Welcome back to
Ho Chi Minh City.
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This city
formerly known as Saigon
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was of course very
famous for the pivotal role
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it played
during the Vietnam War.
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Today, lots of
tourists come here
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and they look at
sites such as this.
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Notre Dom Cathedral,
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many, many Neo-colonial
French architecture examples
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all around the city.
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And this is notable because
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all the materials were imported
from the country of France.
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Well, next up we visit with Greg
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and Amy Whitsett in
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
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So I have enjoyed living
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and working in Asia
for the last 16 years.
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I'm the director of
the Global Mission Center
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for East Asian religions.
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And when I first came to
Asia to share my testimony
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and share the good news
with my friends, Buddhists.
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I didn't know how to begin.
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And I was teaching in a college.
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One of my students
was a Buddhist monk.
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And as it became time for,
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you know,
December Christmas time,
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he asked me, said, "So tell me,
what is Christmas all about?"
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And I thought, "Wow,
what an opportunity."
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Here's someone who wants
to know about my religion.
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So I didn't know where to begin,
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I thought, well,
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they don't understand
why we needed a Savior,
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so I decided I should
just do quick overview,
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starting with
creation and the fall
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and the promise
that Messiah would come
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and then talk about His birth
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and then I realize, well,
if I just stop with His birth,
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he doesn't understand
what it happened next.
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So then I talked
about how Jesus went about
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healing people in His teachings,
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and then He was
crucified on the cross
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and He died for us.
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He rose from the dead.
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And He went back to heaven,
and He's coming back soon.
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And you know
what his response was?
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He was actually
giggling out of embarrassment
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of what I had
just unloaded on him,
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and it didn't
really make sense to him.
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So I began to
realize early on that,
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it doesn't make sense
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what I share with
my Buddhist friends.
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And so what do I do? I
was kind of at a quandary.
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So my wife and I would just like
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to take a couple of minutes
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and talk to you about
these challenges that we face.
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Something that
we've discovered is that
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you can actually use
the analogy of sports
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to understand the differences
between the Buddhist worldview
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and a Christian worldview.
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The Christian
worldview is very similar
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to soccer or football.
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With soccer or
football, you have two teams
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who are competing
against each other
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physically,
actually fighting each other
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for the ball for control.
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And, you know,
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you've got to get
your ball into the net
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on the other side of the field.
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You've got people who
are trying to stop you,
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trying to steal
the ball from you.
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You have people
who can help you.
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Your coach is there to
help you and to support you,
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and to give you some
guidance and some direction,
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and you have your whole team,
you work together as a team
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to move your ball into your net.
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Another key
importance with this analogy
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is that with soccer or football,
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you have a very
limited timeframe.
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You're only on the
field for about 90 minutes,
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45 minutes for each half.
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And whoever gets the most points
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at the end of
that 90 minutes wins.
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Also, it's interesting to note
that you can be on the bench.
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You don't actually
have to touch the ball once
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during the game
and you can still win.
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That's true, my
team wins. Right.
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What's important is
that you're on a team
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and we see this in Christianity.
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There's a big, big
battle between God,
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between Satan, we
have to choose a side.
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And there's a limited timeframe.
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We understand as
Seventh-day Adventist Christians
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that Jesus is coming
and He's coming very soon,
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which gives us a great
amount of a sense of urgency,
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urgency that time is limited.
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We've really got to work hard.
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We got to learn
how to work as a team.
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We've got to do our
best using the skills
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that each individual has
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to play the game
of soccer or golf,
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or in this case, Christianity.
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And the other
limit on time, of course,
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is that we only
have one life, right?
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Right.
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And we have to
choose in this life
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whom we will serve.
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So, that's the
Christian perspective.
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But what about the
Buddhist perspective?
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And all of our Asian friends
in this part of the world?
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Well, their perspective
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is actually a
little bit more like golf.
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Now with golf,
everyone has their own ball.
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You don't hit each other's ball.
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There's no teams, you
know, you don't see team hats,
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you know, and jerseys.
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No, it's each
individual is for himself,
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he must win at his own way.
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And actually,
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golf is much
more of a mental game
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in the sense that it's a riddle.
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How are you going
to best play the game,
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you have different
clubs that you can use
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and they all
must be used you know,
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for different purposes.
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You have drivers
and I don't know,
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I don't play golf,
but you have all irons
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and the weather conditions
even affects your game.
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How fast the greens are
playing and this type of thing.
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And so, how is
this like Buddhism?
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Well, in Buddhism,
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there's not really any opponent
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who's out to get
you to defeat you.
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You're your own worst enemy.
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And its focus is on
self improvement, right?
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And then you
actually have 18 holes.
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You know, a lot of
people say is kind of expensive
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to play the game of golf.
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Actually, if you
play really badly,
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you can play all day
until they close at night,
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because, you know,
it takes you so long
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to get that ball
into, into the cup.
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So and I guess
that's kind of like
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how life could be in the
Buddhist mindset is that,
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depending on
how well you play...
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They're not very skilled.
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Yeah, it could take you longer.
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Also, a lot of
Asians, a lot of Buddhists
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have an
understanding of the spirits.
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And so who are they?
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Are they against us?
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Well, in Christianity,
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we would say the
spirits are fallen angels
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who are against us,
trying to defeat us,
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but actually the way
Buddhists would see spirit
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is very different,
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they would see it kind of like
the wild animals in the forest.
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Yes, you can get hurt by
them, they could attack you,
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they might see you as a meal.
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But the animals in
the forest are just doing
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what that comes naturally
and the same with spirits.
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In fact, the
spirits could help you
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as much as hurt you,
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like a sand trap
on the golf green,
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you know, you have a sand trap.
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It's not running around
trying to catch your ball.
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The pond isn't moving around
trying to block your shot.
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No, it's just, it's there.
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And you have to deal
with these realities.
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And so this is
exactly like Buddhism
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is we have to work
with these environments,
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and that it's just
about improving ourselves.
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So you see the difference.
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When we talk about Christianity,
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we talk about these
things that is so different
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from what the
Buddhist has in mind
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about what works.
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So oftentimes what we
do is we go to Buddhists
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and we start talking
about football, soccer,
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and giving them all the rules
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and how that's going to
help them play a better game
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and they'll sit there
and scratch their head
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and say, "Well, yeah, I
guess you play on grass,
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we play on grass."
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You have a ball
and we have a ball.
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Yes, we both have balls and...
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We run and get exercise,
we run and get exercise.
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So it's all the
same. It's all good.
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And in that
level, yes, it's true.
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All religions do teach morals,
but the rules of the game
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and the purpose
is totally different.
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And so what we need to
do is take time to listen,
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take time to observe,
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and take time to learn so
that we can share the gospel
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in the right way.
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So how can you begin?
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Well, there's a
couple things you can do.
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If you have Buddhist
friends or neighbors,
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I encourage you to take
time to get to know them,
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just be a
friend, earn their trust,
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win their
confidence and eventually
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you'll be able to start sharing
your own testimonies with them
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about how God is changing you.
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The second thing that you can do
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is go to our website,
cear.adventistmisison.org.
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And there you will find
some resources to help you
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to understand Buddhism,
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and to understand
better how you can share
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your relationship with Jesus
with your Buddhist friends.
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God bless you.
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If you're
enjoying today's program,
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I invite you to follow
us on Facebook or Instagram.
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There you'll find various videos
00:08:01.41\00:08:03.71
posted about
mission around the world.
00:08:03.75\00:08:05.95
Just go to Instagram, Facebook
00:08:05.98\00:08:07.85
and search for Mission360 TV
00:08:07.88\00:08:10.92
and there you will find us
and just click like or follow.
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Next up, we travel
back to South America.
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With Bibles in hand,
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this church planting duo
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began exploring
their new community,
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introducing
themselves to neighbors
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and hoping to connect with them.
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They knew sharing
the Adventist message
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in a city like Lima
could be challenging.
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With a population of
almost 10 million people,
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Peru's capital is one
of South America's largest
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and busiest cities.
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As in many other urban
areas, people are often busy
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and interest in
religion is fading.
00:08:44.69\00:08:47.46
There was no Seventh-day
Adventist congregation
00:08:47.49\00:08:49.99
in this part of the city
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until a local Adventist family
00:08:51.53\00:08:53.63
took the
initiative to start one.
00:08:53.66\00:08:56.36
First, they began meeting
for worship in their home
00:08:56.40\00:08:58.93
and invited their
neighbors to join them.
00:08:58.97\00:09:01.14
Then they
invited theology students
00:09:01.17\00:09:02.87
from the
Adventist University in Lima
00:09:02.90\00:09:04.81
to come preach in the streets.
00:09:04.84\00:09:06.98
This event stirred
up a lot of interest
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.18
in the community.
00:09:09.21\00:09:10.71
As the family spoke more
and more with their neighbors,
00:09:10.75\00:09:13.31
they realized
there were many needs.
00:09:13.35\00:09:16.25
They recruited
other Adventists in Lima
00:09:16.28\00:09:18.52
and arranged a health
expo for the community.
00:09:18.55\00:09:20.92
People
appreciated the compassion
00:09:20.96\00:09:22.99
and genuine care
they encountered.
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Soon after the
first health expo,
00:09:26.13\00:09:27.90
Dina and Catherine were
called to serve full time
00:09:27.93\00:09:31.03
through the 1000
Missionary Movement,
00:09:31.07\00:09:33.23
an initiative
started and supported
00:09:33.27\00:09:34.87
by several of the Adventist
churches world divisions.
00:09:34.90\00:09:39.34
When Dina and Catherine
first knocked on Abigail's door,
00:09:39.37\00:09:42.51
they asked if they
could pray with her.
00:09:42.54\00:09:44.95
Abigail gladly
accepted their invitation,
00:09:44.98\00:09:47.52
and the girls
returned each day for prayer.
00:09:47.55\00:09:50.89
After a few doorway prayers,
Abigail invited them inside
00:09:50.92\00:09:54.86
where Dina and Catherine
offered her Bible studies.
00:09:54.89\00:09:58.36
With each visit,
the girls noticed
00:09:58.39\00:10:00.30
how Abigail
struggled to maintain her home.
00:10:00.33\00:10:03.16
She was having a
difficult pregnancy at the time
00:10:03.20\00:10:05.57
and had another
child to care for.
00:10:05.60\00:10:08.14
She often
didn't feel well enough
00:10:08.17\00:10:09.87
to keep up with
household chores.
00:10:09.90\00:10:12.94
Dina and Catherine
eagerly began to help.
00:10:12.97\00:10:16.18
They assisted
Abigail by cleaning, cooking
00:10:16.21\00:10:18.85
and taking her child to school.
00:10:18.88\00:10:21.08
Adventist Church members in Lima
00:10:21.12\00:10:22.72
also gathered food
to give to the family.
00:10:22.75\00:10:26.05
Their acts of kindness showed
Abigail the love of Jesus.
00:10:26.09\00:10:30.06
It's been several months,
00:10:37.70\00:10:39.13
and Abigail still looks forward
to the weekly Bible studies.
00:10:39.17\00:10:42.54
She's just one of
40 community members,
00:10:42.57\00:10:45.27
whom Dina and
Catherine visit regularly.
00:10:45.31\00:10:48.74
Through Christ method,
00:10:48.78\00:10:50.15
Dina and Catherine have helped
00:10:50.18\00:10:51.61
plant a new church
in this neighborhood
00:10:51.65\00:10:53.45
where about 30
people worship each Sabbath.
00:10:53.48\00:10:56.55
Please pray for church
planters like Dina and Catharine
00:10:56.58\00:11:00.22
who are on the
frontlines of mission,
00:11:00.26\00:11:02.32
pray for strength and compassion
00:11:02.36\00:11:04.69
as they continue to
reach others for Christ.
00:11:04.73\00:11:07.33
Thank you for
supporting Adventist Mission.
00:11:07.36\00:11:09.63
Well, that's about
it for today's program.
00:11:20.71\00:11:23.04
And I hope that you have
been challenged and inspired
00:11:23.08\00:11:26.18
by our 360° view of
mission around the world,
00:11:26.21\00:11:30.22
and especially here in Vietnam,
00:11:30.25\00:11:32.72
in the heart of a 10/40 Window
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.49
where 60% of the
world's population
00:11:34.52\00:11:37.23
live in this region.
00:11:37.26\00:11:38.99
And most of them,
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.70
most of the people
living here have not even heard
00:11:40.73\00:11:43.26
the name of Jesus.
00:11:43.30\00:11:44.70
And I want to thank you so much
00:11:44.73\00:11:46.07
for being part of our
Adventist Mission Team.
00:11:46.10\00:11:49.57
Thank you for taking
the time with your families
00:11:49.60\00:11:52.07
to pray for mission,
00:11:52.11\00:11:53.74
to pray for missionaries,
00:11:53.78\00:11:55.14
to pray for
Global Mission Pioneers,
00:11:55.18\00:11:57.51
church planters,
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.28
to pray for the cities
00:11:59.31\00:12:00.85
where most of the
world's population now live.
00:12:00.88\00:12:03.79
Before we go today, I
want to thank you so much
00:12:03.82\00:12:06.19
for your continuing support
through your mission offerings
00:12:06.22\00:12:09.66
and your
donations to global mission.
00:12:09.69\00:12:12.03
Thank you for your
personal involvement.
00:12:12.06\00:12:13.86
And before we go,
00:12:13.90\00:12:15.36
let's listen to
this mission music video.
00:12:15.40\00:12:19.10
Take the opportunity as it plays
00:12:19.13\00:12:21.04
to think about
mission, to pray about mission,
00:12:21.07\00:12:23.97
to pray about your
personal involvement.
00:12:24.01\00:12:27.01
For Adventist
Mission, I'm Gary Krause.
00:12:27.04\00:12:29.51
And I hope that you
can join me next time
00:12:29.54\00:12:31.75
right here on Mission 360°.
00:12:31.78\00:12:34.12