The mystique of the Amazon River
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has long had a powerful allure
upon the imagination of many.
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Being the second
longest river in the world
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and running
through the countries
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of Peru, Ecuador,
Columbia and Brazil
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the Amazon River basin
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has attracted
international attention.
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The river basin
covers an area of almost
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three million square miles
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but the most
attractive part on this river
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is what the
Brazilians call ribereņos
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or the people that
live along the riverbanks.
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Today, we're going
to visit an OCI ministry
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that is serving the people
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that live along the
banks of this great river.
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Two missionaries who
dedicated their lives
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to ministering
to the river people
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where Jessie and Leo Halliwell.
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They came to Belem,
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the mouth of the Amazon
River in the early 1930s.
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Becoming aware of
the tremendous needs
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of the people
living along this river
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Leo conceived with the idea
of starting a medical launch
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which he named
Luzerio or light bearer.
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His first book was
christened July 4th 1931.
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And for 38 years the Halliwell's
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dedicated their lives and energy
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to serving the river people.
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Throughout their ministry
over a quarter million people
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were directly affected
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by the service
of the Halliwell's.
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Unfortunately due to a
variety of circumstances
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that fleet of boats which
were serving the river people
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ultimately came to an end.
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Until God rekindled division
through Brad and Lina Mills.
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They christened their
first boat July 4th, 2009.
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This village was the site
of the first indigenous church
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at the Halliwell's constructed.
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Unfortunately over the years
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many of the church
members passed away
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and the faith for those
remaining few grew weak.
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It was an exciting day
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when the team
from Amazon Lifesavers
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came to this village.
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Not only did they
bring health and hope
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to the people on this community
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but they've helped to revive
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and reconstruct
the Adventist church
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which is a
light for the villages
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further upstream.
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Amazon Lifesavers Ministry
is a supporting ministry
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of the Adventist church
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that works in the
Amazon region of Brazil.
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And what we do is
provide medical care
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and use that as a opening door
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to reach the people that
live on the banks of the river
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in the jungle.
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And a little bit of,
whatever the community needs
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whether it's development or
education, construction stuff
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we use all these
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different
aspects as opening doors
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so then bring the
gospel and do pioneer work
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in starting
churches of evangelism
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and training of
local church leaders.
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The church
officially ran a project
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called the Luzerio
program for over 60 years.
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Which for several
different reasons ended up
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dying off in the 90s,
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and so in the
mid 2000, 2005, 2006
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the Lord was
really calling together
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a group of Brazilians
that had been involved
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with the old program.
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And God had a way
bringing us all together
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and we were able to
start this non-profit
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supporting ministry
that worked with the church.
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In 2010 the church
saying that we have three boats
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and we're working and
there was so much interest
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the church actually
started ADRA in the Amazon.
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So we work at this point
and collaboration with ADRA
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on all of our
development and medical events.
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And then with our evangelism
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that we do we work
with Global Missions
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which is a
department of our union office.
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As we're planning
our lights schools
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that we want to open
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we are in totally
involved in the union
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with that our union
secretary is excited
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and so together we're in
the planning stages right now,
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you know, working together
as a supporting ministry
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with our church.
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Amazon Lifesavers an
organization's like that one
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are really
essential especially in areas
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where it's very difficult
to do certain types of work.
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And when people have a burden
that the Lord lays on them
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to actually go and do something
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in very rural challenging
frontier types of areas
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the church needs to interact
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in a very
careful and prayerful way
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and realize that
really this is an extension
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of the wonderful work of sharing
the three angels messages
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in a very practical way.
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And if there can be a
very close working relationship
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that continues
to develop over time
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that can be an absolutely
beautiful evangelistic outreach
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that complements everything
that the church is trying to do.
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Today we have an
administrative base
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which is based in
the city of Manaus
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the capital city of
the state of Amazon,
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right in the center
of the Amazon region.
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And we are about 35
kilometers outside of the city
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on the bank of the
river in that location
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we have the
administrative offices
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where we coordinate between
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are operational
bases in the jungle.
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At that location we
also do volunteer training,
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we have events that will bring
all of our volunteers together
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and do workshops to
prepare them better,
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medically and navigation
safety and also with evangelism.
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We coordinate
between three operating bases
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where we have three of
our larger boats working.
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And each base is basically
set up in the same way.
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We have a base coordinator
of each boat in each region.
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So one boat might have a,
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you know, 200 kilometer
region that it services
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and the coordinator of that base
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will then coordinate between
the different communities
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and do strategic planning
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where we will do our
next evangelist series,
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where we need Bible workers
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and then coordinate
with the medical part,
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where do we need to
bring in medical staff
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to open up the doors
into an un-entered community.
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We felt a call as we
were preparing ourselves
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and education we want to
go and serve a needy place.
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And so one of the things
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that was so
weighing on our heart
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was coming to
the Amazon in Brazil.
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And we had knelt
down and we asked the Lord
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to make it extremely clear.
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And we were
actually on a mission trip
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in Costa Rica in 2007.
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We came back to the US
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and I had received an
email from an individual
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who had a boat
that he was interested
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in donating to the Lord's work.
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And we didn't, you
know, think much about it,
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we did actually
send him an email
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and said hey, we're interest
and finding out more about this.
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He had built a boat himself
and lived on it for five years.
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His wife had died,
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he wanted to see it
used in the Lords work.
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And so by the
end of about an hour
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conversation he said
would you like this boat?
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He told us all
about it and I said well,
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you know, it sounds interesting,
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but we don't have the
money to buy this boat.
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And he said, I didn't
ask if you want to buy it.
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I said you want this boat?
I'd like to donate it to you.
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Basically within
a week and a half
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we had the boat
registration in the mail signed
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a new boat for to
be used on the Amazon
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which was a huge sign
that we have been saying Lord,
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is this where You want us to go.
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And the Lord gave
us an amazing answer,
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yes, go forward.
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I feel like God really
hand-picked this base for us.
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We were praying and praying
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for a long time that He
would show us the right place.
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And we
specifically asked for a sign
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we wanted Brazil nut tree.
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And there are Brazil
nut trees in the interior
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but around this area
it's not very common.
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We were searching and searching
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and then God let us to this base
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and when we came we found
so many different kinds fruits
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those just filled
mangoes and bananas
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and papayas and
all sorts of fruits.
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And then at the very end
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the man said and also
we have a Brazil nut tree
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so that was so special that
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exactly what we had
really asked the Lord
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He gave it to us
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and so this base is
perfect in that sense.
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Many times missionaries think
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they're gonna go
and do just one thing,
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but the best
missionaries are the ones
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that are willing to do anything.
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And I do all sorts of things.
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I cook for groups sometimes,
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sometimes I just
wash all the sheets
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when the groups are gone.
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Of course I'm a mom as well
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so I take care of my
kids and I home school
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and then we go out on the boat.
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I help with Sabbath School
children Sabbath school program
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or I also do dental cleaning
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sometimes help to
see some patients.
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Also here at the base
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I help with communications
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as far as keeping
our website updated
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and sending out our newsletters
and things like that.
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I just love being out in nature,
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I love waking up every
morning and hearing the birds.
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As a mom it's
just wonderful to know
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that you are raising your kids
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with good values and
in a good environment
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where they're learning
service and unselfishness
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and they are not
having to struggle
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with lot of the temptations
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that people who live
in cities struggle with,
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and just the whole package.
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I feel like I'm doing God's will
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and I feel like
I'm raising my children
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to learn that and I think
that's what keeps me going.
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Besides the full time work
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that our ministry
does with volunteers
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who live on the boats
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who come, we also get a
lot a groups that come from-
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for spend a week or two weeks.
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Well, couple years
ago we were working
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with the Adventist
University in South Brazil
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they came up with a
group of nursing students.
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And they had so much fun
and it was incredible trip,
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you know, they're
from the same country
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but total different
reality from Sao Paulo.
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Among that group was one girl
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who had a
sister who was a nurse.
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And her sister was married,
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they lived in
different party Brazil
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and the two of them
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had really dreamed
about being missionaries.
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They always
thought they have to go
00:10:24.96\00:10:26.15
to Africa to be missionaries.
00:10:26.18\00:10:28.00
And their sister
came on this trip
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and went back and
called her and said hey,
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I just spent, you
know, two weeks in the Amazon
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it was amazing,
you guys should see
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and she started
telling her me about the trip.
00:10:35.78\00:10:37.64
So this couple,
Daniel and Naissem
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and they got really interest
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and said, hey you
know, we'd love to find out.
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So Daniel actually came
about a year and a half ago
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to see the project
and see what goes on.
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And he spent one month.
00:10:48.84\00:10:50.20
We put him out in the jungle
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he's been a month
visiting villages,
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no contact with his wife.
00:10:53.59\00:10:55.47
And when we finally gets to us
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and calls her he says,
you're not gonna believe this,
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this is amazing, this
is what we wanted to do.
00:10:58.36\00:11:01.20
Within two months they
sold everything they had,
00:11:01.23\00:11:04.70
they rented out their house
to someone else and they moved.
00:11:04.73\00:11:07.82
They both came and
they've been with us
00:11:07.85\00:11:09.53
for about 14 months now.
00:11:09.56\00:11:11.47
Over their course of
that time they've become our
00:11:11.50\00:11:13.83
one of the coordinators
of one of our local bases.
00:11:13.86\00:11:16.60
They actually run
the catamaran boat
00:11:16.63\00:11:18.88
they coordinate
that whole region,
00:11:18.91\00:11:20.73
both of them
being registered nurses.
00:11:20.76\00:11:23.13
And really Bible
workers in their hearts
00:11:23.16\00:11:25.59
and they've come and
they've help with medical work
00:11:25.62\00:11:27.73
and evangelism in
this whole region.
00:11:27.76\00:11:32.86
I am a nurse and
I'm also the secretary
00:11:32.89\00:11:35.25
at the base in Barreirinhas.
00:11:35.28\00:11:38.04
In our day-to-day activities
we do medical consults,
00:11:38.07\00:11:41.84
go from community
to community visiting.
00:11:41.87\00:11:44.93
Do educational talks
and also attend to people
00:11:44.96\00:11:48.65
who show up at our
boat anytime day or night.
00:11:48.68\00:11:53.60
And besides the medical
consults that we provide
00:11:53.63\00:11:56.38
we also do
evangelistic work as well.
00:11:56.41\00:11:59.39
There are two main
things that I like to do
00:11:59.42\00:12:01.43
and the first is
bringing Jesus to people
00:12:01.46\00:12:04.23
and see their
lives being transformed.
00:12:04.26\00:12:07.24
The second
thing that I most like
00:12:07.27\00:12:08.89
is when a person comes
to us and they are suffering
00:12:08.92\00:12:11.39
and we are able to
relieve their suffering
00:12:11.42\00:12:13.49
in some capacity
that is very gratifying.
00:12:13.52\00:12:16.40
I'm a nurse I
graduated in Goiania
00:12:21.13\00:12:23.90
and currently I'm
the base coordinator
00:12:23.93\00:12:26.22
for the base in Barreirinhas.
00:12:26.25\00:12:28.30
So I coordinate the missions
and evangelistic activities
00:12:28.33\00:12:31.46
that happen in this area.
00:12:31.49\00:12:35.66
Another thing we do
00:12:35.69\00:12:37.06
is to go into
the river communities
00:12:37.09\00:12:39.03
and motivate the people.
00:12:39.06\00:12:41.70
One of the many problems
that we see in the jungle
00:12:41.73\00:12:44.71
is people drinking alcohol.
00:12:44.74\00:12:48.27
This people who
already have so little
00:12:48.30\00:12:50.50
are spending the rest
of their income on alcohol.
00:12:50.53\00:12:56.16
So we have a plan to
go into these communities
00:12:56.19\00:12:58.66
and motivate
them to stop drinking.
00:12:58.69\00:13:03.25
First and foremost
obviously we want to bring Jesus
00:13:03.28\00:13:06.41
and the hope of
salvation that we have,
00:13:06.44\00:13:08.90
but we also see so many needs
00:13:08.93\00:13:10.99
that the people
have in a tangible way
00:13:11.02\00:13:13.87
for their day-to-day living.
00:13:13.90\00:13:15.39
We work with the
totally isolated group of people
00:13:15.42\00:13:19.65
that for them to go
to the closest hospital
00:13:19.68\00:13:23.31
being a hospital that
might not have a single doctor
00:13:23.34\00:13:26.46
or sometimes a doctor
no x-ray, no radiology
00:13:26.49\00:13:29.89
maybe be able to do
a simple blood test.
00:13:29.92\00:13:32.31
For them to even
get to this place
00:13:32.34\00:13:33.97
they might have to travel one
to two days in a dugout canoe.
00:13:34.00\00:13:37.39
And so the needs are
so great for medical care,
00:13:37.42\00:13:41.11
the needs for education,
00:13:41.14\00:13:42.56
the needs for basic
sanitation and living
00:13:42.59\00:13:45.61
we come in and
assess and we try to work
00:13:45.64\00:13:48.58
and in helping supply
you know their basic needs
00:13:48.61\00:13:52.29
and then being able to
reach them on a spiritual level.
00:13:52.32\00:13:55.16
I think we've seen in
medical is the arm that we use
00:13:55.19\00:13:59.75
but really when
you're able to meet
00:13:59.78\00:14:01.35
somebody's basic physical need
00:14:01.38\00:14:04.06
they really open up and
make a connection with you.
00:14:04.09\00:14:08.61
You know, people often say like,
00:14:08.64\00:14:10.44
I don't
understand why are you here?
00:14:10.47\00:14:12.67
Now they know this is
the hard place to live.
00:14:12.70\00:14:15.29
In fact, when we talk about
00:14:15.32\00:14:17.11
what is life like to
live in a jungle village.
00:14:17.14\00:14:19.57
It's a hard work
with no machinery to help,
00:14:19.60\00:14:25.48
no electronic
assistance and so they do
00:14:25.51\00:14:28.24
all their hard
work on their own.
00:14:28.27\00:14:29.92
You know, and it's a tough life
00:14:29.95\00:14:32.23
and so really I
think their needs
00:14:32.26\00:14:34.49
or so often basic everyday
living needs that they have.
00:14:34.52\00:14:39.64
Brad and Lina and their team
00:14:39.67\00:14:41.48
have tirelessly sought to bring
medical help to this region.
00:14:41.51\00:14:45.68
Through their
ministry thousands of families
00:14:45.71\00:14:48.50
have been richly blessed.
00:14:48.53\00:14:50.52
In a moment
we'll see another way
00:14:50.55\00:14:53.81
at Amazon
Lifesavers is enriching
00:14:53.84\00:14:56.59
the lives on the river people.
00:14:56.62\00:14:58.48
When you think of missionaries
what do you picture?
00:15:07.06\00:15:10.17
For many people
the image of a doctor,
00:15:10.20\00:15:12.63
teacher or pastor in a
remote country comes to mind.
00:15:12.66\00:15:16.45
But the truth is
00:15:16.48\00:15:17.62
God needs people
with many different skills
00:15:17.65\00:15:19.90
in His work both around
the world and close to home.
00:15:19.93\00:15:23.61
At OCI we're passionate
00:15:23.64\00:15:25.48
about helping to
connect mission minded people
00:15:25.51\00:15:28.02
with our network of
more than 80 ministries.
00:15:28.05\00:15:30.79
Each project aims to share
the gospel in practical ways
00:15:30.82\00:15:34.35
and they need
skilled workers of all types.
00:15:34.38\00:15:36.92
Mechanics,
gardeners, cooks and designers
00:15:36.95\00:15:39.97
just to name a few
00:15:40.00\00:15:41.20
and of course they also
need teachers and doctors.
00:15:41.23\00:15:44.97
If you're interested in
serving at an OCI ministry
00:15:45.00\00:15:47.86
visit our website for a
list of current opportunities
00:15:47.89\00:15:51.31
or call our office
we'd love to talk to you.
00:15:51.34\00:15:54.07
Clearly a tremendous amount
of forethought and planning
00:16:01.46\00:16:05.44
goes into launching a
ministry such as this.
00:16:05.47\00:16:09.04
There's the administrative
work of keeping five launches
00:16:09.07\00:16:13.43
well-maintained,
adequately staffed
00:16:13.46\00:16:16.10
and placed into the field.
00:16:16.13\00:16:18.43
There's a vast amount
of administrative work
00:16:18.46\00:16:21.41
but administration is
only a means to an end.
00:16:21.44\00:16:25.63
One of Amazon
Lifesavers ultimate goals
00:16:25.66\00:16:28.88
is continuing to
provide quality medical care
00:16:28.91\00:16:32.52
to those people that live along
00:16:32.55\00:16:33.89
the banks of the
Amazon and its tributaries.
00:16:33.92\00:16:39.65
Lina and I were
planning since college
00:16:39.68\00:16:42.09
we wanted to be
medical missionaries
00:16:42.12\00:16:43.84
and so we actually met-
00:16:43.87\00:16:45.54
my wife and I at nursing school
00:16:45.57\00:16:47.64
and then after
serving for years missionaries
00:16:47.67\00:16:50.51
we went after
graduating as far as,
00:16:50.54\00:16:51.90
we went overseas for
a year and decided that
00:16:51.93\00:16:54.31
if we had a little
bit more medical training
00:16:54.34\00:16:55.78
we can do a lot more.
00:16:55.81\00:16:56.84
I came back and got my masters
00:16:56.87\00:16:58.25
as a family nurse practitioner.
00:16:58.28\00:17:00.08
And my wife at the
time did a second-degree
00:17:00.11\00:17:01.88
as a registered dental hygiene.
00:17:01.91\00:17:03.12
Just be able to come and
do the dental side of things.
00:17:03.15\00:17:06.53
Well the people that we
usually visit are pretty far off
00:17:06.56\00:17:10.94
and most of them
haven't had visits
00:17:10.97\00:17:14.11
from a doctor or
dentist in years.
00:17:14.14\00:17:17.35
The people that I-
00:17:17.38\00:17:19.02
that I do
cleanings on most of them,
00:17:19.05\00:17:21.23
I would say almost 99 percent
00:17:21.26\00:17:23.68
have never had their
teeth cleaned before.
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.98
I've seen in
children so much calculus
00:17:26.01\00:17:30.17
that usually we only
see in adults in the States,
00:17:30.20\00:17:32.71
you know, just
from a lack of brushing.
00:17:32.74\00:17:34.66
Just simply a lack
of brushing ever hardly.
00:17:34.69\00:17:38.12
And so I know that
if I don't remove that
00:17:38.15\00:17:41.70
the bacteria are
gonna get underneath it
00:17:41.73\00:17:43.58
and they're
gonna have gingivitis,
00:17:43.61\00:17:45.79
then they are
gonna get periodontitis,
00:17:45.82\00:17:47.11
they are gonna bone loss
00:17:47.14\00:17:48.19
and they're
gonna lose their teeth.
00:17:48.22\00:17:49.45
And so that's why so young
00:17:49.48\00:17:51.59
so many of them
have teeth that are gone.
00:17:51.62\00:17:53.28
Of course, if it's not
already gone from decay.
00:17:53.31\00:17:56.06
So to me it just so gratifying
00:17:56.09\00:17:57.68
because I do a clean of a teeth
00:17:57.71\00:17:59.51
and I know that I
am preventing bone loss
00:17:59.54\00:18:01.73
and I'm preventing
tooth loss in the future.
00:18:01.76\00:18:04.00
Also just a education
00:18:04.03\00:18:05.52
to go in depth
with them and sit down
00:18:05.55\00:18:07.30
and get them floss and give them
00:18:07.33\00:18:08.84
you know mirror and to
have them actually do it
00:18:08.87\00:18:12.11
is super gratifying
because it's the first time
00:18:12.14\00:18:14.33
they're really
learning exactly how to do it.
00:18:14.36\00:18:16.75
Just knowing that
you're making a different
00:18:16.78\00:18:19.37
its gonna last a
long time as super gratify
00:18:19.40\00:18:22.16
is one of the
things I love to do.
00:18:22.19\00:18:23.35
We realized the big need to have
00:18:28.54\00:18:30.19
some kind of help for the health
00:18:30.22\00:18:32.16
in these
communities on this river.
00:18:32.19\00:18:34.99
And we quickly thought,
00:18:35.02\00:18:36.33
why don't we
build a health clinic?
00:18:36.36\00:18:38.55
So we begin by studying
the geography in this area
00:18:38.58\00:18:41.75
and discovered
that this community
00:18:41.78\00:18:43.54
New Jerusalem is
right in the middle.
00:18:43.57\00:18:46.16
And so we thought it would be
00:18:46.19\00:18:47.26
an ideal location
for a health clinic
00:18:47.29\00:18:49.76
but not only a clinic
it would also have rooms
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.48
for volunteers to
stay in when they come.
00:18:52.51\00:18:56.28
So at this point we're
going to have a medical room,
00:18:56.31\00:18:59.35
a dental room, two dorm
rooms for men and women,
00:18:59.38\00:19:03.40
a kitchen and a bathroom.
00:19:03.43\00:19:06.36
We also have a
little outboard engine
00:19:06.39\00:19:08.18
that is here to
support the volunteers
00:19:08.21\00:19:10.01
if they need transport
00:19:10.04\00:19:11.64
while they are working
here at this health post.
00:19:11.67\00:19:16.15
We're also encouraging
00:19:16.18\00:19:17.26
the people along
the river to plant
00:19:17.29\00:19:19.43
and to have
gardens and cultivate land
00:19:19.46\00:19:22.34
where they live.
00:19:22.37\00:19:23.55
Basically the
main source of food
00:19:27.35\00:19:29.59
for the people along the
river is fish and cassava.
00:19:29.62\00:19:33.18
And so we know that they have
deficiencies in their nutrition.
00:19:33.21\00:19:37.44
It isn't easy
especially when you're trying
00:19:37.47\00:19:39.70
to change somebody's culture
00:19:39.73\00:19:41.29
and tell them that they need
00:19:41.32\00:19:42.41
to eat more
fruits and vegetables.
00:19:42.44\00:19:46.80
So our first step is to motivate
00:19:46.83\00:19:48.83
and encourage
them to start planting
00:19:48.86\00:19:51.55
so they can have more
fruits and vegetables.
00:19:51.58\00:19:55.91
So this first step we
have already given them
00:19:55.94\00:19:58.86
but the truth is
there's a lot of a things
00:19:58.89\00:20:01.03
that they don't know
how to eat or prepare.
00:20:01.06\00:20:03.87
They don't have
the cultural habit
00:20:03.90\00:20:05.56
of knowing how to eat
it or what to eat it with.
00:20:05.59\00:20:09.52
So that is what we're hoping
to help them with as well.
00:20:09.55\00:20:12.11
When we first came to
this area of the river
00:20:17.77\00:20:20.32
brother Joao Lucio
was the first person
00:20:20.35\00:20:22.79
we made contact with.
00:20:22.82\00:20:25.57
The people on this
river knew about the work
00:20:25.60\00:20:27.56
on the Luzeiro that
was done many years ago.
00:20:27.59\00:20:30.19
So when we got here
00:20:30.22\00:20:31.25
we were very well
received by the people.
00:20:31.28\00:20:35.38
Brother Joao Lucio invited
us into his house his church.
00:20:35.41\00:20:40.11
We preached at his church
00:20:40.14\00:20:41.48
and also did
some training courses
00:20:41.51\00:20:43.50
with the church members.
00:20:43.53\00:20:47.61
The region that we
live in is very large
00:20:47.64\00:20:50.39
and there was
no way for a pastor
00:20:50.42\00:20:52.39
to come here
very often to see us.
00:20:52.42\00:20:55.23
And Daniel and Naissem
have been a huge support.
00:20:55.26\00:21:00.55
He has been an
Adventist for many years
00:21:00.58\00:21:03.24
and he knows his Bible well.
00:21:03.27\00:21:04.90
But in his church
he is the only leader
00:21:04.93\00:21:07.21
and is doing everything alone.
00:21:07.24\00:21:09.66
So we are able to
come to his church
00:21:09.69\00:21:11.43
and help him and
provide training to the members.
00:21:11.46\00:21:15.13
I think one of the challenges
00:21:15.16\00:21:16.35
of reaching the
people in the interior
00:21:16.38\00:21:18.45
is helping them to understand
that our church is not the same
00:21:18.48\00:21:20.86
as all the other churches.
00:21:20.89\00:21:22.34
They say well it doesn't matter
00:21:22.37\00:21:23.96
we all serve the same God.
00:21:23.99\00:21:25.21
So to them, you
know, in order to change
00:21:25.24\00:21:28.61
their religion per se or change
00:21:28.64\00:21:30.16
or make a stand
for certain truth
00:21:30.19\00:21:32.56
it's difficult for them
00:21:32.59\00:21:33.85
because for them
it shouldn't matter.
00:21:33.88\00:21:37.10
One of the biggest
needs that we have seen
00:21:37.13\00:21:39.92
in the interior of the Amazon
00:21:39.95\00:21:41.54
is more Bible
workers more trained
00:21:41.57\00:21:45.53
people that would come in
00:21:45.56\00:21:46.92
and be able to use
the health message,
00:21:46.95\00:21:49.03
education, training
and really teach the people
00:21:49.06\00:21:52.93
basic doctrines
and study of the Bible.
00:21:52.96\00:21:56.72
And last year we actually
begin communicating with LIGHT,
00:21:56.75\00:22:00.96
Lay Institute of
Global Health Training
00:22:00.99\00:22:02.73
about their training programs
00:22:02.76\00:22:04.20
that they were
offering around the world
00:22:04.23\00:22:06.44
to train people as
medical missionaries.
00:22:06.47\00:22:08.78
In January the
beginning of this year
00:22:08.81\00:22:10.75
we actually did our
first one month LIGHT course
00:22:10.78\00:22:12.82
we had some LIGHT
leaders come down.
00:22:12.85\00:22:15.94
And we were able to
take 10 of the jungle people
00:22:15.97\00:22:19.06
that we had worked with,
00:22:19.09\00:22:20.19
that we had done medical work
00:22:20.22\00:22:21.30
and evangelism in
their communities.
00:22:21.33\00:22:23.67
We did that first month course
00:22:23.70\00:22:25.75
and we had such a success
00:22:25.78\00:22:27.49
that we're actually wanting
00:22:27.52\00:22:28.94
to implement a
fulltime LIGHT course
00:22:28.97\00:22:31.30
so we can be training,
river people bring them in
00:22:31.33\00:22:34.29
put them to a training
and then have them back out
00:22:34.32\00:22:36.56
in their own
villages or if they want
00:22:36.59\00:22:38.86
to go to different village
00:22:38.89\00:22:39.92
where there's no
Adventist present
00:22:39.95\00:22:41.26
to go to a new village
00:22:41.29\00:22:42.52
and start doing medical mission
pioneer work in the jungle.
00:22:42.55\00:22:46.87
I remember one of
the church leaders
00:22:46.90\00:22:48.78
Claudia said to us,
00:22:48.81\00:22:49.84
she said, you know,
00:22:49.87\00:22:50.90
what I have been on Adventist
of years, I've done evangelism
00:22:50.93\00:22:54.99
and I have never
understood the Book of Daniel.
00:22:55.02\00:22:58.31
So this is the first
time I really even read
00:22:58.34\00:23:00.35
and understand
the Book of Daniel
00:23:00.38\00:23:01.65
and it was so
exciting and she said,
00:23:01.68\00:23:03.50
you know, this is gonna help me
00:23:03.53\00:23:04.85
to be able to continue studying
with people in the jungle.
00:23:04.88\00:23:06.94
I learned about spiritual
things, health, evangelism
00:23:10.46\00:23:14.73
and I learned
about what I should eat
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.91
and about eating meat
00:23:16.94\00:23:19.49
that was something I
had never heard before
00:23:19.52\00:23:22.22
and so I took my own decision
00:23:22.25\00:23:24.08
to not eat meat.
00:23:24.11\00:23:28.61
While studying with Brother Brad
00:23:28.64\00:23:30.53
I learned a lot in
the Book of Daniel.
00:23:30.56\00:23:33.31
Things I had never
heard in my whole life,
00:23:33.34\00:23:37.32
also about the final events.
00:23:37.35\00:23:39.91
I learned some amazing things
that I had never heard before.
00:23:39.94\00:23:43.31
I talk to a lot of
people here from my church
00:23:46.61\00:23:50.06
and they're just
hoping and praying
00:23:50.09\00:23:52.07
that this course could come here
00:23:52.10\00:23:54.14
because in this
area on this river
00:23:54.17\00:23:56.31
I believe
there's a lot of people
00:23:56.34\00:23:58.19
that need this kind
of education and help.
00:23:58.22\00:24:01.54
We are very
needy for these things.
00:24:01.57\00:24:03.73
We just got back
from a mission trip
00:24:06.88\00:24:09.21
with a group that
came and helped and
00:24:09.24\00:24:11.89
it was just so exciting
00:24:11.92\00:24:14.16
to see the thankfulness
00:24:14.19\00:24:15.92
of the people in the interior.
00:24:15.95\00:24:17.54
When they come to you
personally and they say listen,
00:24:17.57\00:24:20.70
what you shared
with me about the Bible
00:24:20.73\00:24:22.62
that has helped me so
much it's like a light.
00:24:22.65\00:24:25.54
You know, you guys have
come and you encouraged us
00:24:25.57\00:24:28.65
and we feel like
a light has come in
00:24:28.68\00:24:30.30
and helped us on our
on our journey to life.
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.06
Those of kinds of statements
are just so encouraging to us.
00:24:33.09\00:24:36.21
I just feel like that's
what make this work worth it.
00:24:36.24\00:24:40.88
People get in
touch with us and say,
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.55
how can I help or how can I
participate in this project?
00:24:42.58\00:24:45.89
Lot of people say hey,
I'm not a medical person
00:24:45.92\00:24:47.90
what can I do to help?
00:24:47.93\00:24:49.36
I think is, you
know, generic as it sounds
00:24:49.39\00:24:52.08
one of the biggest
things that people can do
00:24:52.11\00:24:54.08
is actually pray for
specific Bible workers,
00:24:54.11\00:24:57.38
pray for our volunteers,
pray for the project.
00:24:57.41\00:24:59.72
You know, we're always
looking for volunteers,
00:24:59.75\00:25:02.13
were desperate
for Bible workers.
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.59
And so, you know, a
lot of people want to come
00:25:04.62\00:25:06.29
obviously if
you speak Portuguese
00:25:06.32\00:25:09.05
you can come out
and be able to open up
00:25:09.08\00:25:11.34
and study with the
people and work with them.
00:25:11.37\00:25:14.16
You know, to run so many boats,
00:25:14.19\00:25:15.87
we're always needing a mechanic
00:25:15.90\00:25:17.40
that can come and
help upkeep our boats.
00:25:17.43\00:25:20.58
And, you know, there so many
ways to get involved like that.
00:25:20.61\00:25:24.18
In our ministry right now
00:25:24.21\00:25:25.33
we're actually
running five boats
00:25:25.36\00:25:27.22
in three
different operating bases
00:25:27.25\00:25:29.42
and all of our boats
are staffed by volunteers.
00:25:29.45\00:25:33.84
And we work with between
200-250 part-time volunteers,
00:25:33.87\00:25:38.57
medical, dental professionals.
00:25:38.60\00:25:40.87
And you know its
something we always talk
00:25:40.90\00:25:43.25
with like how do
you continue growing
00:25:43.28\00:25:44.76
an organization on volunteers?
00:25:44.79\00:25:47.05
And yet we've seen
that God has called people
00:25:47.08\00:25:49.93
volunteers to have a burden
00:25:49.96\00:25:52.52
to come out and reach
these people and people come out
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.54
and they start to
serve and they feel like
00:25:55.57\00:25:58.14
there's so much to be done
00:25:58.17\00:25:59.50
and I want to be a part
in reaching these people.
00:25:59.53\00:26:02.68
OCI and all of its affiliates
00:26:02.71\00:26:05.35
are a great underlying support
00:26:05.38\00:26:07.96
to the local
organizational outreach
00:26:07.99\00:26:11.32
and our mission emphasis in
trying to help people realize
00:26:11.35\00:26:14.74
that Jesus is coming soon
00:26:14.77\00:26:16.56
and they do it in
a very practical way.
00:26:16.59\00:26:20.22
In 2010 our ministry
actually became members of OCI
00:26:20.25\00:26:24.92
which I think
right from the get go has
00:26:24.95\00:26:26.99
has been a huge blessing to us.
00:26:27.02\00:26:29.01
I think probably the first
and most wonderful assistance
00:26:29.04\00:26:33.19
really was getting
experienced leaders
00:26:33.22\00:26:36.21
involved that helped counsel
and orient and pray with.
00:26:36.24\00:26:40.80
And I think an addition
00:26:40.83\00:26:42.15
to that really going
to OCI Leadership Retreats
00:26:42.18\00:26:45.54
and then actually
getting to me other missionaries
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.23
that are going through
00:26:48.26\00:26:49.29
some of the exact
same things you are.
00:26:49.32\00:26:51.55
You know we're not just here
00:26:51.58\00:26:52.61
in the middle of the
Amazon all by ourselves
00:26:52.64\00:26:54.47
but there's people
all over the world doing
00:26:54.50\00:26:56.14
what we're doing.
00:26:56.17\00:26:57.20
And we're part of that family
00:26:57.23\00:26:58.57
we are part of that
team and try to inspire them
00:26:58.60\00:27:01.06
that we're all working
together for the same cause.
00:27:01.09\00:27:03.48
I think that's what
OCI helped inspiring me.
00:27:03.51\00:27:08.40
Following in the wake of
the original Luzerio boats
00:27:08.43\00:27:12.17
Amazon, Lifesavers
continues to navigate
00:27:12.20\00:27:15.65
the Amazon and its tributaries.
00:27:15.68\00:27:18.40
Their ultimate aim is
to introduce the people
00:27:18.43\00:27:21.72
in these remote villages
00:27:21.75\00:27:24.08
to the great
physician Jesus Christ.
00:27:24.11\00:27:28.16
Brad and Lina
Mills have taken to heart
00:27:28.19\00:27:30.73
Leo Halliwell's
motto that service
00:27:30.76\00:27:34.22
is a privilege
and not a sacrifice.
00:27:34.25\00:27:36.92
I encourage each of you
00:27:41.05\00:27:42.57
to consider what you can do
00:27:42.60\00:27:44.49
to help growing work of OCI
00:27:44.52\00:27:46.79
all around the world.
00:27:46.82\00:27:48.32
We deeply value your support.
00:27:48.35\00:27:52.85
Please visit us at
outpostcenters.org.
00:27:52.88\00:27:56.48
To learn more about
the worldwide work of OCI
00:27:56.51\00:27:59.46
and our member ministries
such as Amazon Lifesavers.
00:27:59.49\00:28:04.02
To contact us email
info@outpostcenters.org
00:28:04.05\00:28:10.67
or feel free to call us
00:28:10.70\00:28:18.44
We would love to hear from you.
00:28:18.47\00:28:21.44
For OCI Reports
this is Steven Grabiner.
00:28:21.47\00:28:25.00