Participants: Gary Krause (Host), David Trim, Richard Elofer
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000027
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00:01 From Kenya to the United States, from Italy to France mission
00:04 stories and mission challenges around the globe 00:06 coming up on Global Mission Snapshots. 00:20 Just before He went up to heaven 00:23 Jesus gave us a command. 00:26 He gave us a mission. 00:29 Jesus said "Go, go unto all the world, 00:33 telling them of His love." 00:36 This is our mission. 00:38 This is our Global Mission. 00:45 Hello I am Gary Krause 00:46 and welcome to Global Mission Snapshots. 00:49 Today, we will be looking at the power of prayer 00:51 and the power of people who care. 00:54 A couple of years ago experts estimated 00:56 there had been two and half million 00:58 new AIDS infected people in that one year. 01:01 Despite medical progress HIV and AIDS 01:04 still adversely affect millions of families. 01:08 Today we will visit some Adventists missionaries 01:10 working to educate people about the disease. 01:13 We will also talk with Richard Elofer, 01:15 director of The World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center, 01:19 one of the global missions study centers. 01:21 We'll also take a historical look 01:23 at some early Adventist missionaries with David Trim, 01:26 the director of Archives, Statistics and Research 01:29 for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 01:31 But first let's travel to Italy and a church 01:34 using prayer to help their church grow. 01:39 Milan, Italy one of the most secularized regions of Europe, 01:45 home to amazing architecture, music, fancy shops, 01:48 fashion and everything that can make your empty heart feel full. 01:53 Though at least that's what the people 01:54 who live here would like to think. 01:57 Italy is also home to one in sixty million people 02:00 and there is only one Adventist for every 6,900 people. 02:05 The Adventist church has had a difficult time growing here. 02:09 We have a very secularize society and it affects 02:15 the society and the church also. 02:19 So it's not easy to come to people 02:24 that think they don't need God, don't need religion. 02:29 So we must find strategies to come around us, 02:34 hold the biases and prejudiced 02:37 that people has-- have in their minds. 02:41 So this is our challenge, hence we see 02:44 that some results are appearing here in them. 02:53 (Speaking in foreign language) 03:03 Outside of Milan is the area of Bergamo. 03:07 Here a small Seventh-day Adventist meets each Sabbath. 03:12 The work small can be used to describe the building 03:14 that they need in, not the size of the congregation. 03:18 Several years ago the church was small and had no growth, 03:22 church leaders decided to try establishing small groups 03:26 that would use prayer as their out reach to the community. 03:29 The members organized into small groups that would meet 03:32 several times a week in member's homes. 03:36 They would study the Bible for a deeper understanding 03:38 of Jesus and his love for them. 03:41 At the same time they pray that God would bring people 03:44 to them so they could share their faith. 03:47 For several months this continued and then people 03:50 from outside the church started attending the small groups. 03:54 These new arrivals were coworkers and mutual friends 03:57 who wanted to find a deeper meaning in their lives. 04:01 Slowly the small church started to grow. 04:04 Sabbath school became a time of deep 04:07 spiritual study and prayer. 04:09 The small groups would meet in their own Sabbath school groups 04:12 and then pour over the scriptures together. 04:15 Then the last 15 minutes of Sabbath school were dedicated 04:19 to praying in small groups. 04:21 These groups would pray for God to bring 04:24 new people to them, people who were also searching 04:27 for the truth in Jesus. 04:30 Soon the church had more than doubled the size 04:33 and had quickly out grown its small building. 04:37 Today there are 11 Lay leaders at the church 04:40 and each one is in charge of a small group. 04:42 There is even talk of starting a church plant 04:45 in another near by community to elevate 04:48 the crowded church each Sabbath. 04:50 God has truly answered the prayers 04:52 of the Bergamo church. 04:55 (Speaking in foreign language) 04:57 In the mission of the church the gospel 05:00 has not completed its mission until in the church 05:03 between the members and its totality has accepted 05:06 the character of Christ in such a way 05:09 we will meet one time per week 05:11 after we can meet two times per week. 05:13 So times people meet three, four, five times per week. 05:16 We eat together, we enjoy together, 05:18 we sing together and we also weep together 05:21 and in such a way the Lord will put people in his church. 05:27 Your prayerful support at the mission offering 05:30 helps provide resources to small churches like Bergamo 05:34 as they strive to reflect the character of Christ 05:37 and bring the members of their community to Jesus. 05:41 Thank you, for supporting the mission 05:44 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 05:49 One of the many activities and initiatives 05:52 of the office of Adventist Mission 05:54 are the Global Mission's Study Centers. 05:56 One of these study centers 05:58 is the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center. 06:02 This is a centre that has been based in Jerusalem 06:05 and recently moved to Paris, France. 06:08 And I am delighted to welcome 06:10 Dr. Richard Elofer, to the program. 06:12 Richard, you have been the director 06:14 of this centre for many years now? 06:17 Yeah, about 12 years. Twelve years. 06:21 The study centers are set up to help us build 06:24 better bridges of understanding with people 06:26 from different faith tradition. 06:28 Now where does your knowledge of Judaism come from? 06:31 Oh, my knowledge comes from my education, 06:35 because I am a Jew. 06:36 I was born as a Jew and then I was raised as Jew. 06:41 I did my bar mitzvah course, normal education of a Jew. 06:47 That's why I have a good knowledge 06:49 of Judaism and what is to be a Jew. 06:53 Yes, now tell me a little bit about the centre. 06:55 What is the sort of things that you do? 06:58 What are your goals? 07:00 Our goal is to raise an understanding 07:06 inside of the church and outside of the church 07:09 and good relationships between Jews and Adventists. 07:15 That is our first goal and that's why we try to make 07:20 the church known among the Jews in order to have them 07:25 to--to have a good understanding 07:28 of who we are and what we believe. 07:31 Outline some of the areas that we share 07:34 in common with our Jewish neighbors. 07:36 Oh, we have many of them. 07:38 We have of course a Sabbath because 07:40 we are the Seventh-day Adventist, 07:42 seventh day means a Sabbath. 07:44 And we have also all our lifestyle 07:48 and our health principles and many things like that. 07:53 In fact which share the same Bible, 07:56 the same God, the same Messiah 07:58 we have so many things in common with the Jewish people. 08:02 Now as Adventist we believe very strongly 08:05 and we promote religious freedom and so there are times 08:09 when a Jewish person will decide, 08:13 I want to fellowship with Adventist. 08:15 How do we make this more comfortable for then? 08:19 I understand it we have a number 08:21 of different congregations describe those for me. 08:24 Yeah, you know, we have among us some Jews 08:28 who have accepted that Jesus which is called in Hebrew, 08:33 Yeshua as a Messiah. 08:36 And because they are coming to us we welcome them, 08:39 we accepts them. 08:41 But we are very careful not to hurt them and to shock them 08:48 and that's why we have decided to worship 08:52 in some of our congregation in the Jewish style. 08:57 And that's why we have Hebrew Adventist congregation 09:02 or some other says Jewish Adventist congregation 09:05 some other says Jewish Adventist synagogue. 09:09 Because we want to have the keepers that they lead 09:12 to seeing them to pray in Hebrew exactly like 09:16 we can do in the synagogue. 09:18 On Sabbath morning we opens Torah scroll like 09:22 in the synagogue and we have the Kiddush. 09:25 We have all the stuff of Jewish synagogue in our congregations. 09:32 Now I had the privilege of worshiping 09:34 in some of these congregations 09:36 and not coming from the Jewish background 09:38 and it is still very meaningful for me. 09:41 And do you find that you have many other Adventist 09:45 who come and say this is a meaningful way to worship. 09:47 Yeah, in fact not only Adventists 09:49 but also some other traditions from other denominations 09:53 because in fact that our roots are in Hebrew Bible 09:58 and we have common roots with the Jewish people. 10:02 And many Christians are very interesting to discover 10:06 the Jewish or Hebrew roots of their faith. 10:11 And that's why they are coming to our congregation 10:14 to our worship and they are very happy to read the Bible 10:18 and to understand the Bible with a new eyes. 10:22 With a Jewish point of view 10:24 and that is very interesting for them. 10:26 That's why we attract in our congregation 10:29 Jews, Messianic, Christians and Adventist. 10:35 A broad range. 10:36 Now Richard tell me about the recent incentive 10:40 for a radio station that you were involved in. 10:42 Yeah, since I am now in Paris 10:45 and if I came to Paris to France it because France 10:49 is third Jewish country in the world 10:52 after America and Israel and I try to think a little bit 10:59 what can I do in Paris in France to make this relationship 11:03 and to build understanding between Jews and Adventist. 11:07 And they found radio is quite a good way 11:12 because 20, 30 years ago we had to ask government 11:17 for authorization to have channel on FM et cetera 11:22 but today it's completely free. 11:25 With internet we can do what ever we want. 11:28 And then I decided to open a web radio. 11:32 This web radio is called Shema-Israel-Radio.net 11:40 or dot com is coming to also and in this radio 11:47 we have right now beautiful music, 11:51 Messianic music and Jewish music 11:55 and also the reading of the Bible in Hebrew. 11:59 Oh, Lovely And we are planning 12:01 to record very soon some talk program 12:04 because Jews are very interesting by talk. 12:08 We can see everywhere Jews 12:10 are very educated and they are listening 12:13 talk radio everywhere. 12:15 Fantastic. Now, Richard, just quickly 12:17 for more information on this centre 12:20 how can-- how can our viewers find them? 12:23 How can-- They get more information. 12:24 What's the website? 12:25 Okay, the website if JewishAdventist.org 12:30 Oh that's easy. JewishAdentist.org 12:32 Yeah. Thank you, 12:33 so much for joining us today, Richard. 12:35 Thank you, very much for inviting me. 12:37 Viewers at home please do remember Pastor Elofer 12:40 and his ministry in your prayers. 12:43 There are more than 50 Jewish Adventist congregations 12:46 spread in various parts of the world 12:48 today worshiping every Sabbath. 12:51 These are congregations that are open, 12:53 that are accommodating, that are friendly, 12:55 that are contextualized to be attractive 12:58 to our Jewish brothers and sisters. 13:00 And please, look for opportunities 13:02 in your neighborhoods, in your workplace to open up 13:06 your arms of friendship to our Jewish friends with whom we have 13:10 so much in common and may God richly bless us 13:13 as we try to be open everybody who comes from 13:17 a different faith tradition and needs to know 13:19 that we are their friends and that we love them. 14:10 My guest is Dr. David Trim, a historian 14:12 who is the director of Archives and Statistics, 14:15 and Research at the Seventh-day Adventists world headquarters. 14:19 David, thanks for joining us. 14:20 It's my pleasure, Gary. 14:21 What we are going to talk about 14:23 some of the Adventists pioneers who have been very significant 14:27 for the mission of the church, who we are going to look at. 14:30 I think we can talk about 14:31 John Collas and William Spicer Gary. 14:34 Wonderful names that I am familiar with, 14:36 tell me about Elder Collas. 14:37 Collas is interesting. 14:39 He has a personal connection since with us because 14:42 with out Collas the church in Australia 14:44 where we both grew up would not have 14:46 developed in the same way. 14:47 I have a lot to thank him for. 14:49 In deed, you know, Collas doesn't spend 14:52 all of his life as a missionary but he does have 14:55 some significant periods in mission service. 14:57 He was born just after Christmas in the 1845. 15:02 He was originally a Baptist but he became 15:04 a Seventh-day Adventist when he was just 23 and in 1868 15:09 he became the Chaplin or what was then called 15:10 the Western Health Reform Institute that's become 15:13 Battle Creek Sanitarium that is the first 15:16 Adventist Healthcare Institution and he became its Chaplin 15:19 when it was only two years old. 15:22 So he plays a very key role in forming 15:24 the Adventist health work. 15:25 He then later in the 1870s and 80s works as a minister 15:29 and evangelist right across the United States. 15:31 But a key day comes in 1985 when he goes with Elder S. N. Haskell 15:36 and others as the first Adventists missionaries 15:39 to Australia and of course that is when the church 15:42 in Australia gets, gets founded. 15:44 As with many countries in the world, Gary, 15:47 Adventists had been there before the first missionaries 15:50 came because that read Adventists literature 15:53 but these are the first party 15:55 of the first Adventists missionaries to go to Australia. 15:57 And so in a sense everything that happens 16:00 with the church in Australia which is still 16:02 sort of a powerhouse or Adventism 16:03 comes from their work. 16:05 And Collas was particularly important because 16:08 he conducted evangelistic campaigns in Melbourne 16:10 and Adelaide and some other Australian cities 16:12 which were tremendously successful. 16:15 He won large numbers of converts including 16:17 a few from the upper classes which is, 16:19 you know, Adventists don't always reach. 16:22 And that was important because their tithes and offerings 16:25 help to sustain the church. 16:27 And so really without Collas and his evangelistic series 16:33 the church in Australia just wouldn't have taken off. 16:36 Now, when he went to Australia 16:37 who did you say he went with? 16:39 S. N. Haskell, Steven Haskell. 16:40 Steven Haskell. And Haskell himself, 16:42 you know, he would be a good subject 16:44 for another time perhaps. Oh, yeah, he was particularly 16:46 close with Ellen White of course. 16:47 In deed. In deed. So these--these men 16:50 went with their families, got on a boat, 16:52 went all the way to Australia and then 16:54 that wasn't that easy back then. 16:55 No, in deed it's a journey of weeks 16:58 to go across the pacific not like today. 17:00 I mean it seems long enough now flying across the pacific 17:04 but much longer than and, you know, quite a alien society. 17:08 Australia and United States were similar in some ways 17:11 both being frontier societies, but of course Australia 17:15 was--had been founded by Britain as a colony 17:17 and so it would have been alien to them in many ways 17:21 but they are willing to do it they were enthusiastic. 17:24 And Collas as I said plays this key role as an evangelist. 17:28 But also he establishes the first Adventists magazine, 17:31 the first church paper in Australia the Bible Echo. 17:34 Which also it help to meet the church together 17:37 and won more people, won new conducts as well. 17:41 And he remained in Australia for two years 17:44 then he went back to California 17:45 because he had some health problems 17:48 but he went to Australia again 17:49 and was there for another 3 years from 1893 to 1896 17:54 before and of course that was the stage 17:56 when Ellen White was also there. 17:59 But he returns to the States in 1896 and then he, 18:02 his key role there after for a while was in religious liberty 18:06 and he actually appealed before a US senate committee 18:10 to testify about a proposed Sunday law. 18:12 Its often remembered that A.T. Jones 18:14 was the great hero of religious liberty but Collas 18:17 as involved as Jones was and he helped to stop 18:22 those, those moved towards 18:24 the national Sunday law in 1890s. 18:26 Now, tell us about the second man Elder Spicer, 18:30 very significant for Adventist mission. 18:32 Spicer could not be more significant actually, 18:35 you know, Gary. 18:37 Spicer's demand who creates 18:40 Adventists mission I would say. 18:42 He himself served as a, as a missionary. 18:44 He went to England when he was just 22. 18:47 Help set up the work there, came back to America 18:50 to be the foreign mission security 18:52 of the General Conference. 18:54 And because of his work, while he was there that 18:56 was one of the reason they were able to buy 18:58 the land on which they established Salus Mission 19:01 which is today Salus University. 19:03 And then he went to India. 19:05 He went to India in 1898 and for three years 19:08 he was the only ordained minister 19:11 in the whole of southern Asia. 19:13 He founded the Adventist Periodical Day, 19:15 he really set the work on a, a good foundation. 19:18 Then he goes back to America 19:20 to be the Sectary of the Foreign Mission Board 19:23 but the following year 1902 he became 19:26 Sectary of the General Conference 19:29 and for nearly 20 years 19:32 he was the Sectary of the General Conference. 19:33 Now a lot of viewers won't know 19:35 but the Secretariat of the GC is what's responsible 19:38 for sending foreign missions. 19:41 But how do you do that? 19:42 How do you send foreign missionaries? 19:44 You have to do all the logistics 19:45 of actually shipping them over, 19:47 taking care of them, their families. 19:49 Bring them back periodically few fellows. 19:52 It requires a huge infrastructure. 19:54 That's the part of mission service 19:56 we often don't talk about because it isn't glamorous. 19:59 But Spicer creates the infra structure 20:02 that allows the Seventh-day Adventist Church 20:04 to send foreign missionaries all around the world 20:07 and to keep them there for long periods of time, 20:11 which includes bringing them home from time to time. 20:13 You know and that's still a major part 20:15 of the bureaucracy of General Conference, 20:18 but it's a necessary part and that is really 20:21 all the creation of William Ambrose Spicer. 20:23 There is one other key role he played. 20:25 He himself traveled the world between 1900 and 1940 20:30 there were four years in which he didn't go abroad to travel. 20:35 And every where he went he wrote articles for church papers. 20:38 And I would say, Gary, that Spicer implanted 20:42 worldwide missions in the Seventh-day Adventist DNA 20:45 so we have a huge amount to thank him for. 20:48 David, I wish we had a couple of hours, 20:50 because he is a fascinating member. 20:51 Thank you, so much. 20:53 Pleasure. Our viewers at home 20:55 we have so much to be thankful for in terms of people 20:59 who pioneered the way, who under God's guidance, 21:03 under His blessing had a vision. 21:05 They worked hard. 21:07 Many of them died young. 21:08 Many actually went overseas for mission 21:11 and they never came home and such sort 21:14 of pioneering service, such sort of commitment 21:17 to mission that we build on today and we thank them 21:20 for what they have done and we know 21:21 that God's spirit is still working today 21:24 in men and woman to follow them for mission. 21:31 To the Maasai walking is a way of life. 21:34 This morning they are walking 21:35 to the Seventh-day Adventist Church 21:37 to attend a seminar about HIV/AIDS. 21:41 Many Maasai people continue to live a very traditional life 21:44 living in arid parts of the country, 21:47 where water is scarce. 21:48 Food and vegetables are almost unheard off 21:50 and their diet consists all most exclusively of milk 21:54 which they drink at least three times a day. 21:58 Long time medical missionaries Oscar and Eugenia Giordano, 22:02 are in Kenya to share information about HIV/AIDS 22:05 and to bring hope to those affected. 22:08 The husband and wife team of medical doctors 22:11 are heading up to Seventh-day Adventist Churches 22:13 HIV/AIDS ministry in Africa, 22:16 the Adventist Aids International ministry. 22:20 They encourage Adventist congregations to find ways 22:23 to help those infected with HIV, 22:26 to accept them and to give them the hope. 22:29 During the five days seminar Oscar and Eugenia 22:32 are staying in this Maasai Maniata 22:34 made of branches, plaster with cow dung 22:37 and usually covered with grass thatched. 22:41 You see us in a Maniata this is a traditional Maasai house 22:44 and usually the Maasai house, houses are very very dark inside 22:50 so that fly's wont come, but this one has been 22:52 tailored to due to our needs, 22:55 and there is light and there are flies. 22:58 They are also given Maasai names Eugenia 23:01 was given the name Naipota which means 'full of knowledge' 23:05 and Oscar was given the name Saruni 23:07 which means 'the one who came to help us.' 23:11 In the mornings before the programs 23:13 begin they walk the hills near by learning about Maasai ways 23:17 like the Maasai toothbrush, just chew the ends of a branch 23:21 from a special bush until you get bristles 23:24 and then brush away. 23:28 The area has been hit hard by drought. 23:32 You see this time we are experiencing 23:34 one of the toughest drought in Maasai island history 23:37 because for the last four years we had never had a good rain 23:40 to sustain to animals and we have lost 23:43 quite number of animals, almost 80 percent 23:46 of the animals on this island have been wiped by the drought. 23:50 The drought takes a human toll too especially 23:53 on those infected with HIV/AIDS who need 23:56 nutritious food like vegetables, to maintain their health. 24:00 Someday the Giordano's hope to have enough money 24:03 to drill a well that will provide water 24:05 for the surrounding area. 24:07 During the seminars the doctors share information 24:10 about HIV/AIDS with the group. 24:13 Then Dr. Eugenia spends time with the woman and girls 24:17 and Dr. Oscars spends time with the men and boys. 24:20 In the Maasai culture most men have more than one wife. 24:24 Many people practice polygamy, and if one is infected 24:29 the whole family is infected. 24:31 Yet many are afraid to be tested for fear 24:33 they will be ostracized. 24:36 And there are other problems with getting people 24:38 to understand how HIV/AIDS is transmitted. 24:41 Some still believe that evil spirits are responsible 24:44 for AIDS and for some there are other more immediate needs. 24:49 You know we found that the HIV message 24:53 about prevention, if it comes alone doesn't help 24:56 very much, because people are hungry. 24:58 So found if we can give them 25:00 practical solutions, they will listen. 25:03 So here in Maasai land, this group of people 25:07 they have different income generating activities, 25:09 for example they have a barber shop 25:12 where the young people they cut hair, 25:15 they have an earning, and at the same time 25:17 every person that is sitting 25:19 there will learn about HIV and AIDS. 25:21 The Giordano's also help by encouraging 25:24 them to grow small kitchen gardens and providing 25:27 a way for woman to earn money by sewing, 25:29 making beadwork crafts and baking bread 25:32 and cakes in a charcoal oven. 25:35 There is no electricity here and the closest barber shop 25:37 and bakery are some 40 kilometers away. 25:41 The Giordano's HIV/AIDS ministry 25:43 extends far beyond Maasai land. 25:45 In Kenya, the Giordano's are helping support churches 25:49 and other community organizations ministering 25:52 to those with HIV/AIDS. 25:55 Kingeero Adventist Church is helping grandmothers 25:58 earn a living by sewing, crafts and baking. 26:02 They are also making and bottling liquid detergent 26:05 and they even have their own yogurt production, 26:08 thanks to a new refrigerator bought by donors in Australia. 26:12 But one project leader has a special place 26:14 in the Giordano's hearts. 26:17 They met Angelina through the Adventist church 26:19 across the street from their ministry. 26:21 Angelina has been working with HIV/AIDS orphans 26:24 and their grandmothers, often retired, who are suddenly 26:28 faced with raising their grand children. 26:31 AAIM has funded project so that these grandmothers 26:34 can grow gardens or earn a small income 26:37 to help put food on the table. 26:40 Recently Angelina has been told that she, 26:42 the grandmothers and orphans, must leave the building 26:45 where she is been running her programs. 26:48 The Giordano's yearn to do more. 26:51 Everywhere they turned they see more needs, 26:54 more people who need hope. 26:58 Help somebody and you will feel such a happiness 27:02 in your heart that is priceless. 27:11 Global mission staff regularly gathers 27:13 the latest stories and information 27:16 about mission work from countries all around the globe. 27:19 If you live in North America and would like to know more 27:21 about what Global Mission pioneers are doing 27:24 or what you can do to help plan new congregations 27:28 then call us or visit our website 27:30 and ask for frontline vision or offer number 301. 27:35 Please remember clearly state your name and mailing address 27:39 and be sure to mention Frontline Edition or offer 301. 27:46 Well, I hope you enjoyed today's program. 27:48 Thank you, so much or supporting 27:50 Global Mission with your prayer and finances 27:52 and also with your mission offerings. 27:55 Remember to learn more about mission at any time 27:57 just visit our website at AdventistMission.org 28:02 Until next time I am Gary Krause 28:04 wishing you God's richest blessing 28:05 and I hope you can join me next time 28:08 right here on Global Mission Snapshots. |
Revised 2014-12-17