Participants:
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000061B
|
00:01 Welcome back to Global Mission Snapshots.
00:03 Our guest is Laurie Falvo who is one of the editors 00:06 of Mission 360 Magazine working here in the office 00:10 of the Adventist Mission. 00:11 Laurie, thanks for joining us. 00:13 With your work you get to visit sometimes 00:16 to gather stories of mission right in the heart 00:20 of the mission field and recently you went to- 00:24 Pretoria. 00:25 Pretoria, in South Africa what did you find there? 00:31 Sorry, the Global Mission pioneers 00:34 have more energy than I have to say. 00:36 Okay, for viewers who may not know 00:38 what a Global Mission pioneer is. 00:41 They are people who go to one area 00:44 or work among the people group 00:46 to raise up new believers, to start new churches. 00:51 And we're possible these- 00:52 I mean these are not trained pastors 00:53 of course they are laypeople and where possible 00:56 they work among their own people groups. 00:58 They know the language the culture. 01:00 Sorry for interrupting, continue. 01:01 Okay, I had the privilege of being in this team. 01:04 There are three Global Mission pioneers 01:06 that have been working together for a couple of years 01:09 and every day from eight- 01:12 every work day from eight to five 01:13 they traverse the city on foot. 01:15 They are knocking on doors hour after hour. 01:18 They're looking for people to talk with, 01:20 to pray with, and to invite 01:22 to study the Word of God. 01:24 In the past two years they have given Bible studies 01:27 to 1,500 people, they've baptized 200 people 01:31 and they have started two branch- 01:33 two new church plants. 01:35 Wow. 01:36 So Gift shared a few stories with me. Good. 01:40 If we have time can I share them with our audience? 01:41 Oh, please. Please, please, you can. 01:42 Okay, the first one was about a man. 01:44 He was a very angry violent person 01:46 who had a reputation for never allowing any other man 01:49 to set foot on his property. 01:52 He was married to a church member 01:54 that was no longer attending and Gift wanted 01:56 to go visit her to pray with her. 02:00 But to encourage the wife he had 02:01 to get through the husband. 02:04 So he prayed for guidance on how to handle the situation 02:08 and he went to visit the couple 02:09 and as he was walking up the, 02:12 the driveway he saw the husband outside digging 02:16 in his garden and the man looked up 02:19 and they locked eyes for a moment 02:21 and then Gift says I happen out my preferable vision 02:25 to notice a shovel lying on the ground 02:27 and when I looked at it 02:29 that moment I felt the impression 02:31 to go pick up that shovel and to go into the garden 02:34 and to dig quietly alongside the man. 02:37 So they did that for a few moments 02:39 and then they began to talk. 02:41 And after they talked for a while Gift asked 02:43 about the man's wife and he said, 02:44 you know, she's in the house you can, 02:46 you can go and visit with her. 02:50 So he went and talked to her 02:51 and as he was leaving the man said 02:53 to him kindly feel free to come again you're welcome. 02:57 So Gift began to visit very frequently 02:59 and as he did as he would talk to the woman 03:01 about the love of Jesus the husband would listen 03:04 and eventually he and her husband became friends. 03:07 And then one day Gift found out the husband had left his wife 03:11 and he had moved in with another woman 03:14 from whom he contracted AIDS 03:16 and he was very sick and he didn't have long to live. 03:19 Gift asked the wife he said can you forgive him 03:22 for what he's done and can you bring him home. 03:24 And take care of him? Wow. 03:26 And she chose to do that. 03:28 So the next time he went to visit the couple 03:31 the man they found the man very, very weak. 03:33 And he went in by his bedside and he took one his hands 03:38 and he said Father God loves you, 03:40 you cannot die without accepting Jesus as your Savior. 03:44 Raise your other hand if you want to accept Jesus. 03:48 So he was quiet for a moment 03:50 then he weakly raised his hand and he said I love Jesus. 03:54 and Gift just scooped him up in his arms and embraced him. 03:58 Beautiful story. 03:59 Yeah. Now he was crying when he told this. 04:01 I'm sure. It is pretty powerful. 04:03 And you can tell when he does that 04:05 he just loves people so much and they sense it. 04:12 A couple weeks later it was camp meeting time 04:14 and Gift mentioned as couple that he wanted to go 04:17 and this man is sick as he was insisted he go to. 04:20 And so Gift made arrangements, their hired a nurse 04:23 and they got a wheelchair and he pushed the man 04:26 to every meeting for the duration of camp meeting 04:30 and then at the closing meeting the pastor made a call 04:33 and he said I'd like anyone who wants 04:35 to be baptized to come forward 04:37 to the front and the man said 04:39 to Gift please push me down I want to go 04:41 because I want to be baptized before I die. 04:44 Wow. 04:46 And there's another story too. 04:47 There was another man that he met. 04:48 He met this man knocking on apartment doors 04:52 and this is a man who had just learned 04:55 he was HIV-positive and Gift knocked on his door 04:59 and he opened the door 05:00 and they talked for a little bit 05:01 and then Gift left him a Bible lesson. 05:05 And I don't know if he reads the same Bible lesson every time 05:07 but the one he left happened 05:08 to be on how much God cares for us. 05:12 And he went his way and few days later, 05:15 you know, they do follow-up calls. 05:17 A couple days later he knocked on the door again 05:20 and this time the man opens the door 05:22 and he has tears just streaming down his face 05:25 and he's holding the book sure 05:26 to his heart and Gift's like, 05:30 you know, what's going on my brother, 05:31 what's the problem? 05:32 And he said, you know I just- 05:34 I recently found out I have a- 05:35 I'm HIV positive and when I found that out 05:38 I quit school I was going to university. 05:40 I quit school and I had given up on 05:43 everything in my life and he said in fact, 05:46 the very day you knocked on my door 05:48 was the day I was planning to kill myself. 05:52 So yeah, it's powerful. 05:56 This man's life is completely turned around. 05:58 He accepted Jesus as Savior, he's gone back to school, 06:01 he finished the Bible lessons and he is now going to church. 06:05 And Gift asked me to please tell our viewers, 06:10 thank you so much for supporting Global Mission 06:12 with your financial gifts and your prayer 06:15 because you helped these two men 06:17 and many more people like them come to know 06:20 the love of Jesus before it's too late. 06:22 Wow. Well, those are powerful stories. 06:25 Thank you so much for sharing them. 06:27 You are welcome. 06:29 Viewers at home, there are so many people 06:32 who need to know that Jesus 06:33 to know that there is a God who loves them unconditionally 06:36 that will forgive them and Global Mission pioneers 06:41 are touching so many lives around the world today. 06:43 Please continue to pray for them 06:45 and thank you for your financial support for them. 06:48 They are often working in very challenging circumstances. 06:52 They are not getting rich being pioneers over there Laurie, 06:54 they are sacrificial humble workers 06:57 who live in a very simple, small stipend 07:00 but they are motivated to share the love of Jesus 07:03 to start new congregations. 07:05 And if you'd like to see some more 07:08 Global Mission pioneer stories 07:10 make sure you get a copy of the Pioneer DVD. 07:13 The instructions are on the screen. 07:15 You can go to AdventistMission.org 07:17 you can call 1-800-648-5824 and you can learn more 07:22 about what Global Mission pioneers are doing. 07:24 Let's go next to India 07:26 and meet another Global Mission pioneer. 07:38 My name is Probhat and I live 07:40 in the beautiful countryside of West Bengal, India. 07:44 My village is small and the people are friendly. 07:49 Villagers of all ages work hard to provide for their families. 07:53 My family and I live a simple life. 07:59 My wife wakes up very early to milk the cows 08:02 and take care of the house. 08:04 I spend most of my day in the fields. 08:06 I am a farmer. 08:08 I tend the fields around my house by pulling weeds 08:11 and caring for the vegetables. 08:13 Sometimes my son keeps me company 08:15 and works along side me. 08:17 One day while working in the field I thought 08:19 about the Bible verse with the harvest being plentiful 08:22 but the workers being few. 08:24 I was very familiar with the harvest 08:26 since I spend every day in the fields farming, 08:29 but I didn't know the true meaning of this verse. 08:32 I talked to an Adventist pastor about what this meant. 08:36 He explained that many people around the world are ready 08:38 and eager to hear God's message, 08:40 but there have to be willing servants 08:41 to share it with them. 08:43 This verse suddenly took on a whole new meaning to me. 08:46 I felt led to share God's message 08:48 with people around me 08:49 so I became a Global Mission pioneer. 08:53 I worship every morning with my family. 08:56 We love singing songs and reading from the Bible. 09:04 We pray that all of India will come to know Jesus 09:06 and then He will use us 09:07 in a special way to reach others. 09:10 As a Global Mission pioneer I can share 09:12 God's Word with my village. 09:14 I understand the language, the customs, 09:17 and people feel comfortable talking to me. 09:20 Sometimes I have to travel far from my village. 09:23 I like to take my bicycle 09:24 because I can go a lot faster than if I walk. 09:28 Sometimes I will ride for hours 09:30 to reach another village. 09:31 If my son can keep up, he will even join me 09:34 for a Bible study in someone's home. 09:37 I teach the people the powerful message 09:38 of Jesus' love. 09:40 They listen closely to learn as much as 09:43 they can from the Word of God. 09:45 In time I make friends with the people I meet, 09:48 and they invite me back to share more from the Bible. 09:51 The work as a Global Mission pioneer is not always easy. 09:56 It can be difficult to travel on my bicycle 09:59 or find time to work in the fields. 10:02 But I know that the harvest is plentiful 10:05 and the workers are few, so I am eager 10:08 to be a part of God's plan 10:10 and share His message with villagers here in India. 10:19 The harvest is plentiful and thanks 10:21 to Global Mission pioneers many people are coming 10:24 to know Jesus as their Savior. 10:27 Another many of our viewers are supporting 10:29 Global Mission pioneers with their prayers 10:31 and their finances and I would like to thank you, 10:34 for helping make it possible for these 10:36 dedicated men and women to start 10:38 new congregations in new areas. 10:42 If you'd like to learn more 10:43 about Global Mission pioneers 10:45 or even help support a pioneer please visit their website 10:48 Global-Mission.org or if you'd like 10:52 to learn more about missionaries 10:54 or to read Mission 360 Magazine online 10:57 just go to AdventistMission.org. 11:00 Before we go I hope you're blessed 11:02 by this music video called "I Love You Anyway." 11:06 Thanks so much for joining us today. 11:08 For Global Mission Snapshot I'm Garry Krause 11:10 and I hope you can join me right here on this program. 11:20 To My gentle searching eyes 11:26 There have been no disguises 11:32 Nothing that you have done 11:36 That you can hide 11:41 I've seen you in your darkest sin 11:45 I know the pain and guilt within 11:48 Know the question on your mind 11:51 Am I worth saving anyway 11:55 I see you child for who you are 11:58 I know that sin has left its ugly scars 12:02 But I know who you were meant to be 12:06 And My love will set you free 12:11 So come weary child rest beside Me for awhile 12:18 I know your care the burdens that you bare 12:25 Abide in My love hide in My love 12:32 Don't push Me away ashamed and afraid 12:39 I know who you are 12:42 And I love you anyway, My child 12:56 So bring Me all your wants and needs 12:59 I promise they can't burden Me 13:03 Most desperate one cannot exceed My care for you 13:10 And bring Me all your doubts and fears 13:13 The hurt you haven't faced in years 13:17 The wounded heart you stuffed inside 13:20 The tears you've tried so hard to hide 13:28 So come weary child rest beside Me for awhile 13:35 I know your care the burdens that you bare 13:42 Abide in My love hide in My love 13:49 Don't push Me away ashamed and afraid 13:56 I know who you are 13:59 And I love you anyway, My child 14:06 So come to Me just the way you are 14:09 Though you've fallen hard and wandered far 14:14 Stop trying to be so brave so strong 14:18 It's okay to cry child tears aren't wrong 14:25 So come weary child rest beside Me for awhile 14:32 I know your care the burdens that you bare 14:39 Abide in My love hide in My love 14:46 Don't push Me away ashamed and afraid 14:53 I know who you are 14:56 And I love you anyway, My child 15:03 Yes, I love you always, My child |
Revised 2014-12-17