Imagine the line of residents
here in the city of Cairo,
00:00:11.91\00:00:15.34
stretching back down this
road space one meter apart
00:00:15.38\00:00:19.65
you would travel
for some 30 miles
00:00:19.68\00:00:21.85
before you would
meet one advertised.
00:00:21.88\00:00:24.32
Egypt and much
more coming up next.
00:00:24.35\00:00:26.69
Just before He
went up to heaven,
00:00:31.16\00:00:33.66
Jesus gave us a command.
00:00:33.70\00:00:36.60
He gave us a mission.
00:00:36.63\00:00:39.13
Jesus said, "Go,
00:00:39.17\00:00:41.77
"go unto all the world,
telling them of His love."
00:00:41.80\00:00:46.78
This is our mission.
00:00:46.81\00:00:48.74
This is our Global Mission.
00:00:48.78\00:00:50.51
Hello, and welcome to
Global Mission Snapshots
00:00:57.62\00:01:00.06
coming to you today
00:01:00.09\00:01:01.42
from the ancient
country land of Egypt.
00:01:01.46\00:01:04.03
Adventist work
began in the Middle East
00:01:04.06\00:01:06.36
right here in this country
00:01:06.39\00:01:08.26
when some Adventist in Italy
sent literature to Alexandra.
00:01:08.30\00:01:13.34
Well, today so many years later
00:01:13.37\00:01:16.34
the church
throughout the Middle East
00:01:16.37\00:01:18.84
is a minority of minorities.
00:01:18.87\00:01:21.78
In fact, I was
doing some calculating
00:01:21.81\00:01:23.65
and if you to imagine
00:01:23.68\00:01:25.01
a line of people
stretching from here in Cairo
00:01:25.05\00:01:28.08
directly all the way
up to Beirut, Lebanon
00:01:28.12\00:01:31.25
nearly 600 kilometers
00:01:31.29\00:01:32.99
and each person was spaced
one meter away from the next
00:01:33.02\00:01:37.69
you could walk that
entire line of people
00:01:37.73\00:01:39.86
all the way to Beirut
00:01:39.89\00:01:41.50
and you would meet only
three or four Adventist.
00:01:41.53\00:01:44.60
When we see figures such as this
00:01:44.63\00:01:47.40
we ask the question,
00:01:47.44\00:01:48.77
who is
sufficient for this things?
00:01:48.80\00:01:50.61
And the answer is
certainly not us, only Him.
00:01:50.64\00:01:53.81
We will be coming back to Egypt
00:01:53.84\00:01:55.18
but first up
00:01:55.21\00:01:56.54
let's travel to a totally
different part of the world.
00:01:56.58\00:01:58.48
On April 9, 2014
00:02:05.65\00:02:08.96
tragedy struck Papua, Indonesia.
00:02:08.99\00:02:12.69
What was a routine take-off
00:02:12.73\00:02:14.33
turned into a
day of deep sadness.
00:02:14.36\00:02:17.17
It took less than 30 seconds
00:02:17.20\00:02:19.07
to devastate Adventist Aviation
00:02:19.10\00:02:21.34
and the hearts of those
who loved Captain Bob Roberts
00:02:21.37\00:02:24.77
and he will be missed by many.
00:02:24.81\00:02:27.84
Since Bob Roberts' death
00:02:27.91\00:02:29.51
his son Gary picked
up the torch to continue
00:02:29.54\00:02:31.75
his father's work
00:02:31.78\00:02:33.11
as a mission pilot in Indonesia.
00:02:33.15\00:02:36.92
It's difficult and its
rewarding at the same time
00:02:36.95\00:02:40.22
to come and
serve for your father
00:02:40.29\00:02:41.62
who has dedicated a
large portion of his life.
00:02:41.66\00:02:46.66
We had to see
definite direction from God
00:02:46.70\00:02:50.30
that this is what He wanted us
00:02:50.33\00:02:51.93
because we're
still working in Africa
00:02:51.97\00:02:54.97
and leading
several projects there
00:02:55.00\00:02:56.87
that we didn't feel right
about just walking away from
00:02:56.91\00:02:59.81
so it did take
some time in prayer
00:02:59.84\00:03:02.58
and asking for God to
really open the doors for us
00:03:02.61\00:03:05.38
to show us that
this was His well.
00:03:05.41\00:03:08.55
Gary's brother
Eric was also working
00:03:08.58\00:03:10.95
as a mission pilot in Indonesia
00:03:10.99\00:03:12.82
and was instrumental in keeping
the Adventist Aviation program
00:03:12.85\00:03:15.99
going after his father's death.
00:03:16.02\00:03:18.23
When he learned that
Gary was coming to work
00:03:18.26\00:03:20.20
Eric happily welcomed him
00:03:20.23\00:03:21.60
to the
Indonesian aviation family.
00:03:21.63\00:03:24.53
He'd flown little bit
with dad here in the years past
00:03:24.57\00:03:27.54
and so he had some
idea of the area already.
00:03:27.57\00:03:30.87
He knew what he was getting into
00:03:30.91\00:03:33.11
and it made--
00:03:33.17\00:03:36.68
I don't want to
say my job easier
00:03:36.71\00:03:38.51
but it definitely
has made it easier
00:03:38.55\00:03:41.05
to have Gary here.
00:03:41.08\00:03:42.58
The objectives of
Adventist Aviation
00:03:49.36\00:03:51.76
here to reach the areas
00:03:51.79\00:03:53.13
that we can't reach
through other modes of travel.
00:03:53.16\00:03:56.73
We don't have many roads here,
00:03:56.77\00:03:58.57
we can't travel
up many other rivers
00:03:58.60\00:04:01.20
and so aviation
here really exist
00:04:01.24\00:04:04.64
to share the gospel in areas
00:04:04.67\00:04:07.38
that are
inaccessible except by airplane.
00:04:07.41\00:04:09.54
And this is
truly a mission family.
00:04:15.65\00:04:17.72
Gary and team come together
00:04:17.75\00:04:19.35
each morning to
reflect on God's goodness
00:04:19.39\00:04:21.82
and to pray that
He will give them
00:04:21.86\00:04:23.19
the ability to
continue the work.
00:04:23.22\00:04:25.69
I can't remember exactly
00:04:29.90\00:04:31.93
how many churches dad
has been directly responsible
00:04:31.97\00:04:35.44
for building in
Papua but there are several
00:04:35.47\00:04:39.57
and a lot of them were
built hauling loads on Sunday
00:04:39.61\00:04:43.91
when everybody else was off.
00:04:43.95\00:04:46.51
And really trying to
keep a business running
00:04:46.55\00:04:51.69
as well as keep the
mission cited things running.
00:04:51.72\00:04:54.96
It's an honor for Gary
00:04:54.99\00:04:58.69
because we still dreaming
a pilot like Bob, hard worker
00:04:58.73\00:05:04.00
and have
dedication for the church.
00:05:04.03\00:05:06.87
And Bob was an amazing
man. He is not only hard worker
00:05:06.90\00:05:13.84
but when he went
to the bush area,
00:05:13.88\00:05:17.35
the jungle area,
he helped everybody.
00:05:17.38\00:05:20.75
But think you for God
00:05:20.78\00:05:22.12
that Gary chosen
for join us in Indonesia
00:05:22.15\00:05:26.52
and replace his daddy.
00:05:26.55\00:05:29.82
I know Gary is also hard worker.
00:05:29.86\00:05:32.06
I guess you could tell
stories to till the day has gone
00:05:36.03\00:05:39.83
about the many
different challenges
00:05:39.87\00:05:41.90
but it also creates the way
00:05:41.94\00:05:43.97
for God to work in amazing ways.
00:05:44.01\00:05:46.34
And I can say that the
benefits of working in this job
00:05:46.37\00:05:52.91
far outweigh the challenge.
00:05:52.95\00:05:54.35
The village of
Tenebil is just one example
00:06:01.09\00:06:03.53
have an area that was
blessed by Bob's contributions.
00:06:03.56\00:06:06.86
He visited this
village to plant a church
00:06:06.90\00:06:09.00
which was eventually finished
00:06:09.03\00:06:10.37
by the efforts of
the aviation team.
00:06:10.40\00:06:13.20
Now a Global Mission pioneer
works here these highlands
00:06:13.23\00:06:16.17
to spread the love of
Jesus and lead people to Christ.
00:06:16.20\00:06:19.94
As the gospel
message continues to spread
00:06:19.97\00:06:22.14
throughout the earth
00:06:22.18\00:06:23.51
please pray for
projects like these.
00:06:23.55\00:06:25.55
Pray that others
will take up the work
00:06:25.58\00:06:27.92
to complete God's mission.
00:06:27.95\00:06:30.09
So often I meet
people who say well,
00:06:30.12\00:06:32.95
you know, that's
great that you're missionary
00:06:32.99\00:06:34.79
but I haven't been
called to be a missionary.
00:06:34.82\00:06:38.79
Well, actually
everybody has been
00:06:38.83\00:06:40.16
called be a missionary.
00:06:40.20\00:06:41.96
We've been given that
mandate to go into all the world
00:06:42.00\00:06:45.17
and that's your
neighbors across the street,
00:06:45.20\00:06:47.34
that's the people
who live next door
00:06:47.37\00:06:48.80
and that's the people who live
in the very remote villages.
00:06:48.84\00:06:51.31
So you wonder how on earth
00:06:51.34\00:06:53.17
are they gonna hear about Jesus?
00:06:53.21\00:06:55.21
And it's gonna
be through influence
00:06:55.24\00:06:56.81
of an operation like this
00:06:56.85\00:06:58.18
where you go in and
you meet their needs,
00:06:58.21\00:07:00.68
you supply them
with what they need
00:07:00.72\00:07:03.05
and share the gospel with them.
00:07:03.08\00:07:05.25
And so there are
tremendous rewards for anybody
00:07:05.29\00:07:08.92
who's willing to trust God
and to let Him be in control
00:07:08.96\00:07:12.83
and do what He's asked us to do.
00:07:12.86\00:07:14.80
So it's just coming on
sunset here in Giza in Egypt
00:07:26.98\00:07:30.71
on the outskirts of Cairo
00:07:30.75\00:07:32.65
and the iconic
pyramids of course behind me.
00:07:32.68\00:07:35.58
And with me is Rick Kajiura
00:07:35.62\00:07:37.59
and Rick is the
communications director
00:07:37.62\00:07:39.52
for Adventist Mission.
00:07:39.55\00:07:42.12
Rick, we're gonna
talk about a few things
00:07:42.16\00:07:43.49
one of which is
the start of the work
00:07:43.53\00:07:46.43
here in Egypt which was.
00:07:46.46\00:07:50.93
Well, you're reading
00:07:50.97\00:07:52.30
and so why don't you
share some of that with me.
00:07:52.33\00:07:54.20
I was looking at back in 1877
a group of Adventist in Italy
00:07:54.24\00:07:59.97
actually sent literature
across Egypt up to Alexandria.
00:08:00.01\00:08:04.21
So that's the first contact
00:08:04.25\00:08:06.51
that we know of from Adventists,
00:08:06.55\00:08:10.22
not only Egypt but to
the entire Middle East.
00:08:10.25\00:08:13.25
Egypt was the first country
00:08:13.29\00:08:15.29
that Adventist came to
in the entire Middle East
00:08:15.32\00:08:17.73
which really says
something about Egypt.
00:08:17.76\00:08:19.69
Now you have been here
before, tell me a little bit
00:08:19.73\00:08:22.40
about the culture
here and the people.
00:08:22.43\00:08:25.23
Well, you know,
I came as a tourist
00:08:25.27\00:08:27.57
in about a year ago but I think
00:08:27.60\00:08:29.84
that when we look at
the coaches of people
00:08:29.87\00:08:32.74
here in the
Middle East it seems like
00:08:32.77\00:08:35.24
they have more than
emphasis on relationships
00:08:35.28\00:08:38.88
that we sometimes tend to,
at least in the modern west
00:08:38.91\00:08:42.08
where it's not sufficient
to just go into a shop
00:08:42.12\00:08:45.62
and say I want to buy something.
00:08:45.65\00:08:47.49
They will introduce themselves,
00:08:47.52\00:08:49.26
shake their hands,
your name, where you from.
00:08:49.29\00:08:52.79
They will sit down and
talk and get to know each other.
00:08:52.83\00:08:54.86
That's right and sit down.
00:08:54.90\00:08:56.23
They invite you to
have a cup of tea with them
00:08:56.26\00:08:59.03
etc etera and it's almost like
00:08:59.07\00:09:01.14
you have to build a relationship
00:09:01.17\00:09:03.71
before you even have
a business transaction.
00:09:03.74\00:09:08.54
Which is kind of a
nice thing I think.
00:09:08.58\00:09:10.55
I mean, for those of us
00:09:10.58\00:09:11.91
who are always rushing around
00:09:11.95\00:09:14.28
we may thing oh,that's too much
00:09:14.32\00:09:15.88
but there is something
very attractive about it.
00:09:15.92\00:09:18.25
Oh, yeah, I
think in our rush world
00:09:18.29\00:09:21.12
we don't take the
time to really get to know
00:09:21.16\00:09:22.82
people and, you know,
00:09:22.86\00:09:24.93
I'm thinking right now
people we've been talking
00:09:24.96\00:09:27.13
what they are saying, you know,
00:09:27.16\00:09:28.56
people aren't coming to
Egypt, they don't understand us,
00:09:28.60\00:09:31.83
they have this
misperception of us.
00:09:31.87\00:09:34.77
And you tell that they
are hurting in little ways,
00:09:34.80\00:09:38.31
you know, people
don't give us a chance.
00:09:38.34\00:09:41.91
They believe
everything they see on TV
00:09:41.94\00:09:44.15
and there are problems.
00:09:44.18\00:09:46.21
By and large the
people here are very friendly.
00:09:46.25\00:09:49.58
Well, the thing is
that it's very easy
00:09:49.62\00:09:51.35
to get stereotypes
and so you see in the news
00:09:51.39\00:09:53.92
that there was this bombing here
00:09:53.96\00:09:55.62
or bombing there and
suddenly you then say well,
00:09:55.66\00:09:58.96
all the country
must be like this
00:09:58.99\00:10:00.50
and all the
people must be like this.
00:10:00.53\00:10:02.20
But it was interesting talking
to our better one guide earlier
00:10:02.23\00:10:05.43
when he just said,
00:10:05.47\00:10:06.84
I hope you don't say
bad things about Egypt.
00:10:06.87\00:10:09.74
That was very important to him.
00:10:09.77\00:10:11.34
It was very important to him.
00:10:11.37\00:10:14.28
You know, one of the things that
00:10:14.31\00:10:16.44
that as working for mission,
00:10:16.48\00:10:19.11
you know, that we need
to remember some of those
00:10:19.15\00:10:20.48
same principles of
getting to know people,
00:10:20.52\00:10:23.22
you know, and
that's Christ method.
00:10:23.25\00:10:25.09
Yeah, the very step of saying
before we go too much further
00:10:25.12\00:10:30.33
I'm gonna find out
about you and this is me,
00:10:30.36\00:10:32.73
that's for very nice
platform for any relationship.
00:10:32.76\00:10:36.40
Gary, Christ is in this region.
00:10:36.43\00:10:38.70
I mean, it's no
wonder but that's a method,
00:10:38.73\00:10:41.10
but it's a method that
works with people anywhere
00:10:41.14\00:10:43.61
because people are people.
00:10:43.64\00:10:44.97
That's right.
00:10:45.01\00:10:46.34
And you build that relationship
of trust then it's much easier
00:10:46.37\00:10:50.85
and in particular in
this region of the world
00:10:50.88\00:10:53.05
because its as
Adventist we havea lot in common
00:10:53.08\00:10:54.98
in terms diet and
things like that but,
00:10:55.02\00:10:58.62
you know, and Not using alcohol.
00:10:58.65\00:11:01.22
That really can open
doors in the Middle East.
00:11:01.26\00:11:04.93
Yeah, well, the--
00:11:04.96\00:11:06.29
unfortunately in many countries
00:11:06.33\00:11:07.80
around here if
you would have to say
00:11:07.83\00:11:09.36
that you're a Christian
their immediate assumption
00:11:09.40\00:11:12.47
is what they had seen
from Hollywood movies.
00:11:12.50\00:11:14.97
So they will think that
you are sexually promiscuous,
00:11:15.00\00:11:19.14
they think that
you drink alcohol,
00:11:19.17\00:11:21.74
they think that
you curse and swear,
00:11:21.78\00:11:23.24
I mean, the whole,
whole list of things
00:11:23.28\00:11:24.78
that they judge Christianity
00:11:24.81\00:11:26.25
by because what they've
seen and certain behaviors
00:11:26.28\00:11:29.12
that they have
observed of Christians.
00:11:29.15\00:11:32.19
So it's a it's something
00:11:32.22\00:11:35.39
that we need to
be very conscious of.
00:11:35.42\00:11:36.76
So there are
misperceptions from both sides.
00:11:36.79\00:11:38.96
Right.
00:11:38.99\00:11:40.33
So at some point
we need to bridge
00:11:40.36\00:11:41.70
those misunderstandings
and find the common ground
00:11:41.73\00:11:45.53
and I think that, you know,
00:11:45.57\00:11:48.40
we can make a
difference in the world.
00:11:48.44\00:11:50.41
Yeah, and that's just
wonderful to see that Adventist
00:11:50.44\00:11:53.88
in this region of the
world are looking for ways
00:11:53.91\00:11:55.94
that they can make a holistic
contribution to society.
00:11:55.98\00:11:59.41
So they're looking at--
00:11:59.45\00:12:00.78
they are looking at
what are the needs of people
00:12:00.82\00:12:02.62
and there are
tremendous needs here.
00:12:02.65\00:12:04.15
I mean there are
needs of education,
00:12:04.19\00:12:07.32
there are needs of people
00:12:07.36\00:12:08.86
who are living in poverty
00:12:08.89\00:12:10.99
and we as--
00:12:11.03\00:12:12.73
and health needs,
tremendous health needs.
00:12:12.76\00:12:14.46
And so we as
Adventist do have something
00:12:14.50\00:12:17.00
that we can contribute to
society in a positive way.
00:12:17.03\00:12:19.77
And just recently I
was in another country
00:12:19.80\00:12:21.70
and we're talking with somebody
00:12:21.74\00:12:23.47
as he said getting
to know him sitting down
00:12:23.51\00:12:26.47
and talking with him
and he offered us tea
00:12:26.51\00:12:29.91
and as we talked
one of the things
00:12:29.94\00:12:32.25
he said is I am
struggling with smoking.
00:12:32.28\00:12:34.05
I've tried and tried to
quit over and over again,
00:12:34.08\00:12:36.52
and this Adventist have
done a tremendous amount
00:12:36.55\00:12:38.72
on helping
people to stop smoking.
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.56
So there are
wonderful opportunities.
00:12:40.59\00:12:42.82
Yeah. It's interesting Rick,
00:12:42.86\00:12:44.93
to see the different
cultural expectations
00:12:44.96\00:12:48.06
we have the way we operate
00:12:48.10\00:12:50.17
and we get to see
a few of these things
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.13
just like I was
in India recently
00:12:52.17\00:12:54.50
and I could accidentally
00:12:54.54\00:12:57.84
pick up food with the wrong hand
00:12:57.87\00:12:59.54
and if I pick it
up with the wrong hand
00:12:59.57\00:13:01.54
then most Indians will say,
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.91
that is so filthy, dirty
the way that you're doing it.
00:13:02.94\00:13:05.71
Because somewhere like
Thailand and if you put your--
00:13:05.75\00:13:08.92
you actually accidentally
poke your foot at somebody,
00:13:08.95\00:13:12.22
point your foot at someone
00:13:12.25\00:13:13.72
that is a very rude thing to do.
00:13:13.76\00:13:15.86
So being conscious
of some of those things
00:13:15.89\00:13:18.39
is very helpful.
00:13:18.43\00:13:20.10
And it's not that, you know,
00:13:20.13\00:13:22.86
it's just a matter
of simply understanding
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.53
and respect for the culture
00:13:24.57\00:13:27.04
and not doing
things that easily offended
00:13:27.07\00:13:29.64
and immediately offend
00:13:29.67\00:13:31.27
and that takes time, you
know, to fly in and fly out
00:13:31.31\00:13:34.81
and expect to
make a huge difference
00:13:34.84\00:13:37.95
versus living among the people,
00:13:37.98\00:13:40.15
you know, mingling with them,
00:13:40.18\00:13:41.98
getting to know them,
winning their confidence.
00:13:42.02\00:13:44.85
Yes. I think too
often we've seen mission
00:13:44.89\00:13:48.16
as some think
that you go in and do
00:13:48.19\00:13:50.39
then come out was Jesus
Himself demonstrated to us
00:13:50.43\00:13:56.60
through the
incarnation that well,
00:13:56.63\00:13:59.03
He is a nice
image for the desert,
00:13:59.07\00:14:00.67
He came and
pitched His tent among us
00:14:00.70\00:14:03.47
and dwell with us
00:14:03.51\00:14:04.84
and as I say He
put on human skin,
00:14:04.87\00:14:07.74
He got His hands dirty
00:14:07.78\00:14:09.81
and often that's something
we're not prepared to do.
00:14:09.84\00:14:14.38
And when people get to know you
00:14:14.42\00:14:15.92
and they see the way you live
the questions come naturally,
00:14:15.95\00:14:19.65
why do you do this?
Why don't you do this?
00:14:19.69\00:14:22.52
You know what you believe?
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.09
And that's when the
opportunity opens up
00:14:24.13\00:14:26.13
and it's not for us
00:14:26.16\00:14:27.76
it's a very natural progression
of getting to know someone.
00:14:27.80\00:14:31.50
Exactly.
00:14:31.53\00:14:32.87
Thank you Rick, for joining me
00:14:32.90\00:14:34.24
and we'll be right back
straight after this break.
00:14:34.27\00:14:37.24