(joyful orchestral music)
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- [Mary Ann] We've
grown up in the church
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and have always been
somewhat involved in outreach.
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But how can we get
involved in missions overseas?
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My name is Mary Ann.
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- [Lilyann] And I'm Lilyann.
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We wanted to find out.
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Join us on our journey
to discover the culture,
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the lifestyle.
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- [Mary Ann] The
need and the mission.
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- [Lilyann] In two
of Southeast Asia's
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least reached countries.
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- Welcome to MissionTREK.
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Hey, we're so
glad to see you again.
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- In the last episode,
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we visited Gayle Habercam
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and saw what life was
like for her as a nurse
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in the mountain
jungles of Thailand.
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- Another
challenging thing that happened
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while were at Auntie Gayle's
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is our producer James got sick.
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- So we had to head
back to Bangkok without him.
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But James flew down
the next day with his mom.
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- We went back to
Bangkok because we wanted
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to go visit the
slum church and meet up
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with some friends
of ours, the Whitsetts.
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We're in the Nasa Vegas Hotel.
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- It's very big.
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- It looks really nice,
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but the rooms.
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Like it's not
actually that nice.
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It just looks really nice.
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It's really cheap though.
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So we left Auntie Gayle's.
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- [Lilyann] Thursday
morning at like 6:30.
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- And we drove out.
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Took us about 2 1/2 hours.
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We we went a shorter way.
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We weren't sure
we'd be able to leave
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because James was sick.
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- He had some
kind of stomach bug
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and threw up 12
times on Wednesday.
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So he got an IV
at Auntie Gayle's
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and all kinds of fun stuff.
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- Stop videoing.
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- We managed to get out.
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We got all the way to Mae Sot.
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Then we had to take
him to the hospital.
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And then at the
hospital he got another IV.
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So he's doing better now,
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but we left him in Mae Sot.
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And we came to
Bangkok on the bus.
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It took us like 10 hours.
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And then today
we're going to church.
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It's Sabbath so we're
going to church at the slum
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with Dot Wells and the Bauders.
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- [Man] What do
you expect to do there?
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- Interact with kids
and do some outreach stuff.
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- This afternoon
they're passing out cookies.
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So we'll probably
end up going with them.
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That'll be fun. -
[Man] Sounds awesome.
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(gentle music)
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- So we just got
here at the slum.
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The kids are
getting here and stuff.
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When we arrived at the slum,
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Joshua Bauder greeted us
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and showed us into the building
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they are renting for church.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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- To do what the
word says it will do.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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- Josh met Chitty after
he had moved to Bangkok.
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They worked
together to help children
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find a way out of the slum.
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Because today
was Valentine's day,
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they had baked some cookies
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to give out to the community.
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(foreign language)
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- We asked Josh to tell us how
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they started to
connect with the kids,
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and he told us this
little girl's story.
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(foreign words)
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(lively instrumental music)
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- We just passed out the
cookies for a Valentine's thing.
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We made cookies last
week and packaged them up
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and passed them out.
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We said (foreign words).
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- Happy day to give
love, that's what it means.
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But it's supposed to
be Happy Valentine's Day.
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That's their best
translation of it.
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- Just like wow.
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- Really sad,
yeah it's really sad.
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I think that what they're
doing is really, really good.
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I think we need more
people doing what they do also.
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- They're really
good with the kids
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and their personality,
they get along with the kids
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really well.
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They said they've
seen a lot of improvement
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in the kids'
behavior over the last year.
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So that's good,
progress is being made.
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- She was sitting with
Mary Ann and she was asking her
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how old was she?
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She said she
doesn't know how old she is
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because she doesn't
have a birth certificate
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and her parents don't know.
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(mellow instrumental music)
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- We're going to the
slums again, we're gonna pick up
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trash. There's so much
trash, we're not exactly sure--
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- What difference it's
really gonna make, but.
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- Hey, it's
something good for them to do.
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And we'll see how it goes.
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- They're giving instructions
about what we're going to do.
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Basically we're
going to pick up trash
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for the next two hours.
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They have little tong things
for us to pick up trash with,
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and gloves and stuff.
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We're going to divide
up into groups I think
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and just kind of go
around and pick up trash.
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Who's the best?
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You can't hear me, so
we're gonna see who's the best
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at picking up trash and
who can pick up the most.
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Clearly that's obvious.
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- Me. - Me, me.
00:08:40.28\00:08:41.98
- The MissionTREK Olympics,
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who's the best at trash picking.
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(cheering)
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(mellow instrumental music)
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(mellow instrumental music)
00:09:16.75\00:09:20.49
(mellow instrumental music)
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- [Lilyann] We filled three
big bags and they went back
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to get another one.
00:10:08.77\00:10:09.77
- I'm feeling better
than I was a little bit ago.
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I got really sick to my
stomach, but it's been good.
00:10:15.21\00:10:18.98
She picked up
more trash than me.
00:10:20.05\00:10:21.98
- So I won the
MissionTREK contest.
00:10:21.98\00:10:24.99
Doesn't really matter, though.
00:10:26.49\00:10:27.96
- We're done actually.
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- We're done?
00:10:29.46\00:10:30.36
- Good. - Awesome.
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- No.
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- Well then you're
not done, pick up more.
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(laughing)
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- It was fun 'cause the
action itself wasn't very fun.
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It's not that
fun to pick up trash.
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- But just the people
we've got to do it with
00:10:48.11\00:10:49.71
even though we can't
understand what they're saying,
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it's fun.
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- And we're able
to help some people.
00:10:53.28\00:10:55.05
- Yeah, the thought
that you're helping to make
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a small difference.
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- Because some of them
think that they're just here
00:10:58.92\00:11:01.12
to mess up Buddhism.
00:11:01.12\00:11:03.02
So they wanted to help
the community out and show
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that they care about the people
and they're trying to help.
00:11:06.93\00:11:11.33
I think that we did pretty good.
00:11:12.77\00:11:16.91
I mean it's still a
slum, but a little less,
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three less bags of trash.
00:11:23.85\00:11:26.51
- From our group,
there's four group.
00:11:26.51\00:11:28.25
So maybe 12 less bags of trash.
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- I was in ministry
before in the states.
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I was a Bible worker in Idaho.
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When I came over here it
was to get involved in ministry.
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But I thought it was
only going to be for a year.
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It's been
three-and-a-half years later
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and I'm still here in ministry.
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- How did you start
working in the slums?
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- We were looking for a
church and we kept hearing
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about this church.
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We really wanted to go
but we could never find it.
00:12:00.35\00:12:03.18
So we found it,
we finally found it.
00:12:03.18\00:12:05.62
And when we found it
we went there one week
00:12:05.62\00:12:07.82
and we knew that this
was the church that we wanted
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to go to.
00:12:10.26\00:12:11.16
- It was almost immediately
this was the place where
00:12:26.54\00:12:28.94
you go there and
you have to get involved
00:12:28.94\00:12:31.81
because there's so much need.
00:12:31.81\00:12:34.58
If you're not helping
then you can see other people
00:12:34.58\00:12:38.62
are in over their heads.
00:12:38.62\00:12:39.92
So as soon as we went
there was got involved.
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- That's when you guys
decided to start a project
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for the kids.
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.03
- I'd been looking
for something to do
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and I didn't know what to do.
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.50
It's so overwhelming in
Thailand, there's so much to do.
00:12:51.87\00:12:55.64
There's so much
that needs to be done.
00:12:55.64\00:12:57.41
But it's hard, it's
like where do you start?
00:12:57.41\00:13:00.24
So we prayed and I
fasted and I asked God
00:13:00.24\00:13:03.28
what do you want me to do?
00:13:03.28\00:13:06.01
How can I help these people?
00:13:06.01\00:13:07.68
That's when we came up
with the ideas of after-school
00:13:09.05\00:13:11.52
programs, scholarships,
and all these things
00:13:11.52\00:13:13.72
that we wanted to do.
00:13:13.72\00:13:16.42
- It was so cool how
involved the church was
00:13:18.13\00:13:20.46
with the community.
00:13:20.46\00:13:21.83
I really enjoyed
getting to experience that,
00:13:21.83\00:13:24.83
getting to help and
show the people around there
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.50
that we cared.
00:13:27.50\00:13:28.64
- Yeah, I agree and
I'd been to the slum before
00:13:28.64\00:13:30.87
when I was nine.
00:13:30.87\00:13:31.67
- What were you doing there?
00:13:31.67\00:13:33.07
- Well I was with my dad
who was shooting another TV show
00:13:33.07\00:13:35.38
called I Want This City.
00:13:35.38\00:13:36.81
They were doing a
rice giveaway at the slum.
00:13:36.81\00:13:39.35
There was one lady
they talked to who had heard
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.42
the Ten Commandments
when she was like a teenager.
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- See that lady
in the background?
00:13:44.12\00:13:45.79
That's Mrs. Watana.
00:13:45.79\00:13:47.12
When she was a child she
went to see the Ten Commandment
00:13:47.12\00:13:49.89
movie with Charlton
Heston and felt in her heart
00:13:49.89\00:13:52.16
that this was truth.
00:13:52.16\00:13:53.90
The next time she
heard the Ten Commandments
00:13:53.90\00:13:56.03
was 30 years later.
00:13:56.03\00:13:57.60
Her heart was again stirred
and she requested Bible studies.
00:13:57.60\00:14:00.94
Volunteers began
coming every week,
00:14:00.94\00:14:02.54
and now she's a baptized
believer and a true light
00:14:02.54\00:14:06.17
in her community.
00:14:06.17\00:14:07.78
- And that's how the
slum church got started
00:14:07.78\00:14:09.41
in that neighborhood.
00:14:09.41\00:14:11.01
It's amazing how it
was just little things
00:14:11.01\00:14:12.78
like giving away rice can
lead to something like that.
00:14:12.78\00:14:17.22
- You never know how
far-reaching your actions might
00:14:17.22\00:14:20.19
be. It's so sad that
that lady had only ever heard
00:14:20.19\00:14:22.86
the Ten
Commandments twice in her life.
00:14:22.86\00:14:24.89
- Yeah, and there are some
people who have never heard
00:14:24.89\00:14:27.23
them. - Many, but it was my
favorite place that we visited
00:14:27.23\00:14:30.77
on the whole trip
and I really enjoyed
00:14:30.77\00:14:33.64
getting to help people there.
00:14:33.64\00:14:34.70
- Yeah, it was a
really amazing experience.
00:14:34.70\00:14:36.91
- Yeah it was.
00:14:36.91\00:14:38.21
- I can say it was my favorite
as well because I really
00:14:38.21\00:14:40.61
enjoyed Auntie Gayle's place.
00:14:40.61\00:14:42.24
It was really cool.
00:14:42.24\00:14:43.91
- It was.
00:14:43.91\00:14:45.01
- Everyone should have
an experience like that.
00:14:45.01\00:14:46.18
- Oh definitely.
00:14:46.18\00:14:47.08
- What do you think it
would be like to actually live
00:14:48.42\00:14:49.92
in a slum like that?
00:14:49.92\00:14:51.29
- Well, it would be a
huge difference from the life
00:14:51.29\00:14:54.62
that we live here.
00:14:54.62\00:14:56.42
It's so sad
because they have nothing,
00:14:56.42\00:14:59.43
like literally nothing.
00:14:59.43\00:15:01.93
It's just tiny shacks all
built on top of each other.
00:15:01.93\00:15:05.77
I can't even imagine
living there, honestly.
00:15:05.77\00:15:08.40
- Yeah, and it was
so dirty and it smelled.
00:15:08.40\00:15:12.37
- Even though our lives
are so different from theirs,
00:15:13.74\00:15:16.11
Jesus doesn't
see poor versus rich.
00:15:16.11\00:15:18.78
He sees us all the same.
00:15:18.78\00:15:20.38
- Yeah, and He wants us to
treat everyone with compassion,
00:15:20.38\00:15:22.95
the way we would
like to be treated.
00:15:22.95\00:15:24.35
- I reminds me of the verse,
"Inasmuch as ye have done it
00:15:24.35\00:15:26.89
"unto the least of
these, my brethren,
00:15:26.89\00:15:28.19
"you have done it unto me."
00:15:28.19\00:15:29.49
- And by treating others
well it's like we're treating
00:15:29.49\00:15:31.66
Jesus himself.
00:15:31.66\00:15:32.96
- Yeah, so coming up
we're going to be visiting
00:15:32.96\00:15:35.26
the Whitsetts, who
were hired by the GC.
00:15:35.26\00:15:38.43
They work to study the
differences between the Western
00:15:38.43\00:15:41.04
culture and the
culture of the Thai people.
00:15:41.04\00:15:43.91
- What do you mean
by the word, culture?
00:15:43.91\00:15:45.87
- Culture is things
that you do that are unique
00:15:45.87\00:15:49.01
to a specific
country or people group.
00:15:49.01\00:15:51.61
It's the things that
you don't even notice
00:15:51.61\00:15:53.11
that you just take for granted.
00:15:53.11\00:15:54.45
- So some examples of
culture could be the food,
00:15:54.45\00:15:57.15
clothing, like even
how you greet people.
00:15:57.15\00:16:01.02
Like in America we
shake hands and in Thailand
00:16:01.02\00:16:04.19
they do (foreign words).
00:16:04.19\00:16:05.86
- Also worshiping
God, what God you worship.
00:16:05.86\00:16:09.36
Those are all
examples of cultural things.
00:16:09.36\00:16:13.00
- Like in this
culture we are raised knowing
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.80
that there's one God,
one true God who's real.
00:16:15.80\00:16:19.31
In that culture they have
Buddha, they have reincarnation.
00:16:19.31\00:16:22.31
They have all
these different gods
00:16:22.31\00:16:23.55
and they don't understand.
00:16:23.55\00:16:26.82
- So here we dress up to
go to church one day a week.
00:16:26.82\00:16:31.09
We sit in pews
and all this stuff.
00:16:31.09\00:16:33.96
Whereas there, in the
Buddhist culture they can go
00:16:33.96\00:16:36.59
to the temple anytime.
00:16:36.59\00:16:38.53
- So we visited the Whitsetts
00:16:38.53\00:16:40.70
to learn more
about Thai culture.
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.66
- [Student] Pastor
and Mrs. Whitsett work
00:16:45.30\00:16:47.00
for the General
Conference, but their office
00:16:47.00\00:16:48.90
is here in Bangkok.
00:16:48.90\00:16:50.27
Their job is to study
how to best bring the Gospel
00:16:50.27\00:16:52.51
to the people with
a Buddhist background.
00:16:52.51\00:16:54.38
- The idea of where we
come from is very different
00:16:54.38\00:16:58.18
for Buddhists than it
would be for Christians.
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.82
We believe in a Creator
who is apart from creation
00:17:01.82\00:17:05.25
and he created all of this.
00:17:05.25\00:17:07.36
Whereas with
Buddhists there is no creator
00:17:07.36\00:17:10.33
outside of creation.
00:17:10.33\00:17:12.13
There are
creators, many of them.
00:17:12.13\00:17:15.06
But they just
create little things.
00:17:15.06\00:17:17.07
But they are of
the same nature as us.
00:17:17.07\00:17:20.37
In fact, we could become
a creator because the gods
00:17:20.37\00:17:24.24
are basically people
who have really attained
00:17:24.24\00:17:27.24
a higher moral standing
through meditation and merit.
00:17:27.24\00:17:31.25
So they can go to
one of the heavens.
00:17:31.25\00:17:34.88
When they hear us
talking about the second coming
00:17:34.88\00:17:37.19
and Jesus coming from
heaven to take us back
00:17:37.19\00:17:39.45
to heaven with
Him, they say which one?
00:17:39.45\00:17:42.62
Because they have 26 heavens.
00:17:42.62\00:17:46.16
So what heaven are
you going to take us to?
00:17:47.40\00:17:49.83
Then we say well
it's a beautiful place
00:17:49.83\00:17:52.03
and there's going
to be the Tree of Life.
00:17:52.03\00:17:54.10
And of course
there's the Water of Life
00:17:54.10\00:17:56.71
and there's a
great banquet feast.
00:17:56.71\00:18:00.14
And Jesus himself will serve us.
00:18:00.14\00:18:02.01
They say oh, that's one
of the five lowest heavens
00:18:02.01\00:18:05.88
because those are the
only heavens where you can eat.
00:18:05.88\00:18:08.58
When we shared the second
coming and going to heaven,
00:18:09.95\00:18:12.75
to us that's good news.
00:18:12.75\00:18:15.66
But to them that's
like oh well you only live
00:18:15.66\00:18:18.56
in the heavens for a while.
00:18:18.56\00:18:19.66
Eventually you will be
reborn into this earth.
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.36
So they're confused.
00:18:22.36\00:18:25.40
It's interesting, it's
news, it kind of sounds good
00:18:25.40\00:18:28.14
because who wouldn't
want to go to heaven?
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.31
But they don't see
that as a solution to life.
00:18:30.31\00:18:33.71
- How do you even reach someone
with such a different view
00:18:35.01\00:18:38.55
of the world?
00:18:38.55\00:18:40.85
- That's exactly, that's
what we need to know, right?
00:18:40.85\00:18:44.09
What do you do then?
00:18:44.09\00:18:45.32
We know things are
different so what do you do?
00:18:45.32\00:18:47.76
Well it really has to
begin with our understanding
00:18:47.76\00:18:52.26
of what our goal is.
00:18:52.26\00:18:53.60
That is our goal
is to make disciples.
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.96
The solution is not just
to change our preaching style
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.57
or how we illustrate
truth or something like that.
00:19:00.57\00:19:04.01
It's actually it
starts with friendship
00:19:04.01\00:19:07.51
and living our
lives with people.
00:19:07.51\00:19:09.58
If you want to
become a potter who can make
00:19:09.58\00:19:11.98
beautiful jars you have
to get your hands dirty.
00:19:11.98\00:19:14.55
You can't just go to
a class and take notes
00:19:14.55\00:19:16.22
on what you learned.
00:19:16.22\00:19:17.62
And Christianity isn't
just a theory, it's a lifestyle.
00:19:17.62\00:19:21.09
It's a life with Christ.
00:19:21.09\00:19:22.96
We begin by just
simply making friends.
00:19:23.99\00:19:27.03
Christ's method alone
will give true success
00:19:27.03\00:19:28.96
in reaching the people.
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.33
He mingled with men as
one who desired their good.
00:19:30.33\00:19:32.30
He showed His sympathy
for them and ministered
00:19:32.30\00:19:35.24
to their needs, and
won their confidence.
00:19:35.24\00:19:38.01
So it's trust.
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.11
The goal of all
those activities is trust.
00:19:39.11\00:19:41.01
So we start with
friendship, with relationship.
00:19:41.01\00:19:45.01
Then from there
we have more steps.
00:19:45.01\00:19:48.62
- After you make a friend
with somebody then they start
00:19:48.62\00:19:51.02
telling you some of
their problems right?
00:19:51.02\00:19:53.19
You get to know
them a little bit deeper.
00:19:53.19\00:19:55.16
Once you get to know what
some of their problems are
00:19:55.16\00:19:56.29
then you can actually
start praying for them
00:19:56.29\00:19:58.56
and praying with them.
00:19:58.56\00:20:00.13
Buddhists actually are
very, very open to prayer.
00:20:00.13\00:20:03.43
Their religion is an
experiential religion
00:20:03.43\00:20:07.40
meaning that
they have to try it.
00:20:07.40\00:20:09.20
And if it works
then they'll keep it.
00:20:09.20\00:20:11.67
So they have a little bit
of this, little bit of this,
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.81
little bit of that.
00:20:13.81\00:20:14.94
So when Christians
come and say well can I pray
00:20:14.94\00:20:16.44
for you they say sure, why not?
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.31
We'll try it
and see if it works.
00:20:18.31\00:20:20.58
That gives you a great
opportunity to say you know
00:20:20.58\00:20:22.78
what? Your grandma just died
and I'm really sorry about that.
00:20:22.78\00:20:25.69
Can I pray for you
that God will give you peace
00:20:25.69\00:20:27.82
about that and that God
will just be close to you
00:20:27.82\00:20:30.96
during this time?
00:20:30.96\00:20:32.16
Sure, please pray for me.
00:20:32.16\00:20:33.70
Then you can pray for them.
00:20:33.70\00:20:35.10
A lot of times we see
that God honors those prayers
00:20:36.56\00:20:39.10
and God will show
himself to them in a very
00:20:39.10\00:20:41.17
personal way.
00:20:41.17\00:20:42.77
Sometimes they're strange ways.
00:20:42.77\00:20:45.01
Ways that we would think really,
that really spoke to you?
00:20:45.01\00:20:49.68
But it did.
00:20:49.68\00:20:50.95
Other ways you know
it could be miraculous.
00:20:50.95\00:20:52.71
It could be a
dream that he gives them.
00:20:52.71\00:20:55.22
It could be a healing.
00:20:55.22\00:20:56.89
It could be any number
of ways that God chooses
00:20:56.89\00:20:59.35
to touch their life
to help them to recognize
00:20:59.35\00:21:01.89
that actually God is real,
that God knows who they are,
00:21:01.89\00:21:06.80
and that God loves them.
00:21:06.80\00:21:08.46
After they realize that God
is real and that he knows them,
00:21:09.83\00:21:12.10
and that he loves them then
they start asking questions.
00:21:12.10\00:21:16.04
- And that's when we are
really able to start sharing
00:21:16.04\00:21:19.71
because there's not
point to answer questions
00:21:19.71\00:21:21.91
that nobody's asking, right?
00:21:21.91\00:21:24.38
So when they start
asking questions, well who's
00:21:24.38\00:21:27.45
this Jesus that is
helping me and has blessed me
00:21:27.45\00:21:29.92
and has done these things?
00:21:29.92\00:21:31.29
We can then begin to
share with them who Jesus was.
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.69
That he lived on earth
and these are the things
00:21:33.69\00:21:36.56
that he did, and the
things that he taught.
00:21:36.56\00:21:39.93
And he promised
that he would come back.
00:21:39.93\00:21:42.46
His ultimate goal is
to recreate this world
00:21:42.46\00:21:46.33
where there is no
suffering, where there aren't
00:21:46.33\00:21:48.47
all these problems and he
will live with us as our king
00:21:48.47\00:21:51.91
and it will be a
beautiful experience together.
00:21:51.91\00:21:55.31
But only those who have
formed a relationship with him
00:21:55.31\00:22:00.28
and have allowed him
to transform their lives
00:22:00.28\00:22:02.85
to be like him will be a part
of that new earth and a part
00:22:02.85\00:22:06.52
of his kingdom.
00:22:06.52\00:22:07.92
And we invite them,
would you like to learn
00:22:07.92\00:22:09.79
how to follow Jesus
and let him transform us
00:22:09.79\00:22:13.66
to be a loving person
like God is a loving God.
00:22:13.66\00:22:16.60
That's the first
step of repentance,
00:22:17.83\00:22:19.77
of turning towards Christ
and wanting to follow him.
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.77
Then we begin
Bible studies after that.
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.47
The first step is
developing friendship and trust.
00:22:25.47\00:22:28.71
The second one is
that they come to faith
00:22:28.71\00:22:31.01
and God is real and
cares and loves for them.
00:22:31.01\00:22:33.21
And then third then
they desire to follow him.
00:22:33.21\00:22:36.35
That first step of repentance.
00:22:36.35\00:22:37.95
And then from there
we begin Bible studies.
00:22:37.95\00:22:40.32
I won't get into all
of the things we study,
00:22:40.32\00:22:42.06
because that
would take a long time.
00:22:42.06\00:22:43.36
(laughing)
00:22:43.36\00:22:44.76
- And incidentally that's
something that you can do.
00:22:44.76\00:22:47.76
You don't have to be a grown-up,
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.40
you don't have to be
a nurse, or a doctor,
00:22:49.40\00:22:52.17
or even a preacher.
00:22:52.17\00:22:53.47
You don't have to
be anything like that.
00:22:53.47\00:22:55.00
You can be a student,
you could be a homeschooler,
00:22:55.00\00:22:57.54
you could be a kid.
00:22:57.54\00:23:00.08
Just be yourself
and make friends.
00:23:00.08\00:23:02.98
Making friends is
a fun thing to do.
00:23:02.98\00:23:04.71
And then just praying
that God will show you
00:23:04.71\00:23:06.35
how can I minister to my friend?
00:23:06.35\00:23:08.55
How can I show, how can
I give God an opportunity
00:23:08.55\00:23:11.52
to work in their life?
00:23:11.52\00:23:13.36
And pray for them,
keep a prayer journal
00:23:13.36\00:23:14.89
or however you like to pray
and ask God just to bless them
00:23:14.89\00:23:18.29
and to use you to
bless, use you to bless them
00:23:18.29\00:23:22.93
to work through you.
00:23:22.93\00:23:24.00
Amazing things
will happen, guarantee.
00:23:25.10\00:23:27.44
- Well thank you for sharing.
00:23:28.57\00:23:29.97
We really enjoy talking
to you guys and learning more
00:23:29.97\00:23:32.81
about the culture and stuff.
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.38
- Thank you for coming. - Yeah.
00:23:35.38\00:23:37.58
- Now we're gonna
ride the river taxi
00:23:37.58\00:23:39.25
to go see some temples.
00:23:39.25\00:23:41.15
It's our first time on
the river taxi this trip
00:23:41.15\00:23:43.15
and we're super excited.
00:23:43.15\00:23:46.22
(upbeat instrumental music)
00:23:47.99\00:23:51.73
- [Student] The Chao Phraya
River cuts through the city
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.37
and is a
refreshing way to travel.
00:23:58.37\00:24:00.54
Very few cities in the world
have a river for a highway,
00:24:00.54\00:24:03.51
and it's a popular
tourist attraction.
00:24:03.51\00:24:06.31
(upbeat instrumental music)
00:24:06.31\00:24:10.05
This is the
reclining Buddha that is as old
00:24:33.60\00:24:36.17
as the United States.
00:24:36.17\00:24:37.91
It measures 150 feet
long and 50 feet high,
00:24:37.91\00:24:41.61
it's really big.
00:24:41.61\00:24:42.58
The ornate paintings on
the wall were originally there
00:24:47.75\00:24:50.72
to teach the general
public the stories of Buddha's
00:24:50.72\00:24:52.95
search for enlightenment
as well as Thai history.
00:24:52.95\00:24:56.56
I don't know how to
read this kind of textbook,
00:24:56.56\00:24:58.93
but we were intrigued by them.
00:24:58.93\00:25:00.63
(lively instrumental music)
00:25:01.56\00:25:05.30
- [MaryAnn] Then we
headed out to see another temple
00:25:25.52\00:25:27.16
in this temple complex.
00:25:27.16\00:25:28.99
(lively instrumental music)
00:25:28.99\00:25:32.73
Worshipers can
purchase little gold leaves
00:25:48.38\00:25:50.38
and put them on the statues.
00:25:50.38\00:25:52.45
This is the Ordination Hall.
00:25:57.52\00:25:59.29
You can see how
sincere the worshipers are.
00:26:01.32\00:26:03.89
Buddhism is tied very
closely with the Thai government
00:26:07.86\00:26:10.77
and Thai identity, so
it is very hard for Thais
00:26:10.77\00:26:13.44
to change religions.
00:26:13.44\00:26:14.74
It's like giving up
who you are and everything
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.94
about yourself and your country.
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.61
While we were there, the
Whitsetts came to join us.
00:26:19.97\00:26:23.21
- So why are there
these pointy things
00:26:23.21\00:26:25.31
on the roof and stuff?
00:26:25.31\00:26:26.65
- Yeah, on the roofs of the
temple you have (foreign words).
00:26:26.65\00:26:30.95
- Another popular belief
is that because they're up
00:26:48.70\00:26:51.17
into the air up in the
sky and they kind of have
00:26:51.17\00:26:53.07
a little hook on the
end that they snag good luck
00:26:53.07\00:26:55.41
as good luck flies by.
00:26:55.41\00:26:57.78
- Interesting.
00:26:59.85\00:27:00.78
- That's very different
from the things people believe
00:27:02.15\00:27:05.65
in America.
00:27:05.65\00:27:06.55
- We learned so much
about the Thai worldview
00:27:07.96\00:27:10.06
and their religion.
00:27:10.06\00:27:11.53
To effectively reach the
Thai people I think it's very
00:27:11.53\00:27:14.10
important that we take
all of this into account.
00:27:14.10\00:27:15.90
- Definitely, and it shows
that while we need missionaries
00:27:15.90\00:27:19.40
in the jungle, we also
really need missionaries
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.67
in the cities.
00:27:21.67\00:27:23.74
- I agree.
00:27:23.74\00:27:25.27
Christ's example to us
was that while he was here
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.74
he became as much like
the people he was reaching
00:27:27.74\00:27:30.58
as possible.
00:27:30.58\00:27:31.88
We each should do the
same, setting aside our own
00:27:31.88\00:27:34.75
cultural ideas and differences.
00:27:34.75\00:27:36.55
Because in the long run
these are not that important.
00:27:36.55\00:27:39.02
- What is important is
making sure we separate
00:27:39.02\00:27:41.16
the culture from the Gospel.
00:27:41.16\00:27:42.89
We need to remember
that we're pointing people
00:27:42.89\00:27:44.93
to our Savior,
not our lifestyle.
00:27:44.93\00:27:46.83
- See you next
time on MissionTREK.
00:27:46.83\00:27:48.43
- And remember to
pray for the unreached.
00:27:48.43\00:27:51.00
(upbeat instrumental music)
00:27:51.00\00:27:54.74