I would invite you
to join us in standing
00:00:32.59\00:00:34.93
as we sing our theme song,
"This Witness I Will bear."
00:00:34.96\00:00:38.47
Have you heard the story told
00:01:00.26\00:01:05.09
Of the Man whose heart was sold
00:01:05.13\00:01:09.50
To save my dying soul?
00:01:09.53\00:01:13.94
Oh, what love untold
00:01:13.97\00:01:18.34
To the end He's always sought me
00:01:18.37\00:01:22.68
To the end He's always loved me
00:01:22.71\00:01:27.12
To the end I long to follow
00:01:27.15\00:01:31.42
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:01:31.45\00:01:35.92
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:01:35.96\00:01:41.96
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:01:42.00\00:01:49.64
This witness I will bear
00:01:49.67\00:01:54.14
To the end
00:01:54.18\00:01:57.61
In the grove I heard Him say
00:02:03.32\00:02:07.76
"Oh my Father please just stay"
00:02:07.79\00:02:12.26
Through broken hearted pain
00:02:12.29\00:02:16.77
He did pave the way
00:02:16.80\00:02:21.07
To the end His heart is faithful
00:02:21.10\00:02:25.37
To the end His hand is able
00:02:25.41\00:02:29.91
To the end I can now follow
00:02:29.94\00:02:34.38
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:02:34.42\00:02:38.95
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:02:38.99\00:02:44.83
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:02:44.86\00:02:52.67
This witness I will bear
00:02:52.70\00:02:57.17
To the end
00:02:57.21\00:03:00.08
As they took Him off to die
00:03:05.71\00:03:10.19
There His friendship I denied
00:03:10.22\00:03:14.46
Forgiveness in His eyes
00:03:14.49\00:03:18.89
He did not despise
00:03:18.93\00:03:23.33
To the end His
love constrains me
00:03:23.37\00:03:27.70
To the end He has restored me
00:03:27.74\00:03:32.34
To the end I will still follow
00:03:32.37\00:03:36.64
For He bore my cross of sorrow
00:03:36.68\00:03:41.15
I will stay here in
the hollow of His care
00:03:41.18\00:03:47.02
And I will go
anywhere, to the end
00:03:47.06\00:03:54.63
This witness I will bear
00:03:54.66\00:03:59.30
This witness I
will bear, to the end
00:03:59.33\00:04:07.21
Happy Sabbath.
00:04:17.25\00:04:18.65
Isn't it a blessing for us
to spend this Sabbath together
00:04:21.69\00:04:24.36
singing, praying, and
learning from God's Word?
00:04:24.39\00:04:27.40
I've been blessed today.
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As we begin this
afternoon's service,
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I would like to
read the scripture
00:04:32.03\00:04:33.77
that will go with our message
00:04:33.80\00:04:35.14
and it's found
in Romans 10:13-15.
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Romans 10:13-15,
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and I will be reading from
the New King James Version.
00:04:43.41\00:04:46.85
It reads,
00:04:46.88\00:04:48.22
"For whoever calls on the
name of the Lord shall be saved.
00:04:48.25\00:04:53.22
How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed?
00:04:53.25\00:04:57.79
And how shall
they believe in Him
00:04:57.83\00:04:59.73
of whom they have not heard?
00:04:59.76\00:05:02.16
And how shall they
hear without a preacher?
00:05:02.20\00:05:05.30
And how shall they
preach unless they are sent?
00:05:05.33\00:05:09.30
As it is written: How
beautiful are the feet of those
00:05:09.34\00:05:13.64
who preach the gospel of peace,
00:05:13.68\00:05:16.31
who bring glad
tidings of good things!"
00:05:16.34\00:05:19.75
Amen.
00:05:19.78\00:05:21.52
Hello everyone, my
name is Karisse McLarty.
00:05:21.55\00:05:24.22
I have the great opportunity
00:05:24.25\00:05:26.32
of introducing the
speaker for this evening.
00:05:26.35\00:05:29.22
Her name is Tara.
00:05:29.26\00:05:30.73
Now Tara, she was born
and raised in California.
00:05:30.76\00:05:35.83
She was born to a
family that had to flee
00:05:35.86\00:05:38.90
from overseas as refugees.
00:05:38.93\00:05:40.97
And they came over
here about 50 years ago.
00:05:41.00\00:05:43.91
And this built in her
resilience and persistence.
00:05:43.94\00:05:47.64
Though her family did not
know what they were gonna do
00:05:47.68\00:05:50.51
or where they
were going to live,
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they continued to persevere.
00:05:52.58\00:05:55.08
After college, Tara
went over to Loma Linda
00:05:55.12\00:05:58.25
to get a degree
in public health,
00:05:58.29\00:06:00.99
with a concentration
on health education.
00:06:01.02\00:06:03.36
Now this is where I met Tara.
00:06:03.39\00:06:05.73
Tara and I had to take a
class called epidemiology.
00:06:05.76\00:06:08.63
If any of you
who've had that class,
00:06:08.66\00:06:10.30
it's not the easiest one.
00:06:10.33\00:06:12.57
Now one day, I
decide and sit next to her,
00:06:12.60\00:06:15.00
and we started to talk
00:06:15.04\00:06:16.40
and then after that
she couldn't get rid of me.
00:06:16.44\00:06:18.31
We were in class together,
00:06:18.34\00:06:19.77
vespers, church,
cafeteria, everywhere.
00:06:19.81\00:06:23.08
If you saw her, then you saw me.
00:06:23.11\00:06:25.91
And she didn't know at the time,
00:06:25.95\00:06:27.58
but she came
into my life in a time
00:06:27.62\00:06:29.92
when things were
a little difficult,
00:06:29.95\00:06:32.29
and she into being a prayer,
00:06:32.32\00:06:34.56
and to an answer to prayer
that I never did actually pray.
00:06:34.59\00:06:37.79
Now if you know
Tara, then you know that
00:06:37.83\00:06:39.79
she is a loving
and caring person.
00:06:39.83\00:06:41.93
She's reliable, passionate,
and she is someone that
00:06:41.96\00:06:45.53
wants to serve God
with all of her heart.
00:06:45.57\00:06:48.47
When she left Loma Linda,
00:06:48.50\00:06:50.11
she went back to
northern California,
00:06:50.14\00:06:51.77
and she began to
help out with GLOW.
00:06:51.81\00:06:54.21
With GLOW, she was
able to help translate
00:06:54.24\00:06:56.78
some of the tracts into Hmong.
00:06:56.81\00:07:00.38
She was able to help people
00:07:00.42\00:07:01.75
all around the world to be able
to understand more about God.
00:07:01.78\00:07:05.02
And with GLOW she also led out
on 10 different mission trips,
00:07:05.05\00:07:08.82
and one of these
was to Pennsylvania
00:07:08.86\00:07:11.23
when the pope came to America.
00:07:11.26\00:07:13.66
She was able to see
00:07:13.70\00:07:15.23
a prophecy
fulfilled in front of her.
00:07:15.26\00:07:17.27
She also went to Romania
00:07:17.30\00:07:18.80
to help out with
the mission trip there.
00:07:18.83\00:07:21.40
With GLOW she was able
to help them to pass out
00:07:21.44\00:07:24.47
eight million GLOW tracts.
00:07:24.51\00:07:26.68
That's amazing, right?
00:07:26.71\00:07:28.94
Now, even though
00:07:28.98\00:07:30.55
she has been involved
with those other things,
00:07:30.58\00:07:32.51
she continued on, now
she is involved with GYC.
00:07:32.55\00:07:36.48
Her passion for
winning souls for Christ
00:07:36.52\00:07:39.15
and showing God's love
00:07:39.19\00:07:40.52
is what drives
her from day to day.
00:07:40.56\00:07:43.29
Now, Tara is someone that wants
to show God's love to everyone.
00:07:43.39\00:07:47.73
One of her favorite verses is,
00:07:47.76\00:07:49.70
"My little children,
these things I write to you,
00:07:49.73\00:07:53.03
so that you may not sin.
00:07:53.07\00:07:54.80
And if anyone sins, we have
an advocate with the Father,
00:07:54.84\00:07:57.84
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:07:57.87\00:07:59.84
That's from 1 John 2:1.
00:07:59.87\00:08:02.88
And one thing that Tara said
for anyone that want to grow
00:08:02.91\00:08:06.15
and have a stronger
relationship with God,
00:08:06.18\00:08:08.62
she recommends that they
go on a GLOW mission trip,
00:08:08.65\00:08:11.52
that they have a Bible study
00:08:11.55\00:08:13.22
with at least one
person for the year,
00:08:13.25\00:08:15.66
and also that
they go canvassing.
00:08:15.69\00:08:17.56
And these are different
ways that people can try
00:08:17.59\00:08:19.69
to venture out to have
a deeper life with God.
00:08:19.73\00:08:23.93
Now after the special music,
00:08:23.97\00:08:25.33
the next person that you'll hear
00:08:25.37\00:08:27.24
will be none other than
my best friend Tara Vang.
00:08:27.27\00:08:31.41
Now, let's bow our heads
00:08:31.44\00:08:33.07
so that we can
open up with prayer.
00:08:33.11\00:08:34.64
Dear, Heavenly
Father, thank You so much
00:08:37.91\00:08:39.85
for allowing us to be
able to come together, God.
00:08:39.88\00:08:43.18
Thank You for just
being here in this place,
00:08:43.22\00:08:45.25
and just touching us
in many different ways,
00:08:45.29\00:08:47.89
and speaking through
all the different people
00:08:47.92\00:08:50.23
that are here, God.
00:08:50.26\00:08:51.59
I'm asking that You
please prepare our hearts,
00:08:51.63\00:08:54.06
forgive us for the many
times that we have gone astray,
00:08:54.10\00:08:56.63
and done things and our
hearts have been hardened, God.
00:08:56.67\00:09:00.07
Asking that You please
lead us in the right direction,
00:09:00.10\00:09:03.04
make our hearts of
flesh not of stone.
00:09:03.07\00:09:05.71
Let our hearts be open
to whatever You have for us,
00:09:05.74\00:09:08.81
the truth and the way
that You want us to go.
00:09:08.84\00:09:11.61
God, help us,
today we're asking that
00:09:11.65\00:09:14.02
You just take our hearts
and our minds, and all of us,
00:09:14.05\00:09:17.09
and just take over, God.
00:09:17.12\00:09:19.05
We're asking You to lead
us through this world, God,
00:09:19.09\00:09:22.42
and be our light
to this community.
00:09:22.46\00:09:24.99
We love You and
we praise You. Amen.
00:09:25.03\00:09:26.86
My peace I give
00:09:44.15\00:09:48.28
unto you
00:09:48.32\00:09:52.35
It's a peace that the world
00:09:52.39\00:09:56.42
cannot give
00:09:56.46\00:10:00.30
It's a peace that the world
00:10:00.33\00:10:03.50
cannot understand
00:10:03.53\00:10:08.47
Peace to know,
00:10:08.50\00:10:12.37
peace to live
00:10:12.41\00:10:15.74
My peace I give
00:10:15.78\00:10:20.05
unto you
00:10:20.08\00:10:22.78
My love I give
00:10:31.73\00:10:35.96
unto you
00:10:36.00\00:10:39.80
It's a love that the world
00:10:39.83\00:10:43.54
cannot give
00:10:43.57\00:10:47.24
It's a love that the world
00:10:47.28\00:10:50.25
cannot understand
00:10:50.28\00:10:55.28
Love to know,
00:10:55.32\00:10:59.09
love to live
00:10:59.12\00:11:02.36
My love I give
00:11:02.39\00:11:06.63
unto you
00:11:06.66\00:11:10.77
It's a love that the world
00:11:10.80\00:11:15.00
cannot understand
00:11:15.04\00:11:21.44
My love
00:11:21.48\00:11:25.78
I give
00:11:25.81\00:11:30.42
unto you
00:11:30.45\00:11:35.52
Good afternoon and
happy Sabbath, everyone.
00:11:40.46\00:11:43.13
I'm so glad that you decided
to spend your Sabbath afternoon
00:11:43.16\00:11:46.03
to hear me share my testimony.
00:11:46.07\00:11:48.50
My name is Tara Vang,
00:11:48.54\00:11:49.87
and you might know me as
the VP of Evangelism for GYC.
00:11:49.90\00:11:55.74
You might even
know me as Miss GLOW
00:11:55.78\00:11:58.31
because I do love GLOW
tracts and testimonies.
00:11:58.35\00:12:02.12
But today I have something else
that I wanna share with you.
00:12:02.15\00:12:06.12
First, I'd like to
teach you something.
00:12:06.15\00:12:09.52
I want you to say
and repeat after me.
00:12:09.56\00:12:12.39
Zoo Siab.
00:12:12.43\00:12:13.90
Hnub Chib So.
00:12:17.53\00:12:21.64
Turn to your neighbor and
say, "Zoo Siab Hnub Chib So."
00:12:21.67\00:12:25.61
You just learned how to
say Happy Sabbath in Hmong.
00:12:29.34\00:12:34.88
The Hmong people are
an indigenous people group
00:12:34.92\00:12:39.32
from the mountainous
regions of Southeast Asia.
00:12:39.35\00:12:43.32
If you look on the screen
00:12:43.36\00:12:44.69
you'll see a country
that my parents are from.
00:12:44.73\00:12:48.86
It's the country of Laos.
00:12:48.90\00:12:50.47
Hmong people live in China,
Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
00:12:50.50\00:12:54.70
My parents were born and raised
00:12:54.74\00:12:56.20
in the northern villages
of Laos, a landlocked country.
00:12:56.24\00:13:01.54
I'm so happy to share about
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.94
how God has
mightily worked in my life.
00:13:02.98\00:13:06.25
But this afternoon,
00:13:06.28\00:13:07.62
I'm gonna share about
my family's refugee story,
00:13:07.65\00:13:11.65
and how we became
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:13:11.69\00:13:15.66
I'm also sharing how
one dedicated young person
00:13:15.69\00:13:19.79
going into the 10/40 Window,
00:13:19.83\00:13:22.80
and going into
unreached foreign fields,
00:13:22.83\00:13:25.87
has changed the
life course of my life,
00:13:25.90\00:13:29.24
my family, and
generations to come.
00:13:29.27\00:13:33.14
How one young person
has made an internal impact
00:13:33.17\00:13:38.05
on an unreached people
group, the Hmong people.
00:13:38.08\00:13:42.52
Before I start my testimony,
00:13:42.55\00:13:44.22
let us begin
with a word of prayer.
00:13:44.25\00:13:48.29
Dear, Heavenly Father,
if there was ever a time
00:13:48.32\00:13:51.93
I needed the Holy
Spirit, it is right now.
00:13:51.96\00:13:55.63
Lord, I pray
that Your Holy Spirit
00:13:55.66\00:13:57.10
would be poured upon our
entire group here at GYC.
00:13:57.13\00:14:02.47
I pray that everybody
would hear Your voice,
00:14:02.50\00:14:06.91
hide me behind the cross,
00:14:06.94\00:14:08.78
and help me to speak
words from Your throne room.
00:14:08.81\00:14:11.48
All this I ask in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:14:11.51\00:14:16.52
The title of my testimony is
00:14:16.55\00:14:18.99
"To the end, will you go?"
00:14:19.02\00:14:23.83
I'm going to start
off with a testimony.
00:14:23.86\00:14:27.63
Do you guys like testimonies?
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.13
I'm going to start off with
the GLOW testimony actually.
00:14:30.17\00:14:33.47
So I received a call
from a sweet 91-year-old lady.
00:14:33.50\00:14:38.77
It was May 2017.
00:14:38.81\00:14:41.81
I had no idea who she was
until she told me her name.
00:14:41.84\00:14:46.92
As soon as she told
me her name, I froze,
00:14:46.95\00:14:51.12
and I just couldn't speak.
00:14:51.15\00:14:54.29
The reason why is
because I knew who she was.
00:14:54.32\00:14:58.89
I had never met
her, but I knew her name.
00:14:58.93\00:15:03.00
I wasn't prepared for this call.
00:15:03.03\00:15:04.83
I silently froze because
00:15:04.87\00:15:06.53
on the back of
every Hmong GLOW tract
00:15:06.57\00:15:10.34
is my phone number.
00:15:10.37\00:15:11.84
But don't tell anyone.
00:15:11.87\00:15:15.01
I was in disbelief
00:15:15.04\00:15:16.38
when she told me
her name was Jean Hall,
00:15:16.41\00:15:20.08
and that her
husband's name was Richard Hall.
00:15:20.15\00:15:24.92
I couldn't believe that,
00:15:24.95\00:15:26.49
I would be reconnected
with this special couple.
00:15:26.52\00:15:29.22
You see, at 32 years old,
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.86
Richard Hall was
a pilot missionary.
00:15:31.89\00:15:36.50
He was the first
Seventh-day Adventist
00:15:36.53\00:15:39.37
to step foot into
the country of Laos.
00:15:39.40\00:15:43.20
He truly believed in
the literal fulfillment
00:15:43.24\00:15:46.57
of Revelation 14:6.
00:15:46.61\00:15:49.74
Let's turn there. I
want us to read that.
00:15:49.78\00:15:52.78
Please turn with
me to Revelation 14:6.
00:15:52.81\00:15:57.45
If you need some
time say, "Have mercy."
00:15:57.49\00:16:01.89
If you're there say, "Amen."
00:16:01.92\00:16:05.39
Revelation 14:6.
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.43
I still hear Bibles
turning, I like that sound.
00:16:10.73\00:16:13.40
Elder Richard Hall believed
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.57
in the literal
fulfillment of Revelation 14:6.
00:16:18.61\00:16:22.44
And it says,
00:16:22.48\00:16:23.91
"And I saw another angel
fly in the midst of heaven,
00:16:23.95\00:16:26.78
having the everlasting
gospel to preach unto them
00:16:26.82\00:16:29.92
that dwell on the
earth, and to every nation,
00:16:29.95\00:16:33.15
and kindred, and
tongue, and people."
00:16:33.19\00:16:36.89
See, he was a pilot missionary.
00:16:36.93\00:16:40.00
He wanted to fly,
literally, to these places,
00:16:40.03\00:16:45.70
and teach the
people about Jesus.
00:16:45.73\00:16:50.37
The purpose of private
plane travel in his work
00:16:50.41\00:16:53.71
was to provide the missing link
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.44
of swift
transportation in areas where
00:16:55.48\00:16:58.58
near impenetrable distances
hinder the spread of gospel,
00:16:58.61\00:17:04.65
where hauled any medical aid
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.32
to those who
desperately need it.
00:17:06.35\00:17:08.22
This mission would have
been virtually impossible
00:17:08.26\00:17:11.79
if he did not go
with an airplane.
00:17:11.83\00:17:13.76
Brothers and sisters, it
is past time for the church
00:17:16.97\00:17:20.27
to get up in the air
in more than one way.
00:17:20.30\00:17:24.94
In 1958, he baptizes
the first Laotian converts.
00:17:24.97\00:17:29.44
Converts most
who are Hmong people.
00:17:29.48\00:17:33.38
In 1959,
00:17:33.42\00:17:34.78
he establishes the
first church in Laos.
00:17:34.82\00:17:41.02
Thirty two years old.
00:17:41.06\00:17:45.23
Brothers and
sisters, we have a choice
00:17:45.26\00:17:47.90
to go to the ends of
the earth, just like he did.
00:17:47.93\00:17:52.53
GYC, God is calling
you and I to fly in that...
00:17:52.57\00:17:56.50
To the ends of the
earth. I truly believe this.
00:17:56.54\00:18:01.14
As soon as Elder Hall
buys land and build the church,
00:18:01.18\00:18:04.18
he is soon
replaced by a 25 year old,
00:18:04.21\00:18:08.12
Abel Pangans, a
single Filipino pastor.
00:18:08.15\00:18:12.59
At 25, he was not
the ideal candidate.
00:18:12.62\00:18:17.69
He was single.
00:18:17.73\00:18:19.83
And that was actually
why they didn't want him.
00:18:19.86\00:18:22.80
But God still
calls single people
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.13
to the mission field.
00:18:25.17\00:18:27.10
Amen?
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.77
But the work was
growing and they needed somebody
00:18:28.80\00:18:32.24
to shepherd the
new established church.
00:18:32.27\00:18:35.91
He receives the
telegram from Elder Hall.
00:18:35.94\00:18:38.95
Get married now, wife follows.
00:18:38.98\00:18:43.59
Basically get
married as soon as possible,
00:18:43.62\00:18:46.22
show up to the mission field,
then she can come afterwards.
00:18:46.25\00:18:50.33
By God's grace,
that's exactly what happened.
00:18:50.36\00:18:54.00
He received the call.
00:18:54.03\00:18:55.50
He was like, "All
right, I gotta get married."
00:18:55.53\00:18:57.70
Let me show you
some of the things
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.00
that Pastor Pangans did
when he showed up to Laos.
00:19:03.04\00:19:06.81
I have some videos
that I want you to see.
00:19:06.84\00:19:11.85
If we could show the
videos, the first video...
00:19:11.88\00:19:13.31
Pastor Pangan there
in the jungles of Laos,
00:19:13.35\00:19:16.69
and let's see if we can
roll that beautiful photos.
00:19:16.72\00:19:18.79
Take us through
what we're seeing here?
00:19:18.82\00:19:20.42
All right, what we see
here is this man went hunting.
00:19:20.46\00:19:24.66
And then he pulled his gun.
00:19:24.69\00:19:26.93
When he pick it up, it went
off and hit his shoulder there,
00:19:26.96\00:19:32.37
the bullet went through
the front side of his shoulder,
00:19:32.40\00:19:36.94
and then to the back.
00:19:36.97\00:19:38.37
And asked me if
I could help him?
00:19:38.41\00:19:41.71
And here going to
the village helping them
00:19:41.74\00:19:45.15
with their medical needs.
00:19:45.18\00:19:47.38
This man was
bitten by a wild boar,
00:19:47.42\00:19:51.15
and I was asked to help him.
00:19:51.19\00:19:53.09
So I was suturing
here in a primitive way.
00:19:53.12\00:19:57.36
But by God's grace, he
used the medical missionary work
00:19:57.39\00:20:01.80
to reach the people.
00:20:01.83\00:20:03.16
I have another video
I want you to show you
00:20:03.20\00:20:05.60
about what it's like
to built jungles in Laos.
00:20:05.63\00:20:10.11
And did you build a school
on a flat plane somewhere?
00:20:10.14\00:20:13.24
Did you bring
in heavy equipment?
00:20:13.27\00:20:14.81
Did you bring in
the large bulldozers?
00:20:14.84\00:20:18.08
Tell us a little bit
about how you did that
00:20:18.11\00:20:19.95
and tell us while
this film is rolling?
00:20:19.98\00:20:21.92
Well, we had to use
00:20:21.95\00:20:23.85
whatever
materials were available,
00:20:23.89\00:20:26.05
so in that village
we gathered bamboos
00:20:26.09\00:20:30.23
to split them
and use them as roof.
00:20:30.26\00:20:33.29
And then we had
to cut down timbers
00:20:33.33\00:20:36.16
to use as post.
00:20:36.20\00:20:37.53
And here are the
Hmong people helping me
00:20:37.57\00:20:40.84
to gather this material,
00:20:40.87\00:20:42.20
so we could build
a school for them.
00:20:42.24\00:20:45.74
And this, the
village chief leading out,
00:20:45.77\00:20:49.34
leading his people to help us
00:20:49.38\00:20:51.01
build a school in their village.
00:20:51.05\00:20:54.28
Now, in a minute
we'll see a man with...
00:20:54.32\00:20:57.85
If my memory serves me
correctly, there he is.
00:20:57.89\00:20:59.65
A man with a... Gunshot wound.
00:20:59.69\00:21:02.06
With a gunshot wound, so tell us
00:21:02.09\00:21:03.43
a little bit about this man?
00:21:03.46\00:21:04.79
Well, this gun...
00:21:04.83\00:21:06.16
This man with a
gunshot wound said,
00:21:06.19\00:21:08.50
"I am well enough.
00:21:08.53\00:21:10.93
I cannot just stand
by without helping."
00:21:10.97\00:21:14.00
So he himself started helping us
00:21:14.04\00:21:17.17
to gather
materials for the school.
00:21:17.21\00:21:20.68
Amen.
00:21:20.71\00:21:22.04
So was the
school ultimately built?
00:21:22.08\00:21:23.88
Tell us just a little bit about
how the project was finished?
00:21:23.91\00:21:27.42
Well, the school was
completed not long after that,
00:21:27.45\00:21:32.25
but in gathering
the materials like this,
00:21:32.29\00:21:34.12
we're to go
through a jungle trails
00:21:34.16\00:21:38.03
infested with bloodsuckers.
00:21:38.06\00:21:41.36
So, if you would see
there in one of the scenes,
00:21:41.40\00:21:45.97
I was bitten by a bloodsucker.
00:21:46.00\00:21:49.74
By God's grace, at 25 years old,
00:21:49.77\00:21:53.61
he was doing
medical missionary work,
00:21:53.64\00:21:56.71
as well as building
schools, and building churches
00:21:56.75\00:21:59.98
for Hmong people in
the jungles of Laos.
00:22:00.02\00:22:03.35
My final video is a video of,
00:22:03.39\00:22:06.25
what it's like
00:22:06.29\00:22:08.06
to experience the
first church that's built.
00:22:08.09\00:22:12.49
The first Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Laos
00:22:12.53\00:22:15.50
was established with
more than 40 members,
00:22:15.53\00:22:20.14
mostly Hmong people.
00:22:20.17\00:22:21.50
That's right.
00:22:21.54\00:22:22.87
And there we see, we see that,
00:22:22.90\00:22:24.24
that picture, that
first congregation.
00:22:24.27\00:22:25.61
Yes, that's the first
00:22:25.64\00:22:27.48
Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Laos,
00:22:27.51\00:22:30.81
in 1959.
00:22:30.85\00:22:34.68
Brothers and
sisters, can I get an amen?
00:22:34.72\00:22:37.95
Young people, you can
go to the ends of world,
00:22:37.99\00:22:41.39
and do simple things, and
just spend time with people
00:22:41.42\00:22:44.76
who do not know Jesus.
00:22:44.79\00:22:46.83
My family was living in
the northern parts of Laos,
00:22:46.86\00:22:51.40
and by God's grace
00:22:51.43\00:22:53.00
the two missionaries
that would step foot in Laos
00:22:53.03\00:22:56.37
would be able to
impact my family.
00:22:56.40\00:22:59.97
My family,
00:23:00.01\00:23:01.68
it took 10 years
before they became
00:23:01.71\00:23:04.48
Seventh-day Adventist, but
it was not an easy journey.
00:23:04.51\00:23:07.48
My paternal grandfather,
00:23:10.32\00:23:12.62
his name is Gehsing Vang.
00:23:12.65\00:23:16.29
He began seriously
considering Christianity
00:23:16.32\00:23:19.79
in the early '70s.
00:23:19.83\00:23:22.63
It was because my dad
a young man at that time
00:23:22.66\00:23:25.63
about 21 years old, he
was under spiritual attack.
00:23:25.67\00:23:31.51
Every known solution
00:23:31.54\00:23:34.28
to address his
spiritual attack in the culture
00:23:34.31\00:23:38.15
led to the idea that he had
very little time left to live.
00:23:38.18\00:23:42.75
So my paternal grandfather
was not at peace over the fact
00:23:42.78\00:23:45.75
that his one and
only son, my dad,
00:23:45.79\00:23:50.43
had such a short time to live.
00:23:50.46\00:23:51.89
He began searching for answers,
00:23:51.93\00:23:53.70
and he decided he
must become Christian.
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.33
But he needed time.
00:23:57.37\00:24:00.07
He started out by
observing all the missionaries
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.57
in the villages, all the groups
of every walk of Christianity.
00:24:03.61\00:24:09.54
He observed for six months.
00:24:09.58\00:24:13.01
And his observations
00:24:13.05\00:24:14.42
and his decisions
were based on three things,
00:24:14.45\00:24:18.25
friendliness,
faithfulness, and effectiveness.
00:24:18.29\00:24:22.99
Can you repeat that?
00:24:23.02\00:24:24.96
Friendliness,
faithfulness and effectiveness.
00:24:24.99\00:24:29.43
Exactly.
00:24:29.46\00:24:30.80
My grandpa,
paternal grandpa was looking
00:24:30.83\00:24:34.07
at all the missionaries
00:24:34.10\00:24:35.90
from every
Christian denomination,
00:24:35.94\00:24:38.41
looking to see
00:24:38.44\00:24:39.77
whether they were friendly,
faithful and effective.
00:24:39.81\00:24:42.81
Did this church or the
people representing this church,
00:24:42.84\00:24:45.81
do they really
believe in what they taught?
00:24:45.85\00:24:48.25
Were they friendly?
00:24:48.28\00:24:50.25
Were they faithful?
00:24:50.29\00:24:52.85
Because he was facing a life
or death situation with my dad,
00:24:52.89\00:24:59.13
his choice would be a
life or death situation.
00:24:59.16\00:25:04.00
After six
months, by God's grace,
00:25:04.03\00:25:06.63
he chose to be a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:25:06.67\00:25:10.71
The Adventist
missionaries genuinely loved
00:25:10.74\00:25:13.34
the Hmong people.
00:25:13.38\00:25:14.84
The Adventist missionaries
believed in their teachings,
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.65
they kept the
Sabbath, as they taught it.
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.68
When the Adventist
missionaries prayed,
00:25:20.72\00:25:22.52
God answered their prayers.
00:25:22.55\00:25:25.32
Their faith worked.
00:25:25.35\00:25:28.56
Immediately when a Hmong person
became a Seventh-day Adventist,
00:25:28.59\00:25:32.83
they had to get
rid of all the idols,
00:25:32.86\00:25:35.10
and all the
altars within the home.
00:25:35.13\00:25:38.67
Immediately, within
24 hours of conversion,
00:25:38.70\00:25:43.27
there was spiritual
healing in the home.
00:25:43.30\00:25:46.94
Amen?
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.34
And they began
keeping the Sabbath.
00:25:49.38\00:25:53.05
Many other Christian groups
did not offer these things,
00:25:53.08\00:25:57.25
they offered community,
00:25:57.29\00:25:58.95
but they did
not offer the things
00:25:58.99\00:26:00.89
that my grandfather was wanting.
00:26:00.92\00:26:06.43
After six months, he
became a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:26:06.46\00:26:10.40
Amen.
00:26:10.43\00:26:12.83
But this was not
just the only issue
00:26:12.87\00:26:16.71
they were facing at that time.
00:26:16.74\00:26:18.07
You see, at this time,
there was a war going on.
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.24
It was called the Vietnam War.
00:26:22.28\00:26:24.61
And during this time,
00:26:24.65\00:26:26.35
my family had just
become Seventh-day Adventists.
00:26:26.38\00:26:30.55
The Vietnam War was
raging in Southeast Asia
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.76
from 1961 to 1975,
00:26:33.79\00:26:37.29
and America was losing the war.
00:26:37.33\00:26:41.00
The Hmong had been
recruited by the Americans
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.73
to fight as guerrilla fighters.
00:26:43.77\00:26:46.03
The CIA funded
this special operation,
00:26:46.07\00:26:48.84
and they called it
the secret war in Laos.
00:26:48.87\00:26:52.04
Because of the operation,
00:26:52.07\00:26:54.84
the Americans needed
expert jungle fighters.
00:26:54.88\00:26:59.65
They hired over
300,000 Hmong fighters,
00:26:59.68\00:27:03.95
men and boys,
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.75
50,000 died fighting for the US.
00:27:05.79\00:27:09.86
On April 13, 1975, Saigon fell,
00:27:09.89\00:27:13.63
and America
lost the Vietnam War.
00:27:13.66\00:27:16.23
And genocide was
declared upon Hmong people
00:27:16.26\00:27:20.27
because we helped Americans.
00:27:20.30\00:27:24.21
As a medic
supporting the Americans
00:27:24.24\00:27:26.27
in the Vietnam War
00:27:26.31\00:27:27.64
my dad knew that
he would be in danger.
00:27:27.68\00:27:30.78
He, along with my
paternal grandfather decided,
00:27:30.81\00:27:34.62
"What are we going to do?"
00:27:34.65\00:27:37.39
But there was one thing
they did know what to do.
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.56
And they had just
learned how to do it,
00:27:40.59\00:27:42.52
and that was to pray.
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.86
Amen?
00:27:44.89\00:27:46.23
Brothers and sisters,
when we don't know what to do,
00:27:46.26\00:27:48.06
we can pray. And
God will open doors.
00:27:48.10\00:27:51.40
Well, it was a
very raining night.
00:27:51.43\00:27:55.70
It was monsoon season.
00:27:55.74\00:27:57.94
They decided
they had to go on foot
00:27:57.97\00:28:01.84
when it was monsoon season
because it would be harder
00:28:01.88\00:28:05.05
to trace the trail
that you walked on,
00:28:05.08\00:28:09.22
and it would be...
00:28:09.25\00:28:11.32
You wouldn't hear
00:28:11.35\00:28:12.69
the leaves
crackling under your feet
00:28:12.72\00:28:15.82
because genocide was after them,
00:28:15.86\00:28:19.53
people,
soldiers were after them.
00:28:19.56\00:28:22.40
After praying, the
Lord revealed to them,
00:28:22.43\00:28:25.60
"Go. Go tonight."
00:28:25.63\00:28:29.40
They packed up
what they could carry,
00:28:29.44\00:28:31.71
and they were on foot,
and headed towards Thailand.
00:28:31.74\00:28:35.94
They came to the Mekong River,
00:28:35.98\00:28:39.65
which borders
between Laos and Thailand.
00:28:39.68\00:28:44.19
To get to Thailand,
would have been freedom.
00:28:44.22\00:28:49.56
But during this exodus,
00:28:49.59\00:28:52.09
they could hear
soldiers in the distance.
00:28:52.13\00:28:55.06
They kept praying.
00:28:55.10\00:28:56.46
Eventually, my family
reached the Mekong River
00:28:56.50\00:28:59.93
and there was a boat keeper.
00:28:59.97\00:29:02.04
My dad decided to
hire this boat keeper,
00:29:02.07\00:29:06.54
so that they could
carry their group of people
00:29:06.57\00:29:09.64
across the boat,
across the Mekong River.
00:29:09.68\00:29:15.65
As they were all
scared and drenched in water,
00:29:15.68\00:29:20.12
they all got in the boat.
00:29:20.16\00:29:21.49
There was about 20
people on this exodus with them.
00:29:21.52\00:29:26.43
But as soon as
they got in the boat,
00:29:26.46\00:29:27.90
it started to sink.
00:29:27.93\00:29:29.70
There was too many people
and the boat was too small.
00:29:29.73\00:29:33.84
Somebody has to stay behind.
00:29:33.87\00:29:37.54
No one wanted to
get off the boat.
00:29:37.57\00:29:40.21
If no one gets off
the boat, everybody dies.
00:29:40.24\00:29:44.88
No one volunteered.
00:29:44.91\00:29:47.65
Eventually,
00:29:47.68\00:29:49.38
my grandfather
Gehsing Vang decides,
00:29:49.42\00:29:54.99
"I'll get off so you can live."
00:29:55.02\00:29:59.36
He along with two others
decided to get off that boat,
00:29:59.39\00:30:03.67
so that the first
boat trip can make it.
00:30:03.70\00:30:06.77
On that first boat
trip with my mom and dad,
00:30:06.80\00:30:08.84
and my oldest
brother, they made it safely.
00:30:08.87\00:30:12.51
But on the second trip,
00:30:12.54\00:30:14.54
they heard gunshots
00:30:14.58\00:30:16.91
and that boat never made it.
00:30:16.95\00:30:19.55
My grandfather died, drowning.
00:30:19.58\00:30:22.75
In the horror my parents,
00:30:22.78\00:30:26.45
they lost my grandfather.
00:30:26.49\00:30:30.46
But they went to the
Thailand refugee camps.
00:30:30.49\00:30:33.23
They tried to pick up
00:30:33.26\00:30:35.80
what they could do.
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.80
And they waited
at the refugee camps.
00:30:37.83\00:30:40.47
They were not allowed
to cook for themselves.
00:30:40.50\00:30:43.04
They were not allowed to leave.
00:30:43.07\00:30:44.81
It was like jail.
00:30:44.84\00:30:46.74
They went hungry for days,
00:30:46.78\00:30:48.81
but for two years
00:30:48.84\00:30:50.28
they would be in
this refugee camp.
00:30:50.31\00:30:52.88
And then asylum
would be granted to them,
00:30:52.91\00:30:55.52
and they would come to America.
00:30:55.55\00:30:58.25
Two years later,
another brother of mine,
00:30:58.29\00:31:01.06
my second oldest
brother, is added to the family.
00:31:01.09\00:31:04.69
They get asylum to America,
00:31:04.73\00:31:07.00
and they fly to America in 1978.
00:31:07.03\00:31:11.47
And by God's grace,
00:31:11.50\00:31:12.83
they are the first
Hmong Seventh-day Adventists
00:31:12.87\00:31:16.27
in America.
00:31:16.30\00:31:19.01
They came to
America with no idea
00:31:19.04\00:31:22.31
how to turn a doorknob.
00:31:22.34\00:31:23.91
They did not know a
single word of English.
00:31:23.95\00:31:26.25
They didn't know
what a toilet was.
00:31:26.28\00:31:28.12
They didn't know
what a grocery store was.
00:31:28.15\00:31:30.12
They didn't know what bread was.
00:31:30.15\00:31:32.42
They didn't know
anything about this culture
00:31:32.45\00:31:35.49
or this country.
00:31:35.52\00:31:37.83
They didn't know
and they were hungry.
00:31:37.86\00:31:39.96
They found
friendliness at the hotel
00:31:40.00\00:31:43.67
that they were staying by
an African-American janitor,
00:31:43.70\00:31:47.97
who spent more than
$19 of his own money
00:31:48.00\00:31:51.84
so that they can have food.
00:31:51.87\00:31:54.74
Amen.
00:31:54.78\00:31:56.11
As soon as my parents landed,
00:31:56.14\00:31:58.01
they settled in the city
of Santa Barbara, California.
00:31:58.05\00:32:01.52
My dad wrote a letter
00:32:01.55\00:32:04.32
to the Thailand
Adventist Mission.
00:32:04.35\00:32:08.46
He said, "This is where I live.
00:32:08.49\00:32:10.19
Where is the
Seventh-day Adventist Church?"
00:32:10.23\00:32:12.79
You see at that time,
00:32:12.83\00:32:14.23
there were other newly
arrived Hmong refugees,
00:32:14.26\00:32:17.23
and they were all deciding,
00:32:17.27\00:32:19.57
"Why don't we gather together
00:32:19.60\00:32:22.00
and start a fresh together?"
00:32:22.04\00:32:24.91
But the problem was that
00:32:24.94\00:32:26.57
these refugees
were not Christians,
00:32:26.61\00:32:29.94
they still held on to
the traditional faith.
00:32:29.98\00:32:33.21
And my parents,
they had left the faith.
00:32:33.25\00:32:36.28
So they were at a
standstill, what do we do?
00:32:36.32\00:32:38.35
Do we go back to
the people we know,
00:32:38.39\00:32:40.39
the culture we know,
00:32:40.42\00:32:43.22
and the people who
understand our struggle,
00:32:43.26\00:32:46.56
or do we continue to
be Seventh-day Adventist
00:32:46.59\00:32:49.93
as best as we can.
00:32:49.96\00:32:51.80
But by God's grace,
00:32:51.83\00:32:54.14
two weeks after
that letter was sent out
00:32:54.17\00:32:55.87
to the Thailand mission,
00:32:55.90\00:32:58.17
there was a knock on the door.
00:32:58.21\00:33:00.88
And there was a
pastor, it was the Sabbath day.
00:33:00.91\00:33:04.65
The pastor of
the local seventh...
00:33:04.68\00:33:06.41
Santa Barbara
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:33:06.45\00:33:08.78
was knocking on my parent's door
00:33:08.82\00:33:11.05
to pick them up to go to church.
00:33:11.09\00:33:14.06
Amen?
00:33:14.09\00:33:15.79
And they would
continue to do this.
00:33:15.82\00:33:17.73
This church would continue
to do this for six months,
00:33:17.76\00:33:21.33
picking up my parents
every Sabbath, to go to church.
00:33:21.36\00:33:26.20
Brothers and sisters,
00:33:26.23\00:33:28.64
love covers a multitude of sins.
00:33:28.67\00:33:32.71
But love for
newly arrived refugees
00:33:32.74\00:33:35.64
help us overcome
unimaginable grief,
00:33:35.68\00:33:39.01
unimaginable trauma, and loss.
00:33:39.05\00:33:44.09
I pray our church is
still that loving church
00:33:44.12\00:33:47.92
that can do that for refugees.
00:33:47.96\00:33:50.79
We need to do that.
00:33:50.83\00:33:53.66
Refugees long for community.
00:33:53.70\00:33:57.27
They have lost everything
that is familiar to them.
00:33:57.30\00:34:02.47
So then this brings in my story.
00:34:02.50\00:34:04.47
I grew up in
public school all my life.
00:34:04.51\00:34:08.08
I grew up in public
housing all my life.
00:34:08.11\00:34:11.35
When I graduated high school,
00:34:11.38\00:34:13.65
I left
00:34:13.68\00:34:15.02
and went to a
secular university.
00:34:15.05\00:34:17.39
I also left the church.
00:34:17.42\00:34:19.95
There were so many
unanswered questions.
00:34:19.99\00:34:22.22
Why did I grow up refugee?
00:34:22.26\00:34:24.76
Why did I grow up
with all these issues,
00:34:24.79\00:34:28.50
trauma?
00:34:28.53\00:34:30.17
I remember
attending my first GYC
00:34:30.20\00:34:33.44
and thinking,
00:34:33.47\00:34:35.27
"Wow, there's a biblical
reason for godly relationships."
00:34:35.30\00:34:40.58
No one had ever taught me that.
00:34:40.61\00:34:43.01
I didn't grow
up with that truth.
00:34:43.04\00:34:45.31
But they convicted me
and I purposed in my heart,
00:34:45.35\00:34:48.95
that I would do
00:34:48.98\00:34:50.32
what God would want
for me to do for my life.
00:34:50.35\00:34:54.52
Until I graduate school,
00:34:54.56\00:34:56.36
I didn't know
00:34:56.39\00:34:59.03
that God had a plan for my life.
00:34:59.06\00:35:00.90
I went to Loma Linda University.
00:35:00.93\00:35:03.10
And during that time,
00:35:03.13\00:35:05.07
I heard God audibly
speak to me for the first time,
00:35:05.10\00:35:08.60
and it changed my life.
00:35:08.64\00:35:10.51
I started praying,
00:35:10.54\00:35:11.87
"Lord, where do
You want me to go?
00:35:11.91\00:35:13.24
I'll go to any young
adult church service."
00:35:13.27\00:35:17.65
I just asked for two things.
00:35:17.68\00:35:19.01
One, that they would have
00:35:19.05\00:35:20.65
a convicting
present truth message
00:35:20.68\00:35:23.49
because that was
what I was longing.
00:35:23.52\00:35:25.42
And two,
00:35:25.45\00:35:26.79
please send somebody
to invite me to potluck.
00:35:26.82\00:35:31.89
Come on.
00:35:31.93\00:35:33.76
Please, if there is somebody new
00:35:33.80\00:35:35.73
in your church,
00:35:35.76\00:35:37.10
invite them to eat with you.
00:35:37.13\00:35:40.84
Well, I went to Sabbath,
00:35:40.87\00:35:42.87
that first Sabbath
while I was at Loma Linda.
00:35:42.90\00:35:47.84
And the speaker was incredible.
00:35:47.88\00:35:50.78
I went home, I was thinking,
00:35:50.81\00:35:52.38
"Oh, I need to go
home and study my Bible."
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.92
I was so convicted.
00:35:54.95\00:35:56.28
But then I was, I told the Lord,
00:35:56.32\00:35:58.12
"Well, it was a
great message, but no one,
00:35:58.15\00:36:02.49
and there's no one
here to talk to me."
00:36:02.52\00:36:04.66
And I'm just... So I
started walking away.
00:36:04.69\00:36:07.10
On my way out,
00:36:07.13\00:36:08.96
there was a young
lady that stopped me,
00:36:09.00\00:36:11.83
and she asked if I was
new, and I said, I was.
00:36:11.87\00:36:14.84
And she said,
00:36:14.87\00:36:16.20
"Would you like to go to potluck
00:36:16.24\00:36:18.41
with my friends and I?"
00:36:18.44\00:36:20.51
Amen.
00:36:20.54\00:36:21.88
God answers very
specific prayers.
00:36:21.91\00:36:26.05
This girl would come to teach me
00:36:26.08\00:36:29.35
the sanctuary message.
00:36:29.38\00:36:31.72
Personal Bible
studies, young people.
00:36:31.75\00:36:34.92
There's somebody around you
that needs to know the Bible,
00:36:34.96\00:36:38.39
personally, one on one,
not just Friday's vespers,
00:36:38.43\00:36:42.23
not just on the Sabbath,
go some other day of the week,
00:36:42.26\00:36:46.20
and just hang out at Starbucks,
00:36:46.23\00:36:48.67
and study the
Bible with somebody.
00:36:48.70\00:36:52.24
When I got home
for the first time,
00:36:52.27\00:36:54.18
I stopped my whole
family and I told them,
00:36:54.21\00:36:56.91
"You guys, we are Hmong
00:36:56.95\00:36:58.95
and Seventh-day
Adventist for a reason.
00:36:58.98\00:37:02.28
There's a reason
why we were raised
00:37:02.32\00:37:04.92
in this church."
00:37:04.95\00:37:07.99
I was so thankful for that.
00:37:08.02\00:37:13.26
Then I graduated,
00:37:13.29\00:37:15.26
I went to start working
00:37:15.30\00:37:17.63
in the secular
jobs of public health.
00:37:17.67\00:37:21.20
And I remember having a dream,
00:37:21.24\00:37:22.74
and in the dream
00:37:22.77\00:37:24.11
I was standing kind of
like on a stage like this,
00:37:24.14\00:37:26.78
and in the crowd was
an endless sea of faces
00:37:26.81\00:37:29.78
representing all
kindred, all nations,
00:37:29.81\00:37:32.85
all tongues, and all people,
00:37:32.88\00:37:34.72
kind of like this, actually.
00:37:34.75\00:37:36.72
And in my dream though,
00:37:36.75\00:37:39.29
I realized not a
single Hmong person
00:37:39.32\00:37:42.06
was in the crowd.
00:37:42.09\00:37:43.69
In the dream, I
knew I was preaching
00:37:43.73\00:37:45.53
the three angels' message.
00:37:45.56\00:37:47.73
But not a single Hmong
person was in the crowd
00:37:47.76\00:37:51.37
and I knew they were
not hearing the message.
00:37:51.40\00:37:54.24
I was devastated.
00:37:54.27\00:37:55.60
I woke up crying from the dream
00:37:55.64\00:37:57.01
and in that time was when I met
with the GLOW tract ministry.
00:37:57.04\00:38:02.28
And when I was introduced
to this ministry, I was like,
00:38:02.31\00:38:06.31
"We got to translate
some tracts into Hmong.
00:38:06.35\00:38:08.82
I can't wait anymore."
00:38:08.85\00:38:10.19
So that's what happened.
00:38:10.22\00:38:11.89
And as I
translated, my family and I,
00:38:11.92\00:38:14.82
we all edited
the tracts together.
00:38:14.86\00:38:17.99
And suddenly we realized
00:38:18.03\00:38:21.40
this is the most beautiful thing
00:38:21.43\00:38:24.07
we have ever read
in our own language.
00:38:24.10\00:38:28.57
And we could share it.
00:38:28.60\00:38:29.94
And as we started
sharing, people started calling.
00:38:29.97\00:38:33.94
I wanna come to
church on Saturday,
00:38:33.98\00:38:35.78
I want to join you.
00:38:35.81\00:38:37.68
You see, Hmong
people, we get together,
00:38:37.71\00:38:39.71
and when we get together,
everybody gets together.
00:38:39.75\00:38:43.59
We have festivals,
00:38:43.62\00:38:44.95
and there's 50,000
of us, 100,000 of us,
00:38:44.99\00:38:47.59
and I used to go
to be entertained.
00:38:47.62\00:38:50.16
Who doesn't want to be
in their cultural attire
00:38:50.19\00:38:54.36
and go to the festivals,
00:38:54.40\00:38:55.73
but now I was going out
there to give GLOW tracts
00:38:55.76\00:38:59.20
in every single hand
00:38:59.23\00:39:01.50
and so were my family members.
00:39:01.54\00:39:04.34
We've all...
00:39:04.37\00:39:05.71
We're all
trained to pass out GLOW.
00:39:05.74\00:39:10.28
If there's
anything that I've learned
00:39:10.31\00:39:12.01
about literature evangelism,
00:39:12.05\00:39:13.82
it is this,
00:39:13.85\00:39:15.68
that outreach is in reach.
00:39:15.72\00:39:19.59
When we go, we are blessed.
00:39:19.62\00:39:22.79
That's why I want you all
to go and outreach tomorrow,
00:39:22.82\00:39:25.39
be here at 12 o'clock.
00:39:25.43\00:39:27.86
I remember going on my
first GLOW mission trip
00:39:27.90\00:39:30.20
in Philadelphia,
00:39:30.23\00:39:31.67
and it was scary,
00:39:31.70\00:39:35.77
it was devastating, actually.
00:39:35.80\00:39:39.54
I didn't know what I was doing,
00:39:39.57\00:39:42.84
but I knew that
there were so many people
00:39:42.88\00:39:47.28
all in the downtown
streets of Philadelphia.
00:39:47.32\00:39:51.55
And, there were, all
I saw prophecy fulfilled
00:39:51.59\00:39:54.89
right before my eyes,
00:39:54.92\00:39:56.52
and it convicted my heart.
00:39:56.56\00:39:58.03
"Lord, I have not done anything
to advance Your kingdom,
00:39:58.06\00:40:03.90
take me from where I am
and put me where I can be
00:40:03.93\00:40:08.94
because I want to win souls.
00:40:08.97\00:40:11.21
There's too many out there."
00:40:11.24\00:40:14.48
And after that
I went canvassing,
00:40:14.51\00:40:18.38
I couldn't go
back to my secular job.
00:40:18.41\00:40:20.55
I don't know about you,
00:40:20.58\00:40:22.02
but I need to do
something that changes lives.
00:40:22.05\00:40:25.69
That's my kind of...
00:40:25.72\00:40:27.12
I have to be in that field,
00:40:27.16\00:40:29.06
where I know I'm
making a tangible impact.
00:40:29.09\00:40:31.86
So I left my secular job
and then I went into ministry.
00:40:31.89\00:40:35.90
I went canvassing
for the first time,
00:40:35.93\00:40:38.87
and it was the
hardest thing I've ever done,
00:40:38.90\00:40:40.84
but it was such a blessing
and God was so good to me
00:40:40.87\00:40:43.17
because He even let
me experience dump bags.
00:40:43.20\00:40:46.68
Do you guys know
what dump bags mean?
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.98
That means they took
everything in my books,
00:40:49.01\00:40:52.21
and I was doubting
God the entire time,
00:40:52.25\00:40:54.88
and He just kept affirming,
affirming, and affirming.
00:40:54.92\00:40:59.35
It's amazing what
happens when you put God first.
00:40:59.39\00:41:03.12
GYC, my time is
coming to a close,
00:41:03.16\00:41:07.30
but I just wanted to share
00:41:07.33\00:41:09.86
that as I start
closing my testimony,
00:41:09.90\00:41:12.77
I wish I could talk
to you guys forever.
00:41:12.80\00:41:15.90
I want to read
something very special.
00:41:15.94\00:41:19.27
And I titled it, "Thank you."
00:41:19.31\00:41:22.64
You see, as a refugee,
00:41:22.68\00:41:25.08
you don't get to
grow up with much.
00:41:25.11\00:41:28.12
But you remember everything
that people have done for you.
00:41:28.15\00:41:32.29
So, I just want
to read this to you,
00:41:32.32\00:41:34.22
Mom and Dad,
00:41:34.26\00:41:35.79
thanks for raising us
around loving church families,
00:41:35.82\00:41:39.09
who spent time with us
00:41:39.13\00:41:40.70
and treated us
as their own kids.
00:41:40.73\00:41:44.03
Bill Callidus for knocking
00:41:44.07\00:41:45.60
on my parent's
doors every Sabbath,
00:41:45.63\00:41:47.90
to pick up the family
every Sabbath for church,
00:41:47.94\00:41:51.54
the first six months
of our arrival to America.
00:41:51.57\00:41:55.64
To Mr. and Mrs. Hemorite,
for being our second parents,
00:41:55.68\00:41:59.61
driving us
everywhere, introducing us
00:41:59.65\00:42:01.58
to the first ever
vegetarian burger.
00:42:01.62\00:42:07.32
And Mr. Hecht, sharing
with us your favorite topic,
00:42:07.36\00:42:11.03
evidence of God's creation.
00:42:11.06\00:42:13.70
To the Garners for
faithfully transporting us
00:42:13.73\00:42:16.36
to church programs,
Revelation seminars,
00:42:16.40\00:42:19.30
choir practice, vespers,
gym nights and youth church.
00:42:19.33\00:42:22.90
NET 96 with Mark Finley
changed our lives forever
00:42:22.94\00:42:26.98
and you took us
to every meeting.
00:42:27.01\00:42:29.71
Rachel Vesara and Debbie Nichols
00:42:29.74\00:42:31.91
for your hours of
driving us across town
00:42:31.95\00:42:34.68
in a church van
to homeless feedings,
00:42:34.72\00:42:37.22
vespers, gym nights,
and teaching us about Jesus.
00:42:37.25\00:42:41.12
The Palm family,
you're the first family
00:42:41.16\00:42:44.03
that invited us to
Thanksgiving dinner,
00:42:44.06\00:42:47.46
and you're the first family
00:42:47.50\00:42:48.83
that brought us kids
presents for Christmas.
00:42:48.86\00:42:51.83
We've never forgotten.
00:42:51.87\00:42:53.94
Akiva and the late Babatunde
for opening your hearts
00:42:53.97\00:42:57.57
and home for the youth,
00:42:57.61\00:42:59.87
we'll never
forget your living room
00:42:59.91\00:43:01.81
on Eucalyptus Drive.
00:43:01.84\00:43:04.11
Tim Bray, Adam Bray, and Tim,
00:43:04.15\00:43:06.55
you for adding
humor into our lives,
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.58
and teaching us all
how to drive a stick shift.
00:43:08.62\00:43:12.62
Milder Davis for being
our Sabbath School teacher,
00:43:12.65\00:43:15.96
and teaching us
everything we learned as kids,
00:43:15.99\00:43:19.76
and how to sing
Sabbath School songs.
00:43:19.79\00:43:22.83
The list goes on and on and on.
00:43:22.86\00:43:26.03
I wish I could
go through it all,
00:43:26.07\00:43:27.47
my time is coming short.
00:43:27.50\00:43:30.44
But I just wanted to share
00:43:30.47\00:43:31.81
that all of us
can reach refugees.
00:43:31.84\00:43:35.14
Every single one
of us, you know God,
00:43:35.18\00:43:37.98
God allowed us to
come to this country
00:43:38.01\00:43:40.55
because as I was reading
in the book of Evangelism,
00:43:40.58\00:43:44.82
God in His providence
has allowed foreigners
00:43:44.85\00:43:48.46
to come to our land,
00:43:48.49\00:43:50.36
to hear the truth for this time.
00:43:50.39\00:43:52.63
And upon hearing the truth,
00:43:52.66\00:43:54.36
they will be
able to communicate it
00:43:54.40\00:43:55.86
to their friends, their family,
their community in this country
00:43:55.90\00:44:01.00
and in the country at home.
00:44:01.04\00:44:03.17
That's what's
going on right now.
00:44:03.20\00:44:05.37
I have family in Thailand
that's helping to share.
00:44:05.41\00:44:09.74
I could share the
finances and the blessings
00:44:09.78\00:44:12.81
that God's given me.
00:44:12.85\00:44:14.18
And I can bring Bibles
00:44:14.22\00:44:15.98
to Hmong people
across the world.
00:44:16.02\00:44:19.35
What an awesome God I serve,
00:44:19.39\00:44:22.12
to allow me to do such a thing.
00:44:22.16\00:44:24.59
I also want to invite a friend
00:44:24.63\00:44:27.76
that I want you to meet.
00:44:27.80\00:44:29.30
Pastor, please come and join me.
00:44:29.33\00:44:32.63
Friends, I want
you to meet someone
00:44:32.67\00:44:34.30
that I met along my
journey in ministry.
00:44:34.34\00:44:37.67
Pastor Abel Pangans,
00:44:37.71\00:44:40.24
stand right here.
00:44:40.28\00:44:43.08
Retired, but not
tired of the ministry.
00:44:43.11\00:44:47.65
He left everything he
knew and was the 25 year old
00:44:47.68\00:44:52.39
that went into
the missionary field
00:44:52.42\00:44:54.92
to reach my village.
00:44:54.96\00:44:56.83
His influence has
changed my life forever.
00:44:56.86\00:45:00.60
Thank you very much.
It's all because of God.
00:45:00.63\00:45:05.63
When you love
the Lord supremely,
00:45:05.67\00:45:08.40
when you have a
passion to tell others
00:45:08.44\00:45:11.34
that God loves them more
than they can understand,
00:45:11.37\00:45:15.58
that passion will give you
00:45:15.61\00:45:20.42
that desire to answer a
call whenever you are called,
00:45:20.45\00:45:26.42
you will find it.
00:45:26.45\00:45:28.82
You'll count it not a sacrifice,
00:45:28.86\00:45:32.29
but a joy and a privilege.
00:45:32.33\00:45:36.16
Someone asked me when
you were 25 years old,
00:45:36.20\00:45:40.54
why did you
choose to go to Laos?
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.44
Well, I said,
"Because I love the Lord
00:45:43.47\00:45:45.77
with all my heart."
00:45:45.81\00:45:47.24
And as I read Isaiah 6:8.
00:45:47.28\00:45:53.88
When I say I was
called us a young man,
00:45:53.92\00:45:56.48
he said, "Here am
I, Lord, send me."
00:45:56.52\00:46:00.26
And I responded,
when God called me.
00:46:00.29\00:46:04.09
When you love the
Lord with all your heart,
00:46:04.13\00:46:07.86
your passion will make you
00:46:07.90\00:46:11.87
to get even married,
00:46:11.90\00:46:14.00
when you are not ready.
00:46:14.04\00:46:17.14
Thank you so much, Pangans.
00:46:17.17\00:46:18.51
When the call was
called, was passed on to me.
00:46:18.54\00:46:22.61
A telegram was sent,
00:46:22.64\00:46:24.55
get married now, wife follows.
00:46:24.58\00:46:29.98
I was not engaged.
00:46:30.02\00:46:32.02
But the Lord made it possible
00:46:32.05\00:46:34.96
that after a
long, long struggle,
00:46:34.99\00:46:39.59
my girlfriend finally consented
00:46:39.63\00:46:43.63
that we would get
married 60 years ago.
00:46:43.67\00:46:47.90
Amen.
00:46:47.94\00:46:49.27
Then 10 days
after we were married,
00:46:49.30\00:46:52.01
we were separated.
00:46:52.04\00:46:54.28
I left her to
finish her college.
00:46:54.31\00:46:57.21
One more semester,
00:46:57.25\00:46:58.58
I went to Laos and
learn to love the Lao,
00:46:58.61\00:47:03.02
the Hmong people,
00:47:03.05\00:47:04.89
although I did not speak
the language at the time,
00:47:04.92\00:47:07.82
but your passion for the Lord
will make it possible for you
00:47:07.86\00:47:12.23
to learn a language.
00:47:12.26\00:47:15.06
Your passion for the Lord
00:47:15.10\00:47:16.67
will help you to be
even a jungle doctor,
00:47:16.70\00:47:20.34
to be a jungle dentist.
00:47:20.37\00:47:22.67
I didn't have any training
00:47:22.70\00:47:24.37
but as a fine
instrument in God's hand,
00:47:24.41\00:47:27.91
God made it all, to give...
00:47:27.94\00:47:31.08
I mean, to God, be
the glory, the honor,
00:47:31.11\00:47:35.02
the praise for
what young people can do
00:47:35.05\00:47:38.09
when they respond to God's call.
00:47:38.12\00:47:40.36
Amen.
00:47:40.39\00:47:41.82
And I just wanna make an appeal.
00:47:41.86\00:47:44.23
Even at this time,
00:47:44.26\00:47:45.59
I'm gonna invite
my family on stage.
00:47:45.63\00:47:49.03
And I'm gonna make an
appeal for young people.
00:47:49.06\00:47:52.10
This message was
not just a message
00:47:52.13\00:47:55.40
to make you feel inspired,
00:47:55.44\00:47:57.34
but we still have
so much work to do,
00:47:57.37\00:48:00.44
there's so many
people unreached,
00:48:00.48\00:48:03.55
so many in this world.
00:48:03.58\00:48:05.98
I remember getting an email
00:48:06.01\00:48:08.05
from Adventist
Frontier Missions.
00:48:08.08\00:48:10.05
Have you guys
heard of that ministry?
00:48:10.09\00:48:12.32
I was reading at all
the unreached groups,
00:48:12.35\00:48:15.72
and I was crying.
00:48:15.76\00:48:17.36
And the Lord just reveals me,
00:48:17.39\00:48:19.46
"You were once on that list."
00:48:19.49\00:48:24.23
But a young person came,
00:48:24.27\00:48:27.24
he came to reach us.
00:48:27.27\00:48:30.27
Why can't we go, GYC?
00:48:30.31\00:48:33.71
Why can't we go all the way
00:48:33.74\00:48:36.34
so that Jesus can come home?
00:48:36.38\00:48:38.78
You know, we
could go home to Jesus.
00:48:38.81\00:48:41.95
Turkey has 76 million people
00:48:41.98\00:48:44.95
and 28 Adventists.
00:48:44.99\00:48:49.06
Mali is the size of
California and Texas combined
00:48:49.09\00:48:53.29
and there's only one church.
00:48:53.33\00:48:56.16
Why can't we go?
00:48:56.20\00:48:58.63
What's holding us back?
00:48:58.67\00:49:00.34
Some of you need to
change your priorities.
00:49:00.37\00:49:02.40
And as I want,
00:49:02.44\00:49:03.77
I just wanna make an
appeal to you, young people,
00:49:03.81\00:49:05.91
if you been
touched by my testimony,
00:49:05.94\00:49:08.88
I want you to come forward.
00:49:08.91\00:49:10.85
I want you to say
"God, use me, allow me."
00:49:10.88\00:49:16.52
Have you even let
God ask you the question?
00:49:16.55\00:49:21.22
If you will go,
00:49:21.26\00:49:24.09
as my family sings
this special song of appeal,
00:49:24.13\00:49:28.30
and you feel
convicted to come forward
00:49:28.33\00:49:30.43
we wanna scan
you, scan your badges,
00:49:30.47\00:49:33.37
and get you connected.
00:49:33.40\00:49:35.80
Please come forward.
00:49:35.84\00:49:37.74
We want to connect you
00:49:37.77\00:49:39.47
and we want to
send young people.
00:49:39.51\00:49:42.24
We need to go.
00:49:42.28\00:49:43.61
I dreamed I went to heaven
00:49:54.46\00:49:58.49
And you were there with me
00:49:58.53\00:50:02.56
We walked upon
the streets of gold
00:50:02.60\00:50:06.13
Beside the crystal sea
00:50:06.17\00:50:10.27
We heard the angels singing
00:50:10.31\00:50:14.01
Then someone called your name
00:50:14.04\00:50:18.05
You turned and saw the young man
00:50:18.08\00:50:20.92
He was smiling
00:50:20.95\00:50:23.08
as he came
00:50:23.12\00:50:26.29
And he said, "Friend
you may not know me now"
00:50:26.32\00:50:32.23
And then he said
00:50:32.26\00:50:33.60
"Wait You used to
teach my Sunday school
00:50:33.63\00:50:39.17
When I was only eight
00:50:39.20\00:50:43.51
And every week
you would say a prayer
00:50:43.54\00:50:46.98
Before the class would start
00:50:47.01\00:50:51.41
And one day when
you said that prayer
00:50:51.45\00:50:54.32
I asked Jesus
00:50:54.35\00:50:56.32
in my heart"
00:50:56.35\00:51:00.89
Thank you
00:51:00.92\00:51:04.56
For giving to the Lord
00:51:04.59\00:51:09.73
I am the life
00:51:09.76\00:51:11.83
That was changed
00:51:11.87\00:51:16.57
Thank you
00:51:16.60\00:51:20.21
For giving to the Lord
00:51:20.24\00:51:25.28
I am so glad you gave
00:51:25.31\00:51:31.59
Then another
man stood before you
00:51:31.62\00:51:36.12
And said, "Remember the time"
00:51:36.16\00:51:40.10
A missionary came to your church
00:51:40.13\00:51:42.93
And his pictures made you cry
00:51:42.96\00:51:47.64
You didn't have much money
00:51:47.67\00:51:50.31
But you gave it any way
00:51:50.34\00:51:55.38
Jesus took the gift you gave
00:51:55.41\00:51:58.11
And that's why I'm here today
00:51:58.15\00:52:04.25
Thank you
00:52:04.29\00:52:07.82
For giving to the Lord
00:52:07.86\00:52:12.59
I am the life that was changed
00:52:12.63\00:52:19.40
Thank you
00:52:19.43\00:52:22.97
For giving to the Lord
00:52:23.00\00:52:27.98
I am so glad you gave
00:52:28.01\00:52:35.38
One by one they came
00:52:35.42\00:52:38.09
Far as the eye could see
00:52:38.12\00:52:42.46
Each life somehow touched
00:52:42.49\00:52:45.33
By your generosity
00:52:45.36\00:52:50.30
Little things that you have done
00:52:50.33\00:52:53.23
Sacrifices made
00:52:53.27\00:52:57.07
Unnoticed here on earth
00:52:57.11\00:53:00.58
In heaven now proclaimed
00:53:00.61\00:53:06.41
And I know up in heaven
00:53:06.45\00:53:09.98
You're not supposed to cry
00:53:10.02\00:53:13.79
But I'm almost sure
00:53:13.82\00:53:17.16
There were tears in your eyes
00:53:17.19\00:53:21.10
As Jesus took your hand
00:53:21.13\00:53:24.73
And you stood before the Lord
00:53:24.77\00:53:28.87
He said my child look around you
00:53:28.90\00:53:32.67
For great is your reward
00:53:32.71\00:53:39.45
Thank you
00:53:39.48\00:53:42.98
For giving to the Lord
00:53:43.02\00:53:48.12
I am the life that was changed
00:53:48.16\00:53:54.96
Thank you
00:53:55.00\00:53:58.70
For giving to the Lord
00:53:58.73\00:54:03.71
I am so glad you gave
00:54:03.74\00:54:10.25
Thank you
00:54:10.28\00:54:13.88
For giving to the Lord
00:54:13.92\00:54:18.79
I am the life that was changed
00:54:18.82\00:54:25.46
Thank you
00:54:25.49\00:54:29.03
For giving to the Lord
00:54:29.06\00:54:34.04
I am so glad you gave
00:54:34.07\00:54:40.01
I am so glad you gave
00:54:45.48\00:54:51.95