Participants: Gary Krause (Host), Rick Kajiura, Hans Olson
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000019
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00:08 In 1888, Abram La Rue, retried person
00:11 from the United States came here to Hong Kong Island 00:14 to start a church and a school. 00:17 He was the first Seventh-day Adventist 00:19 all the Far East serving for 15 years. 00:22 You're never too old to server. 00:24 Ask the Lord what you can do to serve Him today. 00:32 Just before He went up to heaven, 00:34 Jesus gave us a command. 00:37 He gave us a mission. Jesus said, Go. 00:43 Go unto all the world, telling them of His love. 00:47 This is our mission. This is our "Global Mission." 00:57 Hello and thanks for joining us on Global Mission Snapshots. 01:00 I'm Gary Krause. 01:01 Every week on this program, we look at what's happening 01:04 on the frontlines of mission around the world. 01:07 One of the biggest challenges facing us today 01:10 is the growing masses of people 01:12 living in the big cities of the world. 01:14 Today I'll be talking with Rick Kajiura, 01:17 communication director for Adventist Mission. 01:19 And Rick will talk about exciting possibilities 01:22 for mission with centers of influence. 01:25 We'll also talk with Hans Olson 01:27 about Global Mission work in Asia 01:29 and we'll visit a unique church in the country of Mongolia. 01:33 But first up, let's go to Africa. 01:36 Mission hospitals were established 01:39 with that really kind, generous, caring attitude. 01:44 Often on the part of an individual missionaries 01:47 who, you know we used to say 01:49 that we'd take public transport to the further spot, 01:52 get that bicycle out, ride that bicycle 01:54 till the bicycle could no longer go, 01:56 then they would walk and when they were exhausted 01:58 and couldn't get any further, they said this must be 02:00 the spot for the mission hospital. 02:02 And they were set in very, very far flung areas 02:05 and still to this day, even they're very primitive 02:08 often provide a level of care 02:11 that's totally unavailable to the people in those regions. 02:19 In 1950, the Seventh-day Adventist church 02:22 established Ishaka Hospital in Western Uganda. 02:25 Built on a hill overlooking a small town below it, 02:28 for 60 years, it has served the people 02:30 on this region, of a country at a times 02:33 enduring through war and political strife. 02:36 For the past 11 years, 02:38 Adventist medical missionary Doctor Victor Valenzuela 02:41 has ministered to the people of Ishaka. 02:44 I grew up in the church, you know, 02:47 I was born into the Seventh-day Adventist church 02:49 but I never thought of myself as becoming a missionary. 02:53 Of course during my younger years, 02:55 I was interested when I was reading the guide 03:02 and I could read about the stories of other missionaries 03:07 but I never thought myself of becoming a missionary. 03:10 But God has His own ways and so here I am you know. 03:15 More than one third of Ugandan people 03:17 live below the international poverty level. 03:20 In Ishaka, the percentage is even higher. 03:23 But the staff of Ishaka Hospital 03:24 are committed to serving as Jesus hands 03:27 to a community in need. 03:29 It's an experience that I'll never exchange for another, 03:32 you know, for any other experience in the world. 03:35 There's nothing like working for our Lord. 03:40 A large portion of the medical patients 03:42 they see each day are infected with HIV and AIDS. 03:46 The pediatric ward is full of malaria patients, 03:49 yet the committed staff of Ishaka are saving lives 03:52 and telling people of Jesus and His love for them, 03:55 no matter how hard the circumstances get. 03:58 It's the joy of serving this people 04:00 and this people in this community 04:02 and doing it for the Lord, that's all that I can say. 04:07 I've never felt that I'm tired emotionally 04:12 or physically, you know. 04:14 We like doing it, doing it for the Lord. 04:29 Whether treating a child with malaria, 04:32 attending a staff meeting, or simply enjoying 04:35 the beautiful environment surrounding him, 04:37 Doctor Valenzuela strives to use the gifts 04:40 that God has given him for His glory and honor, 04:43 no matter how difficult it gets. 04:46 I think sometimes that moments where in 04:50 you'd like to do more but because of the resources, 04:53 the limited resources, you know, you can't do much. 04:58 So I think its a toughest job, 04:59 you know, otherwise, me and my wife, 05:03 we like working in this institution 05:06 and I can have it no other way except the missionary. 05:14 To further serve the community, 05:16 Ishaka Adventist Hospital has established 05:18 a training school to train laboratory systems. 05:21 Here, young people can learn skills 05:23 they can use to serve their own communities. 05:26 Students come from all over Uganda 05:28 to take the courses offered at the hospital. 05:31 There are taught by working professionals 05:33 and are able to get valuable hands 05:34 on experience working in the hospital's labs. 05:37 With the high number of HIV, AIDS, 05:40 malaria and tuberculosis cases coming to the hospital, 05:43 having a fully functional lab is vital. 05:46 Students live in simple houses and each Sabbath, 05:49 the local church on the hospital grounds 05:51 overflows with students, doctors, 05:54 nurses and the Adventist community 05:56 that is grown over the years. 05:58 Often patients if their conditions allowed 06:01 are brought to the church 06:02 so that they can join the worship service. 06:05 Ishaka Adventist Hospital has blossomed 06:07 into a caring and spiritually nurturing oasis 06:10 to the people of Western Uganda. 06:13 Recently the health ministries 06:14 department of the General Conference 06:16 along with health professionals 06:18 from Loma Linda University and the Eastern African Division 06:21 paid a visit to Ishaka 06:23 to evaluate the hospital and its facilities. 06:25 Each department was examined 06:27 and staff were given the opportunity 06:29 to express their feelings 06:30 regarding the quality of care being provided to the community. 06:34 A report was prepared and then shared 06:36 with the hospital administrators and staff. 06:44 And we want to purge them to do that 06:47 which they're doing well to do it even better. 06:50 So we take the appreciative enquiry, 06:52 appreciative enquiry basically doesn't go around 06:54 and say, you're not doing this, you're not doing that. 06:56 It goes around and says, 06:57 you're doing that is so very well. 07:00 If you could employ the same enthusiasm 07:03 and the same methodologies 07:05 to what you're doing so very well, 07:06 maybe to this program or an another program. 07:09 Another member of the team was Dr. Peter Landless, 07:12 one of the associate health directors 07:14 of the General Conference. 07:16 We see at this hospital which is now 60 years old, 07:20 a service to the community of Ishaka, 07:22 a comprehensive service giving obstetrics, 07:26 gynecology, and surgical cover, 07:29 also with their family planning clinic 07:32 and HIV and AIDS outreach, 07:34 a very busy outpatients department 07:36 as you can see around me, 07:37 there are people milling to come in 07:39 and out of this hospital. 07:40 As we look at the challenges faced by the hospital, 07:44 of course, economics are huge, 07:47 nothing becomes cheaper 07:49 and maintenance of the plant is important, 07:51 provision of adequate facilities 07:54 is very, very important 07:55 and many things need to be upgraded. 07:57 And so we see that we have a mission here, 08:01 we hands of God are being our hands 08:05 demonstrating His heart 08:08 and we thank you as you contribute 08:12 as you continue to serve by your mission offerings 08:15 thereby you have a direct hand in helping to get 08:19 doctors, nurses, missionaries, 08:22 right to where they needed 08:24 so they can get the expertise and help 08:27 that other ones would not be here. 08:30 So continue to give to consider your stewardship 08:34 as you hasten His coming and help people in the process. 09:12 And I'd like to think that the members in the pews 09:15 around the world are also friends of our missionaries 09:19 and that they will support them with means and prayers 09:23 and maybe little letters of encouragement, 09:26 just to let them know that we are all in this together 09:30 whatever our particular role may be. 09:34 I'm glad to welcome Rick Kajiura 09:36 who works with me in the office of Adventist Mission. 09:38 Thanks for coming, Rick. It's good to be here, Gary. 09:40 And we're talking about something now 09:42 which is very exciting, we call them 09:45 centers of influence for urban mission, 09:48 tell us what centers of influence are. 09:51 Well, centers of influence is something that Ellen White 09:53 talked about that we should have 09:54 centers of influence in the big cities, 09:56 reaching people everyday where they are. 09:59 You know, Homer Carter Hubert works 10:02 in the Middle East centers have quote to said that-- 10:05 I think he send it you as well from the book 10:06 and it talked about how 10:10 some people in the certain area, 10:12 you know, they said the Christians came in 10:14 and they built compounds and churches 10:17 and expected us to go to them 10:19 and then he says, you know, 10:20 there's other Christian organization-- 10:21 there's other religious organization came in 10:23 and they came in and treated us farmers 10:25 and they lived among us and worked among us 10:27 and now they're following this other world religion. 10:29 So you know it just shows that 10:32 we can't just wait for everybody to come to us, 10:34 we need to be where they are, 10:35 we need to be meeting their needs 10:36 so they will trust us, come to know us, 10:39 to like us and then we can share 10:42 what we believe that impacts our lives. 10:45 So Ellen White was talking about small centers 10:47 in urban areas spread out that would connect 10:51 Adventists with the community by connecting with their needs. 10:55 And at the moment we're saying 10:56 lots of these starting up on the board 10:58 and I like to show us a video right now 11:01 and this video is of a different topic centers of influence 11:06 that is actually a thrift store but let's have a look at it. 11:10 In Copenhagen, Denmark, Seventh-day Adventists 11:13 have opened a thrift shop called Happy Hand. 11:17 This is not an ordinary shop, 11:19 it is a center of influence. 11:21 Here, employees are volunteers 11:23 and profits are used to help those in need. 11:26 The shop is beautifully decorated 11:28 with recycled furniture. 11:29 People who visit also find a place to sit down, 11:33 listen to inspiring music 11:35 and connect with friendly Christians. 11:37 Please pray for this center of influence 11:39 in the heart of Copenhagen where Adventists are following 11:42 Jesus' method and bringing people to Him. 11:47 When Ellen White talked about centers of influence, 11:49 she was talking about having things 11:51 such as restaurants, vegetarian cafes, reading rooms, 11:55 treatment rooms, whatever the need 11:57 is in the community then we connect those needs. 12:00 And it'll vary from community to community 12:03 and so I think we need to understand 12:05 the people in the community and what their needs are. 12:07 Yeah, now this is a concept that is actually 12:10 catching a lot of excitement among church leaders. 12:13 Let's have a look at a short video right now 12:15 that shows the excitement 12:18 among church leaders for this initiative. 12:21 Traditionally, Seventh-day Adventists 12:22 are allergic to city evangelism but Ellen White had been 12:28 most emphatic in stressing 12:31 the importance of urban ministry. 12:33 Ellen White has told us that 12:35 "When the cities are worked as God would have them, 12:38 the result will be the setting 12:39 in operation of a mighty movement 12:41 such as we have not yet witnessed." 12:43 Part of that mighty movement is to plant 12:46 centers of influence in the cities 12:48 that are gonna touch the lives of thousands of people. 12:52 Centers of influence are an opportunity for involvement. 12:56 Centers of influence are mentioned about 88 times 12:59 by Ellen White where she indicates 13:02 that we would have an opportunity 13:04 to learn the joys and learn 13:05 the sorrows of people in the cities. 13:08 I invite every single one of you 13:10 and with myself to be part of this effort 13:13 to plant centers of influence in the cities of the world 13:18 so that we can tell people that Jesus is coming soon. 13:24 So you see there Rick, 13:25 we're actually calling these Life Hope Centers. 13:27 Life Hope Centers. 13:29 So what's the idea of having this sort of branding? 13:32 Well, you know, when people go to some place 13:36 and they like it, they go to another city, 13:38 another part of town, they see the same logo and sign 13:41 and say, oh, I remember this, 13:42 I'm gonna go to this, I had a good experience. 13:45 And so we're hoping that this would carry through that, 13:47 there will be a branding and a common theme 13:50 in different places so even though 13:51 they may be doing slightly different treatments 13:53 or whatever or classes, that they'll know 13:56 that they can go down with that 13:57 same sort of quality of blessings. 14:00 Right, So we are starting to produce 14:03 a whole range of different curricular 14:05 for different projects, programs, activities, 14:08 ways we can work with the community. 14:10 You know the church for many years 14:12 has done a lot of things with parenting, health, 14:16 all of these things and a lot of times 14:18 it was directed out to the community some of 14:20 but a lot of it was internal church members 14:22 that come in here, church leaders do these things. 14:25 We're collecting a lot of these things 14:27 and editing them and putting really nice designs, 14:30 PowerPoint's, student workbooks 14:32 and making these available to Life Hope Centers 14:35 so that they can have classes on a variety of subjects. 14:38 So we're taking what are some are focused inwards 14:41 and turning it outwards to help people 14:43 all around the world in their communities. 14:45 For further information, where can we find that? 14:48 Well, you can go to Adventistmission.org. 14:50 Okay. Right now for further information. 14:52 And we're also working on lifehopecenters.org. 14:55 We're working on lifehopecenters.org 14:57 and that will be for local centers 14:59 to have their own website. 15:00 Good. Thanks for joining us, Rick. 15:02 This really is an exciting program. 15:04 It is something, you know 100 years ago, 15:07 Ellen White said that we have neglected the cities, 15:09 it's now time for us to do something about that, 15:11 to put Christ method into practice 15:13 which I say so often that we need to mingle, 15:16 we need to show sympathy, we need to minister the needs, 15:20 we need to win confidence 15:21 and then and only then we bid people to follow Jesus. 15:25 Please pray for this initiative. 16:06 My guest is Hans Olson who works with me 16:09 in the office of Adventist Mission. 16:10 Welcome, Hans. Yeah. 16:11 Not so long ago you visited 16:13 the Northern Asia Pacific region. Yes. 16:16 And you went to that big, huge country of China. Absolutely. 16:23 Just rapidly growing population. Right. 16:25 Tell us, what did you find there. 16:28 Wow, it's a big country that's for sure. 16:31 China, actually, we went to northwestern China first 16:36 to a community where there was a hill church, 16:41 up, up kind of up in the hills, it was actually 16:43 I think it was about 10,000 feet above sea level, 16:48 70 people live in this church, I mean, sorry, this village. 16:52 Church at the top of the mountain, 16:54 two-thirds of the villagers are members of that church 16:59 which has about 60 people, 17:01 remaining members of that church walk, 17:05 sometimes 3 hours, one way much of it uphill, 17:10 steep hill, narrow little road to go to church. 17:15 Dedicated, dedicated Christians, 17:17 it was amazing to worship with them, 17:19 they had a church choir that sounded 17:22 as good as any large city church choir 17:26 that you and I would have heard. 17:29 Okay, and then you went to more urban area? Yeah. 17:33 We went to Nanchang which is kind of central, central China, 17:39 not as developed maybe as a western city 17:44 but still a bustling town 17:46 and there was an Adventist church in that town. 17:48 But then we went couple hours outside and visited a woman 17:53 who is planted three different churches. 17:59 The first church was in a kind of a small property 18:06 owned by the lady who she's renting a room from 18:09 and very modest church but still a very nice church. 18:15 And then she's planted two more churches in that area. 18:19 So in about four year period-- so she's been very, very busy. 18:25 I was interesting when you said she, because in China, 18:29 we see that leadership of women impounding churches 18:32 all over the country. Yeah, in a certain way. 18:35 Some of these women are caring for congregations 18:38 with thousands of church members. 18:40 So we know that we probably have 18:45 maybe 400,000 church members in China 18:49 and we know that in some parts of the country, 18:53 they have greater freedom than other countries 18:55 but we're just so glad to see the growth 18:58 that's happening. Right. 19:00 Now, you went from China 19:01 but you also went to a very different country 19:04 just a neighbor of Korea, tell us about Korea. 19:08 Well, Korea, yeah, Korea is different. 19:10 Korea is very high-tech. Yes. 19:13 And--so that creates interesting challenges for mission. 19:18 But a lot of urban ministry going on there, 19:21 there is the Central Seoul Church 19:24 has started an elder ministry 19:26 'cause it's an underserved group 19:29 within the Adventist church. Elderly people? 19:31 Elderly people and they have a church just for them. 19:38 They have a feeding program, 19:42 lot of community service programs to reach out to them, 19:45 to give them, you know, a church family. 19:50 Also there's a homeless ministry, 19:54 they feed maybe a thousand people every Sabbath. 20:00 Fully funded by a church member 20:03 from Seoul, $4,500 a month, 20:08 program grown so big that she and her local church 20:11 can't even do it and they have to have to a group of churches, 20:14 Adventist churches in Korea come and help feed all of the people 20:19 they have so many people coming every Sabbath. 20:22 The church in Korea has historically been very strong 20:26 and is helping mission work all through that region. 20:32 What challenges do you see 20:34 that the church is facing in Korea now? 20:38 The church in Korea like many other places is becoming secular 20:43 and so they have the challenge of young people 20:49 staying in the church, and just continuing to grow, 20:56 you know, as wealth increases, as technology changes, 21:02 keeping people focused on the church 21:04 and not distracted by the world around them. 21:08 So you also briefly visited Hong Kong. Yeah. 21:12 Where Abram La Rue, a woodcutter, 21:14 just a lay person started work in that area. 21:17 Well, thank you so much, Hans, 21:19 for joining us and talking us about-- 21:21 tell us about this challenging area. 21:23 And the northern Asia Pacific region is a huge challenge, 21:28 a mission challenge, just millions and millions of people 21:31 many of whom have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ. 21:35 You travel in China and you see highways 21:37 after highways going up, highways coming in, 21:40 so many families who need to know 21:41 that a God who loves them 21:43 and Jesus coming to die for them. 21:46 Next up, we're going to travel to another country 21:49 within the Northern Asia Pacific region 21:51 to the country of Mongolia where not so long ago, 21:54 we had absolutely no Seventh-day Adventist believers. 22:00 On a typical Sabbath, you can see members 22:02 of the Seventh-day Adventist church 22:03 meeting in a variety of locations 22:05 and structures around the world. 22:08 They may meet under a tree in Mozambique, 22:11 in a prison cell in Moldova, under a tarp in Mexico 22:16 or in a house church in Cambodia. 22:18 It doesn't matter where you worship, 22:21 what matters is that you are able 22:22 to worship together as a church family. 22:27 For Seventh-day Adventists in the country of Mongolia, 22:31 worshiping on the Sabbath is still a new experience. 22:35 The Adventist message was first brought to Mongolia in 1992 22:39 and the first members baptized in 1994. 22:43 Today, there are a handful of churches 22:45 and more than 1,200 members. 22:48 They worship in traditional church buildings, 22:50 in small school classrooms 22:53 and in traditional Mongolian houses called Ger's. 22:57 From the exterior, you wouldn't think that a Ger 22:59 would serve as a spiritual home to Adventist believers 23:03 but once you enter the surprisingly warm hut, 23:06 you are greeted by a young group of members. 23:09 Very quickly you will feel the warmth of the Christian love 23:12 that lives in the hearts of these new converts. 23:15 They open their Bibles and search for the truth 23:18 that lives within the pages of thin parchment. 23:21 Their faces light up as the young speaker talks 23:24 of love and forgiveness, 23:26 of hope and a new beginning in Jesus. 23:30 Your support of the mission work of the Adventist church 23:33 helps to spread the gospel of Jesus around the world, 23:37 just as Jesus spoke to His followers on the side of a hill. 23:41 Today, Seventh-day Adventist believers 23:43 share the same message all throughout the world. 23:47 Thank you, for your prayerful support of mission. 23:56 If you're enjoying inspiring stories 23:58 of Global Mission pioneers, 24:00 missionaries and mission in general, 24:02 then we would like to send you 24:04 a copy of the Mission Stories for Kids DVD. 24:07 If you live in North America, please call our toll free number 24:11 1-800-648-5824 or visit our website 24:16 and ask for the Mission Stories for Kids DVD, 24:20 our offer number 304. 24:22 Don't forget to clearly state your name and address. 24:27 Well, that's it for today's program 24:28 and I hope you've been inspired by what you've seen 24:31 and what you've heard. 24:32 From the countries of Asia to the cities of North America, 24:35 God's mission work is still moving forward. 24:39 So on behalf of Adventist missionaries 24:41 and church planters such as Global Mission pioneers 24:44 who are serving around the world, 24:46 thank you for your continuing prayers 24:49 and support for frontline mission. 24:51 Until next time, I'm Gary Krause for Adventist Mission. 24:55 God bless. 25:15 What kind of love is this? 25:22 What kind of love is this? 25:27 The God won't fall us from the cling 25:33 Nowhere we lack sheep, we go straight 25:40 That we will spend His holy name 25:46 That we will lay Him 25:50 where else we can 25:56 What kind of love is this? 26:03 What kind of love is this? 26:08 The God for us would caught the sea 26:14 And save us from the enemy 26:21 That He the God of desert sand would be 26:29 The God of the promise land 26:37 What kind of love is this? 26:44 What kind of love is this? 26:49 The God will take our flesh and sin 26:55 He may like us so we could be like him 27:02 That he a priest would draw the naive 27:08 And offer himself for his own sacrifice 27:16 What kind of love is this? 27:25 What kind of love is this? 27:30 The God will do all that He can 27:37 And yearn for us to understand 27:45 What kind of love is this? 27:51 What kind of love is this? |
Revised 2014-12-17