Dr. Duran held professorships
00:00:01.06\00:00:02.82
at prestigious
universities in Istanbul Turkey.
00:00:02.85\00:00:06.29
He authored bestselling books.
00:00:06.32\00:00:08.32
He was also a highly celebrated
astronomer and psychologist.
00:00:08.35\00:00:12.38
He was last heard from
in a dungeon in Iconium.
00:00:12.41\00:00:16.62
What happened to him?
00:00:16.65\00:00:18.04
Hear his story and learn
00:00:18.07\00:00:19.62
how he read his way
into the Adventist faith.
00:00:19.65\00:00:22.98
This and much more on today's
Global Mission Snapshots.
00:00:23.01\00:00:27.31
Just before He
went up to heaven,
00:00:34.04\00:00:36.40
Jesus gave us a command.
00:00:36.43\00:00:39.61
He gave us a mission.
00:00:39.64\00:00:42.23
Jesus said "Go,
00:00:42.26\00:00:44.79
go unto all the world
telling them of His love."
00:00:44.82\00:00:49.69
This is our mission,
this is our Global Mission.
00:00:49.72\00:00:53.81
Hello I'm Gary Krause
00:00:59.54\00:01:00.59
and welcome to
Global Mission Snapshots.
00:01:00.62\00:01:03.06
On today's program we
travel to the country of India
00:01:03.09\00:01:06.03
where many Adventists students
00:01:06.06\00:01:07.90
face some major
challenge to their faith.
00:01:07.93\00:01:10.50
They required to take
exams on the Sabbath day.
00:01:10.53\00:01:14.12
We'll also
visit with Gina Wahlen
00:01:14.15\00:01:16.12
editor of our
mission quarterlies.
00:01:16.15\00:01:18.64
Gina recently
visited the Eurasia region
00:01:18.67\00:01:21.12
and she brings back some
exciting stories of faith.
00:01:21.15\00:01:24.83
We'll also hear the
amazing story of Dr. Duran,
00:01:24.86\00:01:27.49
a man of
exceptional spirituality.
00:01:27.52\00:01:30.23
But let's begin in
West Papua, Indonesia
00:01:30.26\00:01:32.94
when nutmeg an exotic fruit
00:01:32.97\00:01:36.16
is used to welcome
visitors to the village.
00:01:36.19\00:01:40.27
In the jungles of
West Papua, Indonesia,
00:01:40.30\00:01:43.03
villagers harvest nutmeg to
be shipped all over the world.
00:01:43.06\00:01:47.22
People in many countries
00:01:47.25\00:01:48.47
love this unique
flavor in their meals.
00:01:48.50\00:01:51.28
To this village, nutmeg is used
00:01:51.31\00:01:53.26
to welcome visitors
into their community.
00:01:53.29\00:01:56.76
To prepare this
special greeting,
00:01:56.79\00:01:58.73
someone must climb into
a tree and pick the fruit.
00:01:58.76\00:02:02.64
Each fruit has a flower inside.
00:02:02.67\00:02:05.28
Once collected the
nutmeg is spread out to dry.
00:02:05.31\00:02:09.54
The dry pieces
are strung together
00:02:09.57\00:02:11.49
to make a welcome necklace.
00:02:11.52\00:02:12.87
Darron Boyd is a missionary
from the United States
00:02:19.34\00:02:21.74
who has lived in
Indonesia for a few years now.
00:02:21.77\00:02:25.42
He has visited
this village before
00:02:25.45\00:02:27.34
and the people welcome him again
00:02:27.37\00:02:29.19
with a special nutmeg greeting.
00:02:29.22\00:02:30.75
I'm interested in people's needs
00:02:36.83\00:02:38.77
because that
was Christ's method.
00:02:38.80\00:02:40.72
Christ's method alone
will bring true success
00:02:40.75\00:02:44.11
in winning the hearts.
00:02:44.14\00:02:46.25
Darron is spreading the gospel
00:02:46.28\00:02:47.77
by building
relationships with people.
00:02:47.80\00:02:50.17
He has been
visiting this village to see
00:02:50.20\00:02:52.11
what needs this village may have
00:02:52.14\00:02:53.73
and how these needs can be met.
00:02:53.76\00:02:56.34
He looks to Jesus
as the perfect example.
00:02:56.37\00:02:59.61
That is He met
their need, and then after
00:02:59.64\00:03:03.87
He had met that need
He gained their confidence
00:03:03.90\00:03:06.65
and then said come follow Me.
00:03:06.68\00:03:08.58
Over time,
Darron has come to know
00:03:19.30\00:03:21.46
the village chief, David.
00:03:21.49\00:03:23.65
David learned about
the Adventist message
00:03:23.68\00:03:25.59
through studying the Bible.
00:03:25.62\00:03:27.51
He used to worship
another day of the week
00:03:27.54\00:03:29.17
until he learned
about the Sabbath.
00:03:29.20\00:03:31.15
He began faithfully
observing the Sabbath,
00:03:31.18\00:03:33.45
and tells everyone in
his village about Jesus.
00:03:33.48\00:03:37.02
If anyone is
interested in learning more,
00:03:37.05\00:03:39.24
David will visit their home
to teach them from the Bible.
00:03:39.27\00:03:41.86
Although he is an
important figure in the village
00:03:44.26\00:03:46.95
David puts his status aside
to direct people toward Jesus.
00:03:46.98\00:03:52.99
Those who accept and
believe that this is true,
00:03:53.02\00:03:55.75
come together.
00:03:55.78\00:03:57.16
We must proclaim the law of God.
00:03:57.19\00:04:01.80
Now, many people
in David's village
00:04:01.83\00:04:03.86
are Seventh-day Adventists.
00:04:03.89\00:04:05.54
They meet in a church
member's home for worship.
00:04:05.57\00:04:08.73
Darron visits David's
village every once in a while
00:04:08.76\00:04:11.19
to see how this
congregation is doing.
00:04:11.22\00:04:13.89
Membership is growing
00:04:13.92\00:04:15.39
and soon they will need a
bigger building to meet in.
00:04:15.42\00:04:18.32
This is just one of the
many villages Darron works in.
00:04:18.35\00:04:21.63
He teaches, trains, and preaches
00:04:21.66\00:04:23.95
throughout the many
islands of West Papua.
00:04:23.98\00:04:26.48
The rough
terrain, world religions,
00:04:26.51\00:04:28.81
and number of languages
make the mission challenges
00:04:28.84\00:04:31.42
apparent in this
region of the world.
00:04:31.45\00:04:34.33
Through sacrifice and prayer
00:04:34.36\00:04:36.07
new congregations may be started
00:04:36.10\00:04:38.05
in these challenging areas.
00:04:38.08\00:04:40.69
Please pray for
people like Darron
00:04:40.72\00:04:42.36
who are on the
frontlines of mission.
00:04:42.39\00:04:44.76
These workers often
serve far from home,
00:04:44.79\00:04:47.55
and sometimes in
challenging conditions.
00:04:47.58\00:04:50.29
Pray for growing congregations,
00:04:50.32\00:04:52.35
like the one in David's village.
00:04:52.38\00:04:54.17
And pray that those
who have never heard
00:04:54.20\00:04:55.82
the name of Jesus before,
will come to know Him soon.
00:04:55.85\00:05:00.36
Thank you for supporting
00:05:00.39\00:05:01.42
the mission of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:05:01.45\00:05:04.10
I'm delighted to welcome
00:05:06.63\00:05:07.66
Dr. Benjamin
Baker to our program.
00:05:07.69\00:05:09.46
Dr. Baker is a historian
00:05:09.49\00:05:12.02
who works in the office
of Archives and Statistics
00:05:12.05\00:05:15.37
at the Adventist
world headquarters
00:05:15.40\00:05:17.27
here in Silver Spring, Maryland.
00:05:17.30\00:05:19.26
Dr. Baker, thank
you for joining us.
00:05:19.29\00:05:21.36
You've a fascinating
story for us today of a very--
00:05:21.39\00:05:24.66
it's actually an exotic story
00:05:24.69\00:05:27.37
going back to the days
of Constantinople et cetera.
00:05:27.40\00:05:30.46
Please share with our viewers.
00:05:30.49\00:05:32.60
Sure, Diran Chrakian
was born in Armenia in 1870.
00:05:32.63\00:05:38.87
As did many Armenians of his day
00:05:38.90\00:05:41.73
he immigrated to Constantinople
00:05:41.76\00:05:44.31
the capital of the Ottoman
Empire and today's Istanbul.
00:05:44.34\00:05:49.19
A lover of knowledge
and seeker of the truth
00:05:49.22\00:05:52.14
in his teenage
years Chrakian became
00:05:52.17\00:05:54.09
a mystic embracing
atheistic humanism.
00:05:54.12\00:05:58.33
He published several volumes
of poetry that were bestsellers
00:05:58.36\00:06:01.84
and obtained a professorship
00:06:01.87\00:06:04.06
at the Armenian
University of Constantinople.
00:06:04.09\00:06:07.45
It was in the fall of 1914,
while in his immense library
00:06:07.48\00:06:11.95
smoking a cigar that Chrakian
was visited by Greek Adventist
00:06:11.98\00:06:16.53
literature evangelist
name Nicolas Tefronides.
00:06:16.56\00:06:21.39
For every book
Tefronides handed to Chakrian
00:06:21.42\00:06:24.18
the professor
pulled the same volume
00:06:24.21\00:06:26.61
from his library shelf.
00:06:26.64\00:06:28.93
He explained that earlier
a colleague at the university
00:06:28.96\00:06:32.71
had given these
religious books to him.
00:06:32.74\00:06:35.74
Tefronides in turn asked
Chakrian "while he was smoking
00:06:35.77\00:06:39.43
if he had read about
the Adventist message."
00:06:39.46\00:06:41.80
Embarrassed
Chakrian put out a cigar
00:06:41.83\00:06:44.76
and never smoked
again after that day.
00:06:44.79\00:06:47.27
With the corporals
visit peaked Diran's interest
00:06:47.30\00:06:52.00
in the Adventist
literature in his library
00:06:52.03\00:06:54.22
and he perused it over
the next couple of days.
00:06:54.25\00:06:58.12
The ideas he read in
the pages were so compelling
00:06:58.15\00:07:02.42
that he decided to attend
an Adventist Church service.
00:07:02.45\00:07:06.01
And so on that Saturday
the 44-year-old philosopher
00:07:06.04\00:07:09.14
entered the 12x20
foot, room in a building
00:07:09.17\00:07:12.18
where the
Adventist were worshipping.
00:07:12.21\00:07:14.49
The minister that
day was a Swiss man
00:07:14.52\00:07:16.98
named Emil
Frauchiger who spoke in English
00:07:17.01\00:07:21.00
while a tiny teenager
named Diamondola translated.
00:07:21.03\00:07:24.31
As Diran looked
around the congregation
00:07:24.34\00:07:26.62
he felt a sense of awe.
00:07:26.65\00:07:28.81
Here were
Armenians, Greeks, Germans,
00:07:28.84\00:07:32.41
Jews, and Turks,
naturally bitter enemies,
00:07:32.44\00:07:37.18
worshiping together
like a loving family.
00:07:37.21\00:07:39.94
But what impressed
Diran most was the beauty
00:07:39.97\00:07:43.06
and symmetry of the
truth presented that morning.
00:07:43.09\00:07:45.97
He returned week after week
00:07:46.00\00:07:47.84
until he had fully
accepted the Adventist message.
00:07:47.87\00:07:51.35
When Diran became an Adventist,
his family disowned him
00:07:51.38\00:07:55.74
and he was divested
of his tenured position
00:07:55.77\00:07:57.95
at the university.
00:07:57.98\00:07:59.52
The years that followed were
very difficult for Chakrian.
00:07:59.55\00:08:03.97
In late 1914 he was
drafted into the army
00:08:04.00\00:08:07.32
just as Turkey
into the World War I.
00:08:07.35\00:08:10.61
There he was persecuted
for his "strange believes."
00:08:10.64\00:08:14.30
No sooner was he discharged
than he was imprisoned
00:08:14.33\00:08:17.24
for spreading
subversive teachings
00:08:17.27\00:08:19.23
against the government.
00:08:19.26\00:08:21.53
But in his many court
hearings in weeks in jail,
00:08:21.56\00:08:24.40
his fervent spirituality
and eloquent witness
00:08:24.43\00:08:27.80
won many to the faith.
00:08:27.83\00:08:30.02
At the wars end
in November 1918,
00:08:30.05\00:08:32.88
Chakrian established a
church in Constantinople.
00:08:32.91\00:08:37.34
The next three years
he labored for Adventism
00:08:37.37\00:08:39.84
in areas where the
Apostle Paul worked
00:08:39.87\00:08:42.56
winning dozens of
souls throughout Asia Minor.
00:08:42.59\00:08:46.49
Known as man of
exceptional spirituality
00:08:46.52\00:08:49.47
Chakrian often
spent nights in prayer
00:08:49.50\00:08:52.08
and was said to be
surrounded by holy atmosphere.
00:08:52.11\00:08:55.15
Witnesses attest
that on one occasion
00:08:55.18\00:08:58.17
he resurrected the missionary
Diamondola from the dead.
00:08:58.20\00:09:02.96
In early 1921, Chakrian
was imprisoned and condemned
00:09:02.99\00:09:08.48
for preaching a new religion
and forming a new church.
00:09:08.51\00:09:13.63
Sentenced to exile
on what is known today
00:09:13.66\00:09:17.03
as the death march or
the Armenian Genocide,
00:09:17.06\00:09:20.68
Chakrians last words were
00:09:20.71\00:09:23.63
"love each other
and have faith in God."
00:09:23.66\00:09:27.18
Thank you so much, Dr.
Baker. What an amazing story.
00:09:27.21\00:09:31.07
How did you discover this story?
00:09:31.10\00:09:35.03
Once again,
reading the old periodicals
00:09:35.06\00:09:39.41
going through our
boxes and in our--
00:09:39.44\00:09:42.05
in our wall, in our archives
and his story was so compelling
00:09:42.08\00:09:47.92
because he gave up
everything for the truth
00:09:47.95\00:09:52.11
and then he dwelled into
the message in the truth a 100%
00:09:52.14\00:09:57.53
and he was just
this powerful person
00:09:57.56\00:10:00.52
who was winning souls everywhere
00:10:00.55\00:10:02.39
and almost like the apostles
00:10:02.42\00:10:04.47
of all doing amazing
explores and miracles
00:10:04.50\00:10:07.36
and his life was just so
dramatic just that short time.
00:10:07.39\00:10:11.17
He was Adventist and
he had powerful impact.
00:10:11.20\00:10:13.28
But he-- he lost his family,
00:10:13.31\00:10:15.52
he lost his
wife, he lost his job.
00:10:15.55\00:10:17.86
Oh, yeah. He lost his prestige.
00:10:17.89\00:10:19.59
Oh, yeah, he lost everything.
But he found his sailor.
00:10:19.62\00:10:21.57
Yeah.
00:10:21.60\00:10:22.69
Thank you so much, Dr.
Baker. I appreciate very much.
00:10:22.72\00:10:25.73
Viewers at home, as
we mentioned Dr. Baker
00:10:25.76\00:10:29.28
works for the
office of Archives,
00:10:29.31\00:10:30.87
Statistics and Research
00:10:30.90\00:10:33.02
and you can
actually go to their website
00:10:33.05\00:10:35.73
at AdventistArchives.org
at AdventistArchives.org.
00:10:35.76\00:10:40.38
And you yourself can
do a little bit fishing
00:10:40.41\00:10:42.15
around in some of
the old periodicals
00:10:42.18\00:10:44.36
and see what you
might find of interest.
00:10:44.39\00:10:47.24
Next up we travel
from Istanbul, Turkey
00:10:47.27\00:10:51.28
and we will go for a short break
00:10:51.31\00:10:53.96
but we'll be right back.
00:10:53.99\00:10:55.30