Participants: Jeff Reich
Series Code: LM
Program Code: LM000123
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00:30 We're here at our house in Idaho doing a boot camp.
00:34 It's actually, Youth in Missions boot camp 00:35 with a group of young people 00:37 preparing to go to the Philippines right now. 00:39 For the last several days 00:41 and in to today and the next day, 00:43 we've been training these young people 00:45 about how to wash clothes 00:48 in the villages in the Philippines, 00:49 about cross cultural ministry, 00:51 about you know, ordering their food, 00:55 how to work in the classroom. 00:56 Basically, we're culturally preparing them to know 00:58 how to be able to go into Philippines 01:01 and not to experience culture shock too much. 01:03 My name is Jessica Salmon and I'm from Michigan. 01:06 My name is Joel Marshall. My name is Kay Turnbull. 01:08 Lindsay Charlton. 01:09 Janice Laureen. Czarina Mae. 01:12 My name is Mhae Madriaga. 01:14 My name is Boying Celestre. 01:17 Mildred Uy. Robert Francis. 01:19 Dada Pernia. 01:20 So my name is Rogelio Valor Radeonor. 01:22 Michelle Bithynia. Venus Veloria. 01:25 I'm Butch Altamirano. Jaffoni. 01:28 Analyn Altamirano. And I'm 25 years old. 01:32 I'm 18. Twenty three years old. 01:34 And I'm 20 years old. I'm from Australia. 01:37 I'm from Havana Montana. Mindanao. 01:40 I'm from Berrien Springs, Michigan. 01:42 I'm from Australia. Been here for two years. 01:46 We were missionaries for almost three years now. 01:50 So this is my first missionary trip 01:52 by myself to different country. 01:55 I found out about the Laymen Ministry 01:57 and the Hope Channel and 3ABN. 01:59 I watched it growing up all through the years. 02:01 I first found out about Laymen Ministries on 3ABN. 02:04 And I was interested so I went online 02:07 and from there I contacted Laymen Ministry. 02:10 Because I've seen some of the DVDs 02:14 and some of the way the villagers lived. 02:16 I had an idea of what I was stepping into. 02:19 I'm assisting and staying with my parents 02:24 as missionaries in Northern Vanuatu 02:27 to help to fill in for church positions, 02:29 teaching Sabbath schools and helping in the house 02:32 and also in church it really helped me a lot 02:35 to become more related to other young people around. 02:40 I work in Binuangan, 02:41 it's one of the three Laymen villages in the Philippines. 02:45 I work with the captive of people, 02:46 they are primitive people in the jungle. 02:48 As I got closer and closer my relationship with God, 02:53 all of my desires to visit other places kind of came together 02:56 with the desire to serve Him 02:58 and I became interested in doing some mission work. 03:01 When we got here, the kids jumped 03:03 on here right after we got off the boat. 03:04 You get hugs and they're just very helpful. 03:07 And when we were approaching the island, 03:08 I mean the place the village, I was so touched 03:11 because the students and the villagers met us 03:13 and that really touched my heart. 03:15 What really impress us is that, 03:17 the people here are very gentle and kind. 03:22 I was thinking my expectations were 03:23 it was gonna be very primitive 03:24 and it was gonna be glorified camping 03:28 which mostly is but its enjoyable glorified camping 03:31 and then, you don't think about it after a while. 03:33 I expected to be living in maybe a grass hut, dirt floors. 03:39 My expectation was that, 03:41 I would be living in a small house 03:44 and I would have a lot of children, 03:48 who were not very clean 03:49 and they would know any English. 03:51 And I would have to be the one 03:53 to explain those things to them 03:55 and it didn't turn out anything like I thought it would be. 03:59 I was excited to find out that 04:01 I wouldn't be sleeping in the dirt. 04:03 After Joel and his dad slaved away 04:07 on a building for about a month 04:08 I got to move into a brand new house. 04:11 I did not expect to come here 04:13 and, you know, have cement floors 04:18 and wooden walls and tin roofs. 04:21 And my expectations were that it will be harder. 04:25 But when I got here, it wasn't hard. 04:28 It was easier than I thought that it would be. 04:30 The houses were neater and nicer 04:32 than I thought it was gonna be. 04:33 The children know quite a lot of English actually, 04:36 so they're very easy to speak to once 04:38 they get to know you're little bit better. 04:41 We are actually happy when we arrived here 04:43 because we like the place, especially the beach. 04:46 And we are so happy to find lots of vegetable. 04:52 And our kids, the two girls were so happy to be here, 04:56 it's like, we've been-- we are here for a vacation, 05:01 or it's just like that. 05:03 Just one week of staying, 05:05 we completely experienced the quietness, 05:12 the serenity of the village then when you go to bed, 05:16 although you, you are busy for the whole day, 05:19 still you can, you can experience the calmness. 05:24 That you know that God is really with you, 05:28 especially the nature is around you. 05:32 Before I came here I expected that 05:36 it will be much harder but it's there for 05:40 and because I am teacher. 05:44 And I didn't expect that I'll be a teacher. 05:46 Quite near, here in the Jordan River. 05:50 Do you guys remember the verse 05:51 that we look at in Job about-- in 05:54 when we were studying about the dead? 05:56 And my job here is to teach in the village schools 06:00 that we have here, in Binuangan, 06:03 I'm the grade three teacher. 06:05 Also, we help with some of the different things 06:08 that come up in mission life like being doctor, 06:11 leading out in worship services like that, 06:13 so we're kind of jack of all trades here. 06:17 I have many jobs here as a missionary. 06:20 One of my first priorities here is as a teacher. 06:23 And this, look, you tell me, the square pyramid, 06:26 how many faces does it have? 06:29 We also have responsibilities that are rotating 06:33 between the different teachers, 06:35 sometimes I'm a doctor, 06:37 sometimes I'm checking the village for cleanliness. 06:42 And apart from those responsibilities 06:45 I've had new responsibility this year 06:48 and that has been sort of, a preacher. 06:52 I don't claim to be a preacher. 06:54 Would we the leading man of Israel, 06:58 bring a man to you 07:01 if there was-- if he was innocent. 07:03 [Speaking in foreign language] 07:05 Before I came here, I think I only preached once, 07:10 and it's even more challenging here 07:15 because you need a translator. 07:18 So I had to learn how to work with the translator. 07:23 And also your audience 07:27 often has a very limited understanding of the Bible. 07:33 So you really have to consider the words that you use, 07:37 and the message that I have been giving 07:39 for the last month has been on the last month, 07:44 the last scenes of Christ's life. 07:46 In Him and judge Him according to your law. 07:49 [Speaking in foreign language] 07:50 That has been, one of the most interesting challenges 07:54 for me this year. 07:56 I was always a fairly shy person 07:59 and I did not like speaking in front of people, 08:02 I never really even like school. 08:05 And so, it's being a challenge on every level 08:08 to become a teacher, to become a preacher 08:11 and a doctor which I'm not very good at that either. 08:16 So God likes to challenge me 08:19 on every level to expand and to grow. 08:22 [Speaking in foreign language] 08:30 And I just worry about the while ago, 08:32 this doesn't usually happen 08:33 but some of the illnesses 08:38 that they were trying to say or sickness is, 08:41 they're having headache or stomach ache. 08:43 And its because, they weren't able to eat. 08:47 So that's why I gave them food to eat 08:50 because he said that he has not eaten since morning. 08:54 And that boy, his parents were not staying here, 08:58 he just staying with his uncle and his house is far. 09:02 They were staying in San Pablo 09:04 and he has chosen to stay here, 09:06 because he, he said that 09:08 this is the best school to study. 09:14 One of the challenges for me 09:17 anyway being here is dealing with sick people. 09:21 At home you don't usually need to deal with sick people, 09:24 like you do here. 09:25 They go to the hospital 09:27 and the doctor deals with it but, 09:29 but here they come to us 09:33 and they look to us for help and it's a challenge. 09:38 We have to go to God and pray 09:41 and sometimes you just don't know what to do. 09:43 We have seen several people die here 09:48 and adults and children and it's a testified 09:56 to pray for people 09:58 and to see them 10:03 struggling with illnesses. 10:08 We gone to one lady, who had asthma, 10:09 and we and the other teacher sat with her 10:12 for about three or four hours 10:16 before the lady called me to come to pray for her. 10:22 And we stayed there for another three hours praying for her, 10:25 before she finally fell asleep. 10:41 One of the challenges in teaching here 10:45 is getting the students to speak English. 10:49 When I arrived here for me the, 10:51 the students gave me a good impression. 10:54 They were sweet but you know we use the term shy 10:59 because they don't want to speak. 11:02 The English there it wasn't the language 11:05 where it wasn't very hard to deal with. 11:07 If you're affectionate with the kids 11:09 that breaks the barriers. 11:13 For the little ones to comprehend, 11:16 we are going to tell them Bible stories. 11:19 And then ask them questions, 11:20 comprehension questions about the Bible stories 11:23 that we have discussed. 11:26 And then see if they can answer as in full English 11:29 and in full sentence and the right answers 11:32 and that's the way we can know 11:35 that they comprehended the story 11:39 and if they do that their English will improve. 11:43 Okay, put away the book, put away the dictionary, 11:45 clear your desks, let's begin. 11:48 [Speaking in foreign language] 11:59 Okay, he heard the voice, 12:00 if don't know the word in English 12:01 share in Tagalog and we'll try and help you. 12:03 The presentation that we had a few minutes ago 12:06 with the grade two and three students, 12:08 the stories that they've been reading. 12:11 We asked them to share them in front of the class 12:14 and for some of the students 12:16 it's what I have expected little bit slow. 12:19 They understand what the story is about, 12:21 but the problem is it's locked in their in minds, 12:25 they cannot express it in English. 12:28 If I asked them questions, 12:29 like yes or no questions about the story, 12:32 they can tell me who is in the story, 12:35 they can tell me what happened in the story 12:37 but they just don't know enough words 12:40 to explain or to share what they know. 12:44 So it's all up in their brain, 12:46 but they can't get it out of their mouth. 12:48 And that's why we are trying to focus 12:51 on English comprehension, that's why it's so important. 12:53 But now they're really trying 12:56 to understand whatever you are saying. 12:59 And they have been matured 13:02 and their level of education has improved and it's very nice. 13:08 And the words that came from them really encourage me 13:13 to still or to pitch more of this kind of students 13:17 although it's hard, but it's worthy. 13:22 And of course hopefully as they get older 13:24 we want them to get al leading role 13:26 in spiritual life of their villages 13:29 as they grow and experience with God. 13:32 And if they're afraid to speak to only a few people 13:36 when lot's of people come together for worship, 13:39 they will not be able to effectively share 13:42 whatever God puts on their hearts 13:44 to share with the people. 13:45 And so it's important that they learned 13:48 not to be ashamed of themselves. 13:51 They to have to get courage 13:53 to express their thoughts they become very stiff, 13:59 they're scared and they cannot express themselves at all 14:04 which is gonna be a big problem for them as they get older 14:06 because when they go to college, 14:08 they have to do a lot of that in the worship services 14:11 and when they are sharing 14:13 their thoughts with their professors. 14:14 And so this is-- we are trying to lay 14:16 a foundation now in our schools 14:18 so that they can build on that 14:19 as they go to high school as they go on to college. 14:24 That the things that like things 14:26 there are little things that I see God working. 14:29 When I hear from my students 14:31 that words that show me 14:34 that there's a spark of spiritual life in them 14:38 that they are starting to grow in faith 14:41 that's what keeps me here. It's not that I-- 14:45 I'm so interested to get them to college. 14:49 I'm interested to get them into a relationship with God. 14:53 And when I see that happening, 14:56 that's what keeps me here, 14:58 it makes me excited to work for God. 15:01 I'm looking to the future 15:04 that I will have with these people in heaven 15:06 if they accept Christ that's why I'm here. 15:10 I want to see my students in heaven. 15:13 I want to see these villages there. 15:16 That will make heaven so much better. 15:24 This year the most rewarding experience 15:26 has been having a small part 15:29 in one of my students in my class Manny, 15:33 my grade two student having a part in his development 15:39 with his relationship with God. 15:42 And he made a decision recently 15:45 that he would-- he wants to be baptized, 15:47 he wants to give his life to the Lord, 15:49 he wants to live for Him. 15:50 And so just to know that there's something small 15:53 that I did because I know that 15:56 he's already-- he was already developing before he met me. 15:59 But just to know that I had a part in that, 16:01 it just brings so much joy to my heart 16:03 that I can make a difference like that in somebody's life. 16:06 That what I say, what I do, 16:09 the way that I treat people can bring them 16:12 closer to a relationship with the Lord 16:14 and just it's amazing for me. 16:35 This co-year, one of the most wonderful experiences 16:38 that I could not really forget from my whole life. 16:43 One day when I was teaching Bible values class 16:48 with my students and me-- 16:50 I'm handling grade one students 16:53 and at the middle of my teaching 16:56 I was teaching self control at that time 17:00 and one of my students told me 17:05 that ma'am, I really like our discussion. 17:10 And I've learnt a lot of things 17:11 because he was so impatient 17:13 and he never heard before about those things. 17:17 Then just the Holy Spirit whispering to me and said, 17:23 "Mildred, you pray with your students." 17:25 Then after that we prayed. 17:28 Then when we prayed the students-- 17:31 that he was really enjoying 17:34 that he never heard about Bible, about God before. 17:38 When he prayed he lay down and he beat his chest, 17:42 "Oh, ma'am, oh, it's so nice. 17:46 That evil is removed from my heart. 17:49 The evil was removed from my heart." 17:52 Then he walked out to our-- from our classroom 17:56 and he was so thankful. 17:58 And that's the way that he started 18:01 to study more about God's word 18:05 and he was baptized this co-year, yeah. 18:21 Well, while I've been here in Vanuatu 18:24 for the last more than a year 18:26 I've been helping out teaching early teens, 18:29 early teenage group class. 18:32 There's been many challenges teaching them 18:34 but it's been a real blessings for us seeing them changing, 18:38 changing some of the ways 18:40 that most are going through many struggles as well. 18:42 When I get up in the morning, 18:44 I have my devotion and then we have family worship 18:48 and then breakfast. 18:49 But of course, its usually hundreds of interruptions 18:52 started there starting from early in the morning 18:55 or even during the night. 18:56 And okay, so I am start to see sick people come 18:58 and knocking on the door and asking 18:59 my dad to come and see them. 19:00 So it's been emergency in the night. 19:03 After we'd breakfast then I wash the plates 19:06 and then I usually start getting into my studies. 19:11 And we have lunch in the afternoon, 19:13 early afternoon and then in the later afternoon 19:16 I try and lay that free time for whatever comes up 19:19 whether to helping dad or assisting mom 19:22 as whatever she needs to do. 19:24 Like moving stuff around, 19:25 then helping dad get stuff from the ship for 19:29 many, many different things up in the afternoons. 19:33 Yes, I've been with mom and dad 19:34 on quite a few different boat trips 19:36 to different islands visiting, visiting different islands 19:41 so that we can help with medical cases on different islands. 19:45 And they are really exciting trips 'cause 19:49 usually a lot of the time the water 19:51 isn't as quiet and peace, peaceful as you'd like 19:55 and it's pretty rough. 19:56 When on two, three meters waves and choppy and very rough. 20:01 But it's, yeah, it's a great experience 20:02 going out in the water and 20:04 reaching your destinations safely. 20:07 Yeah, it's really good and then 20:09 when you get to see other people 20:11 on different islands that need help 20:14 that in helping them pulling their teeth 20:16 and sewing up cuts and whatever 20:19 it's really enjoyable experience. 20:41 One really interesting case that happened recently was 20:44 dad had to operate on a lady who had ectopic pregnancy 20:49 so he had to do laparotomy 'cause we can evacuate her 20:53 out of a remote island in times 20:56 so he had to do the surgery here. 20:59 And while he was doing surgery he asked me to be the 21:02 scrub nurse so to help with lot of different things 21:06 being scrub nurse. 21:07 When I first started with surgery 21:10 helping dad with different surgical cases 21:12 I found the blood a little bit a challenge 21:14 but eventually I got used to it and 21:16 now it's not a problem anymore. 21:18 Being involved in the mission field 21:20 is really being an encouragement to me. 21:22 Especially my spiritual life has gained a lot of blessings 21:25 and it's been a believer, a real blessing to make a big, 21:30 to grow up in the mission field during my early and late teens 21:34 because its help me to keep focused I believe 21:37 so that I'm not-- it's not really interested 21:39 in the things of the world so much 21:42 but yeah, it's really an encouragement to 21:45 and a blessing to be working with people 21:47 that are so much in need. 21:50 With my life in America, 21:53 my constant thought was about 21:57 how am I gonna get enough money to make ends need. 22:00 How am I gonna get the career as I always wanted. 22:02 How am I gonna get this, how am I gonna get that? 22:05 Compared to my missionary life, 22:07 we are not-- I'm not worried about 22:08 becoming better than anyone else. 22:10 I can devote my time to thinking about others about 22:13 how to be of service to others. 22:16 How to touch people's lives, 22:18 how to lead them in a relationship with God. 22:23 And it does so much for my own relationship with them. 22:26 And so much more at peace, my mind goes at rest. 22:32 I can be myself, I don't have to worry about 22:35 becoming something that I'm not. 22:37 I would highly recommend this experience. 22:42 Oh, sure I'll come back. 22:43 This is the kind of work that I would like to do 22:46 'cause I know that I have peace of mind and 22:49 I would live in God's way as well, God's will. 22:52 Working in the mission, 22:54 at first if you have some fears 22:57 just give it to the Lord. 22:59 Give them to the Lord. 23:01 And every fear will be vanished 23:05 as what we had experienced. 23:08 But when you know that that is God's-- 23:12 God that is calling you for mission work 23:14 and that your life is in His hands, 23:17 you can go forward in faith, 23:19 you will enjoy the experience 23:21 in knowing that God is working things for good. 23:24 We've always praying that God lead us not for our own selves 23:30 but continue to bless us for others. 23:33 The reason why I take missionary service is 23:37 more satisfying for me it's because 23:40 I know that what I'm doing is going to impact 23:42 somebody's life for eternity. 23:44 And if I were just studying or just working somewhere, 23:50 I'm sure that what I do will have impact on somebody's life. 23:53 Evidently, it does but to be able to touch someone 23:57 to introduce them to Jesus and acquaint Him as their Savior 24:02 and to see them take those steps and it is nothing like it. 24:07 And nothing beats it. 24:12 One of the biggest hesitations about 24:15 becoming missionary is that you, it's something new. 24:21 You have never done it before and 24:23 you don't know what it's going to be like. 24:26 Being here for me has 24:30 brought a different perspective of God for me. 24:35 Before when I came here I believed in God but 24:38 I didn't believe in having a relationship with God. 24:40 I just kind of thought, oh, God's there, you know. 24:44 If I'm scared, He's there. 24:46 But being here it's really made me realized 24:48 the need to have a one on one relationship with Him 24:53 and that-- you need Him everyday. 24:58 I guess just being put in extreme environment 25:01 or you fell like, you know, everything's gone against you 25:05 and things aren't gone your way but 25:08 to have that extra support from God 25:10 is just like a full of peace of mind. 25:14 And it's been really good for me being here 25:18 and to find me out for myself what He's about. 25:24 That do not expect that your missionary trip will be what 25:29 you wanted it to be, it will be what God wants it to be. 25:32 Just to come with an open mind 25:34 and not to come with the expectation that you know, 25:39 I know everything 25:40 and I've got this covered 'cause, 25:44 no, it just doesn't work that way. 25:46 There's a lot of missions out there that won't accept 25:48 people who are unqualified like me. 25:52 So it was nice to see a ministry that would accept me. 26:06 I don't know. 26:07 I don't think I'm ever going to 26:08 miss the camera in front of my face. 26:13 As I do -- 26:15 It's an opportunity to grow like 26:20 you will never grow in any other place. 26:23 Because you get responsibilities 26:28 that you would not choose yourself 26:30 but that God chooses for you 26:32 because He knows that 26:34 when you're put in the situations, 26:36 you will grow. 26:38 And also don't be afraid to become a missionary 26:41 if you don't think that you have the skills. 26:43 Because God is the one who gives talent, 26:46 He's the one who gives skills. 26:49 All God wants is a missionary 26:53 who is willing to submit themselves to His will. 26:58 The most important thing about being a missionary 27:00 is not your skill but 27:04 will you allow Him to work in your life. 27:07 Will you bring your life before Him to morning 27:12 till evening and say, "God, teach me 'cause 27:14 I don't know how to be a missionary." 27:17 If you do that, there's no way that 27:19 you cannot succeed as a missionary. 27:21 You will have a life changing experience. 27:26 I'm Jeff Reich, director of Laymen ministries. 27:29 If you'd like to be involved 27:30 with our youth in missions program, 27:32 you might want to consider helping 27:33 sponsor a young person to go overseas. 27:35 Also, if you like to be an applicant, 27:37 you can go to our website 27:38 and simply download an application 27:40 or you can call our office and request an application. 27:42 While you're in touch with our office, 27:44 you might want to consider one of these. 27:46 These are Laymen Ministries Magazines. 27:47 Each magazine has exciting stories of 27:49 submission experiences around the world. 27:51 In fact, every issue also has featured article 27:54 dealing with some theological issue. 27:56 Friends, since this magazine has a really interesting article 27:59 dealing with Bible prophecy and evolution 28:01 and how the two fit together. 28:03 You can contact our office at Laymen Ministries, 28:06 that's 414, Zapada Road, St. Maries, Idaho 83861 28:11 or you can call us at 1800-245-1844. 28:15 You can also contact us on the worldwide web 28:17 at www.lmn.org 28:21 Look for us on Facebook too. |
Revised 2014-12-17