Participants:
Series Code: MTS
Program Code: MTS002504A
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00:08 Giving up a paradise vacation for mission,
00:12 cassava croquettes from the Mission 360 Kitchen 00:16 and mission in Guatemala, 00:17 all this and much more coming up next. 00:53 Hello, and welcome to Mission 360. 00:55 I'm Gary Krause. 00:57 Today's program is coming to you 00:58 from the Central American Country of Guatemala. 01:02 And behind me you can see this old building 01:05 the Palace of the Captains Generals, 01:07 which was in fact, 01:08 the administrative and political headquarters 01:11 for the entire Central American region. 01:15 We're actually standing 01:16 in a park in Antigua, Guatemala 01:19 and this town is noted 01:21 for its beautifully preserved Spanish colonial buildings. 01:25 And across here you can see the Catholic Cathedral. 01:29 And during Holy Week in the lead up to Easter, 01:32 there are many ceremonies and possessions 01:34 and one of the most famous features 01:36 are the carpet pictures that 01:39 they actually put along the ground. 01:42 The carpets made of sawdust and flowers 01:46 and other natural products. 01:48 Intricate beautiful designs 01:49 and a lot of work goes into them 01:52 so much so that 01:53 it's almost considered an act of worship, 01:55 an act of sacrifice. 01:57 Well, we're gonna be talking more about mission 02:00 here in Guatemala, and around the world. 02:02 But first up, let's travel to Papua New Guinea. 02:09 Two days before my wife gave birth, 02:11 she had a dream. 02:13 In the dream, a wild boar 02:15 ate our baby's hands and a foot. 02:18 When my son was born 02:19 without both his hands and the foot, 02:22 I realized the devil was attacking me 02:24 for leaving him. 02:25 For years, my friends and I had been devil worshipers. 02:29 We would go to the cemetery to dig up graves 02:32 for our cult sessions. 02:34 Anything I asked the devil he would give me. 02:36 I remember one time, 02:37 I asked him for a large sum of money. 02:40 When I got the money, it was spent very quickly. 02:43 In fact, every gift that came from the devil 02:46 would not last long. 02:48 I became dissatisfied 02:49 and began asking questions about him. 02:54 My father told me that the devil is a created being 02:56 and like us had a beginning. 03:00 He also said that he could not read our thoughts, 03:02 only God can. 03:04 So I started talking to God in my mind. 03:07 One morning I woke up 03:08 and felt the desire to kneel for prayer. 03:11 I did not want to show the devil 03:13 what I was doing so I stayed in bed. 03:16 During the prayer, 03:17 I felt embarrassed for my weakness. 03:20 So I got up, took my machete and went deep into the woods. 03:25 I cleared a circle and knelt down. 03:31 As I prayed, I sensed a dark presence 03:34 and was afraid. 03:35 But I kept pouring out my heart to God, 03:38 and I felt peaceful and happy. 03:41 I told God, I would always come there to meet Him. 03:46 Later, I asked my father for a Bible. 03:48 He gave it to me, 03:50 along with The Great Controversy 03:51 by Ellen White. 03:53 He told me to read the chapter called the snares of the devil. 03:56 Soon I decided to give my life completely to Christ 04:00 and become a pastor. 04:01 It was then that the devil attacked me 04:03 through my newborn. 04:05 The devil could not keep me 04:07 from devoting my life to Christ. 04:08 And despite the many challenges and disturbances, 04:10 my family and I arrived at Omaura School of Ministry 04:13 in Papua New Guinea. 04:19 Here in Omaura my life changed a lot in a big way. 04:23 Whatever my family needs, the Lord provides. 04:27 I'm not afraid and uncertain as before. 04:29 I know the Lord is with me. 04:33 I still face challenges, but the challenges 04:35 do not discourage or deviate me from God. 04:37 They guide me towards Him. 04:39 That's the kind of positive feeling 04:41 I have here in Omaura. 04:43 And I thank God for Adventist education 04:45 and literature. 04:49 One of my favorite subjects is Bible discoveries. 04:52 It deepens my understanding of the Word of God. 04:55 I also love the books of Daniel and Revelation 04:57 because I want to know 04:59 what God is telling us about the future. 05:02 The fellowship here is really special. 05:05 I can mingle with students from all parts of the country. 05:09 I interact with active pastors in the field. 05:12 This helps shape my ministry. 05:17 My plan for the future is to go back home 05:19 to tell the young men who were digging up graves 05:22 and worshiping the devil, that there is a better way. 05:25 There is a God who can change them 05:28 as He changed me. 05:44 My guest is Daniel Santos, who is the director of a center 05:48 of influence here in the heart of Guatemala City. 05:53 And it is a center that is devoted 05:55 to help people rehabilitate 05:57 from drug addiction and alcoholism. 06:00 So thank you for joining me, Daniel. 06:02 Now please give me briefly your testimony 06:05 of how did you end up being here? 06:13 Well, I was born into a Christian family 06:16 that was part 06:17 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 06:19 I was raised in Adventist, 06:21 I attended Adventist Church, and Adventist schools. 06:25 But after many years in the church, 06:27 the enemy came into my life 06:29 and began to propose worldly practices in vice. 06:35 I began to smoke, to drink, 06:39 and then I used drugs like cocaine, 06:42 crack, paint thinner, 06:44 and glue used for shoe manufacturing. 06:48 I inhaled solvents that caused me 06:51 severe hallucinations. 06:53 I also used pills they left me with hypnotic side effects. 07:05 For 18 years, I was sinking lower, 07:08 lower, and lower still. 07:11 I was deeply addicted to drugs. 07:15 I did many things that I regret. 07:18 Because of the drugs I went to prison, 07:22 I lost friends, very good friends. 07:25 Day by day, the drug doses 07:27 were becoming greater and greater. 07:32 At times, I worked 15 days to earn $300 07:37 that I spent in 24 hours to buy drugs. 07:41 In the beginning, I weighed about 230 pounds. 07:45 And at the lowest point of my addiction, 07:48 I weighed 100 pounds. 07:50 From clothes sizes of extra large 07:53 to small-sized clothing. 07:55 I began to consume an increasing amount of drugs. 07:58 My hair grew long, my fingers had burn marks, 08:02 and my mouth as well. 08:04 The burns came from the instruments 08:06 I used to smoke crack. 08:09 I began living in the streets. 08:11 I walked so much. 08:12 I spent so much time walking the streets, 08:16 that my shoes were ruined. 08:18 So I would look for shoes in the garbage. 08:21 I would search for food in the dumpsters. 08:25 And I would look for dirty clothes to wear 08:27 because mine were even dirtier. 08:31 At the end, my only possession was my clothes. 08:37 But in the Bible in Proverbs 22, 08:41 there is a verse that says, 08:43 "Train up a child in the way he should go. 08:46 And when he is old, he will not depart from it." 08:51 I remembered that as a child, 08:53 I was trained to serve the Lord. 08:56 So 18 years ago, 08:59 I remember being in a dark place at dawn, 09:03 dirty, still intoxicated by drugs. 09:06 And I raised my eyes and said to the Lord, 09:10 God, help me because I will die. 09:16 These drugs are killing me. 09:18 And the Lord said to me, "Okay, I am going to help you." 09:24 Since that day, He took my hand 09:27 and has not released me. 09:29 The Lord has indeed done a great work on me. 09:34 I should have died many years ago. 09:37 Then I returned to the Adventist Church. 09:40 I was rebaptized. 09:42 Many people said to me, "You are that child. 09:45 You're the son of brother and sister so and so." 09:49 And I replied, "Yes, I am that child, 09:51 but I was lost for a long time. 09:53 And now I'm back." 09:55 After while, 09:56 I studied to be a public accountant, 09:59 but I made a promise to the Lord. 10:00 I said, "Lord, I don't want to work 10:03 in any company anymore. 10:05 I want to serve You." 10:08 And then a special desire came into my heart 10:11 to start the rehabilitation ministry. 10:15 And so the Lord opened the doors 10:17 of the Adventist Church, 10:18 and the church helped me to open this drug rehab center. 10:36 Wonderful. I'm glad you're here. 10:38 Tell me what exactly happens here at this center? 10:44 Okay. 10:46 Our first activity is always to put ourselves 10:49 in the hands of God. 10:52 The people here get up at eight in the morning. 10:55 And we start with a Bible reading plan. 10:58 Then we sing loudly and joyfully, 11:01 as you have heard us singing. 11:03 The praises raised to the Lord 11:05 and inspires in the beginning of a new day. 11:09 After worship, we have breakfast together. 11:12 Then we pause 11:13 for an extended worship service. 11:16 We read both the adult 11:18 and the youth daily devotionals. 11:20 Sometimes people 11:22 from the Adventist Church come to preach to us. 11:25 When the worship is over, we'll have lunch. 11:27 And lunch is an exciting time for them. 11:30 By then everyone is hungry. 11:33 And after eating, they're happy. 11:36 Then in the afternoon, 11:38 we have time to brush our teeth 11:40 and to watch some TV. 11:44 Later in the afternoon, 11:46 we studied the Sabbath School lesson 11:47 for that day. 11:49 In the evening, other pastors come to share 11:51 the Word of God again. 11:54 And by 8 o'clock our day ends. 11:57 We pray, we go to sleep, 11:59 hoping to wake up the next day, 12:02 if that is God's will for us. 12:11 So, Daniel, you've been 12:13 operating here now for nine years. 12:15 How many people have been baptized through this program? 12:21 We're not only a rehabilitation ministry, 12:23 we're also a restoration and a missionary ministry. 12:27 This has always been our vision. 12:30 Our vision is to invite addicts to restore them, 12:33 and to help them to make a commitment to God. 12:37 Along nine years of working here, 12:40 1500 people have been baptized in this place. 12:45 Some of these former addicts 12:48 are serving the Lord in Adventist churches, 12:51 others returned to their own churches. 12:54 There are many people who accepted Jesus Christ 12:57 and are serving Him today. 12:59 I think we will continue with this ministry 13:02 until God shows us a different path. 13:05 In the meantime, we continue working. 13:12 Every 15 days, we carry out evangelistic campaigns 13:16 so that many hearts can be touched by the Lord. 13:21 On the fourth floor, 13:23 we have a baptismal tank where they're baptized. 13:26 In this tank, they're born as new creatures 13:30 for the greatest glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 13:34 To Him be all the honor in glory. 13:37 Hallelujah. 13:45 Wonderful. 13:46 Well, God is using that you, Daniel. 13:48 Thank you so much for what you're doing. 13:49 God bless. 13:52 One thousand five hundred people baptized 13:55 through this ministry 13:56 over nine years putting Christ 13:57 method of ministry into practice. 13:59 What a wonderful story. 14:00 We'll be right back after this break. |
Revised 2020-04-29