Participants: Gary Krause (Host), Lester Merklin, Nancy Kyte
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000050
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00:01 Adventist Mission in the West African
00:02 country of Benin, a mission plane 00:05 making a difference in the South Pacific 00:07 and the Global Centre for Adventist Muslim Relations, 00:11 all that and much more coming up next on 00:13 "Global Mission Snapshots." 00:26 Just before He went up to heaven, 00:28 Jesus gave us a command. He gave us a mission. 00:34 Jesus said, "Go. 00:36 Go unto all the world, telling them of His love. 00:41 This is our mission. This is our Global Mission." 00:50 Hello, I'm Gary Krause and welcome to 00:52 Global Mission Snapshots. 00:54 On today's program, we'll introduce you 00:57 to people on the front lines of mission, 00:59 finding new and fresh ways to share the old, old story. 01:04 Today we'll be talking with Nancy Kyte 01:06 about the country of Benin in West Africa. 01:09 We'll see how some Korean Adventists 01:11 are literally touching the lives of lepers in China. 01:15 And we'll talk with Lester Merklin, 01:17 director of the Global Centre for Adventist Muslim Relations. 01:22 But first up, let's visit Papua New Guinea 01:25 where we'll see a mission plane in action and learn about 01:28 how Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings are making a difference. 01:33 It's early morning before dawn. 01:36 The Adventist aviation plane is parked in the hangar. 01:39 Daniel, our pilot arrives and gets the aircraft ready 01:42 for its first mission today. 01:44 Fasten your seatbelts as we taxi to the runway. 01:48 This is another day of mission service. 01:53 We are flying northeast over Papua New Guinea 01:56 at an altitude of 10,000 feet. 01:59 It's fairly warm in the plane 02:00 and it's a gorgeous morning out the window. 02:04 Papua New Guinea is one of the most 02:06 culturally diverse places on earth 02:09 with pristine teeming jungles, jagged mountains, 02:13 deep valleys and turbulent rivers. 02:17 It's one of the least developed 02:18 and most traditional countries on this planet 02:21 where people live much as they have 02:23 for thousands of years. 02:25 And we're on our way to a remote place 02:27 in the highlands of New Guinea to visit a small village. 02:34 Look down, there it is. 02:36 We're approaching our first destination. 02:38 The villagers are always happy to see us. 02:41 These two children even made model airplanes 02:44 as a sign of admiration for the aviation service. 02:48 The cargo is quickly unloaded here 02:50 and we are off to our next appointment. 02:55 The Seventh-day Adventist plane 02:57 travels to local towns and villages 02:59 where it is very hard to reach with food, 03:01 supplies and medicines for the clinics. 03:04 By plane we can cover distances in an hour 03:08 where it would have taken weeks in the past. 03:10 And for some villages it's the only way in 03:13 as there are no roads. 03:16 On our next stop we will surprise the people 03:18 with a very unique gift, a lawnmower. 03:21 It may seem a trivial tool but to the local people 03:24 it will provide a way to maintain their surroundings, 03:27 gardens, plantations 03:29 and even a clear runway for the plane. 03:32 They seemed very excited with the new gift. 03:35 And after a simple demonstration 03:37 they are equipped to continue the work. 03:41 On our last leg of our trip we will pickup bags of crops. 03:45 The airplane will transport the merchandise to the city 03:48 and bring back means to provide for this community's survival. 03:57 Your mission offerings supports projects like these everyday 04:00 and it helps thousands of people to get connected 04:03 with the Seventh-day Adventist church 04:05 and experience firsthand the love of God. 04:08 Please pray and continue to support Adventist mission. 04:16 Dr. Lester Merklin is the director 04:18 of the Global Centre for Adventist Muslim Relations 04:21 and he is also our guest on today's program. 04:24 Lester, thank you so much for joining us. 04:27 Just a few minutes ago, I was talking with someone 04:29 who said to me, you know, one of the problems 04:31 in the Adventist Church is that so many people 04:34 have negative feelings about Muslims. 04:36 And I think that this is fair across 04:39 the spectrum of Christian Churches. 04:42 Why do you think that there is 04:43 this feeling of antipathy toward Muslim? 04:49 Oh, obviously there is a long history. 04:53 Ever since way back to the nation of Israel 04:58 in the Old Testament times and on through history 05:01 there has been tensions, 05:05 but that has been really exasperated 05:07 in our own lifetime with wars, with misunderstandings, 05:14 with sides being taken and even though 05:17 the Christian world and the Muslim world will say, 05:21 "Hey, we're re based on peace and not forcing anybody 05:26 to believe like we believe." 05:29 But humans are humans 05:32 and we start marking of our turfs. 05:36 And today it's certain, it's quite strong, 05:41 especially since 9/11 and that's not just 05:44 from an Adventist or a Christian viewpoint. 05:47 The Muslims in North America, especially the ones 05:50 that I've talked to in the Detroit area. 05:54 They are very concerned by what that kind of action 05:59 caused in people's mind about Islam as a whole. 06:04 And of course, not all Islam, 06:07 not all every Muslim is the kind 06:09 that's going to do those kinds of things, 06:12 but that's the image we get, 06:13 that's the media that is presented 06:16 because it makes headlines. Yeah. 06:19 Now obviously we try to build bridges 06:22 of understanding between Christians 06:25 and between Muslim, but there are major differences. 06:27 What are some of the major differences in their beliefs? 06:31 Well, the things that that have kept a Muslim 06:36 from understanding or a Christian 06:38 stands in their faith is especially things like 06:42 our understanding of God being visible in its three 06:49 that the trinity concepts here. 06:51 And we can understand that. 06:53 That's hard to understand how you can really 06:56 believe in one God and yet he seems 06:58 to presented Himself in three persons. 07:02 And so that that would be item number one 07:05 that would cause a Muslim to say 07:08 Christians really can't be monotheist, 07:11 they can't really believe in one God 07:14 even if they claim to. 07:16 So that's, that's a major item. 07:18 And then the concept that Jesus 07:22 who is very highly respected in Islam-- 07:25 And seen as a prophet. 07:26 And seen as a prophet, by some of them 07:29 even the highest prophet. 07:31 Even though the Quran says there are no differences 07:33 between prophets still He is a prophet that healed, 07:37 He is a prophet 07:38 that had a special relationship with the God. 07:40 The Quran says he is a prophet who came from God. 07:43 So those things we could say, yes, 07:45 we have similar ways of looking at Jesus, 07:48 but the idea that God would have to work out a plan, 07:52 where God would have a death to cover our sins 07:57 that is very hard for our Muslim neighbors to understand. 08:01 God is God. 08:03 And if we say we're sorry, 08:06 He has the right to be able to say, 08:07 "Okay, I'll forgive you." Right. 08:09 And I can understand that that concern 08:14 when they have not heard the whole reason of 08:17 why we understand Jesus' death. 08:20 As I understand it part of role of the centre 08:23 that you direct is to help us explain more clearly 08:27 and more attractively why we believe the way we do, 08:30 so that Muslims can understand it. 08:32 Sure, I would say our two biggest reasons 08:34 for being a centre is, number one, 08:36 to help Adventist understand who their Muslim neighbor is 08:40 so that they can be the friends 08:41 that a Christian ought to be. 08:43 And secondly, that the Muslim can understand 08:46 who Adventists are and our standard 08:53 being completely submitted to God 08:55 and doing what God wants us to 08:57 and preparing for the judgment just like they understand. 09:00 And therefore we can have that friendship 09:03 even though we see some things very different. 09:07 Yeah, now, if someone's viewing this program 09:10 and they have a Muslim neighbor, 09:13 but they're shy of-- 09:17 They're not sure where they should start 09:19 in talking, you know, that because I don't want to give 09:21 offence or anything. 09:22 Because as you said they come 09:23 from a different views in some ways. 09:26 What are some of the things 09:27 we need to keep in mind in relating? 09:29 I mean, obviously we need to be human 09:30 and loving and all that, but-- 09:32 That's what I was gonna say. 09:33 First of all, Gary, I think we have to-- 09:36 always have to remember that they're human. Of course. 09:40 Many of them are maybe a short time 09:44 in America for instance. 09:46 We all know what it's like when we are in a new area, 09:49 different culture, different things happening, 09:51 you feel lost and to have a real live American in Chicago, 09:56 New York, Detroit, Los Angeles 09:58 saying, hey, I'm your neighbor. 10:01 We'll go long ways to make friends. 10:05 Because they are human and they have the same needs 10:08 that we have. 10:10 When it comes to cultural ways, 10:15 we need to respect obviously. 10:18 Our culture isn't perfect. 10:21 No one's culture is perfect 10:22 and yet every culture has good things. 10:25 I'm glad that I spent six years living in Pakistan. 10:30 I learned some things about community, friendship, 10:35 social hospitality that sometimes 10:38 we don't think of here, so-- 10:40 And they also have some very good food. 10:42 Excellent food and we still eat every chance we can get. 10:45 Lester, thank you so much for sharing with us today. 10:48 I really appreciate it. 10:49 And if you want to find out more about these types of things 10:53 that Dr. Merklin has been sharing with us, 10:56 you can go to our website at islam.adventistmission.org. 11:01 islam.adventistmission.org. 11:04 And there you'll find some resources, 11:05 some information that will help you understand 11:08 more the sort of things 11:09 that Dr. Merklin has been sharing with us 11:12 because our Muslim brothers and sisters 11:14 are there to be our friends. 12:01 It's my pleasure to welcome my colleague 12:04 and friend Nancy Kyte 12:06 who is the marketing director for Adventist mission. 12:08 Nancy, thanks for joining us. Thank you for inviting me. 12:11 Now, Nancy, our topic today is the country of Benin. Yes. 12:15 Now in case there's any viewers 12:17 who may not know exactly where that is, 12:19 can you describe its location? 12:21 It is in West Africa. 12:23 You know, kind of where that shape 12:25 that little hump comes out, 12:26 it's right in the middle part of that, 12:29 it borders the ocean. 12:30 Okay, now some-- 20 something years ago, 12:34 I went to Benin and I remember 12:35 it is being the capital of voodoo 12:38 and I went to the town of Whydah 12:41 and they have a temple to Voodoo, etcetera. 12:43 How prevalent is voodoo is till today? 12:46 Oh, it's still very prevalent. 12:48 And I was told that many children are 12:50 dedicated to voodoo just as soon as they're born. 12:53 So it's still part of their life. 12:56 But the Adventist Church is very active in that country, 12:59 planting churches. 13:00 Tell me about a village that you've visited. 13:03 Well, we had a chance to visit 13:04 a village or a city actually called Parakou. 13:07 Okay, so it wasn't just a small village? 13:09 No, it was in the central part of the country 13:11 and we drove, you know, many hours to get there. 13:14 But it was interesting because we wanted to see 13:17 this area because 10 years ago 13:19 there was no Adventist presence there. 13:21 Global Mission Pioneer had gone there, 13:25 worked hard and was able to start 13:27 a very small congregation 13:29 and now there is a thriving church there. 13:32 And the pioneers, he is still there or is a-- 13:35 That pioneer has actually 13:37 gone on to work in other areas, so there on I think, 13:40 there are second or third pastor. 13:42 But this pastor that they have now 13:43 was himself a pioneer in another area prior to coming there. 13:48 Wonderful. 13:49 For those viewers who may not be familiar 13:50 with Global Mission Pioneers, these are lay people, 13:54 who don't have extensive theological training, 13:56 but they get a basic training and they go out 13:58 with one goal and that is to start 14:00 a new Seventh-day Adventist congregation 14:03 in a new area and they don't get paid a whole lot, 14:05 they get a living stipend 14:06 which is enough to put food on the table, 14:08 give them some basic resources. 14:11 And for me, at least when I meet a pioneer 14:13 it's always an amazing experience 14:16 because they are sacrificing on what they're doing. 14:18 They sure are and their families sacrifices, too. 14:21 Now, Nancy, they have some plans, 14:23 the church has some plans in that area? 14:25 Oh, yes, they do. 14:27 As the church has grown they've tried to see, you know, 14:30 what they can do to impact the community around them. 14:34 And it's so happens that at their union 14:37 or at the Benin mission, 14:40 they were also wanting to figure out 14:41 how can they spread out their influence. 14:43 How can they help Adventism grow there 14:46 and they were looking for a place to put a school. 14:50 They weren't exactly sure where it should go. Okay. 14:53 Now I'm guessing it's gonna be in the city. 14:55 You guessed right. 14:58 Now we before we go on to that, 14:59 you brought a video clip and I want to see 15:01 this video clip because it's gonna be proof 15:04 that you're actually there. Oh, yes. 15:06 And that I tried to do something new. 15:08 I've never done this before. 15:10 Okay, let's see if we can see this video clip. 15:11 So, yes. 15:15 Describe what we're seeing here. 15:16 Well, these ladies are pounding yams, 15:18 it's a white yam. 15:20 And I came along we had just eaten at a restaurant 15:23 and I wanted to say, you know, I enjoyed the food 15:28 and they were laughing and I heard pounding 15:32 and I heard chopping noises, 15:34 so I just stuck my head into wave hello 15:36 and they invited me to give it a trial. 15:38 And that is hard work, believe me. 15:40 Well, Nancy, I'm very impressed. 15:42 You look like you're natural. 15:44 Well, it's actually quite humiliating 15:46 because I thought I was stronger than that. 15:49 You know, that's hard work to get the meal on the table. 15:51 Yes, it is. 15:52 So they have plans to start this school. 15:54 How they're going to do it? 15:56 Well, this is an interesting thing 15:57 and it just shows how God is always 16:00 behind the scenes and at work. 16:02 Now there is a village there and the chief-- 16:06 And his councilmen had been wondering a long time-- 16:09 for a long time, 16:10 how can they make thing safe over their children? 16:13 How can they get a school closer 16:16 so that their children wouldn't have to walk on 16:18 the busy highway to school? 16:20 There is no school bus. 16:21 Most of the people in this village don't have cars 16:24 and so there is little choice, 16:26 but for the children to walk on this extremely busy road, 16:29 I mean they have to walk on the very edge 16:32 and share the road with, you know, 16:35 cross country trucks and motorcycles and so on. 16:38 Their parents are all farmers 16:41 and so they're working on their crops all day. 16:44 So there is this worry constantly about them. 16:48 So the chief one day had a thought 16:52 and he ran up by his council members and said, 16:54 "You know, I have property. 16:56 I would be willing to donate some of it, 16:58 if we could get someone to put a school on there. 17:01 But who are we going to find." 17:03 And this is part of course that no one knew 17:05 or at least the chief didn't know 17:07 and that is that the church officials 17:10 were wondering where in Benin they would put 17:12 their first school and of course, 17:14 that was the property that the chief had been 17:18 willing to gift to them. 17:19 Beautiful property. 17:21 And they have already started work on it in faith. 17:24 Some of the foundations have been built. 17:28 The chief has a real desire that this church have 17:31 or the school have electricity because he says, 17:34 "We wanted to be a light in the darkness." 17:36 Oh, isn't that nice? 17:37 Now he is thinking of it as being a literal right 17:40 and they want to have classes for children during the day 17:43 and at night then they want to have classes for adults 17:46 for literacy programs. 17:48 Right, and of course, for the church 17:50 it's gonna be a light as well. 17:52 It's going to be a light also for the church 17:54 and part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering 17:57 in first quarter of 2014 is going to help 18:01 support and fund this school. 18:03 Wonderful. 18:04 Now Adventists education is all through the world, 18:09 but this is the first school that would be built in Benin. 18:12 The first school that that anyone has any recollection of 18:15 and I didn't find any record 18:17 that there had been an Adventists school there. 18:19 Yeah, and this is in an area 18:21 where Christianity is not the dominant religion. 18:23 That's true. 18:24 And it is not the dominant religion and yet they know 18:27 that this will be an Adventists Christian school, 18:30 they know that there will be Adventists teachers 18:32 and they are eager to welcome them. 18:34 Fantastic. 18:35 Nancy, thanks for sharing with us. Thank you. 18:39 What a tremendous opportunity to provide education 18:42 for the people in the city in Benin. 18:45 Please, pray for this initiative. 18:47 And if you want to find out more about this project 18:49 as it continues on, there will be reports 18:52 on our website and you can find that at adventistmission.org, 18:55 easy to remember, adventistmission.org. 19:29 (Speaking in foreign language) 19:33 In the country of China, the situation of the lepers 19:36 has become a great tragedy. 19:41 There are 600 colonies and more than 250,000 lepers. 20:05 (Speaking in foreign language) 20:09 The first time I saw the lepers and I looked upon their faces, 20:14 I felt a great pain inside my heart, 20:17 but I felt called to serve them 20:19 because they are the sons and daughters of God. 20:40 These people were abandoned by society 20:43 and they feel that they don't belong. 20:46 Our goal is to help them feel special 20:48 that they are loved, but we also want them to know 20:52 that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for them 20:55 that they are redeemed and there is a kingdom for them. 21:12 I went to China in 2006 21:15 and saw the situation with the lepers 21:18 and found out that not one Adventist 21:21 was working to help them. 21:23 I wanted to do something to help. 21:52 We are involved with 18 projects 21:55 and we have more than 70 volunteers. 22:01 We live among the people into colony, 22:03 we eat with them, we serve them. 22:09 (Speaking in foreign language) 22:11 Jesus Christ served the people. 22:14 He provided for their needs. 22:16 That is what we are trying to do here. 22:19 We want to help these people and to provide for their needs, 22:23 just like, Jesus did. 22:27 So far, 327 lepers have been baptized. 22:35 My goal is to train these new converts 22:37 to serve and help other lepers. 23:08 The first time we touched the wounds of the lepers, 23:11 it helps them to feel that someone cares about them. 23:15 Through this, we are showing the love of Jesus to them. 23:18 We are earning their trust. 23:47 If you've enjoyed these images of mission, 23:49 I'm sure you want a copy of the new Adventist mission calendar. 23:53 This beautiful calendar will keep the people 23:55 in places of mission in front of you everyday of the year. 23:59 So if you live in North America, 24:01 please accept this free gift as a small thanks 24:04 for your prayers and support. 24:06 Just call toll free 1-800-648-5824 24:11 or visit our website 24:12 and ask for the Adventist mission calendar or offer 305, 24:18 that's adventistmission.org 24:19 and ask for the calendar or offer 305. 24:24 Well, I hope you've enjoyed today's program. 24:26 Thank you again for your continuing support 24:28 of Adventist mission through your prayers, 24:31 personal involvement and finances. 24:34 As we close, I hope you find 24:36 inspiration from mission in this video. 24:39 For Adventist mission, I'm Gary Krause 24:41 and I hope you can join us next time on 24:44 "Global Mission Snapshots." 25:20 I want to be always with my God 25:28 And shine His light to those who cannot see 25:37 In every moment 25:41 And every place 25:45 Almighty God 25:49 I long for your embrace 25:54 I want to be always with my God 26:03 And share His love to those 26:07 Who need the most 26:11 In every moment 26:15 And every place 26:20 Almighty God 26:23 I long for your embrace 26:30 Always with my God 26:38 We'll need His lovely hand 26:45 In every moment 26:49 And every place 26:54 Almighty God 26:57 I long for your embrace 27:05 Always with my God 27:14 We'll need His lovely hand 27:22 In every moment 27:26 And every place 27:31 Almighty God 27:35 I long for your embrace 27:46 Almighty God 27:50 I long for your embrace |
Revised 2014-12-17