Welcome back to
"Global Mission Snapshots"
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as we continue our tour
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of the General
Conference building,
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the headquarters of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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here in Silver Spring, Maryland.
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The Hope Channel wing
is the newest extension
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of the General
Conference building.
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Here is the studio where
they record popular shows
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such as Let's
Pray, Cross Connection,
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and Hope Sabbath School.
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Another studio in the building
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is the
Communication Department Studio.
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Each week Adventist News
Network is recorded right here.
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The building also
includes the offices of
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hundreds of General
Conference employees,
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who work hard to ensure
religious liberty, education,
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healthcare, and much more
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for millions of
Seventh-day Adventists
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and millions in the
community worldwide.
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Next up, let's visit Secretariat
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which among many other things
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sends missionaries all
around the world, Rick.
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Thanks Gary.
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We're outside the office
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of the secretary of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Let's just go inside
and see if he's there.
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Hi Doctor Ng and Myron.
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How are you doing?
Good. Good to see you.
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Good to see you too.
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I'll introduce you real
briefly to our viewers today,
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this is Doctor
G.T. Ng, the secretary
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of the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventists
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and this is Myron Iseminger
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who's the undersecretary
of the World Church as well.
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And I'm wondering,
Doctor Ng, would you tell us
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what is Secretariat?
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What is
Secretariat for our viewers?
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Well, that's a term that
very few people understand.
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But Secretariat
primarily is an organization
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that oversees the missionary
activities of the Church
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throughout the world.
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We facilitate, we motivate,
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we do some funding of
the mission enterprise
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around the world.
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And this painting
here depicts in a nutshell
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the current
emphasis of the church
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and that is city evangelism,
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urban mission in major
capitals around the world.
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And three angels,
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being multicultural is a
depiction of the diversity
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that we see in this church.
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Thank you, Doctor Ng,
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but there is another
side of Secretariat, right?
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And Myron, maybe you'll
tell us a little bit about
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the other side of Secretariat.
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Well, mission is certainly
the most exciting part,
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but somebody has to
take care of the policies
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and the minutes and agendas
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and so forth to
keep the church running.
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And so that's
traditionally also been
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the function of Secretariat,
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membership records and
those sorts of things as well.
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Let's go see some of the areas.
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You know there's so much
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involved in
mission for the church
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but one of the
biggest areas is here
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in the International Personnel
Resources and Services,
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otherwise known as IPRS.
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But that's too much,
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but maybe Myron and Dr. Ng,
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would you tell us
a little bit about
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what International Personal
Resources and Services does?
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Sure, well the name
is quite descriptive
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but when we talk about
resources and services,
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we're talking about
things, treasury functions,
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payroll, and so forth as well as
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all of logistics to get
them out into the field.
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Getting who out?
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These are the
missionaries. Okay.
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The international personnel.
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And who do they
work for largely?
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Obviously they're based in
local regions and institutions,
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but they maintain a
connection with this office
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because of their
cross-cultural work
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and being away from home.
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In this kind of
regard, Doctor Ng,
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about how many
cross-cultural workers
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these international personnel
do we have around the world?
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Roughly 400--
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Families. Families. Yeah.
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But with wives, spouses
working we have close to 900.
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Wonderful, okay, that
gives us a good overview.
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Let's sort of go
into Adventist Mission.
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You know, in my world
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this is probably
the most exciting area,
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this is Adventist Mission.
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That's right.
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I like time here of course
there's a lot going on here.
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Maybe you can share
with us a little bit about
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what is happening
and what kind of things,
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activities and stuff that
Adventist Mission is doing?
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Well, Adventist
Mission has done a great job
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in advertising or showcasing
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what the church has
been doing around the world.
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In terms of magazine, they
have the Mission 360 magazine.
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In terms of the
mission spotlight DVD,
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so in that regard
they've done a great job.
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Wonderful and we, of course,
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in Adventist Mission
are sort of the custodians
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for some of the offerings,
mission offerings certainly,
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and we're grateful for
the fact that the world church
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has an organization
that looks after that.
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In fact the
Sabbath School Offering
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is the backbone of the funding
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which we finance
missionaries around the world.
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Without Sabbath
School Mission Offering,
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we are getting nowhere
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but because of the
generosity of our people
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contributing on a regular basis
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Sabbath School Mission Offering,
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we can afford to send
missionaries around the world.
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And here we are in the
Institute of World Mission.
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Tell us, Pastor Iseminger,
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about the
Institute and what it does?
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Well, this is one of
the best kept secrets
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of the whole
mission family area,
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but I think they're best known
for their mission institutes
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where they spent three
weeks with the missionaries
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that are going out and training
them in cross-cultural issues
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and really giving
them the preparation
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that they need to step
into the other cultures,
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but they do many
other things as well
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relating to
helping with the divisions
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and local training.
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Institute is a valuable jewel
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in the whole mission
structures of the church
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and what we refer to around
here as the mission family.
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Let's go on and make sure
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we don't miss the
associate secretaries.
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Yes. And Adventist Volunteers.
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I can see, Dr. Ng,
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that there is far too
much for one person here.
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You must have some associates
that help you in this work?
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Yes, we do have
associate secretaries
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whose responsibility is
to recruit and interview
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and screen missionaries
for cross-cultural situations.
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Okay.
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Unfortunately none of
them are around today,
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but they are out
there in the field
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doing what
they're supposed to do.
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Great and one of
those associate secretaries
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is actually responsible
for Adventist Volunteers
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and maybe, Elder Iseminger,
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you could you could
tell us a little about
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what Adventist
Volunteer Services does?
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Sure, we have more volunteers
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than any of the
other areas of mission.
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And that's how I got started,
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so I have a real
passion for that as well.
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Volunteers
spend anytime you know
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from just a few
months to up to a year or two
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and they go out
to various tasks.
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Many of them are young people
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but they go clear up
to retirees and others.
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And any of our viewers could
go to the website and sign up.
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Thank you for your time today,
Dr. Ng and Pastor Iseminger.
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It's been really nice to see
what the mission family does.
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Is there anything more
you want to share with me?
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Well, the church
is about mission.
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The reason for
the church to exist
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is because there is a job to do
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and this is part and
parcel of the Great Commission
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that Jesus has given to us.
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What you see here in this office
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is but a skeleton crew
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here at the
General Conference office
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overseeing the work of
mission around the world.
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The majority of our
workers are on the ground,
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different parts of the world,
different areas of the world
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where cross-cultural
ministry is taking place.
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Thank you so much for your time
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and for showing us
around the mission family
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here at the General Conference,
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but you know you
really don't have to work
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at the General
Conference to be a missionary.
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You can be a missionary
right there in your home,
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in your work,
in your own family,
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maybe in your community,
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or on the other
side of the world.
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Whatever you do, we are called
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to be Christ's
representatives in our world.
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Back to you, Gary.
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And so last, but not least,
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we come to the
Ellen G. White Estate
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where we find the
painting of Christ
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of the Narrow Way by Elfred Lee.
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This beautiful mural illustrates
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Ellen White's first vision
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and shows a narrow
path in which believers
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in the Three Angels'
Messages of Revelation 14
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are traveling
toward the Holy City.
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Well, our tour is nearly
over but our program isn't,
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so next up, let's travel to some
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beautiful islands
in the South Pacific.
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Guam Micronesia
Mission is the newest territory
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in the North American Division.
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In a region
mostly covered by water,
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Guam Micronesia Mission
has a footprint as large as
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mainland United
States from east to west.
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Vast, beautiful,
and full of history
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are these islands
in the Pacific Ocean.
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The pictures you see
here are simply breathtaking.
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As you look in the
distance, you can see the sky
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kissing the
endless sea in the horizon.
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Here in the calm Pacific Ocean,
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you will find the United
States territories of Guam,
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the Federated
States of Micronesia,
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Marshall Islands,
00:10:08.57\00:10:09.91
Northern Mariana
Islands, and Palau.
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Guam Micronesia
Mission is home to roughly
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5,000 Seventh-day Adventists
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who are facing the
challenge of reaching
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more than 400,000 people
in the different islands.
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To accomplish this mission,
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the Adventist church
has established schools,
00:10:26.98\00:10:29.35
churches, clinics,
and other institutions
00:10:29.38\00:10:32.84
but there is
still so much to do.
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North Americans definitely
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have a needy mission
field right in their backyard.
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Let's look at Guam,
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the most developed
island in Micronesia.
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Primarily a hub for
tourists coming from Japan,
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Guam is an unincorporated
territory of the United States.
00:10:50.36\00:10:54.53
Here Adventists are
making a significant effort
00:10:54.56\00:10:57.43
to connect with the people
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in a positive and
long-lasting manner.
00:10:58.96\00:11:02.50
Healthcare is a key
method to engage people,
00:11:02.53\00:11:05.26
help them, and
build relationships.
00:11:05.29\00:11:08.17
The Seventh-day
Adventist Guam clinic
00:11:08.20\00:11:10.18
has been working since 1955
00:11:10.21\00:11:12.89
to assist Guamanians
with physical health,
00:11:12.92\00:11:15.27
mental and
spiritual education as well.
00:11:15.30\00:11:18.78
Meet Shishin Myagi.
He's one of the doctors here.
00:11:18.81\00:11:22.54
The Guam clinic has a
special place in his heart.
00:11:22.57\00:11:26.23
I came here as a medical student
00:11:26.26\00:11:28.01
and I also came
here as a resident
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and we just fell in
love with this place.
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People are great and there's
such a need of doctors here.
00:11:33.27\00:11:38.73
He works here
daily, seeing patients
00:11:38.76\00:11:41.10
with all types of needs.
00:11:41.13\00:11:42.95
He is happy to do this work.
00:11:42.98\00:11:45.35
Doctor Myagi believes
00:11:45.38\00:11:46.71
in showing people
the love of Christ
00:11:46.74\00:11:48.70
through the quality
of care he provides.
00:11:48.73\00:11:51.46
This philosophy of conduct
comes from observing others
00:11:51.49\00:11:54.73
who inspired him
from a young age.
00:11:54.76\00:11:57.64
At the hospital my
father was working at,
00:11:57.67\00:11:59.82
there were so
many missionaries there
00:11:59.85\00:12:01.67
and they had a
huge impact on me.
00:12:01.70\00:12:06.37
I spent a lot of time with them
00:12:06.40\00:12:07.91
and I always wanted to be
a missionary when I grew up.
00:12:07.94\00:12:13.53
In addition to the
work at the clinic,
00:12:13.56\00:12:16.07
Doctor Myagi spends
some of his evenings
00:12:16.10\00:12:18.20
educating people
in the community.
00:12:18.23\00:12:20.59
Through a
program called New Start,
00:12:20.62\00:12:22.53
he and his fellow
doctors have the opportunity
00:12:22.56\00:12:25.19
to teach the importance
of a healthy lifestyle.
00:12:25.22\00:12:28.23
Through nutrition, exercise,
hydration, rest, trust in God,
00:12:28.26\00:12:33.32
and other natural resources
00:12:33.35\00:12:35.19
people are regaining
control of their weight,
00:12:35.22\00:12:37.47
health, and stability.
00:12:37.50\00:12:39.74
This is a unique opportunity
00:12:39.77\00:12:41.72
to tell people about
managing their bodies
00:12:41.75\00:12:44.26
through the gifts the
creator has left them.
00:12:44.29\00:12:47.54
First, people
have their basic needs
00:12:47.57\00:12:50.08
and we have to
reach where they're at
00:12:50.11\00:12:54.36
and providing the medical
care is one of the best way
00:12:54.39\00:12:57.60
to witness to the people.
00:12:57.63\00:13:00.06
I find it very, very
fulfilling doing the work,
00:13:00.09\00:13:03.15
I found medical work here.
00:13:03.18\00:13:05.02
We have so many opportunities
00:13:05.05\00:13:06.60
to serve the people
in this community here.
00:13:06.63\00:13:09.59
Not only in this community but
also the surrounding islands.
00:13:09.62\00:13:13.89
The work to
connect with people in Guam
00:13:13.92\00:13:16.16
and other Micronesian islands
00:13:16.19\00:13:17.97
continues to
penetrate more and more areas
00:13:18.00\00:13:21.25
but there are still
so many places to reach.
00:13:21.28\00:13:24.49
Some of the
islands that we have,
00:13:24.52\00:13:27.03
you can't enter
into the island unless
00:13:27.06\00:13:28.82
you get permission from
the king or the high chief.
00:13:28.85\00:13:32.39
And most of the
time we get permission
00:13:32.42\00:13:34.19
through the health work,
00:13:34.22\00:13:35.78
otherwise we
couldn't get on the islands.
00:13:35.81\00:13:38.94
So, there are many islands,
00:13:38.97\00:13:42.06
that have not been reached
right here in Micronesia.
00:13:42.09\00:13:45.98
The healthcare work is an
entry point to bless lives,
00:13:46.01\00:13:49.52
earn people's confidence
00:13:49.55\00:13:51.17
and propose a new way of living
physically and spiritually.
00:13:51.20\00:13:55.58
Please pray for the severe
00:13:55.61\00:13:57.08
shortage of doctors
in the whole island.
00:13:57.11\00:13:59.80
Pray also that the
clinic can address this problem
00:13:59.83\00:14:02.23
through their expansion plans
00:14:02.26\00:14:03.95
to more than double
the clinic's capacity.
00:14:03.98\00:14:06.86
They need doctors and resources
00:14:06.89\00:14:09.27
to continue serving
00:14:09.30\00:14:10.43
and witnessing to
the people of Guam.
00:14:10.46\00:14:14.27
Well, I hope you've enjoyed
today's Mission Snapshots
00:14:14.30\00:14:16.99
from around the world.
00:14:17.02\00:14:18.49
From exotic islands
in the South Pacific
00:14:18.52\00:14:21.30
to expensive neighborhoods
on California's coast,
00:14:21.33\00:14:24.71
men and women are sharing
the love of Jesus Christ.
00:14:24.74\00:14:28.42
Please pray for
the people and places
00:14:28.45\00:14:30.59
that you see on this program.
00:14:30.62\00:14:32.71
Frontline mission work
can be very challenging
00:14:32.74\00:14:35.17
and please pray for
Global Mission pioneers
00:14:35.20\00:14:37.98
who are planting
new congregations
00:14:38.01\00:14:40.00
in challenging
areas of the world.
00:14:40.03\00:14:42.81
Well, for Global
Mission Snapshots,
00:14:42.84\00:14:44.49
I'm n Gary Krause.
00:14:44.52\00:14:45.79
And I hope you can join me
00:14:45.82\00:14:46.87
next time on
"Global Mission Snapshots."
00:14:46.90\00:14:50.01