Participants: Jeff Reich
Series Code: LM
Program Code: LM000139
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00:32 Hi, we're glad you could join us here
00:34 at Laymen Ministries Studio. 00:35 I have in our studio, 00:36 Pastor Swami Das Johnson from India. 00:39 And we're just talking about 00:40 how long we've been working in India. 00:42 And it's been what 20 years now? 00:43 20 years. 00:45 Oh, man, and you've been working 00:46 with our ministry directly for-- 00:48 a something like 14, 15 years, about like that. 00:51 Yeah, we have a lot of interesting things 00:53 happening in India right now 00:54 and so we're going to give you a quick update 00:55 and Pastor Johnson just came to United States 00:58 and he's spending some time with us here in Idaho. 01:01 And I just came from India just a few months ago 01:03 and we have a new DVD out that-- 01:06 and television program, 01:07 you might have seen on 3ABN called, 01:09 "India, Fishers of Men" 01:11 and I just encourage you to get that. 01:13 Well, Pastor Johnson, 01:15 this is 2014 almost the end of 2014, 01:19 what kind of things have happened this year, 01:20 you know, we built the new studio 01:22 and we had a lot of things happening, 01:23 you know, end of 2013 and into 2014? 01:27 What kind of things are going on this summer and this year? 01:30 This year is the year of evangelism. 01:34 By God's grace, 2014 so far, 01:37 we have given 716 baptisms. 01:43 And we are waiting another three months 01:46 that we will reach 1,000 baptisms this year. 01:51 Out team, all our Bible workers 01:53 enter into ten un-entered territory 01:57 that no Adventist presence so far. 02:01 And we were able to plant six new churches 02:05 in the city of Chennai. 02:07 So when you say we've planted six new churches 02:10 you mean that there's some people meeting up 02:12 like four or five people meeting 02:13 at little house some place? 02:15 No it is not like four, five people 02:17 in some places 50, 60 people 02:20 and some places 25 to 40 people 02:23 and we usually hire a place on the top of the house 02:27 and put a temporary roof, 02:29 something like that and then the conference 02:32 will appoint a Bible worker to take care of the church. 02:35 So this is not a kind of house, church or something. 02:40 It's a real church. 02:41 So they have a designated church? 02:43 Yes. 02:44 And then, down to road, what Laymen Ministries 02:45 usually does is that we help acquire property, 02:47 when different ways that happens sometimes-- 02:49 And then we build a building there. 02:51 Yeah, it is not only worshiping or giving baptism. 02:56 We do the ground work 03:00 and hold a evangelistic meeting. 03:02 Then forming the group Bible study, 03:04 then church, then buy a property 03:07 and building and follow forth. 03:09 It's a long journey. 03:11 Like you say, it's a packaged deal. 03:13 Yeah, so we had several different interesting things 03:17 happening this year. 03:18 I know we got publishing we can talk about, 03:20 we have the studio analyst going, 03:22 we're working on web page design 03:24 and doing different things like that 03:25 but lets talk about the Bible workers for a second. 03:29 We had, a couple of years ago we had 12 Bible workers. 03:31 Yes. 03:32 And then we doubled it to 24, what do we have now? 03:35 Right now, 29 Bible workers. 03:38 Yes, so when I was there just a several months ago, 03:41 I met some of the Bible workers there. 03:42 Well, we have three ladies and two men, 03:44 I think, now and we've got a picture of them 03:47 standing out in front of the studio there 03:49 and what is the reason that you are trying 03:53 to work in that area there, 03:54 just because we're kind of what in a rural area, 03:56 you wanted to try to establish churches close by the studio, 04:00 is that what you were thinking 04:01 or you just want to use it 04:02 kind of as an outreach center? 04:04 Basically you are right, both points are valid. 04:08 But our goal and our aspiration is to reach the un-reach, 04:13 share the Three Angels' message, 04:15 so that is our main goal. 04:18 So our main goal is to share the Three Angels' message 04:21 and plant the new churches in un-entered territory 04:25 and also our studio is there 04:28 and only we have a studio and equipment 04:31 and if we don't have a church around our studio 04:35 there is no use in that. 04:37 So we want to implement in our studio area 04:42 then go to the new place. 04:43 So how is the plan working so far 04:45 with the Bible workers using the studio 04:47 as kind of like a center hub for that area? 04:49 Are they having Bible studies 04:51 and have things happening there? 04:52 It's awesome because the things in this year, 04:57 our Bible workers enter into the six area 05:01 in that places, six un-entered territory. 05:04 Because in the day time mostly people will go for work. 05:08 Because where our studio is, 05:11 it's a agricultural place, farming place. 05:16 So because of that mostly people will be ladies 05:19 and everybody will be in the work place. 05:22 Afternoon they come, 05:24 then they cook, they take a rest. 05:26 So our Bible workers will go 4 o'clock. 05:30 But in the city-- 05:31 4 o'clock in the afternoon? 05:33 Yes, in the city our Bible workers work morning 05:37 but this side in our studio side 05:40 our Bible workers work in the evening 4 to 9 o'clock. 05:45 And so you know, you mentioned all of baptisms 05:47 that are taking place 05:49 or we've always talked a lot about 05:52 what kind of quality of people are being baptized, 05:54 are you-- feel really confident 05:56 that the people who are baptized, 05:57 they've gone through a whole process 05:59 of really understanding what the Bible teaches 06:02 and they have a, 06:03 a solid foundation under themselves 06:05 as far as what they believe? 06:07 Yes, I am sure because the main reason 06:11 we are selecting a town or a village, 06:15 then our Bible workers stay almost four to five months. 06:20 Usually we stay three to four months. 06:23 Now we are staying four to five months in a town. 06:27 And we are visiting the homes. 06:29 The first month, making a friendship. 06:31 The second month, giving Bible study, 06:34 then evangelistic meeting then follow fourth. 06:38 So it is kind of-- It is not as simply giving. 06:42 But there's exceptions to the rules, 06:44 you talked about a young man by the name of Sarvana. 06:48 How do you say it? Saravanan. 06:50 Saravanan. 06:51 Don't you just love those Indian names, Sarvanan. 06:54 You are right. 06:55 He got baptized like that, 06:56 what was the situation with him? 06:58 The situation. 06:59 You are right, there are some cases 07:02 we have given a baptism in a short notice. 07:06 With him, Saravanan, 07:07 he called author of our TV program. 07:10 He watched our TV program. 07:12 Actually he didn't call, 07:13 his mother called us for-- to pray for his son. 07:20 Because Saravanan is going for a interview. 07:23 There we prayed. 07:26 That evening his mother called and said, 07:31 my son got appointment in Singapore. 07:33 Evening she called us and said, my son got a job, 07:37 so I want to come to the church. 07:39 Those same week she and her son-- 07:44 she and her son came to the church. 07:47 And they gave a thank offering and they asked me to pray. 07:52 Then that week, actually, 07:55 every alternate week we have a baptism. 08:00 So she saw the baptism 08:01 then she said I would like to join. 08:03 Then we said you need a time. 08:06 But she said, I saw miracle 08:09 that you prayed morning, evening it happened, 08:12 so I want to take a baptism. 08:14 No, no we will give you baptism after one month. 08:17 But she told us before my son leave, 08:21 I have to take a baptism. 08:23 And today Saravanan is in Singapore 08:27 and he is sent the money to his mother 08:30 and mother purchased a small property for us 08:34 to build a church in the city of Chennai 08:38 in the northern part. 08:39 So what you're basically saying that there's those people 08:41 who are sincere at heart 08:42 and you could recognize it and they say, 08:44 I want to accept Christ as my personal Savior 08:47 and I want to be baptized into this faith 08:51 and they become active participants in the church 08:53 and they learn as they're in the church 08:55 and they're just sincere, honest people 08:57 who really have a sincere desire 08:59 to want to know what the truth is, 09:00 and that was what happened with this lady. 09:02 You are right, because even in the Bible 09:04 there are lot of examples we can see. 09:07 In the book of Acts, lot of example. 09:08 So there are-- 09:10 But that's not our standard procedure. 09:13 Yeah, because there are some cases, one or two. 09:17 But generally we give a Bible study, 09:20 all our doctrines, then we give a baptism. 09:24 Well, you were talking about evangelism 09:26 but we also were involved with revival meetings. 09:29 How many revival meetings have we done in so far in 2014? 09:32 This year is a year of evangelism, 09:35 2014 for our union. 09:38 So we have-- the Laymen Ministry 09:41 has partnered with a union and Pastor Shadrach 09:45 hold a 25 revival and reformation meeting. 09:49 And myself and with our team, 09:53 our young team, the technician, 09:55 the studio with a camera everything, 09:58 35 revival and reformation meeting. 10:02 In some meeting the union president came, 10:04 union secretaries came. 10:05 It's a kind of partnership 10:07 between the union and the Laymen ministry. 10:10 And kind of trying to strengthen the laypeople 10:12 and churches that may be are strugglings 10:14 and having situations where they're discouraged 10:18 and things like that. 10:19 So the revival meeting comes 10:20 and it kind of helps them 10:21 to put a little bit of a fire underneath them. 10:24 It is focusing on prayer and the lifestyle of the people 10:27 and then the reading the Bible, 10:29 giving importance, so Adventist, 10:31 that everyone should get ready to meet Jesus. 10:34 So we are kind of focusing in the revival and reformation. 10:38 Over the years we've published a lot of literature in India. 10:41 A lot, I mean thousands and thousands 10:43 of books and different things. 10:44 Have we done much publishing in 2014? 10:47 What are some of the examples that you could give us? 10:50 And also before that I want to say this year, 10:53 we have finished 14 evangelistic meeting 10:57 because this evangelistic meeting is different 11:00 and the revival and reformation meeting is different. 11:03 Because revival and reformation meeting just four days, 11:06 five days or some places for one week. 11:09 But evangelistic meeting, 11:11 it's a kind of covering our doctrines, 11:14 going to un-entered territory, 11:16 hire a big hall and holding a meeting. 11:19 And in some places we had a good response 11:22 and good churches not only in the city of Chennai 11:25 around Tamil Nadu, 11:27 even in the northern part of India 11:30 and Pastor Shadrach went to Andhra Pradesh 11:34 because there we have television show 11:36 in Telugu language. 11:37 He had a five meetings in Andhra Pradesh 11:40 and good response we had. 11:42 Yeah, praise God for that. 11:44 One of the things I just want to share with the viewers 11:46 is this whole idea of native or national evangelism. 11:50 The price that it costs for us 11:52 to hold one of these evangelistic series in India 11:55 is the same as the cost of an aero plane ticket 11:57 for one American to go to India to hold an evangelistic series. 12:01 And so this is really an effective way 12:03 for evangelism, it's cost effective 12:05 between 15 to 1,700 dollars we can hold 12:07 an evangelistic series over there 12:09 and it's done by nationals with their own people group, 12:12 with their own culture and it's very, very effective. 12:15 So publishing, let's talk about publishing. 12:17 So what happened in 2014 with publishing, 12:20 this is like of like a year end review you know. 12:22 Yes and 2014 we did Steps to Christ 12:26 and we have printed, because actually in 1998, 12:32 we have printed Steps to Christ with Pastor Shadrach Samuel. 12:36 Very popular book. 12:37 Very popular book and people asked, 12:40 where is that book and you have to give 12:42 because we did in a good quality. 12:45 So people asked to buy it. 12:47 By the grace of God, 12:49 again in 2014 we were able to print the Steps to Christ 12:55 and our division president R. John, 12:58 that-- he offered a prayer 13:00 and he received the first copy of that. 13:03 What other things did we publish in, 13:05 we did what, testimonies, councils to the church? 13:08 Council to the church and the Bible study material. 13:12 The three major things and we printed Great Hope. 13:17 Wow, wonderful. 13:18 Do you get a lot of response, 13:20 lot of request for that kind of material 13:22 from our television programs in India? 13:24 Yeah, but television program 13:25 also the people who are in middle east, 13:28 people who are in France and England 13:31 mostly more than Indian people, 13:34 abroad, Singapore, Malaysia they called us 13:37 and their relatives will come and take the books. 13:41 And also for your information, 13:43 in all our, in the union they have taken action, 13:48 all our school should have a display 13:51 in the entrance of the school, 13:54 of all our Laymen ministry books. 13:56 Wow, wonderful. 13:57 So they have a kind of a board 14:00 and it's a glass is there and inside there are books 14:04 and if they want the parents-- because in some school 14:07 there are 4,000-- 3,000 students are studying. 14:11 We're publishing a paper too, right? 14:13 Is it like a magazine? 14:14 Yeah, magazine. 14:15 And what is the name in the magazine 14:16 and what's the contents in it? 14:18 It is a magazine of "Saving Hands." 14:21 The saving hand magazine 14:22 it's a name "LMN Saving Hands" magazine. 14:26 So it's the Laymen's Ministries saving hands ministry in India. 14:29 You are right. 14:30 And the content is one doctrine and Gospels, 14:33 some letters from the viewers 14:35 and some health tips and some government-- 14:38 what is going on in the government 14:40 around the globe, like that. 14:41 Oh, so like current events, things like that. 14:43 You are right. That's wonderful. 14:45 Is it got a pretty good circulation? 14:46 Yes. 14:47 Yeah, we are doing like, the last quarter 14:50 because we have yearly four time we are doing 14:54 and last quarter we did 8,000 magazine. 14:58 Wow. Yes. 14:59 And so this year also we had 15:00 some other unusual things happening. 15:03 You sent me pictures of computers 15:05 and sewing machines. 15:07 Yes. What was that about? 15:09 We have a studio, we have equipment, 15:11 we say Jesus loves and Jesus is coming soon. 15:15 But at the same time I-- 15:18 we want do some community out reach to the people. 15:23 People who are around us. People who are near by. 15:28 So we thought computer is very attractive 15:31 to the young people. 15:33 So if the young people come we will teach the computer. 15:36 So they are coming to the upstairs area of our studio. 15:39 And it's a training center and you are using that as a, 15:42 like a community out reach center. 15:43 Out reach center. 15:44 Is it, is it-- have good response, 15:46 you get quite a few people coming? 15:47 Yeah, it's a good response 15:48 because we started almost now three months passed, 15:52 around 15 students have come 15:54 because we don't want more students. 15:56 Only have a couple computers 15:57 so you have to be careful there. 15:59 And also because we don't have enough place, 16:01 so just we want to do little by little. 16:05 So we are not attracting too much, 16:06 only that one village because -- 16:08 So this is kind of a way to build a relationship 16:10 within the local people around the studio area there. 16:14 And also the tailoring classes also attract the ladies. 16:18 So that Saturday they can come to the church 16:21 because in our campus we have a church 16:24 and Fridays, Saturday, Tuesday the church service is going on. 16:28 So people come and pray. 16:31 So its kind of builds a relationship 16:33 with the people in the community 16:34 and then they start taking an interest 16:36 in the Sabbath services 16:37 going on the church right behind our center. 16:39 Yeah. 16:40 That's really a blessing that that's happening that way. 16:42 There was also some pictures 16:43 I was looking at that you showed me 16:45 about some blind people. 16:46 What was that situation behind the blind people 16:50 coming to the church there and you're giving them clothes 16:52 or something like that. 16:53 One of our Bible worker 16:56 returning from the work to the home. 17:00 She was-- mostly our Bible workers 17:02 travel in metro train and so she was on the train 17:07 and she saw the blind people, 17:08 then and our Bible workers purchased something 17:12 and she was talking what is your name and all that. 17:15 Then he was telling and he is singing also, 17:18 some blind people they will sing 17:20 and they will ask money. 17:22 So then our Bible worker said you are singing very good 17:27 why can't you come and sing in our church. 17:30 Then he said, I will come. 17:32 His name is Das. 17:34 Then he was so happy. 17:37 So next Saturday he was in the church and then he, 17:41 everybody appreciated his singing. 17:44 Then we started to give Bible study, 17:46 then along with him there are nine people have taken baptism. 17:50 Nine blind people. Nine people. 17:52 The Bible workers you know, I go there, India, every year 17:54 and I personally sat with the Bible workers 17:57 and listen to some of their stories 17:58 and have them explain some of the challenges they have 18:00 and the experiences they have going door to door in India 18:03 you know, targeting an area around Chennai, 18:05 which is one of the largest cities 18:07 in south India and going door to door. 18:09 Some of the situations they have, 18:12 people slamming doors on their face, 18:13 people opening doors on their face 18:16 and letting them in and sometimes 18:18 pushing them away and coming back out and asking to come in. 18:21 But can you think of a couple of the stories 18:23 you'd like to share, like the one about, 18:25 for instance, Jacob. 18:26 A lady named Jacob and her friend they are a kind of team 18:29 that would be working together for years. 18:30 What happen with him recently? 18:31 Usually our Bible workers go in the morning 18:35 and they pray near the bus stand 18:38 or the railway station or some places. 18:41 And our Bible worker named Savvy and Emily Mrs. Jacob. 18:46 They were, as soon as they-- 18:49 down from the bus 18:51 and then they were standing near the tree 18:53 and they were just praying, 18:55 okay and talking, where we will go, 18:58 whether we will go this way, side 19:00 or this side or they were talking 19:03 because usually as soon as they get off 19:06 just they will talk, 19:07 okay, we will go here or they will plan. 19:10 There immediately, as they were talking, 19:13 the group of boys were laughing and making fun of, 19:17 hey, what they are doing praying on the road, 19:19 why they are praying? 19:21 So then after that one guy, 19:24 his name is Radha Krishnan, he is a Hindu guy 19:27 he called our Bible worker then-- 19:30 but our ladies were, they were very strong 19:33 and very bold so they went, what happened. 19:36 And then he said, oh, can you pray. 19:38 Yeah, we will pray. 19:40 But what will happen if you pray? 19:43 So they were asking 19:44 if you pray it will happen or this 19:47 or like that they-- 19:48 and if you pray something will happen to me 19:50 or if I get that or something like that. 19:53 So then she said, our Bible worker said, 19:55 no don't play like that. 19:58 No we will play why you are coming and making us-- 20:02 Trying to convert people or something. 20:03 Convert people and all that you are doing this and that. 20:06 No we are not doing, we will go. 20:08 So then with their boldness 20:10 they didn't go that side they went to-- 20:12 took a next turn and they went. 20:16 Then the next day again they were standing 20:18 and making fun of our Bible workers 20:22 and usually in all the places 20:25 where there is a bus stand there will be a tea shop. 20:30 A what shop? Coffee. 20:31 A coffee shop, like a tea and coffee shop. 20:33 Yeah. 20:34 So people this young people 20:36 or some kind of old people will talk and laugh, 20:39 make fun of somebody like that. 20:41 So then, what happened, one fine morning, 20:46 that guy he met an accident and he met an accident, 20:50 is a severe accident and then he was hospitalized. 20:54 In culturally, in our culture 20:56 if something happen immediately they will ask what you did? 21:01 You did something against God 21:02 or something like that people it is a kind of-- 21:05 If the God's are punishing him for something he said. 21:08 Punishing him something like that is their nature. 21:09 So then he told, I believe, that I made these-- 21:13 I was making fun of those Bible workers. 21:17 Then because of that, then immediately his mother, 21:23 where you met them? 21:25 Then he said I met them in the bus stand. 21:28 So she was came on the Friday, Friday they didn't go. 21:32 Saturday, Sunday then Monday she was able to find. 21:37 Because the Bible workers 21:38 always carrying their bible books 21:40 and have a bag and things like that. 21:42 So you can kind of pick them out little bit. 21:44 So what happened? 21:45 What happened when she found them? 21:47 She found them then she was happy 21:48 and she was crying, 21:49 ma, you have to come to hospital 21:52 and pray for my son, 21:54 I please apologize, for what he did 21:57 and all that he was talking like that. 21:59 Then our Bible workers went and prayed 22:02 then he also delivered 22:05 but his mother attracted to our Bible workers 22:10 and took a baptism she-- 22:12 So she started Bible studies with them? 22:14 So the mother of that trouble maker 22:17 ended up being baptized. 22:18 Yes, baptized. 22:19 And they are our strong pillars in our church now. 22:22 Wow, praise the Lord. 22:23 And near they are in the ocean. 22:25 It goes to show you can't every-- 22:27 always judge people on the outside you know, 22:29 what's going on in their hearts. 22:31 You know, people look at different people and go, 22:32 oh, that person wouldn't be interested in, 22:34 and you find out later that they are often times, 22:38 get really interested in the truth. 22:39 And also, for your information, 22:42 our studio, by God's grace and all 22:47 because of all our prayers and the donors support 22:50 we were able to build a studio and equipment, everything. 22:55 By God's grace, this year, January we started 22:58 because actually the studio started 23:00 to function 2013 September too. 23:05 And September, October, November, 23:07 December the four months 2013, 23:11 we were doing the conversion of all our old program into DVD 23:16 to upload in the YouTube 23:18 because most of the people ask Pastor Shadrach, program 23:23 into the YouTube and all that. 23:24 So we did all that work, website and all that. 23:28 Then January-- 23:30 2014. 23:32 January, till now we were able to produce 45 episodes. 23:38 45 episodes. Yeah. 23:40 Like sermons and things like that? 23:42 You are right. 23:43 And then how many music videos, 23:44 which are really popular by the way in India, 23:46 music videos are you have them on your television programs, 23:48 people are glued to it. 23:51 That is eight, eight-- 23:55 because we didn't have some equipment, 23:58 just recently we purchased. 24:00 So just we purchased two months back 24:03 so we just finished eight song 24:06 and we have uploaded in the YouTube, 24:09 two songs and other things, is the work is going on. 24:13 Well, at the close of this program 24:14 we'll give a little sample of one of those music videos 24:16 for our closing montage. 24:18 Okay, and I-- because of the-- 24:21 and right now 2015 24:24 we want to have a new TV program in a new-- 24:28 New look. 24:29 Yeah, new look to the need of the hour. 24:34 And also to meet, 24:35 actually to attract the young people 24:37 because Pastor Shadrach, 24:39 we for the doctrinal and conservative people 24:44 and one more show we want to attract 24:46 the young people and children 24:47 because they are the future of our-- 24:51 So true. 24:52 So that's the thing. 24:53 Then we want to focus on the publishing 24:56 that is a major thing. 24:58 We want to print "Great Controversy", 25:00 because "Great Controversy" we printed in the year 1999. 25:05 Yeah, we printed a lot of them too. 25:07 I remember having stacks and stacks of them 25:09 with Pastor Shadrach standing there 25:11 and we had like this room 25:12 full of "Great Controversy" all gone. 25:14 Yeah, all gone and now we want to print, 25:17 but we want to print in a simple format like that 25:21 we want to make three section. 25:24 Oh make it like a three volume set. 25:26 You are right. 25:27 And color also little different so that-- 25:30 because if it is so big people-- 25:33 it is not easy-- 25:34 Today, people even in India, 25:36 they're not-- they're going to iPads and tablets 25:38 and things like that and internet, laptops. 25:41 Taking a book and when you take a book 25:44 and translate into the Tamil language 25:45 "Great Controversy" goes from about this big 25:47 to about that big. 25:49 So you want to break into three sections. 25:50 Three sections so-- and also it will be cheap 25:53 because when the people buy it will be very easy, 25:57 they can afford. 25:58 So what would it cost to print like, 26:00 like say 2,500 sets of that? 26:03 It is almost, it comes 7,500 US dollars. 26:06 And that's something that's coming for this next year. 26:09 What are the books are we looking at? 26:10 Then the "Desire of Ages." 26:12 Which we printed that one time too, already. 26:14 We printed in 1999. 26:19 1999. 26:20 We printed and-- And they are all gone? 26:22 They are all gone because the previous 26:26 GC president Jan Paulsen, he inaugurated 26:29 and he got the first copy of the "Great Controversy" 26:33 and the "Desire of Ages" and they're all gone now. 26:37 And everybody is asking and we don't have that book. 26:40 And that book is the very important book 26:42 for the new believers and we also wanted, 26:47 we wanted to print in a three volumes. 26:51 So that it will reach to the un-reached people. 26:55 And the important thing is Bible study material. 26:58 We want to, because we have a Bible study material 27:01 we printed this year. 27:03 Because we printed that also going to finish soon 27:06 by end of this year. 27:08 The main reason we want to print 27:09 the "Amazing Facts, Historical Lesson" 27:12 in a color form, 27:14 because lot of young people attracted to that one. 27:16 So we thought we will do in a color-- for color. 27:20 And we've had that before in black and white 27:22 but when I showed you 27:23 what we did in the country of Lithuania, 27:24 with a really nice four color ones, 27:26 I think it's a really good way 27:27 to go to represent the truth we have. 27:29 Any how our time is up and I just wanted to thank you 27:31 for watching our program today 27:33 and if you'd like to get involved 27:34 with Laymen Ministries 27:36 you can write or call us at-- 27:38 address shown on the screen 27:39 or contact us on the World Wide Web 27:41 at www.lmn.org. |
Revised 2015-03-19