Participants: Gary Krause (Host), Klaus Nybo, Shreeletha Solomon
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000705A
|
00:07 The chaos, the challenge,
00:10 the excitement of India, 1.3 billion people and rising. 00:16 That and much more coming up next right here, 00:19 on Global Missions Snapshots. 00:24 Just before He went up to heaven 00:27 Jesus gave us a command. 00:30 He gave us a mission. 00:33 Jesus said, "Go, 00:35 go unto all the world telling them of His love." 00:40 This is our mission. 00:42 This is our Global Mission. 00:55 Hello and welcome to Global Mission Snapshots. 00:57 I'm Gary Krause. 00:58 I'm in the heart of Mumbai in India. 01:01 This huge city of some 21 million people 01:03 and right behind me is the house of Mahatma Gandhi. 01:08 Mahatma Gandhi lived here from 1917 to 1934 01:13 and it's from this very house 01:14 that he launched the Satyagraha movement, 01:17 the movement that eventually led 01:20 to the independence of India in 1947. 01:23 They didn't do it through guns, 01:25 they didn't do it through violence or force, 01:27 they did it through non-violence. 01:29 A principle, it spells by Gandhi. 01:31 Gandhi of course never became a Christian 01:33 but he was the person who admired Jesus Christ. 01:37 And in fact, he often referred to the Sermon on the Mount 01:40 as an inspiration for his life. 01:43 Tragically for a man of peace, 01:45 he was assassinated 01:47 and in 1948 the country mourned the loss 01:52 of this tremendous leader. 01:53 Today, we'll be seeing more of India, 01:55 we'll be traveling around the world. 01:57 But first up we'll travel to the island of Guam. 02:00 My name is Lydia Fletcher Sholing. 02:04 That's L-Y-D-I-A, 02:08 middle name Fletcher, F-L-E-T-C-H-E-R. 02:13 Let's start at the beginning. 02:15 My story begins about ten years ago 02:18 with a song called "Can You Reach My Friend." 02:21 Can you hear me, okay? 02:29 My sister-in-law invited me 02:31 to listen to the new radio station on island 02:34 and we stayed up all night waiting for this song to play. 02:37 It's half the day 02:38 thanks for joining us here on JOY FM this morning. 02:41 It's good to have you. You are along with us today. 02:44 We got some good news from Gods word 02:47 coming up in a few minutes. 02:48 So stay with us. 02:50 As Lydia listened to the radio her song came on. 02:53 Then the next program began and the next. 02:57 She remained glued to her radio. 03:00 In the following weeks 03:01 Lydia repeatedly tuned to JOY FM, Adventist station 03:05 where she heard 03:07 filled her heart with encouragement and hope. 03:10 Through JOY FM Lydia began receiving Bible study guides. 03:14 The new truth she was learning 03:16 made an impact in her life and the life of her family. 03:20 Soon she was baptized in the Adventist church 03:23 along with her husband and two of her children. 03:26 Then something amazing happened. 03:29 Behind me you see a board with names on it. 03:32 Our study started just one-on-one with myself 03:36 and Charlene the one in red. 03:40 She was my daughter's classmate 03:44 and was really searching for truth. 03:45 So I said, "Hey, so why don't we just get together and study. 03:50 May be we can answer some of the questions that you have." 03:53 Well, the one on one group grew to six. 03:57 Six attendees and the six of us studied Steps to Christ. 04:02 For 13 beautiful weeks 04:03 we went through chapter by chapter 04:07 and God moved in our lives 04:08 and there was a closeness to Christ 04:10 that we had never shared or never knew before. 04:14 As Lydia's group realized the power of transformation 04:16 that came from studying about Jesus 04:19 they were impressed to begin another study 04:21 with even more women and they started making plans. 04:25 I though I knew what study I wanted to give. 04:27 In fact, I was sure of it. 04:29 I had counseled God, I had advised Him, 04:33 I had told Him exactly what direction we needed to go. 04:37 But the Holy Spirit kept nudging Lydia's heart 04:40 towards a different study. 04:42 Lydia resisted the suggestion and put a doubt of mind. 04:45 It wasn't until 30 minutes before the meeting 04:48 that she finally threw her hands up in the air and said... 04:52 Okay, Lord, if I do this for You, 04:55 You better fill every seat in this room. 04:59 So she went downstairs to the Adventist bookstore 05:02 and purchased the study she was impressed to do. 05:05 Fifteen minutes after start time, 05:07 there were only three women in the room. 05:10 Lydia thought that God was teaching her a lesson 05:12 to be more reverent in her request to Him. 05:15 Its then that something happened. 05:18 Five minutes later, the door downstairs opens 05:22 and you can hear a rush of women filling the hallway 05:25 talking and chatting to each other 05:27 walking up the stairs. 05:29 And after we gave our hugs, we greeted each other 05:32 we all sat down. 05:33 So I was excited to see 05:35 if God had really filled the room with and every chair. 05:39 Lydia learned her lesson. 05:41 In His time she just needed to commit to His will 05:46 and every chair in the room was filled. 05:49 Since then, 34 women have studied the bible with Lydia. 05:53 Sometimes squeezing in tight to hear God's word. 05:56 And on my last study, before I left, 06:00 I asked each one of them 06:01 to come up and write a name on the board 06:03 for a women that they'd like to pray for. 06:06 And that's what we have behind me now. 06:09 As Lydia and women look ahead 06:10 to ministering and teaching in the island of Guam, 06:13 please pray for the women around the world 06:16 who are hungering to hear and learn about Jesus. 06:21 I'm in the center of Bombay 06:24 right behind the Seventh-day Adventist English Church here 06:28 and my guest is Mrs. Shree. 06:29 Thank you so much for joining us. 06:30 Thank you. My pleasure. 06:32 Now, you're a church member here in Bombay. 06:34 For how long have you lived here? 06:36 I lived in Bombay for the last 25 years. 06:40 But I'm attending this church for almost 22 years. 06:45 Wow, so you've seen 06:47 a lot of changes here over the years 06:49 as the communities grown around it. 06:52 Yes, the church is bordering with the slums 06:56 and the slum has increased over the years. 06:59 Yeah. 07:01 Now, you were telling me before that 07:04 you have not always been a Seventh-day Adventist. 07:06 In fact, you came from a non-Christian background. 07:09 How did you become a-- become an Adventist? 07:12 I come from renowned Christian background. 07:15 I came to Bombay 07:17 actually to do my PhD, my research. 07:20 And there I met with some Christian friends 07:26 and we used to have lots of discussion. 07:28 Basically I come-- I was a Marxist. 07:33 So the leftist ideology was leading me 07:36 and after coming to Mumbai 07:41 and having discussions 07:43 I was influenced by the principles of Bible. 07:48 Yes. 07:49 So I came here and I had Bible study 07:52 with Pastor Mamen for three years or so 07:57 after that I have taken my baptism. 07:59 Okay. 08:01 Well, then what difference did it make to your life 08:03 becoming an Adventist? 08:07 Becoming an Adventist I found there is more peace 08:12 and it is a personal relationship with God 08:16 that makes the difference. 08:22 Yeah, I'm sure. 08:23 Now, we've stepped out from behind the church 08:26 and we're like in a different world here. 08:29 Now, you are mentioning that this is a poor area? 08:31 Yes, the poor people stays here. 08:33 They are migrants normally. 08:35 Okay. 08:36 So-- so these are people 08:38 who have come in from rural areas. 08:42 They have come here 08:43 because I think there'll be more opportunities more work? 08:45 Yeah, this is a place 08:47 where they can come and have their livelihood. 08:49 Yeah. 08:50 Now, we have the church here looking out over this community 08:56 and this is really a different world 09:02 to what you have in every Sabbath morning 09:04 when you're worshipping. 09:06 Yes. 09:08 How can you even begin 09:10 to connect with this sort of community? 09:13 You were telling me that you were involved in, 09:16 in various thoughts of health ministry. 09:19 Can you tell-- describe the sort of things 09:20 that you've been doing? 09:22 Here the people 09:25 in the slums also will have the health problems. 09:29 So the health min-- 09:30 we cannot go and preach them actually. 09:32 But we can bring the health programs to them 09:35 and that way we will be able to interact. 09:39 That way we will be able to get into friendship 09:44 and then we will be able to interact with them. 09:46 Okay. 09:48 So, so what type of health outreach can you do? 09:55 Teaching, teaching them about-- 10:01 teaching them about the good health habits 10:03 that we can actually talk to them about 10:10 preventing the substance abuse and alcohol abuse 10:13 and also about the need for 10:16 keeping the environments clean and-- 10:18 Hygiene. Hygiene. 10:21 Now, I understand that Mumbai 10:22 is like the capital of diabetes in India. 10:25 Lot of problem with diabetes? 10:27 Yes, actually Mumbai 10:29 is also passing thorough the transition 10:34 and the middle class is becoming more richer 10:38 and the middle class feels that they have to 10:43 or they feel it is status symbol to follow the rich 10:48 and they like to eat the west. 10:51 So what happens is that they are into the fast foods 10:54 and they have really changed the eating habits. 11:00 So more and more children are eating the fast food 11:03 and cool drinks. 11:05 Right. 11:06 And essentially that lifestyle also has changed 11:10 where people used to go out and play. 11:13 Now, what they do is 11:14 once they come back from the school 11:15 they will be either busy with the phone 11:18 or also may be with the internet 11:21 and the other things 11:24 where they are physically not involved. 11:27 Actually not involved. 11:28 So this way they are having less exercise 11:33 and more of rich food 11:36 and also more of unhealthy food. 11:37 Yes. 11:39 So that is going to create a real trouble 11:42 and as it is truly seen 11:44 we can see the difference in the children. 11:46 Yes. 11:47 Because we find more and more children 11:49 who are obese in the schools I think. 11:52 And as part of our international 11:54 youth development study also 11:55 last year we have added the-- 11:58 non-communicable diseases section. 12:00 So we have weighed their-- 12:04 we have taken their measurements 12:06 weight and the height 12:07 and also we have asked them about any sicknesses 12:10 which they have. 12:13 But we are still in the process of analysis. 12:16 But even without an analysis 12:19 it's almost clear from a simple-- 12:23 layperson's point of view that the things are changing. 12:26 Yeah. 12:28 You see these little precious kids 12:29 and you wonder what their future is, don't you? 12:32 You wonder what sort of-- 12:34 what life is gonna deal out to them. 12:36 What sort of opportunities they are gonna get 12:38 and what a tremendous challenge it is for the church 12:41 to not just stay within the four walls of the church 12:44 but find way is connect to the community. 12:46 Yes, the church can do a wonderful work. 12:48 Especially we feel that education can take them 12:52 or upgrade their life or uplift them 12:55 and that way I think the church has a very big role to play 12:59 and also bringing them the health aspects 13:03 or the health knowledge. 13:05 Yes. 13:06 It can integrate both the physical health 13:10 and also that they can 13:13 in the process they will be able to get 13:15 to know about the Savior. 13:17 So we will be able to reach them. 13:20 Wonderful. 13:22 Thank you so much for sharing a little bit this today 13:24 on this very busy street 13:26 and we'll be right back straight after this break. |
Revised 2015-08-20