Participants:
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000070B
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00:01 Welcome back to Global Mission Snapshots.
00:03 Next up we're traveling to the former Soviet Union 00:06 and more specifically to the country of Ukraine 00:10 and to tell us about this is Gina Wahlen. 00:12 Gina, thanks so much for joining us. 00:15 You're the editor of these publications 00:17 the Mission Magazines 00:20 and in Sabbath schools around the world 00:22 in Adventist Sabbath schools these stories 00:25 are told every Sabbath so, a focus is kept on Mission. 00:29 Gina that's a big responsibility 00:31 to know that you start and they read around the world. 00:34 Well you know it's really a privilege, Gary. 00:36 Yeah. 00:37 I love going around the world seeing mission in action 00:41 seeing God move in people's lives 00:44 and that's what these stories are really all about. 00:46 And why is mission so important to you? 00:49 Well, you know I have a heart for mission 00:52 and for many reasons I love Jesus as we all do 00:55 and we want to serve Him 00:57 and one of the places I have been 00:59 is Russia and Ukraine 01:01 the former Soviet Union countries. 01:04 My family and I serve there for six years. 01:08 Now you're at a Adventist seminary? 01:10 Right, 75 miles south of Moscow is called Zaokski. 01:14 And we had students there from all around 01:17 the former Soviet Union and those were the early years 01:21 just after communism fell and our students came 01:24 from all across the former USSR. 01:28 We trained them and now those students 01:31 are now leaders in that area. 01:33 Now that was quite a story of how that seminaries 01:36 Zaokski actually got started 01:38 that was kind of a miracle story wasn't it? 01:40 Really it was. 01:42 In fact there's a book about it called 01:44 God's Soviet Miracle written by Mikhail Kulakov, Jr. 01:48 And he was very instrumental in starting that seminary. 01:52 It is the first Protestants seminary 01:55 in the whole history of Russia. 01:57 Wow. Yes. 01:59 What an amazing thing. Yes. 02:01 Okay, we're going next door to Ukraine, 02:03 tell me a story from there? 02:05 Okay, well, in Ukraine in the far west, 02:10 there's an old city called Lviv. 02:12 Now Lviv has gone back and forth 02:15 because it's right on the border, 02:17 for many years it was part of Poland 02:20 and then Ukraine and so it's one of these 02:23 border countries where it's gone back and forth. 02:25 Currently, it's in Ukraine. 02:27 A beautiful place beautiful old buildings 02:30 and they also have 02:32 a very important university there. 02:34 And that this story is about Paulo and Andre. 02:38 They were best friends growing up. 02:41 And so they went through elementary high school together 02:44 and it came time to apply for university. 02:48 And they both wanted to go to this university in Lviv. 02:52 They travel there together, they took the exam 02:55 and after the exam they were walking around campus 02:59 and as they were walking they noticed this big poster 03:02 with a large military jet on it advertising an air show. 03:07 A military air show celebrating the 40th anniversary 03:11 of this particular area of the Ukrainian Air Force. 03:15 And they said let's go, let's go, looks great. 03:18 They were excited about it, they were looking 03:20 on the poster for the details, 03:23 and all of the sudden Paulo became very quiet. 03:26 Andre's thinking, what's the problem here. 03:29 You know I thought we were gonna go. 03:31 And Paulo says "well, you know what, 03:34 I'm not gonna get to this air show 03:36 I'm gonna go to church. 03:38 And you want to come with me." 03:40 Andres looking at his friend but what's, 03:43 what's the deal here you want to go to church 03:45 you don't want to go to the air show 03:46 I thought you liked airplanes. 03:48 And Andres says well, actually I mean, 03:51 Paulo who says it's on Saturday and that's Sabbath 03:57 and I'm gonna go to church. 03:59 Why don't you come with me? 04:01 And Andres could see, you know he's really serious 04:06 maybe I should check it out why would he choose 04:09 to go to church over this air show so I'm gonna go. 04:13 So the two friends went together 04:15 and had a wonderful time. 04:16 The people were friendly, they had a meal afterwards, 04:19 they spent the afternoon there and it was a really great day. 04:24 Now that evening they heard 04:29 about what happened at the air show. 04:32 During the air show at about 1 o'clock 04:35 in the afternoon right the height of it, 04:38 when they would have been there for sure 04:40 there was a horrific accident. 04:43 In fact, the worse accident in air show history. 04:46 Is that right? 04:47 Yes, a military jet 04:49 that's coming out of the maneuver 04:51 in as it was coming down 04:54 somehow the pilot lost control 04:57 and he crashed right into the crowd of spectators. 05:01 Oh, no. 05:02 Hundreds of people were killed many more were injured 05:06 and Paulo and Andre they would have been killed 05:10 because they would have been standing 05:12 right where that plane crashed. 05:16 A good day to be at church. 05:18 Yeah yes, yes a very good day to be at church. 05:22 Wow, so that would have been a formative influence 05:25 in their lives. 05:26 Absolutely, absolutely and you know 05:29 we hear about people who learn about the Sabbath. 05:33 And we know that sometimes it costs them something 05:36 it might cost them the job that they had, 05:40 they might lose something. 05:42 They might lose friendships but in this case 05:46 instead of loosing something 05:49 they actually gained something, their lives. 05:53 And I think it's a good thing to remember 05:55 that when we follow God's way, we will always gain 05:59 we will gain life. 06:01 So what happened to these two young men? 06:03 Well, they ended up going to the Adventist seminary 06:07 in Bucha which is near Kiev and they're studying 06:10 to become Adventist pastors today. 06:13 Wow, and they have a tremendous story to tell. 06:16 They sure do, they sure do. 06:18 And this story is contained in the Mission Magazine. 06:22 That's right. 06:23 And for anybody who maybe watching 06:26 and maybe doesn't go to an Adventist church 06:28 can they access these stories? 06:30 They certainly can just go to our website 06:32 adventistmission.org. 06:34 Go to resources and you'll see both those magazines 06:37 as well as DVD's 06:39 that tell many of these stories to them. 06:41 Fantastic. 06:42 Gina, thank you, thank you for joining us today. 06:44 You're welcome. 06:45 And if you'd like to find out more about mission as Gina said 06:48 go to AdventistMission.org. 06:50 You will find stories, pictures, 06:53 videos missionary blogs. 06:55 All sorts of information about mission 06:57 and how you can be involved. 06:59 Next up we travel from Ukraine 07:01 to the country of India. 07:16 They get admission for colleges based on the result 07:19 and therefore it is very crucial. 07:22 Very determinant for their future life. 07:29 One cannot think of not attempting that examination 07:33 if they want to pursue their study further. 07:41 Dr. John is principal of Kottarakara Adventist School. 07:48 Like many Seventh-day Adventist Schools in India, 07:50 Kottarakara is a mission school, 07:53 with about half of the students coming from Adventist families. 07:57 The school has been accredited 07:59 through the Indian government as a higher secondary school. 08:02 This accreditation 08:04 comes with government administered testing 08:06 during the students tenth year of study. 08:10 Recently this crucial test was given on Saturday. 08:17 Dr. John made an appointment 08:18 with the Minister of Education for his district, 08:21 and asked that an accommodation be made for his school, 08:24 so that his students could stay true to their faith, 08:26 and not take the exam during Sabbath hours. 08:30 He said "I'm also Christian, 08:32 I would write an exam on Sabbath, 08:33 I would do anything on Saturday." 08:35 I said, let's not debate on that matter, 08:37 because your faith is different, 08:39 my faith is different. 08:41 I wouldn't do that, and my students won't do that. 08:45 And therefore, please, make it possible 08:49 for my children to write the exam-- 08:50 make some alternate arrangements. 08:52 The Minister of Education did not make an accommodation, 08:57 and told Dr. John to take his issue to the court. 09:09 Court passed an order in favor of us 09:12 to protect the religious faith. 09:15 The court ordered that exam may be conducted 09:17 in the same day in the night, 09:19 after 6 o'clock in the night. 09:22 This court order caused a flood of media 09:25 to descend on the school campus. 09:27 Newspaper, and from the TV channel, 09:29 everywhere people flooded in 09:31 and they asked me, 'what is this?' 09:34 The whole public, the entire public 09:36 came to know about Sabbath. 09:38 What is Sabbath and why they keep Sabbath? 09:41 Now when I go to the government office 09:43 I say I'm from the Seventh-day Adventist school, 09:46 I'm the principal of Seventh-day Adventist. 09:47 "Oh, your the exam on Sabbath-- 09:49 Sabbath keepers." 09:50 Immediately they know, 09:52 and then when I start explaining 09:53 "no need to explain Sabbath, we have read it in the paper." 09:55 But this is only a short-term victory. 09:58 The court order will eventually expire. 10:02 The long term solution for Dr. John 10:05 and the students at Kottarakara 10:07 is for the school to be accredited 10:09 by a different organization. 10:11 Many other Seventh-day Adventist schools in India 10:14 are affiliated with the Indian Council 10:17 of Secondary Education. 10:18 This accrediting body takes special care 10:21 to administer tests to Adventist schools 10:23 on Sunday. 10:26 Currently Kottarakara facilities 10:28 will not pass inspection 10:30 to become a member of the council. 10:32 Member schools 10:33 must have adequate classroom space for each student, 10:36 and this school has far outgrown its current buildings. 10:41 Because of your financial support 10:44 of the world budget and mission offerings 10:46 a new classroom block will be constructed 10:49 on the Kottarakara campus. 10:51 The new building will bring 20 new classrooms, 10:54 and allow the school to be ready 10:55 for the council's inspection. 11:05 Thank you for your support of the mission 11:06 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 11:10 To find out more please visit 11:12 AdventistMission.org. 11:21 Well, I hope you enjoyed today's snapshots of mission 11:24 from all around the world 11:25 from the dense jungles of West Papua 11:28 to the dungeons of Armenia 11:30 from the vast territories of Eurasia 11:33 to the huge population of India 11:35 people are finding hope and joy 11:37 in the good news of Jesus Christ. 11:40 If you have enjoyed the stories on today's program 11:43 I know that you'll enjoy the Mission 360 DVD. 11:47 Full of action-packed mission stories 11:49 it's our gift to you. 11:51 So if you live in North America 11:52 just visit our website at adventistmission.org 11:55 or call the toll-free number on your screen right now. 11:58 And ask for the Mission 360 DVD 12:02 and we'll be happy to send it to you for free. 12:05 As we close our program 12:07 let's take time to reflect 12:08 on what God's calling you to do, 12:11 what He's calling me to do 12:13 and let's watch the video "I Know You Are." 12:17 Thanks so much for joining us on today's program. 12:20 For Global Mission I'm Gary Krause. 12:22 And I hope you can join me next time 12:24 right here on Global Mission Snapshots. |
Revised 2014-12-17