A young boy who eavesdropped
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on his
babysitters Bible studies,
00:00:02.52\00:00:05.16
a Brazilian Pastor
reaching out to post moderns
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and the Adventist Church
touching lives in New York City
00:00:08.30\00:00:12.18
all that and much
more coming up next,
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on "Global Mission Snapshots."
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Just before He
went up to heaven,
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Jesus gave us a command.
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He gave us a
mission. Jesus said go.
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Go unto all the world,
telling them of His love.
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This is our mission.
This is our Global Mission.
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Hello, I'm Gary Krause
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and welcome to
Global Mission Snapshots.
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Dr. Kleber Goncalves, director
of Global Mission Center
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for Secular and
Postmodern Studies,
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preach us what he practices.
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Not only does he have his Ph.D
in ministry to postmodern people
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but this is the
focus of the church
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that he has planted and pastors
in heart of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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We'll be talking with him today.
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We'll also talk
Dr. May-Ellen Colon
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who cares for community services
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for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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But first stop, let's
visit the city of New York
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to learn more about
what's been happening there
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as part of Adventist Churches,
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'Mission to the
Cities' initiative.
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As we draw closer to
the end of each year,
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we often reflect
on recent events.
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In 2013 some of the
world's events made people smile
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and laugh, all
others caused too.
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Within the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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we are able to look
back on our positive efforts
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in New York City.
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Between preaching
and personalize ministry
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NewYork is have the opportunity
to see God's wonderful message.
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Members, organizations and teams
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work hard to
impact this large city.
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The One Year in Mission
team is just one example
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of those who spent
months in New York,
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contributing to
the churches mission.
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Coming together from
all regions of the world
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they planned unique
events to unite in mission.
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The cooking class was--
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an event maybe we just wanted to
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use it actually
used to get contact
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with community people
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at same time we wanted also
to teach them health principles,
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but more importantly we
wanted to lead them to God.
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If you think
about Christ ministry
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He always met
people where they were.
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He fed them first. He
didn't try to preach them,
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He didn't try to
teach them anything.
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He fed their need,
or He supplied the need
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that really helped Him
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to preach them
for the most part.
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As a team we worked so
hard to get everything ready.
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Each one of us
has a different roles.
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We got to dress
everyway Wednesday
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but at the end of every
Wednesday we are so happy
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and we were so glad to
see the reaction of the people
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how they enjoy the
class, the food, the fellowship,
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and I think these
classes are blessed.
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From week to week
it kept getting better
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and so we're really
thankful to God for that.
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People in Harlan,
they seemed like there are
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so much interested
about vegetarian food.
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Whenever I introduced like,
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okay, we have
vegetarian cooking class
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and this international
chef are from India
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and Mexico they were so
much interested in that.
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And that a woman who
has been coming to our class
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on a regular basis and
say I'm heavy meat either.
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She said I'm
about to change my life.
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My life is about to change.
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She said from here and
now I'm gonna change they way
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that I do things because
I've learned about new start
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and I can't go
back to what I was.
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There was one lady, who was old,
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we have a health lecture
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and then she was
suddenly interested
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and so she started coming
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and she was little
scriptural in the beginning
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but she was there
every single time,
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she was one of the once
who didn't miss any night.
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And I got to also make friends
with her and talk to her.
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It was better than I expected
because of the countries
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and the information the learning
about the different counties,
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it wasn't just vegetarian,
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it was a vegetarian
from all over the world.
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At the end our goal
was to introduce Jesus
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to the new start
and then at the end
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all we had a trust in God.
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We thought about
how can we connect
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this food activity to Christ.
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The best part is we don't
have to do something great,
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we can do small little things
and do it with all your heart
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and God can bless
that little, amazing.
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This team of youth spent months
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forming personal relationships
with their neighbors
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and finding ways to
contribute to their community.
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They have already gone
back to their home countries
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and or bringing
a fresh perspective
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on Mission to the Cities.
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Compassion Day is
just one of many events
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they can replicate back home.
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It's also what we can talk about
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how to show Jesus loves
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but we keep
talking without much doing.
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A group of young people
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thousands and thousands
of young people coming in.
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We had little
people, big people,
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older people doing things,
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that just sort of impacted
New York in a dynamic way.
00:06:04.18\00:06:07.99
I think that we use
the world compassion
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that's way we think it's a
box that we just place it there
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and everything is compassionate.
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I think
compassion is like butter
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you have your
bread and then you spread
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the compassion on out.
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And everyone that came
there from different places,
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they ever bringing with
them that compassion butter
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and wherever they went
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they were just
messing it around.
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It's living in way that shows
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Jesus love in a
real and practical way.
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The air about it
been at the park,
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walking across the bridge
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and then when we
convened it was just--
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you could feel it was a--
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it was a different
kind of spread around us
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and it was
really, really awesome.
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People they like
to be successful,
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so as you pray with people
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and the touch their needs
almost of people they like it.
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So when they knew that
it is praying with people,
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I knew that one is so nice
for me and nice for them too.
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I would like to take
this compassion movement
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and use it back home in
little acts of kindness,
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little acts of
generosity, little acts of love,
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that we can show people try
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and implement for
compassion moving back home,
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and maybe we can march
across Nelson Mandela Bridge.
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It's not just an
event, it's not a day,
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it's not a
weekend, its a lifestyle.
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The whole idea of
compassions something
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that I can take back home
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because its so easy to just
been ask the people essentially,
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stop and talk to someone,
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take the time to
give them the time of day,
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help someone across the street,
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take their
groceries to the house,
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just the small things.
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So it's about living and
locking compassion all the time.
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This Christian
youth as Adventist youth
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being available to do
such an activity on the Sabbath
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where we become the sermon
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that's what Compassion
Weekend was all about.
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In 2014 the Seventh-day
Adventist Church plans
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to branch out to
various cities around the world.
00:08:10.64\00:08:14.38
We will focus on one city
from each region of the world.
00:08:14.41\00:08:17.76
City such as
Tokyo, London and Mumbai
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are just a few plan for 2014.
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One city in each region
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is just the start of
this church initiative.
00:08:25.38\00:08:28.21
Between now and 2015
one city in each union
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will be chosen and beyond that
one city in each conference.
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By 2015 more than 650
of the world's major cities
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will have an opportunity
to know Jesus in a way
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they may not have
ever known Him before.
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More than half of the world's
population now lives in city.
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So the urban areas
are where we need to be.
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These are urban
areas are an important part
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of the work Christ
is called us to do.
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As we move forward
let us be encouraged to do
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amazing things through Christ.
00:09:01.02\00:09:03.47
Please pray for
Mission to the Cities
00:09:03.50\00:09:05.95
and thank you for
supporting the mission
00:09:05.98\00:09:08.63
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:09:08.66\00:09:10.84
My guest is
pastor Kleber Goncalves
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who is the director of
the Global Mission Center
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for Secular and
Postmodern Studies
00:09:22.58\00:09:24.83
and he also
pastors an Adventist Church
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in downtown Sao Paulo.
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Kleber, thanks so
much for joining us.
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My pleasure to be here.
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Now you're
originally from Brazil
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but you came to the
United State for sometime
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and now you're back in Brazil.
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What took you back to Sao Paulo?
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Actually let me mention a bit
what brought me here to the US.
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I was pastoring
Sao Paulo downtown,
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close to downtown actually.
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And I felt the needs
to understand new ways
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to reach a particular
group of people in that city.
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I was working in a church
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with
intellectual people involved,
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with high class type of members.
00:10:01.42\00:10:04.07
And the lowest that
we want to reach anyone.
00:10:04.10\00:10:06.54
So I said to
myself I need to learn
00:10:06.57\00:10:09.58
then we decide it to come
to the US or day before that.
00:10:09.61\00:10:13.92
And then we spend
almost nine years at Andrews
00:10:13.95\00:10:17.48
but you know, very,
very strong way go to--
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you're my son you go
back and you plant a church.
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Okay, so nine years
at Andrews University
00:10:25.36\00:10:27.63
where you actually studied
00:10:27.66\00:10:28.81
how to read
these sort of people.
00:10:28.84\00:10:29.96
Yeah. Okay.
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I spent quite few
years in there preparing.
00:10:31.05\00:10:34.75
I did my master degree
and my doctor degree in there
00:10:34.78\00:10:37.68
and then with
this dream to go back
00:10:37.71\00:10:40.19
and to plant this
church in downtown Sao Paulo.
00:10:40.22\00:10:45.23
Now that takes a lot of
planning, right? That's true.
00:10:45.26\00:10:49.10
So did you have a team,
00:10:49.13\00:10:50.72
you're working
with how did you start?
00:10:50.75\00:10:52.65
Well, at the beginning there is
spiritual experience with God.
00:10:52.68\00:10:55.22
I had no idea
with whom to start,
00:10:55.25\00:10:58.42
just myself or my wife.
00:10:58.45\00:10:59.81
I remember the day we arrived
00:10:59.84\00:11:02.26
I just open the
windows of the hotel room
00:11:02.29\00:11:04.76
we are staying at the time
00:11:04.79\00:11:05.90
and then I told her,
honey, just have a look.
00:11:05.93\00:11:09.63
Where do we go?
00:11:09.66\00:11:11.22
And we're just
praying to asking God
00:11:11.25\00:11:13.57
please send us the
right type of people,
00:11:13.60\00:11:16.53
people who have passion
00:11:16.56\00:11:18.29
for those who have
no idea, who are you?
00:11:18.32\00:11:21.26
And then I started from there.
00:11:21.29\00:11:23.55
I visit a few churches
00:11:23.58\00:11:25.27
and trying to find
this type of people
00:11:25.30\00:11:27.43
and the Lord was
just guiding them to us
00:11:27.46\00:11:30.11
and that's how we started.
00:11:30.14\00:11:31.73
So you look at of
your hotel windows
00:11:31.76\00:11:33.72
to a large city
of Sao Paulo city,
00:11:33.75\00:11:36.36
20 million people and
you said where do we start?
00:11:36.39\00:11:40.77
So you start
with a group of people
00:11:40.80\00:11:42.54
you pray them plant together,
what were your first steps?
00:11:42.57\00:11:45.88
Well, at the
beginning we were meeting
00:11:45.91\00:11:48.07
every single Sabbath afternoon
00:11:48.10\00:11:49.98
because all of us were attending
our own church at that time.
00:11:50.01\00:11:53.62
And we picked one
church to attend in the morning
00:11:53.65\00:11:55.79
because of our
kids in the afternoon
00:11:55.82\00:11:58.20
we work together praying doing
some vision casting with them
00:11:58.23\00:12:01.85
and during in that
asking Lord how can we do this?
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.32
And we spent almost six
months with no services just us,
00:12:05.35\00:12:09.96
60 people, 16
people at the beginning
00:12:09.99\00:12:12.06
and then after a
month I told them you know
00:12:12.09\00:12:14.67
what's now you can
invite someone who can help us.
00:12:14.70\00:12:17.88
And then we double
then the most people
00:12:17.91\00:12:20.44
in when we were
large we were about
00:12:20.47\00:12:22.19
55 people together as
the core group for church.
00:12:22.22\00:12:25.97
This is about nine
years ago. Nine years ago.
00:12:26.00\00:12:28.32
Yeah, now did you
have a church building,
00:12:28.35\00:12:30.84
did you have a rented facility?
No, we have to, have to rent.
00:12:30.87\00:12:33.59
At the beginning we rent a kind
of convention center very small.
00:12:33.62\00:12:39.61
We spent almost
three to four months
00:12:39.64\00:12:42.87
but the church grew so
fast we couldn't continue.
00:12:42.90\00:12:46.20
Right now, we are in
our fourth facilities
00:12:46.23\00:12:48.99
we have changed four times,
00:12:49.02\00:12:51.46
addresses and
because of the growth.
00:12:51.49\00:12:55.00
So how many people can come
in worship at one time and--
00:12:55.03\00:12:59.57
Right now, we
have rented as casino
00:12:59.60\00:13:03.64
at downtown Sao Paulo.
00:13:03.67\00:13:06.54
We remodeled the
whole thing. Yes.
00:13:06.57\00:13:08.15
We've been therefore a
little over four years.
00:13:08.18\00:13:10.87
We can sit close to 500
people in that particular place.
00:13:10.90\00:13:14.79
But we have
multiple services on Sabbath.
00:13:14.82\00:13:17.96
Right now we're
having four services
00:13:17.99\00:13:19.40
so we can have more people.
00:13:19.43\00:13:22.67
So you have four
services in the each Sabbath,
00:13:22.70\00:13:26.68
are they aimed at
the same group of people?
00:13:26.71\00:13:29.17
No, we have morning
services for church members
00:13:29.20\00:13:33.10
and to do our discipleship
00:13:33.13\00:13:34.79
and in order to
refill themselves
00:13:34.82\00:13:40.16
with energy and
passion for mission.
00:13:40.19\00:13:42.59
In the afternoon we do
00:13:42.62\00:13:44.77
evangelistic
outreach. Okay, okay.
00:13:44.80\00:13:48.02
Because those were--
who we are trying to reach
00:13:48.05\00:13:52.19
we cannot simply ask them
00:13:52.22\00:13:53.98
to come on
Sabbath morning. Right.
00:13:54.01\00:13:55.71
Before them they are seeing
00:13:55.74\00:13:56.77
what the Sabbath is
it's almost impossible.
00:13:56.80\00:13:58.95
So you have up to 1,200
people coming now every Sabbath.
00:13:58.98\00:14:03.01
Now we looked at those
number we rejoice but tell me--
00:14:03.04\00:14:06.76
tell me the story of someone
00:14:06.79\00:14:08.42
whose life has been effective
through, you know this well.
00:14:08.45\00:14:11.04
Well, there was a
guy his name is Daniel,
00:14:11.07\00:14:14.53
he was with us
from the beginning.
00:14:14.56\00:14:16.74
A friend invited him to come
but Daniel had a problem for us
00:14:16.77\00:14:21.46
because he was
not even Christian.
00:14:21.49\00:14:23.39
He didn't believe in God.
00:14:23.42\00:14:25.25
He was very open person
00:14:25.28\00:14:28.24
but didn't believe in
the Bible or not even Jesus.
00:14:28.27\00:14:31.15
He didn't have any
clue who was Jesus.
00:14:31.18\00:14:34.70
But he was
someone who's willing to,
00:14:34.73\00:14:37.43
he was willing to help
00:14:37.46\00:14:39.18
that's correct of postmodernist
00:14:39.21\00:14:40.76
they want to help.
00:14:40.79\00:14:42.15
And he begun to helping us
00:14:42.18\00:14:43.55
with the computer
systems we had in the church
00:14:43.58\00:14:45.81
and then he became common man
00:14:45.84\00:14:47.86
and for almost,
almost two years,
00:14:47.89\00:14:49.81
he was helping us
without accepting Christ.
00:14:49.84\00:14:53.11
One day he can say, pastor,
I have a good news for you.
00:14:53.14\00:14:55.79
Said, what happened,
Danny? I accepted Jesus.
00:14:55.82\00:14:59.19
And I told to him how come?
00:14:59.22\00:15:00.82
And then he told
me you know what?
00:15:00.85\00:15:02.43
Every day my
family they get together
00:15:02.46\00:15:05.32
because they were
messianic as a family.
00:15:05.35\00:15:08.33
They pray for their own Messiah,
eastern type of Messiah.
00:15:08.36\00:15:12.35
We have to pray every day
00:15:12.38\00:15:13.96
at 6 in the
morning to our Messiah.
00:15:13.99\00:15:16.97
But I noticed in the Bible
that your Messiah prayed for me.
00:15:17.00\00:15:22.00
The Jesus pray in John 17
00:15:22.03\00:15:24.93
in that
experience changed completely
00:15:24.96\00:15:27.43
his idea of Christ and
God. Then he accepted Christ.
00:15:27.46\00:15:31.65
He was baptized became
our production director,
00:15:31.68\00:15:34.44
he is so faithful
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:15:34.47\00:15:37.26
So from his initial contact
00:15:37.29\00:15:39.20
through the
baptism how long was that?
00:15:39.23\00:15:40.70
Almost two years.
00:15:40.73\00:15:42.21
So actually for
postmodern people
00:15:42.24\00:15:44.26
that's relative quick. It
can be a lot longer, right?
00:15:44.29\00:15:46.58
Actually our average
has been 18 to 24 months.
00:15:46.61\00:15:49.19
I said right, okay.
00:15:49.22\00:15:50.56
One-and-half to two years,
00:15:50.59\00:15:52.21
but we have cases that it took
almost four years for decision.
00:15:52.24\00:15:56.14
So one of the-- it
mean correct statistics,
00:15:56.17\00:15:58.71
they don't like to be pushed
for decision like that. Yeah.
00:15:58.74\00:16:02.04
So you just give
them room to experience
00:16:02.07\00:16:05.12
and to have to this strong,
while you're looking at God
00:16:05.15\00:16:08.91
and accepting His ways
to their lives. Fantastic.
00:16:08.94\00:16:12.01
Kleber, thanks so
much for sharing with us.
00:16:12.04\00:16:13.99
Pleasure to be here with you.
00:16:14.02\00:16:15.32
And viewers at home,
00:16:15.35\00:16:17.04
Nova Semente
Church in Sao Paulo.
00:16:17.07\00:16:19.33
You can go to their
website www.novasemente.org.
00:16:19.36\00:16:23.82
You can watch Kleber preach.
00:16:23.85\00:16:25.86
You will see
the worship services
00:16:25.89\00:16:27.20
and catch some
of the inspiration.
00:16:27.23\00:16:28.83
My guest is Dr. May-Ellen Colon
00:17:17.93\00:17:19.94
and she is the director of
Adventist Community Services
00:17:19.97\00:17:23.88
for the world church.
00:17:23.91\00:17:24.94
But we want to
focus on today May-Ellen,
00:17:24.97\00:17:27.45
is your mission experience
00:17:27.48\00:17:29.37
and that's been in
various parts of the world.
00:17:29.40\00:17:31.79
But West Africa,
when did you go there?
00:17:31.82\00:17:34.57
We went there-- we
went there in 1988. Okay.
00:17:34.60\00:17:38.16
And when we got
married my husband I
00:17:38.19\00:17:41.05
we had wanted to
do it a lot sooner
00:17:41.08\00:17:43.66
but we get--put our name
and after we got marriage
00:17:43.69\00:17:46.31
and calls kept coming
and it was they were quite
00:17:46.34\00:17:49.76
the right time things
are going on in our life
00:17:49.79\00:17:52.31
where it wouldn't
work ago at certain times.
00:17:52.34\00:17:55.03
But this one finally
came to go to Cordoba
00:17:55.06\00:17:59.75
to be part of the
newly establish division
00:17:59.78\00:18:02.21
and called African
Indian Ocean Division.
00:18:02.24\00:18:04.40
Now did you speak French?
00:18:04.43\00:18:05.97
Well, before we
ended up in Cordoba
00:18:06.00\00:18:10.07
they banished us
to France for a while
00:18:10.10\00:18:12.54
and went to Cologne
00:18:12.57\00:18:13.60
for several
months and took French.
00:18:13.63\00:18:16.41
Then when we arrived in Cordoba,
00:18:16.44\00:18:19.06
the French there have such
a completely different accent
00:18:19.09\00:18:21.71
we are say, this is
the French we learned?
00:18:21.74\00:18:23.56
The same language?
00:18:23.59\00:18:24.76
Yeah, they had just
the whole new rhythm
00:18:24.79\00:18:27.00
now we finally got used to it.
00:18:27.03\00:18:28.84
Okay, and so your
husband Gaspar was caring for
00:18:28.87\00:18:31.41
health missionaries
for that region. Yes, yes.
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.49
You were caring
for family ministries.
00:18:33.52\00:18:35.74
Yes, and Gaspar also
worked with me in that
00:18:35.77\00:18:38.57
even though I spent
most of the time on it.
00:18:38.60\00:18:40.52
Good, so you
worked as the family--
00:18:40.55\00:18:42.22
Yeah, well, you know
00:18:42.25\00:18:43.37
when you're working
with family ministries
00:18:43.40\00:18:45.00
you should present
as a family seminars.
00:18:45.03\00:18:47.32
Exactly, exactly.
00:18:47.35\00:18:49.21
Now what are
some of the memories
00:18:49.24\00:18:50.55
you have at that time?
00:18:50.58\00:18:52.21
Oh, well I just
remember that this was a place,
00:18:52.24\00:18:55.87
our children were four and six.
00:18:55.90\00:18:57.24
These were the
formality of the years
00:18:57.27\00:18:59.62
of their lives and--
00:18:59.65\00:19:01.54
and today they went to
French school to start with
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.58
and learned how to read
in French before English
00:19:04.61\00:19:06.75
and I was very low to transfer
00:19:06.78\00:19:09.36
and they did they
read a fine English.
00:19:09.39\00:19:11.21
They read English fine
today and then we at that time
00:19:11.24\00:19:16.51
I remember in the
front yard of our home
00:19:16.54\00:19:19.46
we had a little story or
for the community children.
00:19:19.49\00:19:21.81
These are the some memories.
00:19:21.84\00:19:23.71
And also our son was
baptized there in Obedjiwan.
00:19:23.74\00:19:28.16
And you'll see in the
picture this was Baptist tree
00:19:28.19\00:19:30.68
behind the church
that we belong to.
00:19:30.71\00:19:33.38
And a memory
that really stands out
00:19:33.41\00:19:35.88
from all our trips we took trips
00:19:35.91\00:19:38.05
among the many
countries in this division
00:19:38.08\00:19:40.80
which covered West
Africa including Rwanda
00:19:40.83\00:19:43.93
and also all the Indian Ocean.
00:19:43.96\00:19:46.79
And one of the many trips
we took as a couple was Gabon
00:19:46.82\00:19:51.33
which is on the west
coast of center Africa.
00:19:51.36\00:19:55.27
And we were doing there
00:19:55.30\00:19:56.96
but we did many
of our other trips
00:19:56.99\00:19:58.56
presenting family
ministries, family life seminars
00:19:58.59\00:20:02.79
and this was a
series on family wellness
00:20:02.82\00:20:05.55
it was called how to have
00:20:05.58\00:20:06.61
a well family in
the factors that--
00:20:06.64\00:20:09.04
that go into that.
00:20:09.07\00:20:10.88
And this was in
Libreville the capital of Gabon
00:20:10.91\00:20:14.99
and they speak French there
and as you see in the picture
00:20:15.02\00:20:18.35
you will this of
the writing is in French
00:20:18.38\00:20:20.66
on the sign behind the pulpit.
00:20:20.69\00:20:23.11
And a young man
attended our seminars he was--
00:20:23.14\00:20:27.58
he worked in the
national radio and TV station.
00:20:27.61\00:20:32.58
And he had
reported on many things
00:20:32.61\00:20:35.22
before for the
Adventist church in that country
00:20:35.25\00:20:38.72
and so he was called report end.
00:20:38.75\00:20:40.90
And what was happening this time
00:20:40.93\00:20:43.46
and he listened and
stayed the whole weekend
00:20:43.49\00:20:47.72
even now he
probably didn't have too
00:20:47.75\00:20:49.86
and he got a
certificate at the end
00:20:49.89\00:20:53.12
and then he told us,
00:20:53.15\00:20:56.49
I have decided I want
to be a part of a church
00:20:56.52\00:20:59.89
that teaches these things.
00:20:59.92\00:21:02.50
And by the abundant life
00:21:02.53\00:21:04.16
and how family
can be whole again
00:21:04.19\00:21:06.49
and he said I just want
to follow Jesus all the way.
00:21:06.52\00:21:10.61
And he-- we were thrilled.
00:21:10.64\00:21:15.80
Right, just from covering
the event he listened and--
00:21:15.83\00:21:18.11
Yes, and then as we were
at the airport he met us.
00:21:18.14\00:21:24.38
And we have said
bye at the church
00:21:24.41\00:21:26.65
and he met us and he says,
00:21:26.68\00:21:29.13
well, I have, I have
something I want to give you.
00:21:29.16\00:21:33.00
He basically, a chase was going
00:21:33.03\00:21:34.68
because he had try to
find this at the airport
00:21:34.71\00:21:38.25
and he had this with him.
00:21:38.28\00:21:40.96
And--and we
wanting the meaning of this
00:21:40.99\00:21:46.71
and he says, I want
to give you something
00:21:46.74\00:21:50.34
because this is a
very precious item
00:21:50.37\00:21:55.46
that my mother
gave me these items
00:21:55.49\00:21:59.12
before I went to college.
00:21:59.15\00:22:02.20
She knew I was gonna
start a new beginning in life
00:22:02.23\00:22:05.17
and so she wanted
to give me something
00:22:05.20\00:22:07.21
and this is a water bottle.
This was my water bottle.
00:22:07.24\00:22:10.98
It's like a God,
its like nalgene bottle,
00:22:11.01\00:22:13.01
like a water bottle.
00:22:13.04\00:22:14.36
And so I want to give you this
00:22:14.39\00:22:16.41
and this is a mat
that he gave me for--
00:22:16.44\00:22:21.42
for eating you know,
to hold my food. I see.
00:22:21.45\00:22:25.00
And in a basket to
hold some other food items
00:22:25.03\00:22:28.52
and all this to
me has been a symbol
00:22:28.55\00:22:31.88
through the years
of new beginnings.
00:22:31.91\00:22:33.73
Ah, fresh starts. Fresh starts.
00:22:33.76\00:22:35.66
You know, I am starting my
education a new part of life.
00:22:35.69\00:22:38.81
And now I'm about to
start another new beginning
00:22:38.84\00:22:41.93
accepting Jesus
with all my heart.
00:22:41.96\00:22:45.30
And--and then I want you
to just remember me this way.
00:22:45.33\00:22:49.47
And so he just parted with them.
00:22:49.50\00:22:51.00
Very precious
thing and we thanked him
00:22:51.03\00:22:55.45
and we were--we rejoiced with
the decision that he had made.
00:22:55.48\00:22:58.91
And so the pastor
there gave him Bible studies
00:22:58.94\00:23:01.42
and he eventually he
joined the church there.
00:23:01.45\00:23:04.92
And years later we
talk to somebody from Gabon
00:23:04.95\00:23:08.07
and asked if they knew
him and how he was doing.
00:23:08.10\00:23:11.67
We were told he was a
leader in the church there
00:23:11.70\00:23:14.67
and he was doing
well. And so it's exiting.
00:23:14.70\00:23:17.59
Just fun memory the stands out
00:23:17.62\00:23:19.16
among many
memories in initial service.
00:23:19.19\00:23:23.96
And our children
grew up in an environment
00:23:23.99\00:23:27.85
were they were in the
minority and they learned
00:23:27.88\00:23:30.98
how to appreciate
other call cultures--
00:23:31.01\00:23:33.53
And what do you experience?
00:23:33.56\00:23:35.94
And I'll never be the same
00:23:35.97\00:23:37.38
from this experience
and I don't want to be.
00:23:37.41\00:23:40.74
Not, of course not.
00:23:40.77\00:23:41.80
And I'm wearing
actually a Nigerian costumes.
00:23:41.83\00:23:44.74
I was gonna ask
you from Nigeria.
00:23:44.77\00:23:45.80
And this actually
belongs on my head.
00:23:45.83\00:23:47.59
I would like to
see it on your head.
00:23:47.62\00:23:49.50
But I didn't want to--
00:23:49.53\00:23:50.81
I didn't have any
Nigerian friends around
00:23:50.84\00:23:53.40
that I had a chance to meet here
3ABN to help put it on. Okay.
00:23:53.43\00:23:56.73
But I know many
of you're seeing,
00:23:56.76\00:23:58.65
seeing this lovely head
dresses that the Africans,
00:23:58.68\00:24:02.23
the Nigerians and
the West Africans wear.
00:24:02.26\00:24:04.56
It is very beautiful.
00:24:04.59\00:24:05.63
It is beautiful. Yes.
00:24:05.66\00:24:07.02
Now, May-Ellen,
thank you so much
00:24:07.05\00:24:08.11
for sharing with us today
00:24:08.14\00:24:09.35
just a glimpse of
some of your experience.
00:24:09.38\00:24:11.91
Thank you, you're very welcome.
00:24:11.94\00:24:13.51
And viewers at home,
please pay for missionaries.
00:24:13.54\00:24:16.43
There are hundreds
and hundreds of missionary
00:24:16.46\00:24:18.41
serving in many
parts of the world
00:24:18.44\00:24:20.79
often in very challenging
circumstances far from home,
00:24:20.82\00:24:24.45
can be lonely but
lovely for them to know
00:24:24.48\00:24:27.04
that people are praying.
00:24:27.07\00:24:28.27
This is Niko.
00:24:38.54\00:24:40.23
Niko is from the
country of Greece.
00:24:40.26\00:24:42.77
He lives in the
big city of Athens.
00:24:42.80\00:24:45.48
Here you can find
plenty of places to explore.
00:24:45.51\00:24:48.65
Since both of Niko parents work
00:24:48.68\00:24:50.87
he usually goes to a
babysitter during the day.
00:24:50.90\00:24:53.51
He likes to play different
games and he loves to draw.
00:24:53.54\00:24:57.05
Not long ago the
family that baby-sits Niko
00:24:57.08\00:24:59.15
were studying the Bible
with an Adventist pastor.
00:24:59.18\00:25:02.21
They were learning about the
exciting stories from the Bible.
00:25:02.24\00:25:05.98
Niko would usually sit on
the side and continue to draw.
00:25:06.01\00:25:09.61
Nobody thought he
was paying attention
00:25:09.64\00:25:11.13
to the lessons
from the Bible studies,
00:25:11.16\00:25:13.33
but he was actually
listening to every word.
00:25:13.36\00:25:17.17
One day Niko went home
00:25:17.20\00:25:18.32
until his mom what
he had learned that day.
00:25:18.35\00:25:20.98
His mom was surprised
when he told her they needed
00:25:21.01\00:25:23.18
to change the
food in their diet.
00:25:23.21\00:25:25.67
Hey, mom we are not going
00:25:25.70\00:25:27.05
to have pork
anymore or anything, okay.
00:25:27.08\00:25:31.00
He told her he
might want to become
00:25:31.03\00:25:32.34
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:25:32.37\00:25:34.31
Niko asked his
mother to a wake him up
00:25:34.34\00:25:35.91
for church the next Sabbath.
00:25:35.94\00:25:38.43
She became
curious why her son felt
00:25:38.46\00:25:40.28
so strongly about becoming
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:25:40.31\00:25:44.35
Since she wanted to
support his choices,
00:25:44.38\00:25:46.46
she asked him questions. He
told her all about the things
00:25:46.49\00:25:49.88
he learned while
secretly listening
00:25:49.91\00:25:51.26
to the
babysitters Bible studies.
00:25:51.29\00:25:53.71
Everything he
told her sounded nice,
00:25:53.74\00:25:55.74
so she decided to join a family
for their next Bible study.
00:25:55.77\00:25:59.43
After sometime the
babysitters were baptized
00:25:59.46\00:26:02.62
and shortly after Niko
00:26:02.65\00:26:04.61
and his mother gave
their hearts to Jesus too.
00:26:04.64\00:26:08.11
Now Niko and his mother
study the Bible together.
00:26:08.14\00:26:11.24
They love the new lessons
00:26:11.27\00:26:12.50
they learn each
time they read the Bible.
00:26:12.53\00:26:15.08
Please pray for
the people in Greece
00:26:15.11\00:26:16.93
who are searching for
a friendship with Jesus.
00:26:16.96\00:26:19.83
Pray that they find Jesus
00:26:19.86\00:26:21.32
just like Niko
and his mother did.
00:26:21.35\00:26:24.02
Thank you for
supporting mission.
00:26:24.05\00:26:25.99
We often feature Global
Mission pioneers on this program
00:26:39.01\00:26:42.40
and over the years
it's been my privilege
00:26:42.43\00:26:44.32
to meet many of
these special people.
00:26:44.35\00:26:46.93
They are humble church members
00:26:46.96\00:26:48.44
usually young people
who receive basic training
00:26:48.47\00:26:50.89
and they work
within their own cultures
00:26:50.92\00:26:52.98
to plant new groups of believers
00:26:53.01\00:26:54.85
in un-entered
areas or people groups.
00:26:54.88\00:26:57.77
If you're interested in meeting
00:26:57.80\00:26:59.14
some of these beautiful
Global Mission pioneers
00:26:59.17\00:27:01.65
and learning more
about their special work
00:27:01.68\00:27:04.38
we have an offer today a DVD
00:27:04.41\00:27:06.62
that's 100% devoted to
Global Mission Pioneer stories.
00:27:06.65\00:27:11.64
This DVD is a
wonderful resource.
00:27:11.67\00:27:13.76
It's a truly inspiring tribute
00:27:13.79\00:27:16.05
to these wonderful
dedicated church planters.
00:27:16.08\00:27:19.59
So if you live in North America
00:27:19.62\00:27:20.89
just call our toll
free number 1-800-648-5824
00:27:20.92\00:27:26.17
or visit our
website AdventistMission.org
00:27:26.20\00:27:29.30
and ask for the
Global Missions pioneer DVD
00:27:29.33\00:27:32.87
or offer number 310.
00:27:32.90\00:27:35.76
To get this inspirational DVD
00:27:35.79\00:27:37.77
don't forget to clearly
stay your name and address.
00:27:37.80\00:27:42.44
So on behalf of
Adventist missionaries pastors,
00:27:42.47\00:27:45.37
teachers, and
Global Mission pioneer
00:27:45.40\00:27:47.23
serving around the world
00:27:47.26\00:27:49.08
thank you so much
for your continuing
00:27:49.11\00:27:50.81
prayers and support.
00:27:50.84\00:27:52.70
And that's it
for today's program.
00:27:52.73\00:27:54.14
I hope you can
joined me next time
00:27:54.17\00:27:56.06
right here on
Global Mission Snapshots.
00:27:56.09\00:27:58.49
Until then God bless.
00:27:58.52\00:28:00.14