Participants:
Series Code: MTS
Program Code: MTS002802B
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00:15 Welcome back to Jakarta
00:16 and I'm standing in front of the National Monument, 00:19 which is right in the heart of the city. 00:21 Next up, we traveled to Silver Spring, Maryland 00:24 to learn some stories 00:25 of extraordinary women in mission. 00:28 I'm here with Heather-Dawn Small 00:31 one of my favorite people here. 00:33 And she is the Director of Women's Ministries 00:35 for the Seventh-day Adventist world church. 00:38 Heather-Dawn, thank you for being with us today. 00:40 Thank you. 00:41 Now there may be some people out there who are saying, 00:44 "Women's ministries is that ministering to women 00:47 or women ministering to others?" 00:50 And how would you answer that? 00:51 Well, simple answer. 00:52 Women's ministries exist to 00:54 nurture and empower our sisters 00:57 so that we can reach out 00:59 so when we talk about nurture, 01:01 we're talking about not only spiritual, 01:03 which is number one, 01:04 when we talk about physically, socially, emotional, 01:07 and we also ask that they include their friends 01:09 on those kinds of seminars, events, 01:12 and then there is the empower where we do training, 01:15 and then finally, is the outreach. 01:17 So it's a three-fold, 01:19 they all take place at the same time, 01:21 but it is for the women in the church, 01:24 but also for the women in the community 01:26 because the needs we have they have them too. 01:28 So the answer to my question, it was all of the above, 01:31 perhaps more. 01:32 Yes, a lot more. 01:35 Now so what are the things 01:36 that are happening around the world 01:37 with Women's Ministries? 01:39 Well, you know, there's a lot happening 01:40 and I'm assuming you're asking what's happening in mission? 01:43 Because... 01:45 Because this is a mission program, yes. 01:46 That's right. Definitely. 01:47 Well, you know, we have a lot going on... 01:49 And now they know 01:51 why you're one of my favorite people, right? 01:53 And when I say there's a lot going on 01:55 because we do a lot of training 01:57 because we want our women to be comfortable 01:59 when it comes to reaching out, 02:01 and we try to help every woman 02:02 identified their area of outreach. 02:05 Is it prison ministry? 02:07 Is it visiting my neighborhood? 02:09 Is it hospitality ministry? 02:11 Is it Bible study preaching? 02:13 We try to help them with that 02:14 and give them a range of seminar training 02:17 in those various areas, 02:19 but let me get to what women are actually doing. 02:21 And I think the first place 02:23 that I'm gonna think about is Netherlands. 02:25 And, you know, Europe is a kind of a tough place. 02:27 Right. 02:29 Western Europe, 02:30 but what our sisters are doing in Netherlands 02:33 because of the fact that so many people 02:36 don't even think about God or going to church, 02:38 we are focusing on what do people like? 02:41 What do our women in our community like? 02:44 And, you know, Netherlands is the place of flowers. 02:46 And so... Yes, tulips. 02:48 That's right. Tulips. 02:49 Gardening is a big thing there, as well as crafts. 02:52 And so our women actually use their homes 02:55 where they invite women, their neighbors, you know, 02:58 I see I have some neighbors who keep meticulous gardens, 03:01 I'm gonna invite them to my home. 03:02 Let's talk about gardening. 03:04 Let's talk about, you know, sharing tips, 03:07 opening the doorway into someone's life, 03:09 which is that friendship thing, 03:11 which many times we don't take time to do. 03:14 And so they use those kinds of events. 03:17 And then I think of South America Division, Brazil, 03:21 this month of October is Cancer Awareness Month. 03:24 Well, you know, in Brazil last year, 03:26 I'm interested to see 03:27 what they're gonna do this year, 03:29 but last year, they actually, 03:32 1,300 women went out on the streets on bicycles 03:36 in their pink T-shirts with men on bicycles. 03:39 Can you imagine 1,300 bicycles going down the road 03:42 with the breast cancer awareness on it, 03:45 and they gave out pamphlets. 03:47 And I thought that was just such an amazing thing 03:50 to reach out to the community at large. 03:53 Now I like a couple of things you said. 03:55 One was, you know, making friends. 03:57 Yes. 03:59 You know, one of the things we talk about 04:00 is Christ method of ministry, 04:01 the first step is mingling, you know, and then 04:03 there are the steps that Ellen White 04:05 talks about this holistic mission. 04:07 And I really like that, the other thing is that 04:09 you said is people finding things 04:12 that were are sort of in their interest already 04:14 within their comfort zone. 04:16 I think sometimes people think this is what I have to do. 04:19 And even though 04:20 that's the last thing I want to do, 04:22 I have to do it, and then they get discouraged. 04:24 And you can use your gifts 04:26 and your strengths in the way that God has gifted you 04:29 to actually do mission and ministries. 04:30 And I thank God 04:32 for His leading in the department 04:33 because since 2005, 04:35 when our world church theme 04:37 was tell the world Women's Ministries 04:40 was focusing on touch your heart, 04:42 tell the world and Ministry of Healing, 04:43 143 and, I mean, it was our focus. 04:48 We wanted to touch people's lives, 04:50 and also help our sisters realize that outreach 04:53 was not just preaching and Bible study 04:56 and having a small group. 04:57 What if I'm not comfortable doing that, 04:59 then I don't do anything. 05:01 And that's what we found, most women were doing nothing. 05:03 And there's a place for that. 05:05 And some people have that gift. Yes. 05:06 And sometimes God does want us to push ourselves. 05:09 And I know when I tried to teach 05:11 a Sabbath School class, I was blessed because 05:13 I was really getting into things. 05:15 So people should push 05:16 but they should also start where they're comfortable. 05:18 That's right. And then move on. 05:20 So what are the things are happening 05:22 in what other parts of the world? 05:23 Well, I think of Sao Tome, and Sao Tome 05:26 is an island off the coast of Southern Africa. 05:30 And in Sao Tome our ladies 05:32 this year on International Day of Prayer, 05:34 which is the first Sabbath of August each year, 05:36 I mean, sorry, first Sabbath of March each year. 05:40 That's the day when we emphasize prayers. 05:43 They pray every day, 05:45 but this is our World International Day 05:47 where we send out a sermon and seminars and it was March, 05:51 first Sabbath of March. 05:53 The ladies decided not only were they gonna pray, 05:55 but they were going to include action in that 05:58 and so during the weeks 05:59 before they were collecting soaps 06:02 and toothpastes and, 06:05 you know, little toilet paper rolls 06:08 because in the hospitals in some countries, 06:11 when you come to the hospital, 06:12 you aren't supplied with anything. 06:14 You got to bring everything, 06:15 including your own bed sheets sometimes. 06:17 And so that Sabbath afternoon of our day of prayer, 06:20 they packed all these boxes into the cars 06:23 and the women went to the maternity ward 06:25 at the hospital in the city there. 06:28 And they gave these out to the women who were there. 06:32 And I thought that was wonderful 06:33 because sometimes we think I'm gonna pray, 06:36 but, you know, prayer is not enough 06:38 if there's no action. 06:40 I could pray all I want 06:41 and ask God to win all the souls, 06:43 but if I'm not willing to get involved, 06:46 then it's worst. 06:48 It should go hand in hand because action without prayer 06:50 can also be a problem. 06:52 That's right. That's right. 06:53 Heather-Dawn, thank you so much 06:54 for joining us. 06:56 You're welcome. 06:57 And for those of you who're out there, 06:59 please pray for Women's Ministries 07:01 around the world. 07:03 For Mission 360, I'm Rick Kajiura. 07:07 Next up, we traveled to Madagascar 07:09 to learn how a small radio changed a man's life. 07:17 I used to hate the Adventists. 07:22 If they had evangelistic series, 07:23 I would throw stones on the roof. 07:37 One day, Tisholavo watched as many beautiful young ladies 07:41 walked into the Adventist meetings. 07:43 An idea popped into his head. 07:46 "I need a good wife," he thought. 07:48 "Maybe I can find one here." 07:55 He entered the meeting, and sitting in the back, 07:57 surveyed his options. 07:59 One girl stood out to him, 08:01 and after the meeting he introduced himself. 08:05 I didn't tell her about my bad past, 08:08 and I started praying to impress her. 08:11 We were married soon after, 08:12 but instead of marriage and a beautiful wife 08:15 fixing my problems, things got worse. 08:19 Tisholavo had a criminal record 08:21 which caught up to him, 08:22 and after being found guilty of murder, 08:25 he was placed on the most wanted list. 08:29 Realizing his situation, 08:31 Tisholavo fled to a remote forest. 08:40 He lived here for four years. 08:45 I was living like an animal in the woods. 08:48 I had made a mess of my life 08:50 and felt like there was no hope for me. 08:56 Like the prodigal son 08:57 who realized he had nothing to lose, 09:00 Tisholavo ventured out of the forests. 09:02 Knowing his family had surely abandoned him, 09:05 he went to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 09:07 An elder met him and assured Tisholavo 09:10 that his place was in the church 09:12 and he was always welcome. 09:14 These words brought a glimmer of hope to his heart. 09:18 Though the church elder was very welcoming, 09:21 the other members avoided me. 09:23 My past began to haunt me again, and, in fear, 09:28 I returned to the woods. 09:35 But this time, Tisholavo took something with him 09:38 to the woods, a radio. 09:44 This was his only connection to the outside world, 09:46 and he listened eagerly to different programs. 09:59 One day, he stumbled across an AWR broadcast. 10:04 The words stirred his soul, 10:06 and he began to fall in love with the Jesus 10:08 who would forgive a sinner like him. 10:15 Excited about his new friend Jesus, 10:17 Tisholavo began inviting other thieves 10:19 and criminals in the area to come 10:21 and hear the AWR programs too. 10:25 Convinced of their salvation through the blood of Jesus, 10:28 Tisholavo and 15 other ex-criminals 10:32 came out of the woods 10:34 and were baptized 10:35 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 10:39 Together with my friends who were once thieves, 10:43 we built a church where we all worship together 10:47 on Sabbath. 10:51 Today, Tisholavo also leads out in a small group study 10:55 where they listen to AWR programs 10:57 and pray together. 11:02 Tisholavo preaches like John the Baptist 11:05 wherever he goes and is often called "apostle" 11:08 by those who know him. 11:11 AWR changed my life. 11:14 Through it, I found forgiveness and hope. 11:54 Well, thank you so much 11:55 for joining us on today's program. 11:58 And I hope that you've been inspired 11:59 and challenged by our 360-degree view 12:02 of mission around the world. 12:04 We've seen how the church 12:05 is helping children with nutrition in Africa. 12:08 We've seen how women 12:10 are making a difference in ministry, 12:12 and we've also seen the power of a simple radio 12:15 in sharing the good news. 12:17 And I wanna thank you 12:18 for your continuing support of global mission, 12:21 starting new groups of believers around the world. 12:24 Think of the many pioneers who are sacrificing 12:27 to make a difference in communities 12:29 where people have never even heard about Jesus. 12:31 I wanna thank you 12:33 for your donations to global mission, 12:35 your mission offerings, your prayers, 12:37 and also your personal involvement. 12:40 Well, for Adventist Mission, I'm Gary Krause. 12:42 And I hope that you can join me 12:43 next time right here on Mission 360. 13:00 This is my Father's world 13:06 And to my listening ears 13:13 All nature sings 13:17 And round me rings 13:20 The music of the spheres 13:37 This is my Father's world 13:44 The birds 13:45 Their carols raise 13:50 The morning light, 13:55 The lily white 13:59 Declare their maker's praise 14:05 This is my Father's world 14:12 I rest me in the thought 14:18 Of rocks and trees 14:22 Of skies and seas 14:26 His hand the wonders wrought 14:43 This is my Father's world 14:49 Oh, let me never forget 14:56 That though the wrong 14:59 Seems oft so strong 15:04 God is the ruler yet 15:10 This is my Father's world 15:17 The battle is not done 15:23 Jesus who died 15:27 Shall be satisfied 15:31 And earth and heaven be one 15:38 This is my Father's world 15:45 The battle is not done 15:51 Jesus who died 15:55 Shall be satisfied 16:00 And earth and heaven be one. |
Revised 2020-09-04