Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000053
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00:01 It's a tail of a giraffe,
00:03 it was actually used by the very witch 00:04 doctor in this village at one time to speak 00:08 and commune with the evil spirits, 00:11 but today that man is a Christian in Jesus 00:13 Christ right here in this 00:15 Maasai Village, stay tuned. 00:50 It may not be in your dietary habits, 00:51 but some of the folks here love termites. 00:54 I'm told especially in during the rainy times 00:56 and they'll come out of their nest, 00:57 the winged ones especially they'll grab a 00:59 whole of those and still with wings poking 01:01 out of their mouth and they 01:02 say they taste like butter. 01:10 You know, I'm probably not going find 01:11 anything in this way. The best way 01:13 I'm told to, to really find termites in these 01:16 monster mounds is to pour quite a bit of water in, 01:18 put green grass down there, 01:20 let it set for a while and then watch the 01:21 termites come out. I bet you don't have the 01:25 kind of termite problem though that they 01:27 have out here in some of these areas, 01:28 can you imagine if a mound of termites like 01:31 this got in your home. Oh boy, 01:32 I tell you they take care of it in short order. 01:39 Africa, second only to Asian in size and 01:42 population. Covers over 20% of the earth 01:45 total land area. Almost 15% of the 01:48 world's human population lives on the African 01:51 continent. It consists of 53 countries including 01:55 Madagascar and various island groups. 01:59 Non-biblical scientist and Paleoanthropologist 02:02 regard Africa to be the oldest inhabited 02:04 territory on earth, and the origin of the 02:07 human species. From a biblical perspective 02:10 however, it is more likely that the present 02:13 region of Iran, Iraq, Israel, and even 02:16 Egypt were the cradle of civilization. 02:36 Beautiful ostriches, I mean it's, 02:39 it's pretty great to see them out here in 02:41 their inhabited. Earlier we passed an 02:45 ostrich farm where they raise meat I guess 02:48 in process ostrich meat, but it's sure nice 02:51 to just see them out here, God's creation there, 02:53 absolutely beautiful and they're huge. 03:02 Most people think of Africa in terms of 03:04 the largest zoo in the world, 03:06 where the animals run free and the visitors 03:08 are confined to safari vehicles. 03:11 It boasts the world's largest, 03:12 most diverse and most densely inhabited 03:15 free ranging animal population on the 03:17 planet with large wild carnivores like lions, 03:22 hyenas, leopards and cheetahs and herbivores 03:25 such as cape buffalo, deer of all kinds, 03:29 elephants, camels and giraffes all ranging 03:32 freely on mostly open non private plains. 03:42 Beyond the vast expansive grass covered 03:44 plains. The jungles are no less impressive. 03:48 They hold a tremendous variety of snakes, 03:50 primates, crocodiles, and amphibians. 04:10 As we view nature, it should cause us to 04:13 pause and take note. What is God really 04:16 like that he could create such diversity? 04:19 What grand mind could create a mighty 04:21 elephant and fashion a delicate flower. 04:24 Conceive of a comical monkey and think of 04:26 the stripes on a zebra and finish it off 04:29 with a grand sunset. Surely, 04:32 a God who loves us very much. 04:43 As you can see AWR is frontline mission 04:46 radio. Our first priority is to travel where 04:49 missionaries cannot go. We broadcast 04:52 thousands of hours each day in seventy 04:54 major languages of the world. 04:57 AWR has the capability and capacity of 05:00 blanketing almost 80 percent of the world's 05:02 population. Not only do we broadcast via 05:05 shortwave radio, but our signal is on over 05:08 1000 FM and AM stations around the world as well. 05:12 Our podcast subscribers, Internet users, 05:15 satellite downlinks are growing rapidly, 05:18 evidenced by the hundred thousand plus e-mails, 05:21 letters and phone calls we receive each and 05:24 every year. Yes, AWR is your mission radio. 05:28 No walls and no borders. For AWR that means 05:31 change lives and change hearts around the world, 05:34 because God is using the airways of 05:37 AWR to reach people everywhere. 05:43 Here's another story of hope 05:45 from Adventist World Radio. 05:47 Prabha was ready to take her own life. 05:50 She had two small children and was abandoned 05:53 by her husband. And because her family 05:55 was too poor to help, Prabha had nowhere 05:58 else to go. Overcome by disappointment and 06:01 grief she decided to commit suicide, 06:04 but that night she says, it was a great turning 06:06 point, while tuning her radio she stumbled 06:09 on a broadcast from Adventist World Radio. 06:13 Being a lifelong Hindu, she had never before 06:15 heard of a Christ who carried for her with a 06:18 new hope in her heart, Prabha decided to live 06:21 for God. So, she says, I'm sure I have a 06:23 job to do for the people who are 06:26 like me on the edge of death. 06:30 Adventist World Radio shares the hope 06:33 of Christ with millions of people everyday 06:36 in their own languages. 06:38 For more information visit awr.org. 07:18 What are all these things you have in front 07:20 of you today? What, what is this for? 07:23 And all of these other things that are 07:24 here today why, why are these here? 07:30 We brought these things here to show you what 07:32 we were and what we did before we became 07:35 Christians, but now we will never use 07:37 them because Jesus change our life. 07:40 So, you were a witch doctor then? Yes. 07:45 How many years were you a witch doctor? 07:48 I was a witch doctor many years. 07:50 And, and while you were a witch doctor? 07:52 What types of things that you do? What, 07:55 did you talk with the Gods, what did you do? 07:58 I lie and just made stuff up for most of 08:01 the time, it was all just a trick 08:04 to get things from people. 08:06 You did it for money? 08:07 I got a lot of money. 08:09 Did you become a rich man because 08:10 of using these things and tricking people in? 08:14 In the beginning I had a lot of money, 08:17 but after sometime I became poor again. 08:21 What types of payment did you usually 08:23 demand from the people that you supposedly 08:25 treated? What, what kind of money or whatever? 08:29 Both money, cows, and anything of value. 08:32 Both money and cows. 08:36 Yes, cows are very valuable. 08:38 Over, overall the time that you, 08:40 you practiced witchcraft. How many cows 08:42 do you think you, you took from people. 08:46 I can't remember how many, 08:48 but there was many, many cows. 08:50 In the Maasai culture, the cow is about the 08:53 most important thing there is. 08:54 So, you took, you, you bargained and took 08:58 the most important thing from these people. 09:01 Yes, that is right. 09:02 Which ended up meaning I guess then 09:04 that were you the most important person 09:06 in the whole village and the 09:07 whole area because of that. 09:11 Yes, I would just like my father before me. 09:13 He taught me everything I needed 09:15 to know about witchcraft. 09:17 So, your father was also a witch doctor? 09:20 Yes, he was. And was his father also? 09:25 Yes, he was also a witch doctor. 09:28 That's a long history of witch 09:30 doctors in, in your tribe. 09:32 Yes, that is true. Can you tell me on, 09:36 on this what? What was this use for? 09:39 I, I could, can you hear the thing, 09:40 what was it used for? 09:44 This is a calibus, sick people would come to 09:48 me to get cured. And I will talk to the 09:51 calibus and I would pretend it 09:54 told me about the illness. 09:57 And this one what about this one? 10:00 I used to keep my tobacco in that. 10:02 So you, you grew tobacco or just. 10:05 No. Just use tobacco. Yes, before I become 10:10 a Christian I used tobacco. And these. 10:14 Those are ornaments that witch 10:16 doctor hang from their ears. 10:18 But now as a Christian you took them off. 10:21 Of course. What, tell me about the 10:23 transformation, what changed, you're 10:26 no longer a witch doctor, what changed? 10:32 After many years as a witch doctor, 10:36 I realized there was no future in this practice. 10:39 Many people were deciding to join 10:41 Christianity and I lost many followers. 10:45 I was no longer as important in my village. 10:49 After that I heard the preachers word on the 10:53 radio, and I felt the truth in my heart 10:55 and then even he said to follow Jesus. 10:58 Now, that you no longer have a job as it were. 11:01 You know, getting money from people for 11:03 witchcraft. How do you survive? How do you live? 11:06 I am a farmer, I have cows and goat. 11:10 And I have children who work with me. 11:12 When we get crops from the farm, 11:15 we take them to the market and get money. 11:17 So, you saw there was a real difference 11:20 between those people who were living 11:21 Christianity and those who are 11:24 using this stuff like you were. 11:27 Yes, Sesu become Christian, 11:31 we have received many blessings. 11:33 God has blessed me, I have children, 11:37 cows, goats, and a large farm. 11:40 When God touched your life and you became 11:43 a Christian, you put all these things away. 11:46 Did you return any of the cows you'd taken 11:48 from other people because of witchcraft? 11:51 I could not give them back because all the cows die. 11:55 Oh, so. Those cows died, okay. 12:26 Wilderness, the intact undisturbed wild and 12:29 natural areas on earth. Wild life can be 12:33 found in all ego-systems, deserts, 12:35 rainforests, plains, and even the most developed 12:39 urban areas. The survival of one 12:42 species often comes in the death of another. 12:46 The wilderness is both beautiful and dangerous. 12:57 The people who live in and around these areas 13:00 are usually at the top of the food chain, 13:02 but not always. The domestication of 13:05 cattle and goats has enabled the people 13:07 to have a source of food, milk, and 13:09 clothing for millennium. The only thing more 13:12 important to survival then food is water. 13:24 The Maasai are semi-nomadic tribe 13:26 or ethnic group living in Kenya and 13:29 Northern Tanzania. Their lifestyles centers 13:32 on cattle, which are not only a primary source 13:35 of food, but also a major of a man's wealth. 13:38 The more cattle and children he has, 13:40 the more he has respected and the 13:42 more power he has within the group. 13:53 Resources in the bush are scarce, 13:54 so their homes are build of sticks, 13:56 straw and cow dung. They surround their 14:01 village with a fence of twisted branches 14:03 to keep out the lions and other predators. 14:06 You see, the protection of the cattle is far 14:09 more important than the protection of the 14:11 people. A Maasai myth says that God gave 14:15 all the cattle on earth to them. 14:17 So, rustling cattle from other tribes is just 14:19 reclaiming what is theirs, but this 14:22 practice is not as common as it once was. 14:28 Here we are on our way to Amboseli and 14:31 we have met these two young Maasai 14:35 herders with their cattle here. 14:37 And we have a radio and they're very 14:40 friendly with us and we're very happy to 14:42 get acquainted with them. We hope they 14:45 are listeners to AWR as well. Even though 14:48 they don't speak English and we don't 14:49 speak Maasai we're still 14:51 communicating through friendship. 14:54 And it's exciting Ben that we have so 14:55 many listeners in the Maasai people. 14:56 That's right, sure is. Your name is Joseph, 15:00 but I just wonder that doesn't seem 15:02 like a Maasai name. 15:04 Was your name always Joseph? 15:06 That is my Christian name. 15:08 What was your name before? 15:12 Kingi, yeah, Kingi, Kingi. My name was Kingi. 15:16 So, you changed your name when you 15:17 became a Christian, you got a new name? 15:20 I changed my name from Kingi 15:22 to Joseph when I was baptized. 15:25 Tell me, now that you look back on all this. 15:28 Do you see, really plainly how the devil 15:32 was working in your life before 15:33 you become a Christian? 15:36 Everyday I ask my God to forgive me for the 15:39 past, for when the devil was using me to deceive. 15:45 You're not alone, but he's a forgiving God, 15:47 same with me. You're now the, 15:50 the leader of your church congregation. 15:53 And God's used you in a mighty way. 15:57 Your wife, your dear wife is sitting here. 15:58 Now, was she with you in witchcraft. 16:03 Yes, I force her to assist me, 16:06 when I practice those things. 16:07 So, she didn't want to assist you, 16:09 you forced her to do it. 16:11 Yes, but ever since we receive Jesus together, 16:15 we both decide to leave those evil ways. 16:18 The Lord brought her the same time, 16:20 touched her heart, the same time as yours. 16:23 Yes, at the same time. So, she was very 16:26 happy then to get rid of all 16:28 this too at the same time. 16:31 She is very happy. May I ask your wife a 16:34 question? Please ask her anything. 16:37 Tell me your part of the story, 16:39 when you saw your husband thinking 16:41 about Jesus Christ, what did it mean to you? 16:45 After seeing my husband follow Jesus, 16:47 I felt the truth in my heart and 16:50 decided to join my husband. 16:53 So, now you're both a very 16:54 happy couple in the village? 16:56 Yes, we are happy. And now for both 16:59 of you, what does Jesus mean in 17:01 your lives? It was a decision from 17:05 our heart. Jesus is the truth. 17:25 When we arrived at this village, 17:27 there was a large gathering of Christians, 17:29 Catholics, Lutherans and Adventists, 17:31 all are praising God together, full of spirit 17:33 and excitement. Standing around the 17:35 outside were many non-Christian 17:37 Maasai curious at the sound of music. 17:48 They're very musical and their music 17:50 consist of rhythms provided by a chorus 17:52 of vocalists singing harmony while the songs 17:55 leaders sings the melody. The leader begins 17:57 by singing a line or a number of the song. 18:00 The group will respond with one unanimous 18:02 call and acknowledgment. The Maasai can't 18:05 sing without moving, neck movements, 18:07 jumping for joy all in a polyphonic 18:10 syncopation and praise of the Savior. 18:21 Engai is the name given to the Maasai God. 18:24 He was once a human who owned all the 18:26 cattle in the world, when the sky and 18:28 earth split he sent all the cattle down 18:30 from the sky along a long bark rope. 18:36 The Maasai people received all of these 18:37 cattle, when the jealous group of hunters 18:40 did not receive any cattle; they cut the 18:42 bark from the sky. This created a gap 18:44 between the heavens and the earth, 18:46 which stopped the flow of cattle to the 18:48 Maasai people. This leaves the Maasai 18:50 with the belief that cattle are a direct link 18:52 to Engai. And that he intended that all 18:55 cattle were for the Maasai. Looking after 18:58 the cattle is not just a means of survival 19:00 for them, but a holy occupation with a direct 19:03 link to their God. Each Maasai is sent a 19:08 guardian spirit at birth or so it's believed, 19:11 the guardian is sent to protect them and 19:13 ward off all danger until their death. 19:17 At death if the person was bad in life, 19:19 they're carried off to the desert with no 19:21 water and no cattle. If they were good person, 19:26 they're carried off to a land of 19:27 many cattle and plentiful pastures. 19:37 Through the radio wave of AWR, 19:39 God is reaching people around the world. 19:43 We like to offer you an edition of Making Waves, 19:45 its four of our episodes brought to you from 19:47 around the world. God speaking to hearts, 19:51 the hearts of the listeners of AWR, 19:52 exciting stories. We hope that you'll 19:54 share those with friends and neighbors, 19:56 acquaintances, anyone you come in contact 19:58 with, join us to Make Waves. 20:00 It's completely free, right now 20:02 the information is on your screen. 20:05 For your free, no obligation DVD, 20:08 write to: Adventist World Radio, 12501, 20:12 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904, 20:17 or call: 1-866-503 -3531 or log on to 20:23 www.awr.org/MWDVD. Be sure to request 20:30 offer #10 that number again is 1-866-503-3531. 20:38 Here is another story of hope 20:41 from Adventist World Radio. 20:43 My name is Benjamin Schoun, 20:44 president of Adventist of World Radio. 20:47 We've been amazed by God's work in 20:49 Afghanistan. Recently a relief worker told 20:52 me that many Afghanis have great interest 20:54 in learning about Christ, but are afraid 20:57 to purchase Bibles instead they listen to 21:00 Christian radio program. Adventist World 21:03 Radio Broadcast to Afghanistan in the 21:05 Dari, Uyghur and Arabic languages. 21:08 Allowing us to reach a large number of 21:11 the population. The response has been 21:13 incredible, just one example is a letter 21:16 we received from an orphaned teenage 21:18 refugee saying, Jesus is now the hope 21:21 I cling to in my sea of pain. 21:24 How can I become a Christian? 21:27 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of 21:30 Christ with millions of people everyday. 21:33 For more information visit: www.awr.org. 21:40 This gentleman is a Christian, 21:41 not only that he's the head of his church, 21:43 but he wasn't always a Christian he was 21:45 a witch doctor. Today he's considered to 21:47 re-enact for us some of the things in 21:49 his Maasai village that he did as the witch 21:51 doctor. This lady acting as his wife, 21:54 this lady acting as the person that needs 21:57 the help. So, go ahead and 21:59 let see what you are do? 22:03 Central to the Maasai culture and village 22:05 life is the absolute belief in the witch 22:08 doctor who appearedly does shamanistic 22:10 healing, revelations and prophecies. 22:13 And ensure success in war, 22:15 on adequate land. They wanted to 22:17 demonstrate how the once evil witch 22:19 doctor took advantage of those who sought 22:22 his help. They wanted to make sure 22:24 we understood how the devil uses those 22:26 in the village possesed by him 22:28 to destroy the lives of everyone. 22:35 She pleads for her sick child, 22:37 but Joseph demands payment. 22:39 The Gods are telling me that your husband 22:41 must bring the cow by tomorrow or something 22:43 bad could happen. This is no idle threat. 22:48 Without the protection of God the devil can 22:50 inflict great harm on the villagers. 22:53 During his days as a witch doctor, 22:55 Joseph began to listen to the gospel 22:57 message of AWR. Shortly after he heard 23:00 the radio, two evangelist came to his village. 23:07 You're not wanted here says the witch doctor, 23:10 but God had been preparing his heart. 23:13 The evangelist respond, we do not come 23:16 to change your culture, but to bring the 23:18 word of God. We want to share the 23:20 true God with you, to save you from your 23:22 evil ways. Joseph listened to the 23:24 evangelist because they were saying the 23:27 same things he had been hearing on the radio. 23:31 The radio, the evangelists and the Bible 23:34 all have the same message of a God who 23:36 personally loved him. They removed the 23:38 old things of the devil from him and now 23:40 they tell him that God will clothe him with 23:42 eternal life. He no longer needs his gourd. 23:46 He no longer needs his necklace, 23:48 and now convinced. He removes his copper 23:50 earrings and soon removes his wife's 23:52 head band. God has spoken to him 23:55 and he has decided to follow. 24:10 Joseph no longer lives the life of a 24:12 man who talks with demons. 24:14 A man who cheats people out of their 24:16 livestock , no he is a transformed person, 24:20 when he heard the voice of God speaking 24:22 to him through the radio program and the 24:24 Evangelist; he answered and turned 24:26 his back on his former life. 24:30 You look at the devil, he always wants to 24:32 take you down, down, down. 24:34 God really wants to lift us up, up, up, 24:37 if you hadn't heard AWR would 24:41 your life be different today? 24:44 Yes, I would be lost. 24:46 And how about you, same question. 24:49 It's the same. What did you do when 24:51 you first begin listening to those programs? 24:56 We prepare in paper, I would write down 24:58 the verses from the preachers, 25:00 message and then I would continue reading 25:02 the Bible even after the preacher had finished it. 25:05 Now, do you share this gospel message 25:07 with others? Yes. Just in your own village 25:12 right here or do you go out and tell others? 25:16 We go to all the villages around, 25:18 this heals and share the AWR message. 25:21 So, everywhere you take your cattle, 25:23 when you go spread the gospel message 25:25 of Jesus. So, from witch doctor to 25:28 leader of a church, praise the Lord. 25:33 From the time of the Garden of Eden, 25:35 Satan has tempted people with power. 25:38 He told Adam and Eve that they could 25:40 become like Gods, if they just followed 25:43 his way. A lot of people in the world today 25:45 don't think there is a devil, 25:47 but when we see these stories, 25:49 we see that the devil is indeed real. 25:52 The realm of darkness is very evident, 25:55 but AWR's purpose is to bring people 25:59 into the light, the light of God's truth. 26:02 In Acts 26 verse 18 it says, 26:06 "I am sending you to these people to open 26:10 their eyes and turn them from darkness 26:13 to light and from the power of Satan to 26:16 God, so that they may receive forgiveness 26:19 of sins and a place among those who are 26:22 sanctified by faith in Me." 26:25 Your gift to AWR will help us to reach more 26:29 people around the world and bring them out 26:31 of the realm of darkness into the 26:33 marvelous light of God's love and salvation. 26:37 If you would like to partner with AWR 26:38 to reach the world for Jesus Christ. 26:41 Give us a call today, 1-866-503-3531, 26:46 or you can write us at 12501 Old, 26:49 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 26:53 or log on to the web site: www.awr.org. 26:59 Thank you for watching, please join us 27:00 again for another exciting gospel 27:02 adventure because around the 27:03 world AWR is making waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17