Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW017144A
01:30 ♪[Music]♪
01:40 ♪[Music]♪ 01:51 [Ambient city noise] 02:01 [Ambient city noise] 02:18 >>Dr. Jacob Prabhakar: Most of the patients think 02:19 blindness is part of life, 02:20 and so they live and die with blindness. 02:25 >>Woman: What's a life if you live only for yourself? 02:27 You have to live for others. 02:29 That is what makes us humans. 02:33 >>Woman 2: We need to be kind 02:34 and be compassionate with people. 02:36 We need to help poor people, and we need to help each other. 02:43 >>Man 2: Dr. Jacob has the motivation from God only, 02:47 or all from his heart, that he should work for the poor, 02:51 needy and helpless people. 02:56 >>Dr. Prabhakar: I come from a very remote village, 02:58 from a very poor background. 03:00 When I was a child I received help 03:02 to become something in life. 03:03 If I can help these patients, 03:05 and give them the gift of sight and give them the ray of hope, 03:09 it changes their life all over again. 03:11 ♪[Music]♪ 03:21 ♪[Music]♪ 03:30 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 03:32 I'm John Bradshaw. 03:33 Thanks for joining me in India. 03:36 ♪[Uplifting music]♪ 03:50 The world is full of bad news. 03:52 There's terrorism and tragedy and difficulty 03:55 and hardship and want and crime and violence, 03:58 and we're familiar with it all. 04:00 But at the same time, 04:03 it shouldn't be forgotten that there's 04:04 an awful lot of good taking place in this world. 04:08 And it's in times of tragedy and need that human beings 04:11 press together to help those who most need help. 04:15 ♪[Music]♪ 04:18 In Jalandhar, India, a dedicated physician 04:22 is working to alleviate the challenges faced 04:24 by some of India's 15 million blind people. 04:29 Every year he performs cataract surgery 04:31 on the visually impaired, many of whom simply cannot see. 04:36 This simple procedure means that people 04:38 are literally given their sight. 04:43 >>Dr. Prabhakar: India is home to 15 million blind people. 04:46 Most of it is due to cataracts. 04:48 And most of it is preventable or treatable. 04:51 Most of these people are living in the rural communities, 04:54 where there is very minimal access to healthcare. 04:58 Most of the patients think blindness is part of life 05:00 and so they live and die with blindness. 05:06 When they have bilateral blindness, 05:08 the people cannot earn. 05:11 They cannot live a normal life. 05:13 They are unable to take care of their own families. 05:16 >>Aatma Singh: [speaking Hindi] 05:26 >>Aatma Singh: [speaking Hindi] 05:41 >>Divison Sangma: Because they're so needy they can't see. 05:43 Because they are so poor, they can't afford money 05:46 and they don't have money to come to hospital. 05:51 MM: You know it's a basic right 05:52 when we talk of the constitution, 05:55 basic health, basic education. 05:56 We are born with this right. 05:59 Especially in India when you talk about 06:01 below poverty line people. 06:02 We are catering only to 30% of the problems. 06:05 Seventy percent of people still need basic health. 06:07 ♪[Music]♪ 06:16 >>Emmanuel Paul: The people here, they are not able to 06:19 afford to have the surgery. 06:21 That's why it's important here for Dr. Jacob 06:25 to get the surgery done. 06:28 >>Susan Kamson: Dr. Jacob, he is the fastest surgeon in India. 06:33 Other surgeons in one day, they will do only 30 or 40 surgeries. 06:36 He can do more than 300 to 400 surgeries per day. 06:44 >>Dr. Prabhakar: I personally have done 06:47 more than 120,000 surgeries. 06:49 In a year we do about ten to twelve thousand surgeries. 06:52 But we want to do more. 06:54 The need is so vast. 06:57 MM: I appreciate doctors who really go out of their way 07:00 to help people. 07:01 I mean, what's a life if you live only for yourself? 07:04 You have to live for others. 07:06 That is what makes us humans. 07:07 ♪[Music]♪ 07:18 >>John: So what do you do when 07:19 you're confronted by that kind of need? 07:22 You might be tempted to think 07:23 that you couldn't possibly make a difference. 07:25 You might be tempted to turn and look the other way. 07:28 Or maybe you could say, what would Jesus have done? 07:32 Except we know what Jesus did. 07:35 Jesus never ignored the issues that confronted Him. 07:39 He fed the hungry. 07:40 He healed the sick. 07:41 The lame walked. 07:42 The lepers were cleansed. 07:45 Jesus opened up the ears of the deaf. 07:48 And Jesus gave sight to the blind. 07:52 >>Dr. Prabhakar: "Eyes for India" is changing 07:54 the lives of children, mothers and fathers, 07:56 and all the ones that are able to live a life of their own. 08:02 They come crying, hoping that they will get some hope. 08:05 And, uh, and we give them sight, they are so delighted. 08:08 ♪[Music]♪ 08:21 >>MS: [speaking Hindi] 08:35 >>John: In a moment, 08:36 the incredible story of people helping people, 08:40 and how you can be the difference in somebody's life. 08:42 I'll be right back. 08:43 ♪[Music]♪ 08:52 ♪[Music]♪ 08:58 Help It Is Written open the eyes of the blind. 09:02 Eyes for India is giving sight to the blind, 09:05 and you can be a part of this amazing work. 09:08 Just call 800-253-3000. 09:11 You can also donate online at itiswritten.com. 09:15 Fifteen million blind people live in India; 09:17 more than any other country in the world. 09:20 And many of the blind in India could see again 09:22 if only they could have cataract surgery. 09:26 It Is Written is making that happen. 09:27 Would you please support this special project 09:30 and give the gift of sight 09:31 to someone who desperately wants to see? 09:34 Here's all you need to do. 09:35 Call 800-253-3000 09:39 to donate and support Eyes for India. 09:42 If you prefer, you can write to: 09:44 It Is Written at P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 09:50 You'll also find more information about Eyes for India 09:53 online at itiswritten.com. 09:56 You can be the difference between someone 09:58 spending the rest of their lives in darkness 10:01 or having the ability to see. 10:03 Eyes for India and It Is Written are doing the work of Jesus 10:06 in opening the eyes of the blind. 10:08 Join us. 10:09 Just call 800-253-3000, 10:12 or write to P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 10:18 Or visit itiswritten.com. 10:23 ♪[Music]♪ 10:34 ♪[Music]♪ 10:57 >>John: Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 11:00 When Jesus was on the earth, 11:02 He had compassion 11:03 on those who lived in difficult circumstances. 11:06 Luke 17:12 and 13 says, 11:10 “And as He entered into a certain village, 11:12 there met Him ten men that were lepers, 11:15 which stood afar off. 11:17 And they lifted up their voices and said, 11:19 ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.'” 11:24 Well, we know what happened next. 11:26 It's a famous story. 11:28 Jesus healed ten terminally ill outcasts. 11:33 In Matthew 8, Jesus was met by another leper. 11:37 “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, 11:39 saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, 11:41 You can make me clean.' 11:43 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, 11:46 saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.' 11:50 Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 11:54 The woman with the issue of blood? 11:56 Jesus healed her. 11:58 He cast out demons. 12:00 Mark 3, verse 10, says, 12:02 “For He healed many, so that as many as had 12:05 afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.” 12:08 Luke 4, verse 40, says, 12:11 “When the sun was setting, 12:13 all those who had any that were sick with various diseases 12:16 brought them to Him; 12:18 and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them.” 12:23 Luke 9:11 says Jesus 12:25 “healed those who had need of healing.” 12:28 He even healed people when He knew 12:30 that doing so would get Him into trouble. 12:33 The disciples healed in the time of the early Christian church. 12:37 Peter and John went down to the temple to pray, 12:39 and a lame man asked them for money. 12:42 They said, "We don't have any money." 12:44 “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee. 12:48 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 12:50 rise up and walk.” 12:52 And the man did. 12:53 He went walking and leaping and praising God. 12:57 You can understand why. 12:59 Acts 5:15 says, 13:02 “They brought the sick out into the streets 13:05 and laid them on beds and couches, 13:08 that at least the shadow of Peter passing by 13:11 might fall on some of them.” 13:14 Imagine that. 13:16 Healing the sick is incredibly important to God. 13:20 Now, you might say, oh, but I'm not a physician. 13:23 I can't treat those who are ill. 13:25 I certainly can't work miracles. 13:28 Ah, but you can. 13:30 You really can. 13:32 Here in India, there are people experiencing 13:35 the miracle of healing, made possible by people like you. 13:39 [people faintly speaking Hindi] 13:47 >>Mohinder Singh: [speaking Hindi] 13:57 >>Mohinder Singh: [speaking Hindi] 14:18 >>Dalbeirkaur Singh: [speaking Hindi] 14:28 >>Dalbeirkaur Singh: [speaking Hindi] 14:36 ♪[Music]♪ 14:43 ♪[Music]♪ 14:55 >>Dr. Prabhakar: I come from a very remote village 14:57 in the eastern part of India, 14:59 born in a family of eight siblings, 15:01 only one son, and I have seven beautiful sisters. 15:06 And my father and mother lived in this rural village 15:08 in a thatched home, nothing to look forward to. 15:12 I come from a village where there is no healthcare. 15:14 The entire area did not have any health facilities. 15:18 I remember the local doctor coming to my home, 15:23 when my sisters, my father and mother fell ill. 15:26 I used to see this doctor 15:29 who may have not been a qualified physician. 15:31 Since then I've had a desire, even before going to school. 15:35 I said that one day I must become a physician. 15:40 Our church pastor actually identified some potential 15:43 in this little fellow who could become something in life. 15:46 The pastor must have taken a lot of time to convince my parents 15:50 to let their only son to be taken to a boarding school. 15:55 ♪[Musica]♪ 15:59 >>John: After becoming an ophthalmologist, 16:01 Dr. Prabhakar dedicated his life to helping the blind in India. 16:05 But what motivates him? 16:08 >>Man 2: He has the motivation from God only, 16:11 or from his heart, 16:13 that he should work for the poor, needy, 16:17 and helpless people. 16:19 >>Dr. Prabhakar: Why not me if I can go to the villages, 16:21 pick up these children with blindness, 16:22 pick up the old people, all the mothers and fathers, 16:26 if I can help these patients and give them the ray of hope, 16:29 it changes their life all over again. 16:33 I think that's what Jesus did when He was on this earth. 16:36 He went to the people where they were. 16:38 He ministered unto them. 16:39 He touched their lives, and He said, 16:43 “Come and follow me.” 16:47 >>Woman 2: I'm so lucky to work with Dr. Jacob. 16:49 He is so much kind, humble, and he is so much caring, 16:53 and so much compassionate. 16:55 And he will be in the hospital working day and night 16:59 without having his meal. 17:03 As a Christian we need to help poor people 17:06 and we need to help each other. 17:07 As Christ says, we need to be kind 17:11 and be compassionate with the people. 17:13 ♪[Music]♪ 17:18 >>Man 2: God loves us if we love people. 17:24 If we love the people, then God loves us. 17:28 God is love. 17:30 That's why it's so very much a necessity 17:32 that we should help the human being. 17:36 ♪[Music]♪ 17:46 >>John: There's something in the human heart, 17:48 I believe in every human heart, that wants to respond to a need. 17:51 There's something about the human heart, 17:54 I believe placed there by God, that wants to step into the gap 17:57 and see people ministered to, to see the helpless helped, 18:00 the hopeless have hope, 18:02 to see those who are despairing relieved of their despair. 18:06 Imagine being able to give the gift of sight. 18:08 Would there be a greater gift 18:09 that a person could possibly give? 18:11 Well, you can give the gift of sight, 18:13 and I'll tell you how in just a moment. 18:16 ♪[Music]♪ 18:26 >>John: Thursday, August the fifth, 2010 18:29 was not a happy day for 33 men, 18:32 when a collapse in a mine in Chile 18:35 buried them 2,300 feet below ground. 18:41 No matter how much they tried to escape, 18:43 there was no way out. 18:45 Rescue would have to come from above. 18:49 On the outskirts of the San Jose Mine, 18:52 over two and a half thousand people gathered, 18:55 and with each failed rescue attempt, 18:57 despair increased, and families gathered together 19:02 to pray for a miracle. 19:06 From the Atacama Desert comes a story of tragedy, 19:09 a story of uncertainty, 19:11 yet a story of courage, 19:13 hope, and ultimately, a story of salvation. 19:17 Wait on the Lord, and the miracle will come. 19:21 >>Announcer: “Trapped.” 19:22 Watch now on itiswritten.tv. 19:26 >>Announcer: Have you ever wondered 19:27 if you're good enough to be saved? 19:29 It's a common question that has discouraged many people, 19:31 but it doesn't have to discourage you. 19:33 “Taking a Stand” 19:34 is a powerful five-part series 19:36 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 19:38 that will help you discover the assurance of salvation. 19:41 Call 1-888-664-5573 19:44 to order the “Taking a Stand” DVD. 19:46 Or download it from our webstore at 19:48 www.itiswritten.shop. 19:51 Jesus offers salvation as a free gift to everyone, 19:54 including you. 19:56 ♪[Music]♪ 20:06 ♪[Music]♪ 20:12 >>John: Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 20:14 Now, you've heard the story. 20:16 A man who was sitting on the side of the road 20:18 near the city of Jericho, 20:20 when he discovered Jesus was walking into the city. 20:24 He called out, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” 20:28 Now, the people around urged the man to be quiet. 20:32 But all that did, was it goaded him 20:34 into calling out to Jesus all the louder. 20:37 “Son of David, have mercy on me.” 20:40 Jesus became aware of what was going on, 20:42 so He asked those there to bring the man into His presence. 20:47 The blind man came to the presence of Jesus. 20:49 Jesus said to him, 20:50 “What is it you would like Me to do for you?” 20:53 And that man was not backwards in coming forward. 20:57 He had a need, and he asked Jesus to provide that need. 21:01 He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” 21:06 Now, you can imagine somebody having a need like that today, 21:09 and making the same request of God. 21:12 Does God still work miracles? 21:14 The answer to that is obvious. 21:16 Yes, He does. 21:17 Now, we don't see miracles like that happen very often today. 21:21 Jesus isn't walking the earth in a literal sense 21:26 like He was 2,000 years ago. 21:29 But God does still heal. 21:32 And God does still work miracles. 21:36 Very often, He uses people to get the job done. 21:42 When that man called out to Jesus, 21:43 he made a very specific request: 21:46 “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” 21:51 If you were blind, 21:53 I expect that would be your prayer. 21:56 The man's prayer was answered. 21:58 Jesus said, “'Receive your sight; 22:01 your faith has made you well.' 22:04 And immediately he received his sight, 22:07 and followed Him, glorifying God. 22:09 And all the people, when they saw it, 22:13 gave praise to God.” 22:15 Now, can you imagine being used by God 22:19 to restore sight to someone who is visually impaired, 22:23 or to someone who is completely blind? 22:27 This is not merely hypothetical. 22:29 Now, turn that upside down. 22:31 Imagine that somebody wants to be able to see, 22:36 and the mechanism exists for them to be able to see again, 22:39 and yet nobody will connect the person 22:42 with the healing mechanism. 22:43 Let me say that again. 22:46 Imagine someone wants to be able to see, 22:48 and they can, but no one will help. 22:52 Now, that man called to Jesus, and he said, 22:53 “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” 22:56 And today there are people calling to me and to you, 22:59 and they're saying, 23:00 “That I may receive my sight. That I may receive my sight.” 23:05 And the truth is, 23:07 God is looking to restore sight to the blind, 23:12 and He wants you to make it possible. 23:15 ♪[Music]♪ 23:19 >>Dr. Prabhakar: Every year we do about 23:21 ten to twelve thousand surgeries. 23:23 The need is so great, the resources are so minimal, 23:27 and they are so poor. 23:29 The support is not adequate enough to meet the increasing 23:33 demand of the surgeries. 23:35 And so if only we have more resources. 23:39 What we need is materials, funds, 23:43 equipment, team members, and we'd be able to do about 20,000 23:48 or more surgeries in a year, and it would be a great opportunity 23:52 to serve these patients, give them the gift of sight. 23:54 It's a big impact changing the lives of people across India. 23:59 ♪[Music]♪ 24:09 ♪[Music]♪ 24:14 >>John: Today I'd like to ask you to help It Is Written 24:16 open the eyes of the blind. 24:19 India has more blind people than any country on earth. 24:22 But simple cataract surgery can make the difference between 24:25 seeing and not seeing for many people. 24:27 Eyes for India is a project that's providing cataract 24:31 surgery for people in desperate need of the gift of sight. 24:35 Please help today. 24:36 Call 800-253-3000. 24:40 Eyes for India and It Is Written are doing the work of Jesus 24:43 in opening the eyes of the blind 24:46 and opening hearts to the love of God. 24:49 You can also donate online at itiswritten.com. 24:53 Please call 800-253-3000, 24:57 or write to P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 25:03 Or visit itiswritten.com. 25:10 >>John: Followers of Jesus are called 25:12 to enter into the work of Jesus. 25:16 The Bible says that Jesus had compassion on others. 25:20 Again and again it says He was moved with compassion. 25:25 The sufferings of others bothered Him. 25:28 Their losses affected Him. 25:30 The struggles of people moved Jesus. 25:35 Would you be moved? 25:36 Remember what God said through the prophet Isaiah 25:39 in Isaiah, chapter 58: 25:41 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen: 25:45 to loose the bonds of wickedness, 25:46 to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, 25:52 and that you break every yoke? 25:54 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, 25:58 and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; 26:02 when you see the naked, that you cover him, 26:05 and not hide yourself from your own flesh? 26:10 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, 26:14 your healing shall spring forth speedily, 26:17 and your righteousness shall go before you; 26:20 the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” 26:24 Isaiah 58: 6-8. 26:27 >>Dr. Prabhakar: Once they remove the bandages, 26:29 the patients are so excited. 26:30 At one time you see excitement and joy in the lives 26:34 of these poor patients who have been blind 26:37 for so many, many years. 26:43 Eyes for India is making such a difference in the lives 26:46 of these poor people across India, 26:49 because they are able to live a life of their own. 26:52 They're able to go back to their workplaces. 26:54 They're able to earn and care for their families. 26:57 That makes a huge impact in their life. 27:02 I come from a very remote village, 27:04 from a very poor background. 27:05 Uh, and I see even now the poverty still continues, 27:10 in villages across India. 27:13 When I was a child, I received help from many, 27:16 many people, to become something in life. 27:19 Why not me, take this opportunity as a physician 27:23 to go and help people and elevate them from their, 27:27 of their suffering and woes, 27:29 and give them a ray of hope through my, 27:31 through my very own life. 27:33 ♪[Music]♪ 27:41 >>John: Thank you for making a difference, 27:43 and for giving the gift of sight. 27:45 Let me pray with you now. 27:46 Let's pray together. 27:48 Our Father in Heaven, 27:49 we thank You today for Jesus, 27:51 the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 27:55 We thank You that You've opened up our eyes 27:57 and the eyes of our heart, 27:59 that You've expressed to us that there is a God in Heaven 28:02 who loves the human family to the extent that He would allow 28:05 His Son Jesus to die that we might live. 28:09 We thank You for the example of Jesus, 28:11 who helped and intervened and healed and blessed. 28:15 Lord, allow us to be used in the same way. 28:19 Thank You, that through us You are changing lives in India, 28:24 through the miracle of modern surgery, 28:27 granting people their sight again. 28:32 Heavenly Father, 28:33 I pray that you would bless Dr. Jacob and his team. 28:36 I pray that many would have their eyes opened, 28:40 and that many more would come to know You as the God of Heaven, 28:43 and Jesus as the Savior of all humanity. 28:47 And thank You for those whom You are using 28:51 to make the gift of sight a reality in the lives of others. 28:56 Now bless us, Lord, please, and bless many that they might see, 29:01 and that they might see You. 29:02 In Jesus' name we pray, 29:05 Amen. 29:06 Thank you so much for joining me in India. 29:10 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 29:12 Until then, remember, 29:14 “It is written, 29:16 ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, 29:18 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” 29:22 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
Revised 2018-06-15