A Global Mission pioneer
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starts new work
near Mount Ararat.
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A woman decides to
become a missionary
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after watching
Mission 360 stories
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and an urban center
of influence in Chile
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helps a suicidal woman,
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all this and much
more coming up next
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on Mission 360.
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Hello and
welcome to Mission 360.
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I'm Gary Krause.
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Today's program
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is coming to you
from Panama City,
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in the country of Panama.
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And this is a beautiful country
covered with rainforests,
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so many different
varieties of wildlife,
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and the church has
grown astronomically here.
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In fact, almost one
in 50 people in Panama
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is a Seventh-day Adventist.
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But of course, they
still face many challenges
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to reach
different classes of people.
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And they have the
challenge of the city behind me,
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Panama City.
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But this is a very
lay directed movement
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here in Panama as it is
in much of inter-America.
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Pastors here usually
care for at least six churches
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so they focus very
much on training lay people
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for ministry and
when somebody is baptized,
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they are discipled into mission.
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We will be talking
a lot about mission
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on today's program.
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First up, let's meet
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a Global Mission
pioneer in Armenia.
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Many people believe Noah's Ark
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settled on Mount
Ararat after the flood
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in what is modern day Turkey.
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It's a beautiful
sight from almost any angle.
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But one of the best views
of the mountain can be seen
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from across the
border in Armenia.
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Armenia was the first
country to adopt Christianity
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as its official
religion in the year 301 AD.
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Although Christianity
spread here a long time ago,
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Adventists in the
capital city of Yerevan
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have been praying for
opportunities to share
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a unique message with the people
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of this large city.
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Our main goal is to spread
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the three angels' message here
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during this area of
Yerevan to serve people
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through health ministry.
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After working in
this neighborhood
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as a Global Mission
pioneer for 2.5 years,
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Vigen started this
small group of believers.
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This group is excited to
share the Adventist message
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and found that health ministry
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is the best way to
connect with a community.
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Over the last year,
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they put on small health expos
featuring lifestyle seminars
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like the breathing free
program for people who smoke,
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healthy cooking
classes are a favorite
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among community members.
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They love learning new recipes
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and tasting the
food in a social setting.
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Some of the members
started a colporteur ministry,
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knocking on people's doors.
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As their group became
more known in the neighborhood,
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they decided to hold a
series of Bible meetings
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in their small rented space.
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They mailed and passed
out dozens of invitations
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to these upcoming meetings.
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But just before
the day of the event,
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they were kicked
out of the building.
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It's very
difficult and expensive
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to rent space in
this part of the city.
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So the members
did the only thing
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they could at that
point, they prayed.
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And after a few days'
prayers, we find the building
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in the same
street, two homes after,
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it was very near.
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And for us, it was
really unbelievable miracle
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that God did.
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Taking this as a sign from God,
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the meetings went on as planned.
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Karine received an
invitation from a friend.
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She was willing to try anything
to fill a feeling of emptiness
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she couldn't explain.
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About two years ago I met Vigen.
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When I heard him
speaking, it touched my heart.
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I began to understand the Bible,
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and that empty space was filled.
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Karine was baptized
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and is now a very active
member of the Adventist Church.
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I became like a new person.
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I'm more faithful to God now.
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Wherever I go, I feel a peace
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and a comfort that
wasn't there before.
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Mission work in
cities like Yerevan
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can be extremely difficult.
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Church planting can seem like
an impossible task at times.
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But through
prayer and God's power,
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new groups of
believers can start.
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Global Mission pioneers
like Vigen have found that
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by using Christ's
method of ministry,
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they can break barriers
that they couldn't otherwise.
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To show people
that we are loving them,
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we are interested in them,
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and we are prepared to help them
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to solve their
everyday problems.
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And I think it's
gospel is the answer
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to the many
problems of the people.
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Thank you for
supporting Global Mission
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through financial
contribution and prayer.
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Your support is helping
pioneers plant new churches
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in un-entered
areas around the world.
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I would like to
ask you to pray that
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people could
know believing a God
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and that they could find
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the rest and
peace in Christ alone.
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I'm standing outside a
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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here in Panama City in
Panama, and my guest is Yuzara.
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Thank you so much
for joining us, Yuzara.
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Can you please
describe for me the neighborhood
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where this church
is, describe this area?
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Well, we are really here
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at our Mount
Moriah Adventist Church,
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located at the
Avenue [inaudible]
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Calidonia, Panama City.
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We're here enjoying
this wonderful plan.
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It's a missionary plan
that aims to bring love
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through this project
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that we call
the missionary soup.
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Our goal is to provide
not only physical nourishment,
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but also spiritual food.
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We want to serve our neighbors.
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This desire comes
from the great example
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that Jesus left us.
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The type of people who
come here are poor people.
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They come here from everywhere,
from a variety of places.
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This spot is quite
a strategic place that
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the Lord has given us to work.
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We hope that many people
can find here the love of God.
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So, Yuzara, tell
me about the ministry
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that you've been
involved in today?
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This idea came from
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the Metropolitan
Conference of Adventists.
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Every month 2,000
soups are distributed.
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Today 2,000 people
of all walks of life
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have received
the missionary soup.
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And it's a plan
that we're carrying out
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as a church to reach
people who are in need.
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Now, why are you
involved in this ministry?
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Well, the main
reason I'm here is
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because the Lord called
me to work as Director of
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Personal Ministries Department
in the Mount Moriah Church.
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Now can you tell me some
experiences of some people
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whose lives have been
touched through this ministry?
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Well, we have a
lot of experiences
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as we give out soup.
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Brothers and sisters
tell stories of people
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who have heard the Word of God
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as they receive
the missionary soup.
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We have been able to
serve them this food at moments
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when they had
nothing else to eat.
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Others who feel all
alone have also been fed
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with this meal to
satisfy their hungry stomachs.
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We've given them the opportunity
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to have something
warm and tasty to eat.
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Through this we have shared
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the love of God
and His Word with them.
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Yours t-shirt, what
does it say in English?
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This t-shirt was made by
a local Adventist Conference
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and was given to
the brothers and sisters
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who participate in this project.
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It shows the logos of
both personal ministries
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and women's ministries.
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Wonderful, now can you tell me
what effect does this ministry
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have on the
people who are involved?
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Well, it has made a huge impact.
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Working here
really affects the people
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who are
involved in this project,
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because this project allows us
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to live out the love of God,
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to show love to street
people, and to meet their needs.
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Not only the need
for physical food,
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but also the need
for spiritual food.
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The Lord has called each of
us to share that spiritual food
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through this missionary work.
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Now you provide
this service on a Sunday,
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what about on Sabbath?
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During the week we prepare
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for the coming
activities in our church
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and the Adventist Conference.
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Every Sabbath after
worship ends we provide a meal.
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It serves to not
only church members
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but to anyone who is hungry.
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Sabbath after Sabbath
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we prepare for the
wonderful opportunity
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to share a meal with others
by giving them a plate of food.
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It makes a positive impact
in the community on Sabbath.
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On Sundays we serve
the missionary soup.
00:10:59.22\00:11:02.09
But there are some churches
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that only do this
activity on Sabbath.
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Remember, this is a
conference wide project.
00:11:06.83\00:11:08.70
That's great, Yuzara.
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Thank you so much for
sharing with us today.
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.41
And here are some
of the volunteers.
00:11:20.44\00:11:23.14
Gracias.
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And viewers at home,
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what a wonderful ministry
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this is in the heart of the city
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here in Panama,
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blessing the
people of the community.
00:11:32.19\00:11:33.52
We'll be right
back after this break.
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