Participants: Gary Krause (Host), R. J. Solomon, Myun Ju Lee
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000701B
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00:06 Welcome back to the program.
00:08 Coming to you today from Mumbai, India. 00:11 Next up we're going to travel not to far from here, 00:13 to one of the most populated regions 00:15 of the world, Bangladesh. 00:17 And Pastor Doug Venn is talking to Dr. Lee. 00:21 Thanks Gary, I'm right now here in Bangladesh 00:24 with my good friend Dr. Myun Ju Lee. 00:27 And, Dr. Lee, good to have you on the show today. 00:30 Yeah, Good to be with you. 00:31 Where are we here in Bangladesh? 00:33 Now we are in Gowalbathan Kaliakoir, Gazipur 00:37 where our Bangladesh Adventist Seminary 00:41 and College are located. 00:42 Okay, well, that's quite a mouthful to say that 00:44 you know, the village name and the province name. 00:47 Yes. 00:48 Here in Bangladesh, how many people are there? 00:51 160 million people live in this small country. 00:56 Wow, wow, that's great. 00:58 Now I know that God has called you 01:00 and your family to serve as missionaries. 01:02 But what's that story? 01:04 To make this short story short, 01:07 actually I was converted from Methodist 01:10 when I was 17 years old. 01:12 At that time, I decided to be a worldwide missionary. 01:16 God fulfilled my dream. 01:18 First I went to Argentina as a missionary, 01:21 for six years I served the church membership there. 01:25 Then I was dreaming to go to Africa 01:28 but God called me to be in Bangladesh. 01:31 But I'm very happy to serve the people who are here. 01:34 Very good. 01:35 How long has you and your family have 01:37 you served here in Bangladesh? 01:38 I came here in 2005, almost nine years, 01:45 more nine years already. 01:46 Wow, that's great. 01:47 And in those nine years, 01:48 what have been some of the lessons 01:50 that you have learned? 01:51 Here, I have learned how to love the people. 01:56 Because these people, even though they are very poor, 01:59 they are very lovable people. 02:01 God has given me the chance to love and serve the people. 02:05 I like and I love to serve the people 02:08 who are in Bangladesh. 02:10 That's great, Dr. Lee, 02:11 that you're following Christ's method alone 02:14 to then care for the people and have that impact 02:18 with the love of God to serve. 02:21 Can you tell of one story of how you've seen 02:25 God work in maybe a life of a student or someone? 02:32 For example, when I was serving 02:36 in Bangladesh Seminary and College, 02:40 I was called, I saw many students, 02:44 they came from different backgrounds, 02:46 even from different religions but really, God is so great 02:51 He changed their lives in the college, 02:55 now they are serving as leaders, 02:57 as servants in our denomination. 02:59 Wow, that's great. 03:00 That's great to see how you've been able 03:02 to see through education how lives have been improved. 03:07 As well as in how the country has been able 03:09 to be improved through their service. 03:11 Yes. 03:12 So, what are some of the challenges 03:14 and opportunities that you face here? 03:16 Because you're serving 03:17 as the Union president here in Bangladesh. 03:20 So what are those some of those challenges 03:22 and opportunities that you're facing? 03:24 Last seven years, seven months 03:26 I was serving as college president 03:29 but now I am serving the people as Union president. 03:33 Actually, there is opportunity here 03:36 to reach the people through education system. 03:39 Since this other religion country, 03:42 dominates the country, on reaching the people, 03:46 education is the best way to reach the people, 03:50 when they are young. 03:51 Our children are young, this is an opportunity 03:54 to educate them, to make the people of God. 03:57 Right. yeah. 03:58 But there is a great challenge 04:01 because financially it is very poor in this country, 04:06 so we need to develop 04:08 a lot of things through education system. 04:10 Like, I know you were sharing with me, 04:13 as we've been visiting here, in the country, 04:15 that your goal and vision is to have 04:17 each of the schools around the nation 04:19 to become self-supporting financially 04:22 and to have work study programs. 04:24 Why is that so important? 04:26 Actually we have seven boarding schools 04:30 but financially it's very difficult, 04:33 so we want to teach them 04:36 how to go to self-supporting institutions. 04:39 That's why we need to develop several types of projects. 04:43 When we teach them that types of income generating project, 04:48 our students will be studying in a self-supportive system. 04:54 That is my conviction. 04:55 That's great. 04:57 Can you share for our viewers what are some of the examples 05:01 of having this work study or income generating projects. 05:06 Practically, what are some of the schools 05:08 doing now that's working? 05:10 Thank you. 05:11 Specially, if we would make some pure water drinking system 05:16 it would be good to generate income for the school. 05:19 Also we can give that water for the community service. 05:23 Another way, in Bangladesh, there are 30,000 NGOs. 05:29 Many people travel to the local villages. 05:32 If we would build some guest house in our school, 05:35 it would be also income generating. 05:37 Another is a goat project, that animal. 05:41 It's very good to grow in Bangladesh. 05:44 For example, if we would go to East Bangladesh Mission, 05:49 whole year there is food on the hillside and mountains. 05:52 When we really reach this idea 05:55 I think and believe we can earn a lot of funds 06:00 so that we can support for each school. 06:02 That is my conviction. 06:03 That's great, that God has planted 06:06 this vision to have a water bottle 06:09 and filtration plant at one of the schools 06:13 as well as even to have goat ministry 06:15 where people can raise these animals 06:18 and then either sell the milk or sell the animals 06:22 and that way the school 06:23 and students are able to earn their tuition payments. 06:27 Dr. Lee, it's been great 06:29 but I want to ask Mrs. Lee to come. 06:33 Gary, it's been great to be here with the Lee's 06:35 and here in this beautiful place in Bangladesh. 06:39 So reporting live from this village, 06:41 I can't say the name, it's very long. 06:43 But back to you Gary. 06:46 For many Adventists, their first view 06:48 of world mission came through 06:49 the Mission Spotlight presentations 06:52 that were shown in Sabbath Schools 06:54 all around the world for many, many years. 06:56 Produced by the Heinrich family, 06:59 these presentations just opened up new vistas 07:03 for people to see what was happening 07:05 in mission around the world. 07:06 Well, I'm delighted to tell you that 07:08 Mission Spotlight is back. 07:10 And the Adventist Mission DVD that we produce 07:12 and that's sent to churches all around the world 07:14 is now going to be called Mission Spotlight. 07:17 It will still contain the stories that 07:19 you've come to love. 07:21 Every quarter there will be three major presentations 07:24 that can be shown once a month or if you prefer, 07:27 they'll be a new story that can be shown every week. 07:30 Next up, we're going to see a story 07:32 from the Mission Spotlight DVD. 07:35 A center of influence 07:36 that's making a difference in Korea. 07:49 Centers of Influence are transforming 07:51 how we do ministry in certain parts of the world. 07:55 A center of influence serves the needs 07:58 of the communities in a number of ways. 08:00 This can be an opportunity to minister 08:02 to people in creative, new ways. 08:06 We find centers of influence dotted across the globe. 08:10 In Korea, this concept has been in place for years now. 08:14 They are serving their communities 08:15 in practical ways. 08:17 Kwon John Haeng 08:19 is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor 08:21 who is heavily involved in coordinating 08:23 centers of influence 08:24 throughout the Northern Asia-Pacific region, 08:26 around the world. 08:28 There are 110 centers of influence in Korea 08:31 and today we visit a restaurant 08:35 which is run by the Seoul Central Church. 08:37 The Seoul Central Church is located 08:39 in the very center of the Seoul metropolitan area. 08:42 The church is located in a very busy 08:45 and expensive area, 08:47 but the church only opened once a week. 08:50 The church decided 12 years ago, 08:52 to open their cafeteria to the public 08:54 to provide good vegetarian food. 08:57 In the business area, 08:59 there are not many vegetarian restaurants. 09:02 You know, across the street there is the Jogye, 09:05 that is the headquarters of Korean Buddhism. 09:09 And they are all vegetarian people. 09:11 As we started we didn't have much customers 09:15 but these days we are entertaining 09:17 180 to 200 people every day. 09:22 Most of them-- almost all of them 09:23 are non-Adventist members. 09:26 But they really love our Adventist style healthy food. 09:31 In the beginning, the church invested 09:33 a lot of money to renovate the cafeteria. 09:36 But today, the restaurant makes a good income 09:39 and provides jobs for six Adventist members. 09:43 With the income, they make donations 09:45 to the local government. 09:47 In that area the church has a good reputation. 09:51 The church decided to provide a scholarship 09:54 for needy students. 09:55 So regardlessof their religion or background, 09:58 any middle school student and high school student 10:01 can come to this church and get the full scholarship. 10:05 As a result some of them have majored in theology. 10:10 And one of them is serving 10:11 as the choir conductor of the church. 10:16 And then still they do have more income. 10:18 Therefore they began to help elderly citizens. 10:23 As we visit the church every Sabbath morning, 10:26 the church entertains more than 200 senor citizens 10:29 and the church provides them 10:31 not only spiritual food but physical food also. 10:34 You know, twice a month 10:36 they providing their round trip bus fare also. 10:41 As a result, the church baptizes about 10:43 60 people every year from that ministry. 10:47 As they support the senior citizen ministry. 10:50 This center of influence in the heart of Seoul 10:54 has been a light to the community 10:55 for more than twelve years. 10:58 Please pray as it continues to grow 11:00 and serve the community. 11:05 Well, I hope you've been inspired 11:07 and challenged by today's 360 degree view 11:09 of mission around the world. 11:11 From the teaming metropolis of Mumbai to Mongolia, 11:15 to education in Bangladesh, to centers of influence 11:20 in South Korea people are sharing the light 11:22 of God's love in many different ways, 11:24 many creative ways. 11:26 Please continue to pray for mission around the world. 11:29 Pray for frontline mission workers, 11:31 it can be challenging, it can be discouraging, 11:33 and it's very encouraging for them to know 11:35 that there is a world church praying for them. 11:38 Before we go I'd like to offer you a free gift 11:40 that's just a small thank you 11:42 for your continuing support for mission. 11:44 The book is called "True Believer" 11:46 and if you live in North America 11:47 we'd love to send you a free copy. 11:49 It's an exciting story written by Gina Wahlen 11:52 who writes the mission stories for Adventist Mission. 11:55 It's a story of a young man 11:57 who in his early 20s in communist Russia, 12:00 discovered the love of Jesus Christ. 12:03 Well, that's it for today's program. 12:05 Thanks so much for joining us 12:06 and I hope you can join me next time right here 12:08 on Global Mission Snap Shots. |
Revised 2015-06-22