Participants:
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000804B
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00:10 Welcome back to Yangon, Myanmar.
00:13 Next we travel to Timor Leste 00:15 where the only Seventh-day Adventist pastor 00:18 in the entire country shares his dream 00:21 and vision for Adventist education. 00:24 Thanks, Gary. 00:25 I'm right now in the Dili, 00:26 Timor Leste which is the capital 00:28 of this one of the newest nations on the planet. 00:31 And I'm here and I have the privilege of interviewing 00:34 and being with my friend Pastor Inaciu Da Kosta. 00:38 Pastor Inaciu Da Kosta is the first and only 00:41 Timor Leste Seventh-day Adventist pastor 00:44 and God has been working in mighty ways in his life. 00:47 Pastor Da Kosta, welcome to the show. 00:49 Thank you. 00:51 I wanted to have a chance for you 00:52 to share from your heart 00:54 how has God worked in your life? 00:56 First of all let's ask how did you first meet Jesus? 01:00 Yeah, thank you. 01:01 I first met Jesus because of one of the member 01:04 of Seventh-day Adventist church 01:05 and he sent me to one of their-- 01:08 to this academy and I got admission. 01:10 And finally I learned many things from there. 01:14 So I found Jesus Christ in there. 01:16 About two years, you know, two years to find Jesus Christ. 01:19 Right. 01:20 So that's amazing on how this one church member, 01:24 what was his name? 01:25 His name is Paulus. Paulus, okay. 01:28 And he was from Indonesia serving in the local town. 01:32 And he was serving as in what capacity? 01:36 What was his position? Actually a policeman. 01:38 Okay, so he was an policeman. 01:39 But he work also for the church also. 01:41 Okay. 01:42 And so as a Seventh-day Adventist 01:43 he was then working in the community? 01:45 Yes, of course. What was his vision? 01:48 His vision? 01:49 He worked to prepare many young people so they can come, 01:51 they can hear and so share the good news. 01:53 They got this in whole country here 01:56 because of a big dream for this to stay here. 01:58 Right, and that dream was true Christian education? 02:01 His dream is through education so he can establish 02:04 in some education in this country 02:06 or this province that I so can help 02:09 young people so they can more be educated. 02:12 And when you came back after meeting Jesus Christ 02:15 and accepting Him and what was on your heart 02:19 when you saw the condition of your nation? 02:22 Because I know you had the civil war, 02:25 you had the other turmoil 02:29 and the strife both from outside 02:31 and then the UN stepped in. 02:32 Yes. 02:34 What was on your heart? What dream did God give to you? 02:36 The first my dream, 02:38 only may be my dream the first my life 02:40 when I come back to my country is for the education 02:44 because through education we can prepare many people, 02:48 prepare the human resource for even in the church, 02:51 even in country. 02:52 So that's why my dream is only for the school. 02:55 This is a 15 years back process. 02:59 And even I sent letter to the division, 03:01 so I asked them to do this. 03:04 Well, I'm glad that we're able then to-- 03:07 the world church now and our viewers 03:09 we're able then to help make that dream a reality. 03:12 Yes. 03:13 As we're here and we're surrounded by all these 03:16 precious kids in your neighborhood. 03:18 Yes, these are very good children. 03:19 And so this is something right now-- 03:21 what are they-- 03:23 as these kids are growing up what are the challenges 03:25 that are being faced in your country right now? 03:28 Yeah, you know as you see that we have a very kids 03:30 surrounded as but they have some education limit 03:33 that because we're just grow up and just be. 03:36 So you know that some classes-- 03:38 actually the place is just for 30 or 40 03:41 but they can pull there all together is what 70 03:44 and very crowd and also limited times 03:46 we have to change and everything. 03:48 So you know, this is one opportunity 03:50 and also this is my dream 03:52 so we could have some education. 03:53 Right. Wow. 03:54 And so your country right now 03:56 because it as it's developing is facing these classrooms 03:59 that are overcrowded and maybe not enough teachers 04:03 and not enough schools. 04:04 Yes. It's true. 04:05 And so that's something right now your dream 04:07 that God put in your heart 15 years ago 04:09 was to then have a school that then can teach you 04:13 on how to have excellent education 04:16 as well as then teach about Jesus and His love 04:19 and His soon return. 04:20 Yes. Yes. Well, that's great. 04:22 Can you know now share, 04:24 I know that as you've shared with me 04:26 in the past your experience, you're like a modern-day Paul 04:31 and I know that you're a humble man 04:33 and but can you share with our viewers 04:37 how God protected you that one night at Nolasco's house 04:41 in one of the far provinces? 04:43 How did God send His angels to protect you? 04:45 Protect you. 04:46 Because that has happened of course 04:48 because of education and many young people 04:49 come to the church 04:51 the Seventh-day Adventist church, 04:52 you know, but they are facing challenges 04:54 in the word of Sabbath. 04:55 So they don't go to the school. 04:56 So you know, after that and their parents 04:58 all they needed to carve their future. 05:01 So when I visited their houses far away from the city. 05:05 No electricity, the mountain and after they were planning 05:08 to get there at midnight at 12 midnight 05:11 they come and they meet people, 05:12 they come and they stop me and they want to kill me. 05:15 Even one of two people they want to go to the police 05:18 but you know they, 05:21 they make a arrow want to kill them. 05:23 So we wait until 5 o'clock and after they kind of vacated 05:27 and they wake up, hit me and-- 05:30 but I thank God that on the spot they come in 05:34 and till now so I still have life. 05:36 Wow, praise God. 05:38 Just not that, not only that because of big thing 05:40 but I think that's one that I want to say 05:42 for all of the friends in the world. 05:44 Right. Right. 05:45 And I know that that was caused like you were 05:48 just sharing that you received those death threats 05:51 and the stoning and there was even the police 05:53 like you were just saying they were gonna shoot 05:56 even the police with arrows. 05:59 Yes. That was caused why? 06:00 Because of Christian education you were giving Bible studies 06:03 and educating the neighborhood kids? 06:06 Yes. To read? 06:07 Yeah. 06:09 I'm said it you got good news for the people there 06:11 and also there are more people that after you say the church 06:15 but they don't have-- they don't have education here. 06:19 So if now they go to the public's school 06:21 and they treat not fair because of the Saturday. 06:25 So that's why their parents are thinking, 06:28 that this isn't a future for them 06:30 so but if we have for some education system in here 06:33 so there is no problem 06:35 because they can enjoy this and they can study there. 06:38 That's why very difficult for them. 06:41 So their parents sought to kill me 06:43 because it's they told that I have been teaching 06:45 something wrong 06:47 because there is no future for them, the more few. 06:48 Yeah. 06:50 And you know that because of their maybe misunderstanding 06:54 as well as in this developing country 06:57 where religious liberty maybe can be strengthening 07:00 and so that something-- what else can our viewers-- 07:05 what can we pray for Timor Leste in this nation? 07:07 Yes, I think we have to pray for his 07:10 for their religion of liberty, 07:12 for we can exercise our faith, that's the first one, 07:15 the second we didn't really pray for us, 07:18 so how we can have some education, 07:21 education, Christian education, 07:23 the quality education to educate our young people 07:26 and even outside so they can teach them 07:29 it's not only that knowledge in the war 07:31 but also knowledge for how to they reach Jesus Christ. 07:34 That we really we want to pray for us. 07:37 All right, well, thank you Pastor Da Kosta, 07:39 for inviting us and bringing us embracing to your neighborhood. 07:42 And thank you Gary, I hope that you've been able 07:44 to be touched by how God is working 07:47 in this wonderful country and how our viewers 07:50 and together we can continue to uplift 07:52 Timor Leste in our prayers. Back to you, Gary. 07:57 Next stop Sri Lanka where we continue to learn 08:00 about the importance of Adventist education. 08:03 Avinash is a young boy from Sri Lanka. 08:06 He dreamed of going to school some day. 08:08 Many of his friends studied at Lakpahana 08:10 Seventh-day Adventist school. 08:12 But Avinash's family simply could not afford 08:14 his education anywhere. 08:17 Fortunately the local Adventist pastor invited Avinash 08:19 to become a student at Lakpahana 08:22 and he promised to help pay for the expenses 08:24 of a good Christian education. 08:26 Avinash eagerly started getting ready for school 08:28 but one day as he was climbing a tree to pick fruit 08:31 his foot slipped and down came Avinash. 08:35 He was badly injured 08:36 and was taken to the local Adventist hospital. 08:38 There doctors examined Avinash and took x-rays. 08:42 The doctors told him it could take several months 08:44 for him to get better, what was he going to do? 08:47 This was his only opportunity to attend school. 08:51 As the nurses cared for Avinash 08:53 his dad came to encourage him to get well soon. 08:55 If he did he could begin school right away. 08:58 Although in a lot of pain 09:00 Avinash was anxious to get better. 09:02 For an entire month Avinash did 09:04 all he was told to try and get better 09:06 but the doctors wouldn't let him go. 09:09 It was only after two of the longest months of his life 09:12 that Avinash was cleared to leave the hospital. 09:15 Avinash quickly got ready for school. 09:19 When the bell rang he was there ready to start classes 09:22 and he worked hard to get the best grades possible. 09:25 In this school Avinash has learned 09:27 many important lessons. 09:28 He has also learned about God and His healing power. 09:32 So today he studies his Bible and works with his hands 09:35 in the school gardens. 09:37 He is helping pay for his studies. 09:40 Avinash asks you to pray and support the work 09:43 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 09:45 If it wasn't for Lakpahana School 09:47 he would never have the chance to study 09:49 and become one of God's children. 10:09 Well, that's about it for today's program. 10:12 I hope that you've been challenged and inspired 10:15 by what you've seen and heard 10:17 from the busy streets in Yangon, 10:19 Myanmar to East Timor to Sri Lanka, 10:22 in urban areas, in rural areas among the rich, 10:26 among the poor, among different cultural and language groups. 10:30 The light of God's love is being shared by men and women, 10:33 boys and girls. 10:35 And thank you for your continuing prayerful support 10:38 of mission around the world. 10:40 It does make a difference. 10:41 Before we go I'd like to send you a small free gift 10:45 as a small token of thank you 10:47 for your continuing support for mission. 10:49 Oh, that's it for Global Mission Snapshots. 10:52 I'm Gary Krause for Adventist Mission 10:54 and I hope you can join me next time 10:56 right here on this program. |
Revised 2015-08-27