(inspirational
instrumental music)
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- Hello and welcome
to Jesus for Asia Now.
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I'm Natalie Wood
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and my husband Jon
is here with me today.
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We're going on a trip
together to the Philippines.
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Hello love.
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- Hi darling, how are you?
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- I'm doing all right.
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How are you? - Awesome.
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I'm doing good.
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- Good.
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So we're going to
Philippines today.
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- [Jon] Yes.
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- But where
exactly are we going?
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- Well, this is kind
of the interesting thing
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because we have not
been to where we're going.
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Because where we're going today
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is a little too
dangerous for us to go.
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If you go there,
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if I went there I'd
have to have an armed escort.
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- Okay. - In fact,
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our Filipino video team
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had to have an armed
escort for them to go.
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- Okay. - Because
they're Christians.
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- Okay, so it's
in the Philippines.
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- [Jon] It's in the Philippines.
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- But it's very dangerous there.
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- Yeah, and this is the area
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way to the very farthest
south part of the Philippines,
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on the west side of
the farthest south part
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of the farthest south island.
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(Jon laughs)
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- Okay well, if we have a map.
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(Natalie laughs) -
Yep, there is a map.
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You can see
this is the peninsula
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and then the islands
that trail off the end
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of the peninsula;
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The farthest island is
about three hours by boat,
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so not very far, just a
few miles from Malaysia,
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the island of
Borneo. - Oh, okay.
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So, why don't you
start us out on this journey.
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- Okay, so this
area has been closed
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for centuries to Christians.
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We didn't know how
to work with Muslims,
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we didn't know how
to be a blessing there,
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and therefore, the
doors were mainly closed.
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- Mhm.
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- But as Adventists,
we have some advantages,
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including the fact
that we don't eat pork.
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- Right. - And
so our volunteers,
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we have this group of volunteers
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in the
Philippines called the SULADS.
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- Right.
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- And they've been
working in these areas
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for many years as teachers.
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- Right.
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- As the people
there in those islands
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got to know who we were,
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they really appreciated
these young people as teachers,
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as friends, as people
that were there to bless.
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- Right. - And
bring light and truth
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and uplift the people
without any strings attached.
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- Right. And just for
clarity's sake, the SULADS
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is not a JFA
ministry. - [Jon] Right.
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- It's not something
Jesus for Asia started.
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- [Jon] No. - In fact,
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it started before we started.
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- [Jon] Right. - It's a group
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that likes to go
and be a blessing,
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particularly as teachers helping
with the literacy issues.
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- Yeah, and it's a
movement more than a group.
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It's an organization-
- Right, that's true.
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- that works with the church,
but it's a whole movement.
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It's like a mindset when
you talk about SULADS, okay?
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You talk about self-sacrifice.
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You talk about giving
of your life to go into
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unentered dark areas- - Yeah.
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- difficult
areas, challenging areas.
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We have the
testimony of one young SULAD
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that says "yeah,
sometimes I don't have time
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to go down to the
lowlands to get food
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and so I just, when I'm hungry,
I just go back to my room
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and I just sleep
until my hunger goes away."
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This is the kind of sacrifice.
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We've had some
SULADS that have been killed
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in the line of service. - Right.
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- And they knew what
they were getting into.
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And so these are
serious young people
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who are devoting everything
to the love and service of God
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and they're happy
about it. - Right.
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- But with the success
of these SULADS programs,
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we have a
burgeoning need for pastors.
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- So because there are pastors,
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now there's a
need for more churches.
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- Oh yeah, absolutely.
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And so this is
what this show is about,
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is looking at,
there's so many churches,
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it's really hard to track.
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- [Natalie] Right.
- We hear a request
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for this church in this
area and a church in that area
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and seven
churches up in these hills
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and two churches
down here and we're like,
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so we can't keep track of
all the names of the churches,
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and so this is just
like a general call.
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There's a lot of churches
out there that need to be built.
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Thousands of people
are coming to the faith.
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- [Natalie] Right.
- A lot of churches
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need to be built and so, we
have like a church building fund
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where people can donate to that
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and they know that
it will go a church.
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- Let's go there and
let's see it for ourselves
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and let's hear
from the leadership,
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the need for
churches. - [Jon] Okay.
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(calming instrumental music)
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(speaks foreign language)
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- [Translator]
The area is large.
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It covers seven provinces,
80 cities and municipalities,
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including many
islands of the region.
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That is why we are
expanding really well.
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- Right now, in this
area that you have visited,
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the mountain area, there are
still villages after villages
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up there in the mountains
who have never heard the gospel.
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- We're really having a hard
time to put up some churches,
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especially that our
resources is only very scarce.
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So, we do some solicitations,
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we do some
initiatives to reach out
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to some friends and
brethren abroad to help us.
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(speaks foreign language)
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- [Translator] Right now,
we can only contribute little
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for our brethren
desiring to build a church.
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- We have baptized, as of
last year, as of December,
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we had like more
than 1,000 baptisms.
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And so imagine the
need to build churches
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for these congregations.
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(speaks foreign language)
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- [Translator] We, at
Zamboanga Peninsula Mission
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strive to find
resources to answer our need
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of building new
churches in addition to
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the existing 349
churches of the mission.
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(calming instrumental music)
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- Isn't that
stunningly beautiful?
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- Oh, wow. - Yeah.
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(Natalie laughs) And
they've got the mountains
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and the islands and
that whole mixture there
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in that amazing place.
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- And you see the
need. - [Jon] Yeah.
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- I mean, that little
place where they were worshiping
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didn't even have walls.
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It's was just a roof. - Right.
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- So, it helps
somewhat with the sun maybe,
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but, it's yeah,
there's definitely a need.
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- Well, they only
had a thousand dollars
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to build the whole church with,
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so that's as far
as they could get.
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They could put up some
posts, put up the roof.
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And this is how a lot of times
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they have
approached us is they say
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they'll start the church
in faith and they're say,
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"Hey, can you, you know,
give us a thousand dollars
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to finish the church."
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And so we say, "okay", so
we give them a thousand dollars
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and then a few
weeks later, they'll say,
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"Okay, well we've
got this part of it done,
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we need another
thousand dollars for the next."
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And so they go
step by step like that.
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At least they're happy
with part of the church.
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- Right.
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- Maybe not the whole church,
but eventually they believe
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that they're gonna get
through the whole church.
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- Yeah, they obviously
started worshiping there
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even though there's no walls,
there's no floor, you know.
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- [Jon] Right. -
Still a long way to go.
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- Yeah. - So,
but they've started
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using the place anyway.
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- [Jon] Right. - Yeah.
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- So, what's our next video?
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- We're going to the village
of Tagay and see what we find.
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- [Natalie] Okay.
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(calming instrumental music)
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(speaks foreign language)
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- [Translator] Welcome to
the village of Tagay, Datagan.
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Here is one of the most remote
places in the Siyayan area.
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Last December, the mission
conducted an evangelistic
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meeting and some student
missionaries came here to work.
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We baptized 92 natives here.
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Toto Alas was one of them.
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He is from royal
blood in their tribe,
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from a high
profile Subanian tribe.
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This corner of acre
lot is donated by Toto
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here on top of this hill.
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The mission gave one thousand
dollars for a church building
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and this is the result.
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The woods and
other stuff were donated.
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In this remote area, we
have three more churches,
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built like this.
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They gave one thousand
dollars to start pilot churches.
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Now, this is the result.
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It's the prerogative of
the brethren of the district
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to initiate the
finishing of the building
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because we lack many things.
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Almost all the
churches here in the mountains
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lack many things.
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It's because
this is a remote place
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and also the church in
town is financially unstable.
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So we still see the
need for support for projects
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here in the mountains.
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- So that's an amazing situation
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where they
conducted evangelistic series
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and one of the baptism
candidates was royal blood.
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- Right.
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- And so he donated
a quarter of an acre
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and the conference
gave a thousand dollars
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and they built that
wood structure with a roof.
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- Right.
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Probably the roof was
the majority of that thousand
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dollars. - [Jon]
Yeah, definitely. - Yeah.
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- You can see the
need. - [Natalie] Yeah.
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- You can see
that in their faces.
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They have a heart for
the work to go forward
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and to have a good place
for people to come and worship
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the Lord in.
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- We have another
video of another area
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where there's a need
for the church there.
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- [Jon] Okay.
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(calming instrumental music)
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(speaking foreign language)
00:10:09.87\00:10:11.17
- [Translator] The
couple who owned this land
00:10:11.17\00:10:12.47
decided that their cock
fighting pit would be donated
00:10:12.47\00:10:15.64
and used to build a church
for the Seventh-day Adventists.
00:10:15.64\00:10:18.61
As you can see, we
are little by little
00:10:22.12\00:10:24.52
constructing the church.
00:10:24.52\00:10:25.92
We have these
temporary chairs for our church.
00:10:27.39\00:10:29.92
We plan to slowly
convert from wood to concrete
00:10:32.69\00:10:35.70
if donors would like to help.
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.10
We will be thankful for them.
00:10:39.00\00:10:40.40
Little by little, we
are working on our church
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as we are able.
00:10:45.44\00:10:46.24
We cannot build it
fast because our brethren
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have other
responsibilities like farming.
00:10:52.21\00:10:55.15
Honestly speaking,
our church had a budget
00:10:55.15\00:10:57.39
to start building the church,
00:10:57.39\00:10:58.85
but it was only
to begin building.
00:10:58.85\00:11:00.59
We don't have the budget to
finish building this church.
00:11:01.99\00:11:05.06
One of our challenges is
to have our other members
00:11:05.06\00:11:07.23
worship with us again.
00:11:07.23\00:11:08.50
They are asking to
have this church completed
00:11:10.47\00:11:12.57
and they will worship with us.
00:11:12.57\00:11:14.14
Our challenge is, as
Jesus for Asia's bible worker,
00:11:15.50\00:11:18.21
is to develop and
finish building the church.
00:11:18.21\00:11:20.64
(calming instrumental music)
00:11:28.28\00:11:32.09
- So there's one
of our bible workers
00:11:39.23\00:11:41.06
that our viewers are supporting
00:11:41.06\00:11:42.86
and the problem with
being a successful bible worker
00:11:42.86\00:11:46.70
is they need a
church. (Natalie laughs)
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.80
- That's a big
problem. - [Jon] Yeah.
00:11:48.80\00:11:50.37
- But it's also a good problem.
00:11:50.37\00:11:51.51
- Yes.
00:11:51.51\00:11:53.01
And you can see how
they're moving forward by faith.
00:11:53.01\00:11:54.91
You know, trusting
that we'll do a little bit
00:11:54.91\00:11:56.75
and a little bit,
little bit and God will provide
00:11:56.75\00:11:59.85
as they go. - Right.
00:11:59.85\00:12:00.88
- It's very
encouraging and inspiring.
00:12:00.88\00:12:02.95
- [Natalie] Yeah. -
That they're not waiting
00:12:02.95\00:12:04.19
until they have everything
00:12:04.19\00:12:05.55
and then they'll
build a nice church.
00:12:05.55\00:12:07.19
They're just going
forward with what they have.
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.59
- [Natalie]
Right. - And thankful
00:12:09.59\00:12:10.93
for what they have.
00:12:10.93\00:12:12.03
- Yeah and they figure
they'll replace the wood
00:12:12.03\00:12:14.50
at some point with what-
00:12:14.50\00:12:15.60
- [Jon] With
cement. - [Natalie] Yeah.
00:12:15.60\00:12:16.70
- But did you hear
what it used to be?
00:12:16.70\00:12:18.43
- [Natalie]
Yeah. - It used to be
00:12:18.43\00:12:19.90
their cock fighting pit. - Yeah.
00:12:19.90\00:12:21.87
- And now it's going to be
a Seventh Adventist church.
00:12:21.87\00:12:24.61
- [Natalie] Yeah.
- That's definitely
00:12:24.61\00:12:25.64
an upgrade. - Oh, definitely.
00:12:25.64\00:12:27.18
(both laugh) For sure.
00:12:27.18\00:12:29.08
- Yeah. - Okay,
we have another video
00:12:29.08\00:12:31.31
but there's a
little bit of story
00:12:31.31\00:12:33.21
that you need to share with
us before we watch that one?
00:12:33.21\00:12:35.38
- Yeah. In this video,
they talk a little bit about
00:12:35.38\00:12:38.02
working with Muslims. - Okay.
00:12:38.92\00:12:41.22
- And we go into a Muslim area
00:12:41.22\00:12:43.29
and they mention
that it's dangerous.
00:12:43.29\00:12:44.83
There's a lot of fighting
between Christians and Muslims.
00:12:44.83\00:12:47.76
- Mmm. - And so,
00:12:47.76\00:12:49.13
going into a Muslim
area as a Christian,
00:12:49.13\00:12:52.20
is not a safe thing.
00:12:52.20\00:12:53.57
And sometimes
you'll need armed escort.
00:12:53.57\00:12:56.27
But this is where our
bible workers live and work
00:12:56.27\00:13:00.08
and who they
minister to. - [Natalie] Okay.
00:13:00.08\00:13:02.21
- And so, this
is normal for them.
00:13:02.21\00:13:04.41
And yet they have
to learn how to walk,
00:13:04.41\00:13:07.18
but walk in the
protection of the Lord
00:13:07.18\00:13:09.85
and be friends with them.
00:13:09.85\00:13:11.65
And so he talks about
going into this new area
00:13:11.65\00:13:13.99
and that they were
receptive and kind to them.
00:13:13.99\00:13:17.59
- Okay. All
right, let's watch it.
00:13:17.59\00:13:19.39
- [Jon] Okay.
00:13:19.39\00:13:20.30
(speaking foreign language)
00:13:21.23\00:13:22.50
- [Translator] The
majority of the population
00:13:22.50\00:13:23.16
in this area is Muslim.
00:13:23.16\00:13:24.93
Working here as a
Christian is dangerous.
00:13:26.30\00:13:29.30
But with the help of God,
00:13:29.30\00:13:30.67
the people
welcomed us with warmth.
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.84
(inspirational
instrumental music)
00:13:32.84\00:13:37.15
(speaking foreign language)
00:13:39.51\00:13:40.95
The pastor is a
kind and friendly person.
00:13:40.95\00:13:43.52
He regularly visits
the people in this area,
00:13:43.52\00:13:46.32
even though we are Muslims.
00:13:46.32\00:13:48.06
When he visits my
house, he always brings food
00:13:49.49\00:13:52.46
and we often eat together.
00:13:52.46\00:13:54.36
That's why he is my best friend.
00:13:54.36\00:13:56.70
(speaking foreign language)
00:13:56.70\00:13:58.00
He brought me to his mosque,
00:13:58.00\00:13:59.70
the biggest mosque
here on the island.
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.00
And he taught us what the
Muslims do before entering
00:14:03.41\00:14:05.01
their mosque.
00:14:05.01\00:14:05.87
He showed us the
rituals of washing and praying.
00:14:07.01\00:14:09.88
They have been very welcoming.
00:14:11.45\00:14:13.01
We can feel their sincerity
and their acceptance of us
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.58
as their brothers.
00:14:16.58\00:14:17.59
No other religion has
visited the Muslims here,
00:14:20.82\00:14:23.36
except yours.
00:14:23.36\00:14:24.36
Only Seventh-day Adventists,
because nothing unclean
00:14:25.69\00:14:29.13
can come to this place.
00:14:29.13\00:14:30.77
Nothing.
00:14:30.77\00:14:32.20
I have found that the
Seventh-day Adventists I have
00:14:32.20\00:14:34.74
met are generous,
responsible, and trustworthy.
00:14:34.74\00:14:39.81
And regarding diet, they
don't eat anything unclean,
00:14:43.28\00:14:46.68
so we love
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.75
Praise be to Allah.
00:14:51.69\00:14:53.59
(chanting in foreign language)
00:14:56.06\00:15:00.13
- Wow, do you
realize how profound that is?
00:15:04.00\00:15:07.17
To have a Muslim
Iman talking so good
00:15:07.17\00:15:11.11
about his Adventist
brothers and friends.
00:15:11.11\00:15:13.44
- Yeah.
00:15:13.44\00:15:14.51
- [Jon] He realizes
that we're not enemies.
00:15:14.51\00:15:16.11
- Right. - We're not there
00:15:16.11\00:15:17.18
to take over, we're
there to be a blessing.
00:15:17.18\00:15:19.68
- [Natalie] Yeah. -
And we can be brothers
00:15:19.68\00:15:21.38
and sisters together.
00:15:21.38\00:15:22.35
But what a
tremendous opportunity.
00:15:22.35\00:15:25.42
- [Natalie] Yeah.
- For Christ's love
00:15:25.42\00:15:26.82
to be seen across the
divides. - Right, right.
00:15:26.82\00:15:29.89
Wow. Powerful. - Yeah.
00:15:29.89\00:15:33.03
So amazing.
00:15:33.03\00:15:34.46
And the- - I love how he said,
00:15:34.46\00:15:35.60
the pastor was his best friend.
00:15:35.60\00:15:36.97
- Yeah, yeah.
00:15:36.97\00:15:38.07
- [Natalie]
That's really awesome.
00:15:38.07\00:15:38.60
- Yeah, yeah.
00:15:38.60\00:15:39.73
Young pastors,
our JFA bible worker.
00:15:39.73\00:15:41.90
- Right.
00:15:41.90\00:15:43.00
- This is the
message. This is the message.
00:15:43.00\00:15:44.71
You know of all
the world religions,
00:15:44.71\00:15:46.68
Muslim is the closest
to Seventh-day Adventism,
00:15:46.68\00:15:50.15
of any other religion. - Right.
00:15:50.15\00:15:51.91
- In some ways, we're
closer as Adventists to Muslims
00:15:51.91\00:15:55.25
than we are to Christians,
the general Christians.
00:15:55.25\00:15:57.32
- Right.
00:15:57.32\00:15:58.45
Well one thing he
specifically said,
00:15:58.45\00:15:59.95
actually he
referred to it several times,
00:15:59.95\00:16:02.32
"nothing unclean can come here"
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.26
and the Adventists
don't eat anything unclean
00:16:04.26\00:16:06.70
and so, that's one of the
reasons they're accepted there
00:16:06.70\00:16:09.53
because if we
ate anything unclean,
00:16:09.53\00:16:12.53
they wouldn't be accepted there.
00:16:12.53\00:16:13.70
- [Jon] No. - They
wouldn't be allowed
00:16:13.70\00:16:14.50
to come.
00:16:14.50\00:16:15.54
They definitely
wouldn't be welcomed.
00:16:15.54\00:16:16.34
- Right.
00:16:16.34\00:16:17.64
And some of our missionaries
are total vegetarians.
00:16:17.64\00:16:19.87
And so, when they go
an live in these villages,
00:16:19.87\00:16:22.11
the Muslim
villages, the Muslims say,
00:16:22.11\00:16:23.71
"Wow, you're better
Muslims than we are."
00:16:23.71\00:16:25.55
- Right.
00:16:25.55\00:16:26.88
- Sometimes they have
meetings with the Muslims
00:16:26.88\00:16:28.08
and we call
them family reunions.
00:16:28.08\00:16:30.15
- Right. -
Between Issac and Ishmael.
00:16:30.15\00:16:32.15
- Right.
00:16:32.15\00:16:33.46
- And it's a beautiful
joining together, you know?
00:16:33.46\00:16:35.32
Because nobody really
likes to fight with each other.
00:16:35.32\00:16:38.49
And when there's a
way to bring in peace,
00:16:38.49\00:16:40.40
especially, you know the
Muslims, they get a bad wrap
00:16:40.40\00:16:43.80
by the Extremists in the world.
00:16:43.80\00:16:45.37
- Right. - A lot of Muslims
00:16:45.37\00:16:46.97
are peace loving.
00:16:46.97\00:16:48.44
Great emphasis on
hospitality. - Yeah.
00:16:48.44\00:16:51.01
- And so when they
find a way to bring peace
00:16:51.01\00:16:53.78
and brotherly
love, they just love it.
00:16:53.78\00:16:57.31
It's an amazing thing.
00:16:57.31\00:16:58.41
They're
beautiful people. - Yeah.
00:16:58.41\00:16:59.95
- And Christ died
for them. - Right.
00:16:59.95\00:17:01.85
So we have another
video, it's very short.
00:17:01.85\00:17:03.82
About this church in this area.
00:17:03.82\00:17:06.22
- [Jon] Okay.
00:17:06.22\00:17:07.59
- [Translator] We are
inside our church here in Paiya.
00:17:07.59\00:17:10.29
In this area the majority
of the population is Muslim.
00:17:11.66\00:17:15.10
Our church is big.
00:17:15.10\00:17:16.30
Our only request is to
help renovate this church.
00:17:17.63\00:17:20.20
We renovated the middle part,
00:17:21.00\00:17:22.67
but we need help with the
open area since we lack funds.
00:17:24.01\00:17:26.94
We are requesting
help so that when we invite
00:17:26.94\00:17:29.11
our Muslim brothers, they will
find our church comfortable.
00:17:29.11\00:17:33.48
When we visited their mosque,
we saw that it was beautiful.
00:17:33.48\00:17:38.12
I hope they will also
find our church unique
00:17:38.12\00:17:40.76
when they visit us.
00:17:40.76\00:17:41.79
- That's the thing, you know.
00:17:43.12\00:17:44.26
When people come to
a church, it's like,
00:17:44.26\00:17:46.43
does it look like
people care about the church?
00:17:46.43\00:17:49.33
- [Natalie] Right. -
And so that's part of
00:17:49.33\00:17:51.40
the witness, is how we
take care of our churches.
00:17:51.40\00:17:54.60
- Right, right.
00:17:54.60\00:17:55.97
We have another video
from one of our bible workers
00:17:55.97\00:17:58.21
down in the islands. - Okay.
00:17:58.21\00:17:59.81
- [Translator] My father has
many prohibitions for himself
00:18:01.71\00:18:04.11
and his family.
00:18:04.11\00:18:05.41
It is forbidden to
mingle with ungodly people,
00:18:05.41\00:18:08.55
especially Christians who
are considered Islams enemies.
00:18:08.55\00:18:12.85
(spiritual instrumental music)
00:18:12.85\00:18:16.83
I joined one group of Muslims.
00:18:19.59\00:18:21.86
These Muslim
activists encourage non-Muslims
00:18:21.86\00:18:24.37
to accept Islam.
00:18:24.37\00:18:25.90
The versus in the
quran that talk about Jesus
00:18:27.00\00:18:29.24
caught my attention.
00:18:29.24\00:18:30.61
I wanted to know,
learn, and deeply understand
00:18:30.61\00:18:33.11
the versus that I was reading
00:18:33.11\00:18:34.51
because what the activists
are teaching is different.
00:18:34.51\00:18:37.71
They say that the
versus about Jesus in the quran
00:18:37.71\00:18:40.18
are no longer valid.
00:18:40.18\00:18:41.72
We do not need to
accept, understand,
00:18:41.72\00:18:43.99
or even acknowledge them.
00:18:43.99\00:18:45.32
I wondered why.
00:18:46.96\00:18:48.06
The quran says we
should know the profits,
00:18:51.69\00:18:53.86
that we should
accept them equally.
00:18:53.86\00:18:55.63
So I asked, "If
you know other profits,
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.70
why don't you know Jesus?"
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.20
We study what the
Christians were fighting for,
00:19:01.44\00:19:03.67
whether right or wrong.
00:19:03.67\00:19:04.91
I learned that the
bible and the quran unite
00:19:06.11\00:19:08.31
in acknowledging the savior.
00:19:08.31\00:19:10.05
We are the ones who do
not understand the truth.
00:19:10.05\00:19:13.11
The light has
come to the darkness,
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.05
but the darkness detests light.
00:19:17.05\00:19:19.45
As for me, I was in darkness,
but I accepted the light
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.29
and here I am today.
00:19:22.29\00:19:23.96
For many years, I've
been prayed for Allah
00:19:25.06\00:19:27.46
to show us the straight path.
00:19:27.46\00:19:29.56
I didn't know that
Jesus was the straight path.
00:19:29.56\00:19:32.63
He said in John,
Chapter 14, Versus 6:
00:19:32.63\00:19:35.57
I am the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.87
No one comes to the
father except through me.
00:19:37.87\00:19:40.64
Then I learned about
one commonly attacked sect,
00:19:40.64\00:19:43.01
who have the truth,
the Seventh-day Adventists.
00:19:43.01\00:19:46.01
I learned that the
thing I assumed to be wrong,
00:19:46.01\00:19:48.58
was in fact right.
00:19:48.58\00:19:50.52
It is true, I joined that group.
00:19:50.52\00:19:52.45
I am learning
things I didn't know.
00:19:52.45\00:19:54.86
I hope that you will be like me.
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.52
I hope that we will
continue to learn until we die
00:19:56.52\00:19:59.19
and then after death,
when we meet God face-to-face.
00:19:59.19\00:20:02.80
(spiritual instrumental music)
00:20:02.80\00:20:06.77
- That's a
profound testimony. - Mhm.
00:20:15.11\00:20:17.75
- Wow.
00:20:17.75\00:20:19.28
How many more out
there are like that?
00:20:19.28\00:20:21.25
- Yeah. - [Jon] Wow.
00:20:21.25\00:20:22.98
- Yeah.
00:20:23.79\00:20:25.42
- Beautiful,
beautiful, beautiful testimony.
00:20:25.42\00:20:27.29
- Mhm. - [Jon] I think that
00:20:27.29\00:20:28.49
we should support this work.
00:20:28.49\00:20:30.69
That's the sense that I get.
00:20:30.69\00:20:32.43
(Natalie laughs)
00:20:32.43\00:20:33.46
That this work
should be supported
00:20:33.46\00:20:35.10
because they're really
putting their lives on the line
00:20:35.10\00:20:36.97
and if we're getting
testimonies like that,
00:20:36.97\00:20:39.47
we need to be there.
00:20:39.47\00:20:40.97
So when they do have
these profound conversions,
00:20:40.97\00:20:44.91
they have some place to go.
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.81
- Right. - Yeah.
00:20:46.81\00:20:47.81
- Right.
00:20:47.81\00:20:49.31
- He was praying to
Allah for the straight path.
00:20:49.31\00:20:51.41
- [Natalie] Right. -
And then he found that
00:20:51.41\00:20:52.41
in Christ. - Right.
00:20:52.41\00:20:54.05
- Reminds me of
the time in Indonesia
00:20:54.05\00:20:56.32
when the lady was
praying to Buddha for the truth.
00:20:56.32\00:21:00.42
Who was the true God?
00:21:00.42\00:21:01.82
And Buddha came to her,
the image of Buddha came to her
00:21:01.82\00:21:05.13
in a dream at night and says,
"You need to follow Jesus."
00:21:05.13\00:21:09.03
- Right, right.
00:21:09.03\00:21:11.33
- So God's
working. - [Natalie] Yeah.
00:21:11.33\00:21:12.93
- If we're there. - Yeah.
00:21:12.93\00:21:14.60
We've got another story
from another bible worker.
00:21:14.60\00:21:17.04
- [Jon] Okay.
00:21:17.04\00:21:17.94
(speaking foreign language)
00:21:19.47\00:21:21.34
- [Translator] When
we are in a Muslim area
00:21:21.34\00:21:23.04
the good thing is that when
we provide something they need,
00:21:23.04\00:21:26.01
they will defend us,
00:21:26.01\00:21:27.15
fight for us
because we are helping them
00:21:27.15\00:21:28.92
in their
survival and livelihood.
00:21:28.92\00:21:30.95
The first impression they
have of us seems to be critical.
00:21:36.19\00:21:39.16
When we are in a Muslim
area, we must seek wisdom
00:21:41.06\00:21:43.87
from above so that we may
be guided by the holy spirit
00:21:43.87\00:21:46.74
and the holy angels
before we visit homes.
00:21:46.74\00:21:49.17
In working among Muslims,
00:21:53.07\00:21:54.71
it is not the tail we
need to meet, but the head.
00:21:54.71\00:21:57.15
We need to seek and get
permission from the local chief
00:21:58.51\00:22:00.85
or look for the
Iman, the religious leader.
00:22:00.85\00:22:03.32
And the Iman will
introduce you to the members.
00:22:03.32\00:22:06.12
As I approach Muslims, I do
not teach the bible at first
00:22:06.12\00:22:09.29
because they might
think and question why
00:22:09.29\00:22:11.23
I am in their area.
00:22:11.23\00:22:12.33
They would ask
what I am doing here.
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.76
So, I wait until
they start asking me.
00:22:15.76\00:22:18.63
When they ask, I speak
about Ishmael and Issac.
00:22:18.63\00:22:21.70
I have been amazed
that they started calling me
00:22:24.41\00:22:26.51
younger brother.
00:22:26.51\00:22:27.84
One Muslim told me not
to worry about any danger
00:22:27.84\00:22:30.75
in their area
because many people know me
00:22:30.75\00:22:32.61
and call me younger brother.
00:22:32.61\00:22:35.02
In response, I would also
address them as elder brothers.
00:22:35.02\00:22:38.39
I decided to build
my own small skiff boat.
00:22:40.16\00:22:43.09
Now, I can join them
when they are fishing
00:22:43.09\00:22:45.29
for their livelihood.
00:22:45.29\00:22:46.49
After a week stay, I
have learned how to approach
00:22:47.96\00:22:50.73
and be near
them by helping them.
00:22:50.73\00:22:53.10
They embraced and hugged me,
00:22:53.10\00:22:55.14
wondering why I
was helping them.
00:22:55.14\00:22:57.27
I have been praying to the Lord
00:22:57.27\00:22:58.67
that each time I am
visiting Muslim people,
00:22:58.67\00:23:00.88
they would not
see me but instead
00:23:00.88\00:23:02.34
see the holiness
in me so that my life
00:23:02.34\00:23:04.31
would no be in danger.
00:23:04.31\00:23:05.65
I know you are watching me,
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.42
but I pray that your
face would shine in me.
00:23:10.42\00:23:12.69
My goal is to introduce
Adventism to the Muslim
00:23:16.86\00:23:19.93
community so they will know
who we are and our relationship
00:23:19.93\00:23:22.40
with them.
00:23:22.40\00:23:23.50
My task is only
to share Adventism.
00:23:23.50\00:23:25.73
We will not convert them.
00:23:25.73\00:23:27.24
This is the work
of the holy spirit.
00:23:27.24\00:23:29.30
The important thing that matters
is that many will be saved
00:23:29.30\00:23:32.34
when Jesus comes
because Jesus died for them.
00:23:32.34\00:23:35.01
- That's so beautiful, seeing
a bible worker go into an area
00:23:39.58\00:23:43.85
that's new and
how he approaches them
00:23:43.85\00:23:45.99
with tact, with love,
with care, and with kindness.
00:23:45.99\00:23:49.32
- Right and lots
and lots of prayer.
00:23:49.32\00:23:51.56
- [Jon] Yes. - Before hand
00:23:51.56\00:23:52.86
in where he's
going. - [Jon] Absolutely.
00:23:52.86\00:23:54.66
- 'Cause he wants
them to see Jesus in him.
00:23:54.66\00:23:57.00
- Yes. (both laugh)
00:23:57.00\00:23:58.77
That's beautiful.
00:23:58.77\00:23:59.90
- Yeah. Well we have
one more. - [Jon] Okay.
00:23:59.90\00:24:01.54
- From another
area. - [Jon] Okay.
00:24:01.54\00:24:03.94
(calming instrumental music)
00:24:03.94\00:24:07.78
- We are now in
Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi,
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one of the far flung islands.
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This is the only
Adventist church in Tawi-Tawi,
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outside the mainland.
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And as you can see,
this has been in existence
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for the last 40 years
and it has not been repaired.
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And so, it is painful to
see that this is dilapidated.
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This is falling apart, you know?
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As you see, we have
concrete walls here.
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This used to be
a beautiful church.
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However, because of
the security situations
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that happened here before,
so many of our members here
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have either left for
other areas or have backslidden.
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And so, we are
trying to revive this church
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because this is the
only church we have.
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It's pathetic to
see the condition,
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especially for
brethren living this area.
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For now, according
to our information,
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we have only about
six or seven members
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worshiping here every Sabbath.
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So, we intend to revive
this area, send in our workers,
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JFA workers, if possible.
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Look at the surroundings.
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Most of these
people are Sama people
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and their livelihood is
simply planting seaweeds.
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And that's why this
area, they call this
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the "Venice of the South"
because it's all waterways.
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You know, the only
mode of transportation here
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is only by boat.
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No vehicles here except boats.
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And so it is of prime
importance that we have a boat
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for the use of
our brethren here.
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And they've been
longing, they been praying,
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that one day this
church can be alive again
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and we can revive it.
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And so, we are
appealing if you can help out,
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you know, dig from your pockets,
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that we can help
revive this church.
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(speaking foreign language)
(calming instrumental music)
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(calming
instrumental music continues)
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- So this is the area where
they needed the armed guard,
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even the
Filipinos going in there,
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needed an armed guard. - Wow.
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- And this is in
the farthest island,
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the island closest to Malaysia.
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- Wow. - And we
have a church there.
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- [Natalie] Yeah.
- We don't have to
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start from
scratch. - [Natalie] Right.
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- There's a church building
there that's just in disrepair.
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- Right. - And,
so they want to put
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a bible worker
there, JFA bible worker,
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and they want to start
the work and get it going.
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And praise God there's
still six or seven members.
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- Right. - So let's keep that
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Sitangkai church
specifically in our prayers.
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- Right, right.
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- I think we'll make an
exception with this church.
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Have a special fund
just for this church.
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So if people want to
donate to this church,
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let's make this
thing beautiful again.
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- Okay.
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All right, well I
would like to invite you.
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If you would like to be
a part of this amazing work
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please contact
us at Jesus for Asia
00:27:46.93\00:27:50.13
P.O. Box 1221,
Collegedale, Tennessee 37315.
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Call us at (423) 413-7321.
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Or visit our
website at Jesus4asia.org.
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May God richly bless you,
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until we see you next
time on Jesus for Asia Now.
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(upbeat instrumental music)
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