(upbeat music)
00:00:00.93\00:00:03.47
- Hello and welcome
to Jesus for Asia Now.
00:00:21.88\00:00:24.15
I'm Natalie Wood
00:00:24.15\00:00:25.39
and my husband Jon
is here with me today.
00:00:25.39\00:00:27.32
Hello love?
00:00:27.32\00:00:28.26
- Hi darling, how are you?
00:00:28.26\00:00:29.36
- I'm doing fine. - Good.
00:00:29.36\00:00:30.59
- You know, it's
kind of exciting,
00:00:30.59\00:00:32.09
'cause normally when we
tell Bible worker stories
00:00:32.09\00:00:34.56
they're from India.
00:00:34.56\00:00:36.06
But today, we have some
more from the Philippines.
00:00:36.06\00:00:38.47
- Yes.
00:00:38.47\00:00:39.73
Most of the stories
from our Bible workers
00:00:39.73\00:00:40.77
come from India
00:00:40.77\00:00:42.10
because we have over
400 Bible workers in India.
00:00:42.10\00:00:45.04
- Right, and in the Philippines,
00:00:45.04\00:00:46.98
by contrast, we have about 30
00:00:46.98\00:00:48.91
maybe a few less
than 30, I believe.
00:00:48.91\00:00:51.11
- Right.
00:00:51.11\00:00:52.38
- But anyway, we
have a lot fewer workers,
00:00:52.38\00:00:54.65
but that doesn't mean the
stories are any less amazing.
00:00:54.65\00:00:57.72
- Right.
00:00:57.72\00:00:58.82
- Or any less
(mumbles). - Inspiring.
00:00:58.82\00:01:01.09
- Proof of what God is doing.
00:01:01.09\00:01:02.49
- Absolutely.
00:01:02.49\00:01:03.99
And there's still a huge
field in the Philippines,
00:01:03.99\00:01:06.66
even though the Philippines
is considered a reached country,
00:01:06.66\00:01:11.20
it's 90% Catholic.
00:01:11.20\00:01:13.37
And so for Protestants, that's
still a big mission field.
00:01:13.37\00:01:16.87
- Right, still very unreached.
00:01:16.87\00:01:18.87
- The way that we got
started is I had heard
00:01:18.87\00:01:21.21
that there was a plan to set up
00:01:21.21\00:01:22.64
a TV satellite ministry
00:01:22.64\00:01:25.98
based out of the Philippines
that would cover all of Asia.
00:01:25.98\00:01:29.22
And so they had
requested me to come
00:01:29.22\00:01:31.12
and do a
training in July of 2008.
00:01:31.12\00:01:35.66
I was sitting down to
order my tickets to go to Iloilo
00:01:35.66\00:01:38.86
which is in the
Western Central, you know
00:01:38.86\00:01:41.93
there's like 7,000
islands in the Philippines.
00:01:41.93\00:01:45.93
And in this there's
like the big one in the North
00:01:45.93\00:01:48.57
called Luzon,
00:01:48.57\00:01:49.80
the big one in the
South called Mindanao
00:01:49.80\00:01:51.14
and then a bunch
of other littler ones
00:01:51.14\00:01:53.58
in the center and all of those
together called the Visayas.
00:01:53.58\00:01:57.71
Okay, and over on the far
West is an Island called Panay.
00:01:57.71\00:02:02.55
And in the Southern part
of that Island is Iloilo.
00:02:02.55\00:02:06.09
And so I was getting
ready to purchase my tickets
00:02:07.49\00:02:09.52
to go to Iloilo
00:02:09.52\00:02:10.99
and I saw news of
this massive typhoon
00:02:10.99\00:02:13.96
that was coming in over Iloilo.
00:02:13.96\00:02:16.93
Most of them come
in and just keep going.
00:02:16.93\00:02:20.50
They call that typhoon alley.
00:02:20.50\00:02:21.84
It just comes in
and just keeps on going.
00:02:21.84\00:02:23.57
But this one, it came in
00:02:23.57\00:02:25.41
and it sat over the mountains
of Panay, North of Iloilo.
00:02:25.41\00:02:30.41
And it dumped like
six months worth of water
00:02:31.61\00:02:34.98
in like three days.
00:02:34.98\00:02:36.48
And you know, for
people like in Arizona,
00:02:36.48\00:02:39.09
its like it's I
guess not a big deal.
00:02:39.09\00:02:40.32
- Yeah, but this
is a tropical country
00:02:40.32\00:02:42.82
and they do normally have
quite a bit of monsoon rain.
00:02:42.82\00:02:45.69
- Yes.
00:02:45.69\00:02:47.23
And so this massive
flood happened and water just-
00:02:47.23\00:02:50.23
- Mudslides and- - Yeah.
00:02:50.23\00:02:51.77
And 5,000 people
lost their lives.
00:02:51.77\00:02:55.07
And I thought, you know what?
00:02:55.07\00:02:56.20
I'm gonna wait a little bit.
00:02:56.20\00:02:57.57
So, I waited a
month and went over there.
00:02:58.81\00:03:01.98
We did our training.
00:03:01.98\00:03:03.41
And while I was there,
this training was sponsored
00:03:03.41\00:03:05.88
by a local church
00:03:05.88\00:03:07.12
who was trying to do
the TV satellite ministry.
00:03:07.12\00:03:09.95
All the displaced people,
00:03:09.95\00:03:11.65
that lost their homes,
00:03:11.65\00:03:13.12
that their
livelihoods were destroyed,
00:03:13.12\00:03:15.66
that, you know, lost family
members, they were running out
00:03:15.66\00:03:20.20
of things like drinkable
water, a shelter and rice.
00:03:20.20\00:03:24.10
Some of those
basic life's necessities.
00:03:24.10\00:03:26.67
And so the church
had organized a giveaway.
00:03:26.67\00:03:30.51
So they packed up the
truck with all the aid supplies
00:03:30.51\00:03:34.51
and they drove out
to a very needy area.
00:03:34.51\00:03:37.08
This is what's so
beautiful about what they did
00:03:37.08\00:03:40.22
is before just handing it out,
00:03:40.22\00:03:42.18
they said, hey guys, we
wanna have a small meeting.
00:03:42.18\00:03:44.79
You know, five
minutes of your time.
00:03:44.79\00:03:47.16
This event was
prophesied in the Bible.
00:03:47.16\00:03:50.59
And you may think that
it's from a God that is angry
00:03:50.59\00:03:55.30
but it's actually not.
00:03:55.30\00:03:57.03
This is in prophecy,
but it's a loving God
00:03:57.03\00:04:01.17
wants to give us insight
00:04:01.17\00:04:03.44
into what's gonna
happen in the future.
00:04:03.44\00:04:06.44
And how to have
salvation full and free.
00:04:06.44\00:04:10.98
Would you like Bible studies?
00:04:10.98\00:04:12.48
And within a few days,
28 hundred people signed up
00:04:13.92\00:04:18.39
for Bible studies.
00:04:19.12\00:04:20.09
- Wow.
00:04:20.09\00:04:21.32
- This is just a little church.
00:04:21.32\00:04:23.29
You know, this gonna
give 28 hundred Bible studies?
00:04:23.29\00:04:25.59
- Yeah, they were like, we
can't do this by ourselves.
00:04:25.59\00:04:27.76
- No, they have regular jobs.
00:04:27.76\00:04:29.53
They're lay people.
00:04:29.53\00:04:30.60
They just don't have the time.
00:04:30.60\00:04:32.10
I mean, they can do a
few a week, but 28 hundred?
00:04:32.10\00:04:36.07
And so, we're like, can
we hire some Bible workers?
00:04:36.07\00:04:39.61
And they said, sure.
00:04:40.71\00:04:42.18
There's people that are
willing to do that full time
00:04:42.18\00:04:45.65
with a small stipend.
00:04:45.65\00:04:47.38
Now it's more expensive
to live in the Philippines
00:04:47.38\00:04:49.88
than it is in India.
00:04:49.88\00:04:50.92
So the stipend is a bit higher,
00:04:51.82\00:04:53.39
but I think it was $150 a month
00:04:53.39\00:04:55.69
is what we started out with.
00:04:55.69\00:04:57.09
But they went beyond
just hiring Bible workers,
00:04:58.49\00:05:01.13
they started an
AFCOE for the Philippines.
00:05:01.13\00:05:05.17
They worked with Amazing Facts
00:05:05.17\00:05:06.67
and Amazing Facts started
their own AFCOE up in Manila,
00:05:06.67\00:05:09.47
but they did something like it,
00:05:09.47\00:05:10.94
It's called the West Visayan
Conference Center of Evangelism
00:05:10.94\00:05:14.71
or College of Evangelism.
00:05:14.71\00:05:16.41
- Right.
00:05:16.41\00:05:17.41
So it's local
to that conference?
00:05:17.41\00:05:19.05
- Right. - Yeah.
00:05:19.05\00:05:20.22
- Yeah, and they
trained some Bible workers
00:05:20.22\00:05:23.02
into doing Bible work
00:05:23.02\00:05:24.19
and they're out there in
00:05:24.19\00:05:26.42
they call them barangays
00:05:26.42\00:05:27.72
and a barangay is like
a town. - Neighborhood.
00:05:27.72\00:05:30.56
- A village not a
it's more than a village.
00:05:30.56\00:05:32.89
It's more like a town.
00:05:32.89\00:05:35.03
I don't really
understand what it really is
00:05:35.03\00:05:37.40
but it's like an
incorporated town thing.
00:05:37.40\00:05:41.40
They have a chief and
they have a high government
00:05:41.40\00:05:44.24
and all that kind of stuff.
00:05:44.24\00:05:45.64
So there's a lot of barangays
00:05:45.64\00:05:48.51
that don't have
access to the light
00:05:48.51\00:05:51.48
that we have, the
hope that we have.
00:05:51.48\00:05:53.28
And so they've been doing
this work ever since 2008.
00:05:53.28\00:05:57.32
- Wow. Awesome.
00:05:57.32\00:05:59.32
So our first story is of
one of these Bible workers
00:05:59.32\00:06:03.56
and she was married
to an American before.
00:06:03.56\00:06:06.70
And he has left.
00:06:06.70\00:06:08.56
And left her and her
daughter by themselves.
00:06:08.56\00:06:10.87
But they used to
be quite wealthy.
00:06:10.87\00:06:12.57
- Yeah, they were into business
00:06:12.57\00:06:14.04
and she talks
about that in the video,
00:06:14.04\00:06:15.67
but they had a business
00:06:15.67\00:06:17.27
and they became focused on
the business and making money.
00:06:17.27\00:06:20.78
And they kind of left
God out of the picture.
00:06:20.78\00:06:23.51
And the result of that
of course, was a dissolved
00:06:23.51\00:06:27.25
marriage. He left the country
and she's been left with the
00:06:27.25\00:06:30.95
daughter. And then she decided
during that time to go back to
00:06:30.95\00:06:35.96
God. And to put him
first again in her life.
00:06:37.13\00:06:39.46
We have two videos about her
00:06:40.93\00:06:42.80
and the first one is
like her living place
00:06:42.80\00:06:46.17
and her daughter and
just their living situation.
00:06:46.17\00:06:48.90
- Okay.
00:06:48.90\00:06:49.80
Lets watch that now.
00:06:49.80\00:06:50.94
- Okay.
00:06:50.94\00:06:52.01
(soft music)
00:06:52.01\00:06:54.44
- [Narrator] This is
where I live in this small room.
00:07:26.07\00:07:29.34
- This is my humble room,
00:07:33.01\00:07:34.82
very small but it's just
enough (foreign language).
00:07:36.25\00:07:39.35
- [Narrator] It's very small,
00:07:39.35\00:07:40.62
but it's enough
for me and my daughter.
00:07:40.62\00:07:42.79
- That's why this is
what I like our room,
00:07:48.20\00:07:50.50
we can see the view.
00:07:50.50\00:07:52.07
- [Narrator] When
we are not in a hurry,
00:08:02.28\00:08:03.85
we cook on the
charcoal stove downstairs,
00:08:03.85\00:08:07.28
things like porridge.
00:08:07.28\00:08:09.45
But when we just boil
water or cook simple food,
00:08:09.45\00:08:13.36
we just do it here
on our small stove.
00:08:13.36\00:08:15.92
- [Woman] where do you eat?
00:08:21.80\00:08:23.16
- We have a tiny table (laughs)
00:08:25.43\00:08:28.70
(foreign language)
00:08:30.14\00:08:33.27
(slow music)
00:08:33.27\00:08:35.71
- [Narrator] Before, when
my husband was still here,
00:08:42.18\00:08:44.92
we did a lot of business.
00:08:44.92\00:08:47.16
I experienced what it's
like to have a lot of money.
00:08:49.32\00:08:53.53
Our goal was to
build a wellness center.
00:08:53.53\00:08:56.20
But our focus
shifted to serving self.
00:08:58.43\00:09:01.17
Then trials came into our lives.
00:09:02.30\00:09:05.14
My spa business was
burnt to the ground.
00:09:05.14\00:09:07.88
Everything was ruined.
00:09:07.88\00:09:09.24
We went back to zero.
00:09:09.24\00:09:11.25
Maybe the Lord allowed it,
00:09:11.25\00:09:12.78
so I can be humble.
00:09:12.78\00:09:14.18
Or maybe God
reminded me of my promise
00:09:14.18\00:09:17.12
that I would be a
co-labor with him.
00:09:17.12\00:09:19.72
I had forgotten
my promise to God
00:09:19.72\00:09:21.92
because we were
busy with our business.
00:09:21.92\00:09:24.33
My life before
was very comfortable
00:09:27.03\00:09:29.76
but I was far from God.
00:09:29.76\00:09:31.33
Today, I have peace of mind.
00:09:32.40\00:09:37.04
I told my daughter,
00:09:37.04\00:09:38.44
be content with what we have.
00:09:38.44\00:09:42.41
Whatever our
food is, just eat it.
00:09:42.41\00:09:45.45
Don't look for other food
00:09:45.45\00:09:46.95
because we don't
have a lot of money.
00:09:46.95\00:09:49.82
(slow music)
00:09:49.82\00:09:52.25
Now that I am a Bible worker,
00:10:26.72\00:10:28.86
it feels really good
00:10:28.86\00:10:30.36
that whatever I need,
00:10:30.36\00:10:31.89
big or small God provides.
00:10:31.89\00:10:34.36
I have proved and tested
00:10:36.40\00:10:38.13
that God really provides.
00:10:38.13\00:10:40.20
Our life today is very peaceful.
00:10:45.71\00:10:48.81
I don't worry about anything.
00:10:48.81\00:10:50.98
I just trust God.
00:10:50.98\00:10:52.48
- Wow!
00:10:54.75\00:10:55.58
- Beautiful, uh?
00:10:55.58\00:10:56.82
- It's
interesting, the comparison.
00:10:56.82\00:10:58.72
You know, she was busy before
00:10:58.72\00:11:00.92
and she had a lot of
things going on in her life.
00:11:00.92\00:11:03.56
And she forgot
her promise to God.
00:11:03.56\00:11:05.96
Yeah, and she was
getting more and more wealthy
00:11:05.96\00:11:08.53
and then she says
God allowed trials
00:11:08.53\00:11:11.53
so she'd remember him.
00:11:11.53\00:11:13.80
- Yeah, and now she
has a very simple life,
00:11:13.80\00:11:16.77
but very peaceful.
00:11:16.77\00:11:18.21
And she's content.
00:11:18.21\00:11:19.14
She's not worried about money
00:11:19.14\00:11:20.34
before when she
had a lot of money,
00:11:20.34\00:11:21.54
she was worried about money.
00:11:21.54\00:11:22.94
- And now she doesn't have it
00:11:22.94\00:11:24.41
and she's not worried about it.
00:11:24.41\00:11:25.58
'Cause she knows God provides.
00:11:25.58\00:11:28.22
- Right.
00:11:28.22\00:11:29.82
I love how she made a promise
00:11:29.82\00:11:31.92
that she would be a co-labor
00:11:31.92\00:11:33.19
with God and God
brought her back around to that.
00:11:33.19\00:11:36.09
And she's got
comfort and peace in that.
00:11:36.09\00:11:39.53
- Which is what we'll see
in our next video about her.
00:11:39.53\00:11:42.30
About what she
actually does and the joy
00:11:42.30\00:11:44.90
that she gets from
doing what she does.
00:11:44.90\00:11:46.94
- All right, well let's
watch the second video now.
00:11:46.94\00:11:48.80
- Okay.
00:11:48.80\00:11:49.80
(slow music)
00:11:49.80\00:11:52.21
[Narrator] The people
around here call me doctor.
00:12:16.60\00:12:19.63
They call me doctor because
I'm always treating the sick
00:12:19.63\00:12:23.07
but I tell them
that I'm not a doctor
00:12:23.07\00:12:25.37
because I didn't finish
the nature apathy training.
00:12:25.37\00:12:28.74
But they're used
to calling me doctor.
00:12:28.74\00:12:32.18
If someone is
sick, they come to me
00:12:32.18\00:12:34.88
or they'll call and
tell me that someone is sick.
00:12:34.88\00:12:38.35
And I go there immediately.
00:12:38.35\00:12:40.22
Every time I see a sick person,
00:12:42.46\00:12:44.63
every time I see
someone who can't walk,
00:12:44.63\00:12:47.40
I really pity them.
00:12:47.40\00:12:48.53
I want to help them.
00:12:48.53\00:12:51.30
- Through diet,
through hydrotherapy, massage,
00:12:51.30\00:12:56.20
(in foreign language)
00:12:56.20\00:12:59.34
[Narrator] I'm dealing mostly
with stroke patients here.
00:13:06.21\00:13:10.72
And I was able to bring healing
00:13:10.72\00:13:12.62
to more than 10 of
them by the grace of God.
00:13:12.62\00:13:16.19
I'm doing this at no charge
00:13:21.46\00:13:23.03
because I don't want them
to have just physical healing.
00:13:23.03\00:13:26.47
I want them to have
spiritual healing as well.
00:13:28.70\00:13:31.61
Right after I treat them,
00:13:34.51\00:13:36.14
I give them Bible studies.
00:13:36.14\00:13:37.98
So when all their
treatments are finished,
00:13:42.45\00:13:44.92
their Bible study
course is also completed.
00:13:44.92\00:13:48.46
They have physical healing
00:13:48.46\00:13:49.96
and at the same time
they have spiritual healing.
00:13:49.96\00:13:53.26
They are very
thankful to me and to God.
00:13:54.40\00:13:57.03
I love to share
God's word with them
00:13:57.03\00:13:59.43
and to make them well.
00:13:59.43\00:14:00.54
- Isn't that beautiful?
00:14:11.35\00:14:12.18
- Yeah.
00:14:12.18\00:14:13.42
It's so neat how
she's able to use
00:14:13.42\00:14:15.28
the natural
remedies to help people.
00:14:15.28\00:14:18.85
Yes, of course.
00:14:18.85\00:14:20.46
And her focus is on
the spiritual healing
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.99
but she realizes that they
need physical healing so much.
00:14:22.99\00:14:27.40
What a beautiful
opportunity to serve.
00:14:28.46\00:14:30.47
- And she could charge
them quite a bit of money
00:14:30.47\00:14:34.70
I mean, if she's
healed or brought 10 people
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.94
from stroke to recovery.
00:14:37.94\00:14:41.21
That's pretty amazing.
00:14:41.21\00:14:42.31
- Yeah, rehab is pretty intense
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.08
for a stroke patient many times.
00:14:44.08\00:14:46.18
- Right.
00:14:46.18\00:14:47.42
And she chooses to
do it for no pay so
00:14:47.42\00:14:49.15
that she can
direct people's attention
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.55
to the Father in heaven
who does the actual healing.
00:14:51.55\00:14:54.89
So it's an amazing ministry
00:14:54.89\00:14:56.39
from a person that's quite
qualified to make a good salary.
00:14:56.39\00:15:00.93
And yet she's doing
this for the cause of God.
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.57
- Right.
00:15:03.57\00:15:04.80
Well, I think
it's interesting too
00:15:04.80\00:15:05.87
that she originally,
00:15:05.87\00:15:07.30
when she and her
husband had the business
00:15:07.30\00:15:08.87
she said we were raising
money for a wellness center,
00:15:08.87\00:15:13.24
but then they lost
the vision for that.
00:15:13.24\00:15:15.88
And they just
started raising money.
00:15:15.88\00:15:17.68
- For themselves. -
But she's been able to be
00:15:17.68\00:15:21.05
a mobile wellness
center going around
00:15:21.05\00:15:23.28
and helping people.
00:15:23.28\00:15:24.19
- Right.
00:15:24.19\00:15:25.39
So it's beautiful to
see the heart of service
00:15:25.39\00:15:26.89
and the joy that
she has in service.
00:15:26.89\00:15:29.76
- Right.
00:15:29.76\00:15:31.29
And what a privilege and
a blessing that she can be.
00:15:31.29\00:15:34.40
That's just awesome.
00:15:34.40\00:15:35.80
- And it's a privilege
for us now to serve her
00:15:35.80\00:15:39.37
to enable her to do what
God has called her to do.
00:15:39.37\00:15:42.67
- Right.
00:15:42.67\00:15:43.71
What a blessing!
00:15:43.71\00:15:45.14
Now we wanna to move to a
different part of the ministry.
00:15:45.14\00:15:47.81
And that is in a place where
sometimes it's hard to get in.
00:15:47.81\00:15:51.15
Sometimes it's easy
depending on your life choices.
00:15:52.48\00:15:55.32
- People get in
without wanting to.
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.22
- Exactly.
00:15:57.22\00:15:58.65
- I don't know anybody
that wants to get in there.
00:15:58.65\00:15:59.82
- Well, if they
wanna go into ministry
00:15:59.82\00:16:01.46
sometimes it's
difficult to get in to minister.
00:16:01.46\00:16:04.23
But we're talking specifically
about prison ministry.
00:16:04.23\00:16:07.73
And it's pretty amazing
that God can use anybody.
00:16:07.73\00:16:11.97
And some of our best
Bible workers are ex-cons.
00:16:11.97\00:16:15.97
Which is amazing.
00:16:15.97\00:16:16.84
I mean, we met one man
00:16:16.84\00:16:18.47
when we were in the
Philippines last he's like,
00:16:18.47\00:16:20.28
yeah I used to blow up things
00:16:20.28\00:16:22.38
and now I try to blow God
00:16:22.38\00:16:24.91
into everything or I can't
remember exactly how he said it
00:16:24.91\00:16:27.88
but he's like, yeah I
used to blow up things
00:16:27.88\00:16:30.49
and now I try to blow the gospel
00:16:30.49\00:16:32.55
into people's lives
or something like that.
00:16:32.55\00:16:34.49
I don't remember
00:16:34.49\00:16:35.72
but it was kind of
funny how he was saying it.
00:16:35.72\00:16:37.93
Yeah, yeah, that's true.
00:16:37.93\00:16:39.63
But anyway, just
seeing how God took him
00:16:39.63\00:16:43.70
from someone that had
selfish interests, you know
00:16:43.70\00:16:47.07
just like
Chris, the Bible worker
00:16:47.07\00:16:48.57
we just heard the story of.
00:16:48.57\00:16:49.94
We see God took him
00:16:51.24\00:16:52.47
from someone who was
out for his own gain.
00:16:52.47\00:16:54.91
He was doing
demolition for hire.
00:16:54.91\00:16:59.91
But anyway, it's so neat
to see how God can take that
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.08
and turn a life around.
00:17:03.08\00:17:04.42
- Yeah, I think
he likes to do that.
00:17:04.42\00:17:06.45
I think he specializes in
taking the least likely people
00:17:06.45\00:17:11.03
and doing the most
amazing things in them.
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.90
We see this a lot of times.
00:17:13.90\00:17:16.06
In a lot of different ways.
00:17:16.06\00:17:17.67
And he loves doing it.
00:17:17.67\00:17:19.07
- Right.
00:17:19.07\00:17:20.24
So the Bible
worker we wanna talk
00:17:20.24\00:17:21.17
about now is not out of prison.
00:17:21.17\00:17:24.61
- No.
00:17:24.61\00:17:25.81
- He is serving a life sentence.
00:17:25.81\00:17:28.31
- Yes.
00:17:28.31\00:17:29.24
Now he started out in Iloilo
00:17:29.24\00:17:31.38
but they've moved him to
a maximum security prison
00:17:31.38\00:17:34.08
up near Manila up in the North.
00:17:34.08\00:17:36.55
And so he's serving a life
sentence inside the prison.
00:17:36.55\00:17:40.06
But while he was in prison,
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.39
some of our Bible
workers reached him
00:17:42.39\00:17:45.09
and invited him
to their program.
00:17:45.09\00:17:47.03
Well, you'll hear this story.
00:17:47.03\00:17:48.63
But invited him to the program,
00:17:48.63\00:17:50.57
he accepted Christ in the prison
00:17:50.57\00:17:52.50
and now he's living
out his life sentence
00:17:52.50\00:17:55.57
for Christ in the prison.
00:17:55.57\00:17:57.41
And he's one of the organizers
00:17:57.41\00:17:59.84
for the work that
we have in the prison.
00:17:59.84\00:18:02.81
So he's like one
of the main people
00:18:02.81\00:18:04.28
that bring people together
00:18:04.28\00:18:06.68
and coordinate who's gonna speak
00:18:06.68\00:18:09.42
and all that kind of stuff.
00:18:09.42\00:18:10.82
So, and he's on fire.
00:18:10.82\00:18:12.35
He is really in love with God.
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.56
And he's just calling
people to a higher standard.
00:18:14.56\00:18:17.59
- Now I remember,
before he was moved to Manila
00:18:17.59\00:18:20.56
that everyone was praying
00:18:20.56\00:18:21.73
because there was a
sentence to be set down.
00:18:21.73\00:18:24.53
- The judge was deciding
00:18:24.53\00:18:25.77
whether he
should get life or stay
00:18:25.77\00:18:29.64
or I don't know, get it
reduced, reduced sentence.
00:18:29.64\00:18:33.14
And everybody was
praying for a reduced sentence.
00:18:33.14\00:18:35.08
But he was praying.
00:18:35.08\00:18:36.64
- Right.
00:18:36.64\00:18:37.48
He was surrendering.
00:18:37.48\00:18:38.68
He told the Lord, if
you want me to go there
00:18:38.68\00:18:40.98
to be a witness,
00:18:40.98\00:18:41.95
then I'm willing.
00:18:41.95\00:18:43.49
And that's what happened.
00:18:43.49\00:18:44.79
And he was like, okay Lord,
00:18:44.79\00:18:46.82
I know it's your will.
00:18:46.82\00:18:47.99
And so it was
amazing because you know
00:18:47.99\00:18:51.29
he could have been
really sad or angry,
00:18:51.29\00:18:53.76
but he was like, God
must have a work for me
00:18:53.76\00:18:56.23
at this other prison.
00:18:56.23\00:18:57.73
And so he took up the
work as soon as he got there.
00:18:57.73\00:18:59.77
- Now he has a supportive
wife, very supportive wife.
00:18:59.77\00:19:03.44
Brings him food.
00:19:05.74\00:19:06.57
Now in these prisons,
00:19:06.57\00:19:07.41
a lot of times
00:19:07.41\00:19:08.78
they're not provided meal.
00:19:08.78\00:19:10.88
And so their families
have to bring them food.
00:19:10.88\00:19:13.95
And so, he's got a
very supportive wife
00:19:13.95\00:19:18.25
and the church has behind him,
00:19:18.25\00:19:20.16
but they're very remote.
00:19:20.16\00:19:21.46
We can't go in to film him.
00:19:21.46\00:19:24.23
We're not allowed in.
00:19:24.23\00:19:25.96
And so the video that we have
00:19:25.96\00:19:28.30
of him here is him
talking to a cell phone.
00:19:28.30\00:19:31.20
- Okay.
00:19:31.20\00:19:32.40
- (laughs) So the
quality is not as good
00:19:32.40\00:19:33.87
but you'll get a
sense of what he's like.
00:19:33.87\00:19:36.84
- Okay.
00:19:36.84\00:19:37.67
[Narrator] We were
engaged in killings,
00:19:41.44\00:19:43.14
sometimes extra
judicial killings.
00:19:43.14\00:19:45.15
I was also engaged in robberies.
00:19:46.08\00:19:47.95
I was in prison when
I was only 14 years old
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.80
because I had been involved
00:20:06.80\00:20:07.90
in different
robberies and rumbles.
00:20:07.90\00:20:09.74
Some of my companions
died at that early age.
00:20:11.84\00:20:14.74
The event that put me
into that life was when
00:20:21.18\00:20:23.49
a large gang came to
our house and demanded
00:20:23.49\00:20:26.15
that my father choose one
from among his six children
00:20:26.15\00:20:28.69
to go with their
group as a vigilante.
00:20:28.69\00:20:30.76
My father pointed to me
00:20:38.83\00:20:40.14
because I was the only one
00:20:41.30\00:20:42.60
who was still single.
00:20:42.60\00:20:43.67
So I went with them
00:20:44.74\00:20:46.61
and helped in
different killings.
00:20:46.61\00:20:48.24
- Rough life, eh?
00:20:52.85\00:20:54.05
- Wow.
00:20:54.05\00:20:55.25
- Can imagine your father.
00:20:55.25\00:20:57.62
This must've been a gang
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.09
that came in
that was threatening,
00:20:59.09\00:21:01.09
and so he had no choice.
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.19
He was the only one
that wasn't married yet.
00:21:04.19\00:21:06.90
So his father
said, take him to a gang.
00:21:06.90\00:21:10.03
And he ended up
living that terrible life.
00:21:10.03\00:21:13.00
Let's continue.
00:21:13.94\00:21:14.77
[Narrator] On November 5, 2008,
00:21:17.04\00:21:19.91
I was kidnapped by
a group from Manila.
00:21:19.91\00:21:21.88
They didn't
take me to the police
00:21:27.02\00:21:28.45
but to someplace, I
think it was underground.
00:21:28.45\00:21:30.75
I was blindfolded and
tied by my hands and feet.
00:21:36.32\00:21:38.89
I was kept in
that place for 35 days.
00:21:40.10\00:21:42.03
When I eat, they
would spoonfeed me.
00:21:47.20\00:21:49.50
If I needed to poop,
they just cleaned me.
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.57
They tortured me to try
to force me to tell them
00:21:58.88\00:22:00.88
who my bosses were and
where my companions were.
00:22:00.88\00:22:03.82
Right there, I
remember the name of God.
00:22:06.92\00:22:09.79
I told God that if I
survived that situation,
00:22:09.79\00:22:12.49
I promise that I will
serve him with my life.
00:22:12.49\00:22:14.73
- Wow!
00:22:17.20\00:22:18.13
So he was tortured and terribly.
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.74
And that's where he
made his promise back to God.
00:22:21.74\00:22:24.17
- Yeah.
00:22:24.17\00:22:25.17
Wow! - Let's watch more.
00:22:25.17\00:22:26.27
[Narrator] Some of my
companions in this cell
00:22:30.35\00:22:31.71
were baptized
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:22:31.71\00:22:34.48
They were singing
songs from a hymnal
00:22:34.48\00:22:35.88
and having a worship service.
00:22:35.88\00:22:37.59
And so I joined them.
00:22:37.59\00:22:38.69
They were surprised
00:22:40.49\00:22:41.69
that I knew some of
the songs in the hymnal.
00:22:41.69\00:22:43.56
I told them that I was
born in an Adventist family
00:22:43.56\00:22:46.29
and was baptized when
I was in the fifth grade.
00:22:46.29\00:22:48.63
What brought me
to my evil behavior,
00:22:53.44\00:22:55.10
was my hatred
towards my parents.
00:22:55.10\00:22:56.97
Because they showed
favoritism to my siblings.
00:22:59.57\00:23:01.84
I told myself that if I
grow up, I will get my revenge.
00:23:03.28\00:23:07.15
So everything that I
have done, the robberies
00:23:08.32\00:23:10.45
and the killings was
not because of the money.
00:23:10.45\00:23:13.52
I just wanted
to hurt my parents.
00:23:13.52\00:23:15.22
But now, since I
learned about God's word,
00:23:16.62\00:23:18.96
I learned that
revenge is not good.
00:23:18.96\00:23:20.86
And I realized that I
misinterpreted my parents.
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.97
I remember it was February
4, 2012 in the afternoon.
00:23:32.97\00:23:36.71
That was the day I went back
00:23:37.71\00:23:38.98
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.18
My cellmate who
invited me, kinda tricked me
00:23:41.18\00:23:44.09
because what we agreed
was that I just wanted a copy
00:23:44.09\00:23:46.59
of the lyrics for the
song, 'Why have you chosen me?'
00:23:46.59\00:23:50.06
But when I got there,
they were telling everyone
00:23:50.06\00:23:52.43
that I was an Adventist.
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.20
After the program, they asked
me to lead the closing prayer.
00:23:54.20\00:23:57.60
Even though it was
my first time to attend.
00:23:57.60\00:24:00.07
And I
immediately knew in my heart.
00:24:00.07\00:24:01.94
It felt like this, is my home.
00:24:07.68\00:24:10.45
Since then,
00:24:10.45\00:24:11.45
I never miss
any of the programs.
00:24:11.45\00:24:13.25
And in April, 2012,
00:24:13.25\00:24:14.98
I was rebaptized.
00:24:19.19\00:24:20.32
- Isn't that an
amazing testimony?
00:24:21.49\00:24:23.32
- Yeah.
00:24:23.32\00:24:24.53
- The first time he
goes to a Bible meeting,
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.76
they asked to pray.
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.00
And it was in that prayer,
00:24:29.16\00:24:30.40
that he realized
this is where I belong.
00:24:30.40\00:24:32.67
It was like his conversion
00:24:32.67\00:24:34.44
from somebody asking a
first-time visitor to pray.
00:24:34.44\00:24:37.31
Incredible.
00:24:38.64\00:24:40.08
Very bold thing
to do to ask somebody
00:24:40.08\00:24:42.88
that's never been there
before to pray a closing prayer.
00:24:42.88\00:24:45.28
- Yeah (laughs).
00:24:45.28\00:24:46.08
- But that's what got is heart.
00:24:47.22\00:24:48.62
- Right.
00:24:48.62\00:24:49.45
- Amazing.
00:24:49.45\00:24:50.29
- Right.
00:24:50.29\00:24:51.12
Yeah.
00:24:51.12\00:24:52.39
And it's so beautiful
to see how he realized
00:24:52.39\00:24:53.79
that he wasn't
doing all that stuff
00:24:53.79\00:24:56.09
because of money or anything.
00:24:56.09\00:24:58.06
He was doing it
because he wanted to get even
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.86
with his parents.
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.03
And yet here he is
seeing that this God,
00:25:02.03\00:25:05.40
loved him still and
wanted to change his heart.
00:25:06.77\00:25:09.57
And he was
baptized in fifth grade
00:25:09.57\00:25:12.01
and you know so it's
like, God brought him back
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.84
around to himself.
00:25:14.84\00:25:16.68
It's so beautiful.
00:25:16.68\00:25:17.55
- Yeah, absolutely.
00:25:17.55\00:25:18.98
Let's watch some more.
00:25:18.98\00:25:20.08
[Narrator] I'm so happy today,
especially for my brethren
00:25:24.69\00:25:27.22
that were sent here to
show his great love for us.
00:25:27.22\00:25:29.92
I'm not the only
one that is happy.
00:25:29.92\00:25:31.99
There's also many other
prisoners here that have lost
00:25:31.99\00:25:34.66
hope. Now they've
been given hope again too.
00:25:34.66\00:25:36.46
And the courage to
go on with their lives.
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.57
Prisoner's lives
are being changed daily
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.01
through God's word
that we are learning.
00:25:44.01\00:25:46.01
In spite of all of the
hardships and sadnesses
00:25:48.51\00:25:50.81
that we are going through,
00:25:50.81\00:25:52.18
including missing our
families and loved ones.
00:25:52.18\00:25:54.65
In spite of all of these
trials, God is here for us.
00:25:54.65\00:25:57.72
These bars that
surround us, don't hinder us.
00:26:01.59\00:26:04.29
They don't prevent us,
whatever situation we have
00:26:04.29\00:26:07.13
because the work of
God is for all the world.
00:26:07.13\00:26:09.66
God sometimes places us
where we will be most effective.
00:26:09.66\00:26:13.03
Where we should
be to do his work.
00:26:13.03\00:26:14.74
Many of us are
longing for freedom,
00:26:18.94\00:26:21.01
but for me, freedom from
these bars is not the answer.
00:26:21.01\00:26:24.48
It's not the answer to
our thirst and hunger for our
00:26:24.48\00:26:27.48
future. Some of
us want to be free,
00:26:29.52\00:26:31.09
to have a better future.
00:26:31.09\00:26:32.29
But for me as of now,
who's studying his words,
00:26:33.69\00:26:36.22
I believe that wherever you are,
00:26:37.83\00:26:39.89
if you are with God,
00:26:39.89\00:26:40.96
that is where
true freedom found.
00:26:42.06\00:26:44.37
And your future is
secure in his hands.
00:26:44.37\00:26:46.40
- Amazing testimony, Isn't it?
00:26:52.67\00:26:54.38
- Yeah.
00:26:54.38\00:26:55.61
- Proud to have
him as a Bible worker.
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.01
The work in the
prison is going very well.
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.98
And of course
people who are in there,
00:27:00.98\00:27:02.58
they don't have a lot
to do, so they have time.
00:27:02.58\00:27:05.22
And of course they're
there with nothing to do
00:27:05.22\00:27:07.62
except think about what
they've done with their lives.
00:27:07.62\00:27:10.39
So they're looking,
00:27:10.39\00:27:11.89
many of them are looking
for a better way to live.
00:27:11.89\00:27:13.93
Many of them have
not even had options
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.23
or seen that there
was any other way to live.
00:27:16.23\00:27:18.00
They just kinda got
into the bad lifestyle
00:27:18.00\00:27:20.80
and didn't know how to get out.
00:27:20.80\00:27:23.07
And so when Christ comes
along, it gives them hope,
00:27:23.07\00:27:25.97
gives them a future.
00:27:25.97\00:27:27.24
And as Bernie
was saying, you know,
00:27:27.24\00:27:29.38
it doesn't matter where you are.
00:27:29.38\00:27:30.61
If you have Christ,
your future is secure.
00:27:30.61\00:27:33.62
- Right.
00:27:33.62\00:27:34.88
Right, well,
that's a beautiful story
00:27:34.88\00:27:36.72
of how God can change lives.
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.52
- So inspiring. -
So it's so beautiful.
00:27:38.52\00:27:39.92
Yeah, beautiful and inspiring.
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.99
If you would like
to enable these workers
00:27:43.19\00:27:45.29
and help the work go
forward in the Philippines,
00:27:45.29\00:27:47.66
you can contact
us at Jesus for Asia,
00:27:47.66\00:27:50.37
PO Box 1221,
Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315.
00:27:50.37\00:27:55.37
Call us at (423) 413-7321.
00:27:56.24\00:28:00.04
Or visit our
website at jesus4asia.org.
00:28:00.04\00:28:03.95
May God richly bless you,
00:28:03.95\00:28:05.38
until we see you next time
00:28:05.38\00:28:06.88
on Jesus for Asia Now.
00:28:06.88\00:28:09.28
(upbeat music)
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.85