught to be afraid of each other, 26:00 and the truth that matters, maybe one percent of the people 26:03 that are in areas like this side are out for bad, 26:07 the rest are just like us, they just 26:10 they're trying to figure it out. 26:17 As an act of faith, Rustin and his wife Stacey 26:21 along with their three children left their comfortable home 26:25 in a fashionable Atlanta neighborhood 26:28 and they moved into this community 26:30 to put Christ's method of outreach into practice. 26:34 Recently they received a small appropriation 26:37 from Global Mission to help them expand their ministry. 26:41 Thank you for your continuing support of Global Mission 26:45 and your weakly support of world budget and mission offerings. 26:57 Well, that's about it for today's program. 27:00 But before we go, we have a small gift 27:02 for our supporters in North America, 27:04 an Adventist mission tote bag. 27:07 To obtain your tote bag, free as long as stocks last 27:10 simply call our toll free number, 27:12 1-800-648-5824 or visit our website 27:18 and ask for the Adventist Mission tote bag or offer 306. 27:23 Don't forget to clearly state your name and address 27:26 and be sure to mention the tote bag or offer 306. 27:32 Well, thanks for joining us today. 27:33 I hope you've been blessed 27:34 by the stories of frontline mission. 27:37 We'd love to hear from you, so please give your feedback 27:40 at www.AdventistMission.org/3ABN 27:46 And thank you for your continuing support 27:48 of Adventist Mission through prayer, 27:50 personal involvement and your finances. 27:54 For Adventist Mission, I'm Gary Krause 27:56 and I hope you can join me next time 27:58 right here on Global Mission Snapshots. |
Revised 2014-12-17