I want to spend my life
00:00:01.73\00:00:07.70
Mending broken people
00:00:07.74\00:00:12.51
I want to spend my life
00:00:12.54\00:00:18.75
Removing pain
00:00:18.78\00:00:23.82
Lord, let my words
00:00:23.85\00:00:30.06
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:30.09\00:00:34.63
I want to spend my life
00:00:34.66\00:00:40.37
Mending broken people
00:00:40.40\00:00:45.81
I want to spend my life
00:00:45.84\00:00:51.28
Mending broken people
00:00:51.31\00:00:55.12
Well, welcome, we're so happy
00:01:07.73\00:01:09.23
that you can be with us
today, and this is going to be
00:01:09.26\00:01:13.13
a very interesting and
exciting program for me
00:01:13.17\00:01:16.84
because in some ways
00:01:16.87\00:01:18.37
it's kind of a walk
down memory lane in a sense.
00:01:18.41\00:01:21.58
When I became a pastor,
00:01:21.61\00:01:24.65
I was a young ministerial
student at Andrews University,
00:01:24.68\00:01:29.52
man with the
name of Merrill Mills
00:01:29.55\00:01:31.85
came to the campus
looking for pastors
00:01:31.89\00:01:34.02
and he talked to me
and he talked to Camille
00:01:34.06\00:01:37.73
and we prayed about it,
00:01:37.76\00:01:39.13
and we had some
other opportunities
00:01:39.16\00:01:40.70
to go other places but
after praying about it,
00:01:40.73\00:01:43.93
we decided to go to New England,
00:01:43.97\00:01:46.07
spent a year in South
Lancaster as a intern,
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back to the
seminary for few more studies
00:01:49.94\00:01:52.41
and then out to
my first district.
00:01:52.44\00:01:54.88
That first district
was Plainville, Meriden,
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Middletown,
Portland, which was one church,
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but this is right in
the heart of Connecticut,
00:02:02.72\00:02:05.75
just south of Hartford,
00:02:05.79\00:02:07.79
and we have so many
great memories there.
00:02:07.82\00:02:13.96
I want to show you some pictures
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if sometime if
some of the things that
00:02:15.83\00:02:19.30
with our family with Jimmy.
00:02:19.33\00:02:21.34
We only had the
one child at that time.
00:02:21.37\00:02:23.71
So it was an exciting
thing when 50 years ago,
00:02:23.74\00:02:28.04
50 years later we
were invited to go back
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which is a few years ago.
00:02:31.35\00:02:32.75
Two years ago. Yeah.
00:02:32.78\00:02:34.18
And to be there for the
50th anniversary of that church
00:02:34.22\00:02:39.75
because that church
was a merger of two,
00:02:39.79\00:02:42.72
Bristol and New Britain
00:02:42.76\00:02:44.73
came together and
formed Plainville.
00:02:44.76\00:02:48.03
And so we were just
really excited to be there.
00:02:48.06\00:02:52.77
Brought back a lot of memories.
00:02:52.80\00:02:54.60
It was great to see
the church doing well.
00:02:54.64\00:02:57.61
Now this is not an easy
place to minister, believe me.
00:02:57.64\00:03:02.58
It is unbelievably Catholic.
00:03:02.61\00:03:07.15
Across the street
from the Plainville Church
00:03:07.18\00:03:09.95
is one of the most
powerful Catholic churches
00:03:09.98\00:03:12.55
in all of Connecticut.
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Five to ten thousand members.
00:03:13.96\00:03:15.29
Right.
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And every single
Sabbath afternoon at 4 o'clock
00:03:16.69\00:03:21.03
they start mass and
that's to help people
00:03:21.06\00:03:24.67
for convenience to get through.
00:03:24.70\00:03:26.53
I used to say wow,
they're keeping the Sabbath.
00:03:26.57\00:03:28.87
This is wonderful, you know.
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And but they-- And
first time I ever saw
00:03:30.81\00:03:34.61
I thought what's going
on, have they changed but,
00:03:34.64\00:03:37.68
you know, with them they just
can't change the day of worship
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whenever they want to,
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so they have a Sabbath afternoon
00:03:41.78\00:03:47.19
mass and then several sessions.
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Then Sunday morning
and you've never seen
00:03:49.56\00:03:52.29
so many cars in your life.
00:03:52.33\00:03:53.96
Here's our little
church across the street.
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It had been a Methodist
church and it came up for sale
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and Tilley Rin who was a
member of the congregation there
00:04:00.94\00:04:07.01
actually paid for that church.
00:04:07.04\00:04:09.44
Tilley paid virtually every time
00:04:09.48\00:04:13.38
I think it was paid that
she paid for that church.
00:04:13.42\00:04:16.42
Sometimes she thought she
owned it too, I loved her.
00:04:16.45\00:04:19.52
It was some
$15000 in those days.
00:04:19.55\00:04:21.79
It was a lot of-- Yeah,
00:04:21.82\00:04:23.93
but she paid for it.
00:04:23.96\00:04:25.29
And then I got
the opportunity to be
00:04:25.33\00:04:28.83
one of the first pastors there.
00:04:28.86\00:04:30.87
There was a pastor
there before I came
00:04:30.90\00:04:33.00
and then I was able to
come and be the pastor.
00:04:33.03\00:04:36.81
So we were excited
when we were able to go back
00:04:36.84\00:04:40.48
and to be there,
and lo and behold,
00:04:40.51\00:04:44.88
I meet once again John Tompkins.
00:04:44.91\00:04:49.18
Now, John was a teenager.
00:04:49.22\00:04:51.29
And John you
were a real teenager.
00:04:51.32\00:04:57.13
Yes, indeed.
00:04:57.16\00:04:58.49
I remember you very well.
00:04:58.53\00:05:00.80
And, you know,
the amazing thing is,
00:05:00.83\00:05:04.10
of course I was a
teenager once too,
00:05:04.13\00:05:06.23
and you all hear the pastors
tell the stories about me.
00:05:06.27\00:05:09.40
But John's dad was one of
the leaders in the church.
00:05:09.44\00:05:12.77
He was always a deacon,
elder whatever was needed,
00:05:12.81\00:05:16.64
and his mom was very
active in the church.
00:05:16.68\00:05:19.25
Whole family committed to
the third angel's message.
00:05:19.28\00:05:24.99
And so I was
really, really felt good
00:05:25.02\00:05:29.79
when I got back there.
00:05:29.82\00:05:31.16
In fact I held an
evangelistic meeting in,
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if my memory serves me right,
00:05:33.03\00:05:34.36
you made your
decision for Jesus.
00:05:34.40\00:05:35.73
That's right.
00:05:35.76\00:05:37.10
During that
evangelistic meeting.
00:05:37.13\00:05:38.47
From your evangelistic series.
00:05:38.50\00:05:39.83
I was a rough neck
then and I told it,
00:05:39.87\00:05:41.80
we got to go and
get this people in here.
00:05:41.84\00:05:43.51
Yeah, right.
00:05:43.54\00:05:45.24
And you said we
can't exactly bang them
00:05:45.27\00:05:46.78
over the head and drag them in,
00:05:46.81\00:05:48.14
they got to come on
their own free ride.
00:05:48.18\00:05:50.75
But you know the
Lord did bless us
00:05:50.78\00:05:52.55
and our
membership doubled in that.
00:05:52.58\00:05:54.45
I was only there 9 months,
00:05:54.48\00:05:56.22
and then they made me
the conference evangelist
00:05:56.25\00:05:59.59
but it was the most exciting
9 months of pastoral experience
00:05:59.62\00:06:05.66
that a young man can ever have.
00:06:05.69\00:06:07.53
Had every experience
that you can imagine,
00:06:07.56\00:06:09.76
I can just go on for hours.
00:06:09.80\00:06:12.10
We're good training ground.
00:06:12.13\00:06:14.47
It really was.
00:06:14.50\00:06:15.94
And then when we got over there
00:06:15.97\00:06:19.91
for the
anniversary two years ago.
00:06:19.94\00:06:22.21
We found out about a program
that they have initiated there
00:06:22.24\00:06:28.48
that has really been
an outreach ministry.
00:06:28.52\00:06:33.02
You know Jesus talks
about reaching out to people.
00:06:33.05\00:06:37.13
And He says in
Matthew the 10th Chapter.
00:06:37.16\00:06:41.60
"And whoever gives
one of these little ones,
00:06:41.63\00:06:46.03
only a cup of cold water
in the name of a disciple,
00:06:46.07\00:06:51.91
assuredly, I say to you,
00:06:51.94\00:06:54.81
he shall by no
means lose his reward."
00:06:54.84\00:06:58.55
Just a cup of water.
00:06:58.58\00:07:00.45
So you can imagine the
impact of helping to feed
00:07:00.48\00:07:05.39
those who are poor,
those who are in need.
00:07:05.42\00:07:09.26
And, folks, there are
people that just do not get
00:07:09.29\00:07:12.23
an adequate diet today,
00:07:12.26\00:07:14.73
no matter with all
those social programs
00:07:14.76\00:07:16.56
that are out
there, there is still
00:07:16.60\00:07:18.67
so many people that we can feed.
00:07:18.70\00:07:21.27
So I'm extremely
happy to introduce
00:07:21.30\00:07:26.04
to you Laurie
Tompkins and her husband John,
00:07:26.07\00:07:30.81
and we're going to be talking
about God's Grocery Store.
00:07:30.85\00:07:36.48
And I love that name.
00:07:36.52\00:07:38.25
And as I look at these t-shirts
00:07:38.29\00:07:40.56
you've got it
all laid out there.
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Tell me-- Explain
00:07:42.16\00:07:43.49
the shirts to me a little bit?
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This of course is for
yourself and your lovely wife.
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Oh, thank you very much.
00:07:48.00\00:07:50.03
I'll wear this when
I'm out feeding my guineas.
00:07:50.07\00:07:54.10
But here God's
Grocery Store things I need.
00:07:54.14\00:07:58.84
"Love, we all
need. We'll get plenty.
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Wisdom, the more
the better. Two packs.
00:08:01.28\00:08:03.88
Faith, where we
will be without it.
00:08:03.91\00:08:05.88
Large sack.
00:08:05.91\00:08:07.42
Salvation,
without it we're lost.
00:08:07.45\00:08:10.25
Big box.
00:08:10.29\00:08:11.62
Prayer to help me
against sin, enough to last.
00:08:11.65\00:08:14.82
God has all of that.
00:08:14.86\00:08:16.39
How much do I owe? Nothing.
00:08:16.42\00:08:18.03
Jesus paid my
bill a long time ago."
00:08:18.06\00:08:21.76
And then on the back.
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This one doesn't have it
there. This one doesn't have it.
00:08:24.07\00:08:26.03
All right.
00:08:26.07\00:08:27.40
But we'll talk about
some of the other things
00:08:27.44\00:08:29.17
that you're involved
with because on some of them,
00:08:29.20\00:08:32.11
you have about
this walk a thought
00:08:32.14\00:08:36.24
that you have every year
00:08:36.28\00:08:38.35
that brings attention
to God's Grocery Store.
00:08:38.38\00:08:43.55
We're going to
hear more about this
00:08:43.59\00:08:46.15
but first before we do,
00:08:46.19\00:08:47.59
I want to have a word of
prayer and we gonna have a song.
00:08:47.62\00:08:49.99
And I want you to focus
upon those that are in need,
00:08:50.03\00:08:56.56
those that have spiritual
problems, health problems,
00:08:56.60\00:09:00.60
and I want you to
be praying for them
00:09:00.64\00:09:02.77
right now with
me if you'll join.
00:09:02.80\00:09:05.04
And if you have a
very special need,
00:09:05.07\00:09:07.74
lay it before the
altar, right now would you?
00:09:07.78\00:09:11.01
Father in heaven, I
just thank You, Lord,
00:09:11.05\00:09:13.95
that we can
come to You in prayer
00:09:13.98\00:09:15.72
and know that You hear
us and that You answer.
00:09:15.75\00:09:20.69
I just got a
letter from somebody today
00:09:20.72\00:09:23.66
and they said,
Jim, I've been praying
00:09:23.69\00:09:25.69
and looking for the answer
00:09:25.73\00:09:27.90
but I guess no
is also an answer.
00:09:27.93\00:09:31.17
And sometimes, Lord, we
know that's the best answer,
00:09:31.20\00:09:34.37
but we don't realize
it, not always but often.
00:09:34.40\00:09:39.71
So I pray that You'll help
us, Lord, to be in tune to You.
00:09:39.74\00:09:44.18
Lay our finances
before you and trust You.
00:09:44.21\00:09:48.42
Lay our health before
You and receive Your blessing
00:09:48.45\00:09:55.29
but trust You in it.
00:09:55.32\00:09:57.26
Lay our children
before You, Lord,
00:09:57.29\00:09:59.19
because there are
so many challenges.
00:09:59.23\00:10:01.76
Help us to pray
each day for our families
00:10:01.80\00:10:05.30
and pray for the power
00:10:05.33\00:10:06.87
of the Holy
Sprit in their lives.
00:10:06.90\00:10:08.57
Pray to be that they'll be
covered with the blood of Jesus
00:10:08.60\00:10:11.64
and pray Lord that
they'll be protected from evil.
00:10:11.67\00:10:17.68
Thank You, Lord, for hearing us.
00:10:17.71\00:10:20.22
And thank You for the
Tompkins and for the ministry
00:10:20.25\00:10:22.58
that they and
those that work with them
00:10:22.62\00:10:25.75
are doing in Plainville.
00:10:25.79\00:10:28.16
And today, Father, we
pray that this program will be
00:10:28.19\00:10:31.73
an inspiration to
others to be ready
00:10:31.76\00:10:36.40
to give a cup of cold
water in the name of Jesus
00:10:36.43\00:10:41.44
for we ask it in His
wonderful and powerful
00:10:41.47\00:10:45.47
and loving name, amen.
00:10:45.51\00:10:48.51
Amen.
00:10:48.54\00:10:49.88
Well, I'm ready for
some music if you are.
00:10:49.91\00:10:53.42
And Jaime Jorge is
one of my favorite people.
00:10:53.45\00:10:57.59
He has been to your church.
00:10:57.62\00:10:58.95
That's right.
00:10:58.99\00:11:00.32
And he has been to most
churches in this country.
00:11:00.36\00:11:03.26
We love Jaime.
00:11:03.29\00:11:04.99
And right now
he is going to play
00:11:05.03\00:11:06.36
a song that we all love.
00:11:06.39\00:11:08.23
It's almost a theme song
of Seventh-day Adventist,
00:11:08.26\00:11:12.23
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
00:11:12.27\00:11:15.94
Thank you very much. Jaime.
00:14:19.05\00:14:20.39
We always enjoy
when Jaime comes by here
00:14:20.42\00:14:24.03
and tapes for us.
00:14:24.06\00:14:26.76
He is a wonderful,
friendly, loving, kind person.
00:14:26.80\00:14:31.97
And I know that for many years
he also helped out with La Voz.
00:14:32.00\00:14:37.81
And when Frank Gonzalez
was the speaker director,
00:14:37.84\00:14:42.14
and I had the privilege of being
00:14:42.18\00:14:44.65
their board
chairman for five years.
00:14:44.68\00:14:46.75
And I would tell you that
working with those fellows
00:14:46.78\00:14:49.42
with Frank and with Jaime,
it was just a real blessing.
00:14:49.45\00:14:54.99
Well, listen, tell me
00:14:55.02\00:14:56.73
how did God's
Grocery Store get started?
00:14:56.76\00:14:59.73
Well, it was a
big answer to prayer.
00:14:59.76\00:15:02.23
The church family got together
00:15:02.26\00:15:03.87
with the Pastor
Rollin Shoemaker at the time,
00:15:03.90\00:15:06.60
and they wanted to be
able to help the community
00:15:06.63\00:15:11.01
and you know give them services
00:15:11.04\00:15:13.44
and witness to them
and do things for them,
00:15:13.48\00:15:16.11
and we couldn't
figure out how to do it.
00:15:16.14\00:15:19.98
And so we all
knelt down and prayed,
00:15:20.02\00:15:22.48
and we asked the Lord
for guidance and wisdom.
00:15:22.52\00:15:25.72
And He answered
our prayer in a big way
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.59
because one Sabbath afternoon,
00:15:28.62\00:15:30.59
we were just finishing
vespers and a young man came in,
00:15:30.63\00:15:34.13
he had tears in his eyes.
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.10
And he said, he had just
been released from prison
00:15:36.13\00:15:40.44
and he needed
food for his family
00:15:40.47\00:15:44.47
and he didn't have any money,
he didn't have any resources
00:15:44.51\00:15:47.08
and he did not want
to go home empty-handed.
00:15:47.11\00:15:50.18
And so we took up a donation,
00:15:50.21\00:15:53.52
because at that time
our community service was,
00:15:53.55\00:15:55.92
it was in the process of,
00:15:55.95\00:15:58.42
you know, we used it but
we didn't do much with it.
00:15:58.45\00:16:00.29
Right.
00:16:00.32\00:16:01.66
You know, we didn't have a lot
of food and stuff on the shelf,
00:16:01.69\00:16:03.86
so we took up a donation
00:16:03.89\00:16:06.16
and we went to a
local grocery store
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.56
and purchased food for him,
00:16:08.60\00:16:10.13
him and his
family then had food.
00:16:10.17\00:16:12.17
Well, that was great
00:16:12.20\00:16:13.54
because you didn't
just give him the money.
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.64
We so many times
we're tempted to do.
00:16:15.67\00:16:18.97
You actually took
him to the grocery store,
00:16:19.01\00:16:21.84
bought things he
needed and wanted,
00:16:21.88\00:16:24.88
not just what we want, so
that was your first contact
00:16:24.91\00:16:29.38
when God's Grocery Store
was using another store there--
00:16:29.42\00:16:33.82
Exactly. So right.
00:16:33.86\00:16:36.36
So then what happened?
00:16:36.39\00:16:37.76
So then the sisters of
the church got together
00:16:37.79\00:16:40.43
and with the
help of Beverly Gray,
00:16:40.46\00:16:43.57
we got together and decided that
00:16:43.60\00:16:46.33
why should we be
rushing around to, you know,
00:16:46.37\00:16:49.47
get food and things like
that, so we actually joined
00:16:49.50\00:16:53.38
with a local Foodshare
program in the community.
00:16:53.41\00:16:57.58
And this is their organization
with their staff members.
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.92
Okay.
00:17:00.95\00:17:02.28
And we decided to
put food on the shelves
00:17:02.32\00:17:06.72
and be able to witness
and give services to people
00:17:06.76\00:17:09.92
that came through the door.
00:17:09.96\00:17:11.29
Right. Wow.
00:17:11.33\00:17:13.06
So we grew to serving
12 people and by the time
00:17:13.09\00:17:17.03
that Beverly was-- move,
00:17:17.07\00:17:19.57
kind of moved to Michigan,
00:17:19.60\00:17:20.94
we were serving over 50 families
00:17:20.97\00:17:23.14
but just getting food sticking
00:17:23.17\00:17:25.04
in boxes and handing in to them.
00:17:25.07\00:17:26.64
Right. Okay.
00:17:26.68\00:17:28.01
Not in the store.
00:17:28.04\00:17:29.38
Right. Right.
00:17:29.41\00:17:30.75
Now, you've got a whole
different process, right?
00:17:30.78\00:17:33.18
Yes, we do.
00:17:33.21\00:17:34.55
We had to change that process
00:17:34.58\00:17:36.02
because every Saturday
night we've to come together
00:17:36.05\00:17:38.75
and put things in
these boxes for the people,
00:17:38.79\00:17:42.19
and that was just
too time consuming.
00:17:42.22\00:17:45.89
It took a lot of
staff to do that.
00:17:45.93\00:17:48.03
So I decided to
create God's Grocery Store.
00:17:48.06\00:17:50.63
Okay.
00:17:50.67\00:17:52.00
Now we lay the
products set on the table
00:17:52.03\00:17:54.94
and people come
through and they shop.
00:17:54.97\00:17:56.44
All right.
00:17:56.47\00:17:57.81
And it's all free.
Because Jesus paid it off.
00:17:57.84\00:18:00.41
All right.
00:18:00.44\00:18:01.78
Now, when they come through,
let say they got cans of corn.
00:18:01.81\00:18:07.32
They get what?
00:18:07.35\00:18:08.68
Two cans, one can.
00:18:08.72\00:18:10.05
What do they get?
00:18:10.09\00:18:11.42
Whatever they
need. Whatever they need?
00:18:11.45\00:18:12.79
Yes and if they need
more, they're given more.
00:18:12.82\00:18:15.82
We have to make some
quick organizational changes.
00:18:15.86\00:18:18.19
Yeah.
00:18:18.23\00:18:19.56
Laurie first of all had
far too much paper work to do.
00:18:19.59\00:18:22.03
Oh, yeah.
00:18:22.06\00:18:23.40
Because there is paper
work involved in this, right?
00:18:23.43\00:18:26.60
You're dealing not
only with this Foodshare,
00:18:26.63\00:18:30.41
but also the
State of Connecticut.
00:18:30.44\00:18:32.07
And the federal
government. And the government.
00:18:32.11\00:18:33.61
We have to report to
them what you're doing.
00:18:33.64\00:18:35.08
Right.
00:18:35.11\00:18:36.44
The single item which
hurts these organizations
00:18:36.48\00:18:39.05
when they come together
with meetings every two months.
00:18:39.08\00:18:41.32
Yeah.
00:18:41.35\00:18:42.68
The paper work is too onerous.
00:18:42.72\00:18:44.49
Some of them just won't do
it because of the paper work.
00:18:44.52\00:18:47.02
Right.
00:18:47.06\00:18:48.39
So, Laurie, made one
of our first changes.
00:18:48.42\00:18:51.03
I asked my son Scott. Okay.
00:18:51.06\00:18:53.53
He is a computer programmer
to build me a database,
00:18:53.56\00:18:57.30
that would keep track
of all these statistics,
00:18:57.33\00:18:59.90
and so every month now
I can just push one button
00:18:59.93\00:19:03.37
and have my
statistics ready for Foodshare
00:19:03.41\00:19:06.34
or the government
and whoever needs it.
00:19:06.37\00:19:08.04
Isn't that amazing?
00:19:08.08\00:19:09.41
We have a
picture of what the boxes
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.48
used to be like on the table
00:19:11.51\00:19:13.65
that's when were
amassed up for that.
00:19:13.68\00:19:16.08
Yeah. Let's look at that.
00:19:16.12\00:19:17.45
Okay.
00:19:17.49\00:19:20.46
We'd just have
boxes with some stuff
00:19:20.49\00:19:23.09
and stuff them in bags
and hand them to the people
00:19:23.12\00:19:25.69
we really couldn't
interact with them.
00:19:25.73\00:19:27.06
Right.
00:19:27.10\00:19:28.43
Oh, and then the
people would actually stop
00:19:28.46\00:19:29.80
in line and say,
00:19:29.83\00:19:31.17
oh, I don't need this
and I don't need this.
00:19:31.20\00:19:32.90
So they were getting a
prepackaged box of stuff
00:19:32.93\00:19:36.47
they might not-- they might not
00:19:36.50\00:19:37.91
like broccoli or spinach.
00:19:37.94\00:19:39.44
Exactly. Exactly.
00:19:39.47\00:19:41.14
So we decided to let them
pick and choose what they want.
00:19:41.18\00:19:43.41
Yeah.
00:19:43.45\00:19:44.78
So the next pictures
that you'll recognize, pastor,
00:19:44.81\00:19:48.02
is the backroom of the church.
00:19:48.05\00:19:49.88
Okay.
00:19:49.92\00:19:51.55
The community room. Yes.
00:19:51.59\00:19:53.22
We have to have--
Every week we have
00:19:53.25\00:19:54.69
to empty everything out
of there from the potlucks
00:19:54.72\00:19:57.86
and all the
community stuff for the church,
00:19:57.89\00:20:00.40
make a bare room and we
have to bring in the pallets.
00:20:00.43\00:20:03.33
Okay, pallets?
00:20:03.37\00:20:04.83
And the next picture.
00:20:04.87\00:20:06.20
Well, and of course we
didn't have a door big enough
00:20:06.23\00:20:08.67
for pallets to come in.
00:20:08.70\00:20:10.51
So Laurie had to get
these doors installed
00:20:10.54\00:20:12.74
on the side of the church,
the back wall of the church.
00:20:12.77\00:20:14.31
We had to cut a hole
in the side of the church
00:20:14.34\00:20:16.61
where we had a window,
00:20:16.64\00:20:18.18
and I had these doors put
into the side of the church.
00:20:18.21\00:20:21.48
Just big enough for
a pallet to go through,
00:20:21.52\00:20:23.69
because my
volunteers were having
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.12
to bring everything in,
you know, piece by piece.
00:20:25.15\00:20:27.86
Those are full pallets.
00:20:27.89\00:20:29.62
Full pallets.
00:20:29.66\00:20:30.99
So you put it
inside with the forklift
00:20:31.03\00:20:33.63
probably there and
then have a pallet jack,
00:20:33.66\00:20:36.87
and you pull it
back into place there.
00:20:36.90\00:20:39.47
And then we break it
down and spread it out
00:20:39.50\00:20:42.00
on the tables and store
whatever is extra downstairs
00:20:42.04\00:20:45.41
and the little down--
little downstairs area
00:20:45.44\00:20:47.81
has been
converted to ten freezers
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.18
and that's our storage.
00:20:50.21\00:20:52.28
Wow. Wow.
00:20:52.31\00:20:54.92
That's where we break
it down for people and then
00:20:54.95\00:20:57.69
now they can be registered.
00:20:57.72\00:21:00.19
Right.
00:21:00.22\00:21:01.96
You know it's
amazing what's happening
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.89
because I saw the church
00:21:04.93\00:21:06.26
starting to come
really back to life.
00:21:06.29\00:21:08.56
In '98 we were out in
that part of the country.
00:21:08.60\00:21:13.54
They had Dwight
Nelson on, I remember.
00:21:13.57\00:21:16.87
And my wife and
daughter and I were driving.
00:21:16.91\00:21:21.21
We were actually not
driving on the Sabbath
00:21:21.24\00:21:24.05
but we were driving up
00:21:24.08\00:21:25.81
from New York up
through New England.
00:21:25.85\00:21:27.75
And I said, "We're going to
go to church in Plainville."
00:21:27.78\00:21:30.65
We walked in, they had it up,
they were singing beforehand,
00:21:30.69\00:21:36.22
I knew Tilley was still there.
00:21:36.26\00:21:37.89
You hear her singing.
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.26
And then the television went on
00:21:39.29\00:21:45.03
and we watched
Dwight Nelson in 98
00:21:45.07\00:21:48.64
but there were only
a handful of people.
00:21:48.67\00:21:51.21
I was just
heartsick because the church--
00:21:51.24\00:21:54.41
when your dad was
there, when you were young boy
00:21:54.44\00:21:57.11
and we had pastor
after pastor there.
00:21:57.15\00:22:00.18
It was a live vibrant
church and all of a sudden
00:22:00.22\00:22:03.32
it was basically dead.
00:22:03.35\00:22:05.05
But I've seen
that God has used you
00:22:05.09\00:22:08.49
and this program
to revive that church
00:22:08.52\00:22:11.59
and it's not
just feeding people.
00:22:11.63\00:22:14.13
There are lot of
things that take place there.
00:22:14.16\00:22:16.63
For instance, I
know you have a time
00:22:16.67\00:22:20.10
where you bring
everybody together.
00:22:20.14\00:22:22.00
Yeah.
00:22:22.04\00:22:23.37
And the next
picture that we have shows
00:22:23.41\00:22:25.47
some of our volunteers.
00:22:25.51\00:22:27.38
This is now Tilley's
passed away long time ago.
00:22:27.41\00:22:31.28
This is like the
mother of the church
00:22:31.31\00:22:33.01
now, Sister Freckleton.
00:22:33.05\00:22:34.85
She comes there and
helps out every week
00:22:34.88\00:22:37.89
and most importantly
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.25
she is an
excellent Jamaican cook.
00:22:39.29\00:22:40.62
Oh. Wow.
00:22:40.66\00:22:41.99
And she makes food
for the volunteers.
00:22:42.02\00:22:43.36
She cooks for
volunteers every week.
00:22:43.39\00:22:44.73
She makes peas and
rice or rice and peas.
00:22:44.76\00:22:47.26
Yes.
00:22:47.30\00:22:48.86
And this,
Laurie, is our youngest--
00:22:48.90\00:22:50.30
This is our youngest volunteer.
00:22:50.33\00:22:52.07
Okay. At two years old.
00:22:52.10\00:22:53.44
Derrick. Yeah.
00:22:53.47\00:22:54.80
And he is two.
00:22:54.84\00:22:56.17
And he helps every
week by passing out stuff.
00:22:56.20\00:22:58.47
What's his name? Derrick.
00:22:58.51\00:23:00.18
Derrick? All right.
00:23:00.21\00:23:01.54
And he helps-- He helps pass out
00:23:01.58\00:23:03.78
stuffed animals to
the children or give them,
00:23:03.81\00:23:06.41
you know, juice or cookies
or something they might have.
00:23:06.45\00:23:08.78
Little things we
can get for them.
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.15
Oh, yeah. And he
loves to help out.
00:23:10.19\00:23:12.09
Okay.
00:23:12.12\00:23:13.46
Well, keep telling us the story
00:23:13.49\00:23:15.29
'cause I know you've
got some pleasant pictures.
00:23:15.32\00:23:17.23
Now I think we have the--
00:23:17.26\00:23:19.09
Debbie who
registers for Debbie classes.
00:23:19.13\00:23:22.26
This is my sister
and I brought her up
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.80
from Texas to help me
out with this program.
00:23:24.83\00:23:27.07
All right.
00:23:27.10\00:23:28.44
Because it's getting very large.
00:23:28.47\00:23:30.14
And she registers the people.
00:23:30.17\00:23:32.84
All they have to do is
come in and give their name.
00:23:32.87\00:23:35.44
Now, this is the people
sitting in the church quietly,
00:23:35.48\00:23:39.95
waiting now for
their turn, right?
00:23:39.98\00:23:42.42
Watching 3ABN.
00:23:42.45\00:23:43.89
It's hard to see
it in the monitors.
00:23:43.92\00:23:45.72
One monitor is in the
back and two are up front.
00:23:45.75\00:23:47.69
Okay.
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.06
We start at 9 o'clock
and put 3ABN on for them.
00:23:49.09\00:23:50.96
All right. Keep it going.
00:23:50.99\00:23:52.33
I must say the people seemed
to love your cooking classes.
00:23:52.36\00:23:55.53
Oh, really.
00:23:55.56\00:23:56.90
That's a big hit.
That is a big hit.
00:23:56.93\00:23:58.27
Oh, that's great.
00:23:58.30\00:23:59.63
They love the
music videos. Yeah.
00:23:59.67\00:24:01.20
And those things there,
00:24:01.24\00:24:02.57
but I think the
cooking classes are--
00:24:02.60\00:24:04.94
their interest in health.
00:24:04.97\00:24:06.31
They're interested in-- Right.
00:24:06.34\00:24:07.94
We give them
whatever food they need.
00:24:07.98\00:24:09.64
Now what day of the
week is it you are there?
00:24:09.68\00:24:11.08
Wednesday. Wednesday?
00:24:11.11\00:24:12.45
Wednesday, from 10 to 4.
00:24:12.48\00:24:13.85
So that on that day we are--
today show is a cooking show.
00:24:13.88\00:24:17.29
Yes.
00:24:17.32\00:24:18.65
And many times Jill
Morikone whose grandfather
00:24:18.69\00:24:24.03
used to be an elder in
that particular district
00:24:24.06\00:24:26.90
where Brother Paul Wearthy.
00:24:26.93\00:24:28.80
He had the Middletown, Portland.
00:24:28.83\00:24:31.57
Him and my father
Charlie were the builders.
00:24:31.60\00:24:33.60
That's right.
00:24:33.64\00:24:34.97
Built most of the
churches in the area.
00:24:35.00\00:24:36.34
Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:36.37\00:24:37.71
They were very good friends.
00:24:37.74\00:24:39.07
They really were. Yeah.
00:24:39.11\00:24:40.44
And the Wearthy family and us,
00:24:40.48\00:24:41.81
I went to school
with several of them.
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.05
Bill Wearthy was my age here,
00:24:45.08\00:24:46.72
we went to same classes
together which is Jill's uncle.
00:24:46.75\00:24:49.78
Right. Right.
00:24:49.82\00:24:51.55
Well, so, they are
able to watch a girl
00:24:51.59\00:24:54.29
from the district so to speak
00:24:54.32\00:24:56.56
do a cooking show
on Wednesday morning
00:24:56.59\00:24:58.66
'cause she is often
the host on that show.
00:24:58.69\00:25:02.46
And so people
would come into the door.
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.27
They just give their
name and their address.
00:25:04.30\00:25:06.43
They're looked
up in the database.
00:25:06.47\00:25:08.20
It automatically registers them,
00:25:08.24\00:25:09.90
calculates the statistics
and keeps the reports,
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.94
so Laurie hits print
at the end of the month.
00:25:12.97\00:25:15.01
All right.
00:25:15.04\00:25:16.38
And it spits out a
little ticket for him
00:25:16.41\00:25:18.18
which that has a number on
it, the details of the church
00:25:18.21\00:25:22.18
and the distribution
and we're going to put
00:25:22.22\00:25:24.42
on the random Bible
verse like in fortune cookie.
00:25:24.45\00:25:27.32
Yeah. All right.
00:25:27.36\00:25:28.69
Customer get to keep this.
00:25:28.72\00:25:30.06
Oh, that's good, yeah.
00:25:30.09\00:25:31.43
But then he said in the program,
00:25:31.46\00:25:33.63
we really open the doors at 9
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.16
but we don't even
start serving till 10:30.
00:25:35.20\00:25:37.17
Okay.
00:25:37.20\00:25:38.53
In many days so these people,
00:25:38.57\00:25:40.54
we have a nice
audience for two, three hours
00:25:40.57\00:25:44.64
every Wednesday
morning to try and reach.
00:25:44.67\00:25:46.61
Right.
00:25:46.64\00:25:47.98
And when they come, they sit,
so that there this is the order
00:25:48.01\00:25:51.85
in which they go
through the line later.
00:25:51.88\00:25:54.48
Because only 10 people
00:25:54.52\00:25:56.08
'cause shopping
area is so small.
00:25:56.12\00:25:58.42
There only ten
people can enter at a time.
00:25:58.45\00:26:00.36
Okay.
00:26:00.39\00:26:01.72
And they shop for what
they want for groceries.
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.66
Yeah. All right.
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.86
So now you have
this time together.
00:26:05.89\00:26:08.46
Do you have any prayer
time or anything of that nature?
00:26:08.50\00:26:11.30
Yes, before we start, we
have the people sitting there
00:26:11.33\00:26:14.70
and before we start
we shut off the programs
00:26:14.74\00:26:16.81
and my husband
I will go up front
00:26:16.84\00:26:19.81
and I will give all the
instructions for the day.
00:26:19.84\00:26:23.95
We have people
who'd come in the back
00:26:23.98\00:26:26.28
that sit in the back
for insurance purposes
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.58
like if you need help
filling out insurance forms
00:26:28.62\00:26:31.02
or if you--
00:26:31.05\00:26:33.09
Or if you have need
help filling out for snap
00:26:33.12\00:26:35.89
which is for to get
food from the government
00:26:35.92\00:26:39.83
to get food stamps and...
00:26:39.86\00:26:44.73
When they're
checked in, they're asked
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.33
if they have any prayer request.
00:26:46.37\00:26:47.97
And then Laurie also ask,
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.97
"Do you have
public prayer request."
00:26:50.01\00:26:52.27
We have a private prayer box
so people can just write their
00:26:52.31\00:26:55.81
prayer request on put it in,
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.18
nobody ever reads till
we pray over and burn it.
00:26:57.21\00:26:59.11
But many people come to
Laurie with prayer request
00:26:59.15\00:27:02.18
and we mention those up front.
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.12
We pray for the people.
00:27:04.15\00:27:05.49
And you can tell
about some of the people
00:27:05.52\00:27:07.36
who've come back with
answers to our prayer.
00:27:07.39\00:27:09.19
Oh, I've had
incredible answers to prayer.
00:27:09.22\00:27:11.83
The one that sticks out
of my mind is one young girl
00:27:11.86\00:27:14.63
and she came to me and
she has like 10 children.
00:27:14.66\00:27:17.50
They're not all
hers, but in the situation
00:27:17.53\00:27:20.64
her sister couldn't
keep some of these kids.
00:27:20.67\00:27:23.54
And so she came
to me and she said,
00:27:23.57\00:27:25.94
"Laurie, I'm short
of my rent tonight,
00:27:25.97\00:27:27.88
I don't know what I'm going to.
00:27:27.91\00:27:29.24
They're going to evict us
and I have all these children.
00:27:29.28\00:27:31.35
And I said but the first thing
00:27:31.38\00:27:32.71
we need to do is
sit down and pray.
00:27:32.75\00:27:34.52
So we sat down
together and we prayed
00:27:34.55\00:27:37.32
and then I told
her to go home and,
00:27:37.35\00:27:40.36
you know, just wait
and see what happens.
00:27:40.39\00:27:42.42
The Lord will take
care of things for her.
00:27:42.46\00:27:44.96
And when she got home, you know,
00:27:44.99\00:27:47.03
she told her
husband what she had done,
00:27:47.06\00:27:48.70
and they had remembered
that his father had given them
00:27:48.73\00:27:53.80
a credit card about
12 years before that
00:27:53.84\00:27:57.64
when he-- then he had died.
00:27:57.67\00:28:00.08
And when he
gave the credit card,
00:28:00.11\00:28:01.88
they didn't know
how to get into the bank
00:28:01.91\00:28:03.85
'cause they didn't
know the pass code for it.
00:28:03.88\00:28:06.45
And so when they
went to the bank,
00:28:06.48\00:28:09.42
they tried a couple of
times and it didn't work.
00:28:09.45\00:28:12.12
And the third time, you
know, they take your card
00:28:12.15\00:28:14.92
and they destroy
it and that's it.
00:28:14.96\00:28:16.83
You can't get into that bank so.
00:28:16.86\00:28:20.06
So the third time she said,
00:28:20.10\00:28:21.43
let's think really
hard about, you know,
00:28:21.46\00:28:24.10
so that we can get this right
and we can see what's inside.
00:28:24.13\00:28:27.97
And what she
needed was $400 for rent.
00:28:28.00\00:28:32.24
And so she said to her husband,
00:28:32.27\00:28:34.11
well, you were
your father's favorite.
00:28:34.14\00:28:35.61
Why don't you
try your birth date?
00:28:35.64\00:28:37.68
And so they tried his birth date
00:28:37.71\00:28:39.68
and in that bank
account was $401.
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.68
Wow!
00:28:42.72\00:28:44.05
And she came back the
next week into Foodshare
00:28:44.09\00:28:47.06
and she was so excited
and she was just bubbling over
00:28:47.09\00:28:50.83
and she said,
you've got to sit down,
00:28:50.86\00:28:52.29
I've got to tell
you what happened.
00:28:52.33\00:28:53.66
And she told me the
story, and she let me share
00:28:53.70\00:28:56.43
with the other
clients that come in, so.
00:28:56.46\00:28:59.90
Well, that's a dramatic answer.
00:28:59.93\00:29:01.40
Yeah.
00:29:01.44\00:29:02.77
We have young man came in
and he was there and he was--
00:29:02.80\00:29:05.64
it was disappointing for him
to come to a food distribution.
00:29:05.67\00:29:10.38
You know, I mean, he'd
never think he would be
00:29:10.41\00:29:12.08
in this position
in life, you know.
00:29:12.11\00:29:13.45
Sure.
00:29:13.48\00:29:14.82
But he lost his job
and jobs were hard to find.
00:29:14.85\00:29:18.12
Since the recession,
everything got worse,
00:29:18.15\00:29:20.86
and that's when
the program expanded.
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.86
We have 2,500
people in our database
00:29:22.89\00:29:25.83
and we serve upto
500 families each week.
00:29:25.86\00:29:29.06
But this young man
asked us, he said, well,
00:29:29.10\00:29:31.17
maybe you can pray
that I can get a job.
00:29:31.20\00:29:33.54
I've been trying
for year, year and half.
00:29:33.57\00:29:36.30
Pray that I can get a job.
00:29:36.34\00:29:37.84
Then we didn't see
him for a couple of weeks
00:29:37.87\00:29:39.44
and he came back
and said and he right
00:29:39.47\00:29:41.74
in front of the
whole church, I got a job.
00:29:41.78\00:29:46.98
People have come to us
especially with anybody
00:29:47.02\00:29:49.85
that has any medical issues now
00:29:49.88\00:29:51.99
because several
other people we prayed for,
00:29:52.02\00:29:54.12
the Lord had seen fit to
heal and the people come back
00:29:54.16\00:29:58.19
and they just, they instantly
want as if we're magical.
00:29:58.23\00:30:03.47
Prayer request for
their people in the hospital.
00:30:03.50\00:30:06.10
And then we visited
some of them in the hospital.
00:30:06.13\00:30:08.07
Wow.
00:30:08.10\00:30:09.44
These experiences are
what keep you going though.
00:30:09.47\00:30:11.67
Exactly.
00:30:11.71\00:30:13.04
Because what you're doing
00:30:13.07\00:30:14.41
is not just having people
maintain food on the table.
00:30:14.44\00:30:21.48
It's reaching out
to them spiritually
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.29
with
encouragement and with prayer.
00:30:24.32\00:30:26.86
That's what we're trying to do.
00:30:26.89\00:30:28.22
And I'm trying to figure ways
that the Lord can bless them
00:30:28.26\00:30:31.93
and touch their hearts
and get them into the church.
00:30:31.96\00:30:33.86
Yes.
00:30:33.90\00:30:35.23
And so, we
planned a one day event
00:30:35.26\00:30:39.53
where we're gonna
serve them breakfast.
00:30:39.57\00:30:41.90
And then we had
some songs in between
00:30:41.94\00:30:45.34
and then I gave the
message for the day.
00:30:45.37\00:30:47.91
Okay.
00:30:47.94\00:30:49.28
We thought maybe
that would help get people
00:30:49.31\00:30:51.21
into the church and it did.
00:30:51.25\00:30:52.58
It did.
00:30:52.61\00:30:53.95
Because I'm the director
and they're pretty close to me.
00:30:53.98\00:30:56.05
Absolutely.
00:30:56.08\00:30:57.42
And they had a wonderful time.
00:30:57.45\00:30:59.82
And I knew that they
were listening to the sermon
00:30:59.85\00:31:02.02
because I put a little
insert in the bulletin.
00:31:02.06\00:31:05.19
And it was just a
small little insert
00:31:05.23\00:31:07.23
but I wanted to give
them something to do,
00:31:07.26\00:31:09.06
so that I can witness to them.
00:31:09.10\00:31:11.43
And on this paper it just said,
00:31:11.47\00:31:13.57
there is a little picture
of a flower and it said smile,
00:31:13.60\00:31:16.47
God thinks you're wonderful.
00:31:16.50\00:31:17.97
And I told them to
take that paper with them
00:31:18.01\00:31:20.48
and just walk up to
somebody and hold it up to them.
00:31:20.51\00:31:22.84
You don't have to say anything,
00:31:22.88\00:31:24.21
just hold it up to them
and see what reaction you get.
00:31:24.25\00:31:27.05
And then I said, if
you're really scared to do that,
00:31:27.08\00:31:29.48
you can put it in your
car window or something in,
00:31:29.52\00:31:31.82
you know, just see if
anybody has any reactions.
00:31:31.85\00:31:34.49
The next week I had so many
people come back to me and say,
00:31:34.52\00:31:38.06
"What a reaction?
00:31:38.09\00:31:39.43
It was so
beautiful. This was wonderful."
00:31:39.46\00:31:41.40
And somehow
they're happy to do that.
00:31:41.43\00:31:43.10
And with
conservative New Englanders,
00:31:43.13\00:31:46.50
they would never
think to do that.
00:31:46.53\00:31:48.17
No. No.
00:31:48.20\00:31:49.54
But once they do
it, they find out
00:31:49.57\00:31:51.51
the New Englanders
are like everybody else.
00:31:51.54\00:31:54.14
Exactly.
00:31:54.18\00:31:55.64
Once you get them going,
00:31:55.68\00:31:57.01
they're just as
friendly and open
00:31:57.05\00:31:58.38
and wonderful as people in
any other parts of country.
00:31:58.41\00:32:02.52
We have our next slide show
00:32:02.55\00:32:04.32
some of the other
services request that--
00:32:04.35\00:32:07.39
This is where we're
actually the people come in,
00:32:07.42\00:32:10.06
we try to talk to them
00:32:10.09\00:32:11.46
when they get
into their groceries.
00:32:11.49\00:32:12.96
We try to see what's
going on in their life.
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.83
They're very-- You need to be
00:32:15.86\00:32:17.50
personally interested in them.
00:32:17.53\00:32:18.87
Laurie's motto is
love them, serve them.
00:32:18.90\00:32:21.27
We make sure every volunteer
is not wearing the t-shirts.
00:32:21.30\00:32:24.97
Right.
00:32:25.01\00:32:26.57
But treating them with respect.
00:32:26.61\00:32:28.51
With respect.
00:32:28.54\00:32:29.88
And love. Yeah.
00:32:29.91\00:32:31.25
And so as you saw in
that picture there was--
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.08
lady was there.
00:32:33.11\00:32:34.45
We actually-- We're not just
00:32:34.48\00:32:36.75
witnessing to the
people, we serve now.
00:32:36.79\00:32:39.62
We became, Laurie became
00:32:39.65\00:32:41.26
the largest organization
in all of Connecticut.
00:32:41.29\00:32:45.39
And our sister
church Grace in Hartford
00:32:45.43\00:32:49.20
is the second largest.
00:32:49.23\00:32:50.60
So the Seventh-day
Adventist in Connecticut
00:32:50.63\00:32:53.30
are the first
and second largest.
00:32:53.34\00:32:55.74
And that's for food
distribution to the needy.
00:32:55.77\00:32:57.87
To relief services
and things like that,
00:32:57.91\00:32:59.74
any of their
needs that they need.
00:32:59.77\00:33:01.58
But our good friend in Novell.
00:33:01.61\00:33:04.15
Novell McGregor.
00:33:04.18\00:33:05.51
McGregor runs the Grace program.
00:33:05.55\00:33:06.92
Okay.
00:33:06.95\00:33:08.28
And Pastor Jackson is our
pastor for both churches now.
00:33:08.32\00:33:11.52
All right.
00:33:11.55\00:33:12.89
But, you know,
these people that come in.
00:33:12.92\00:33:16.56
One week there is nice
elderly couple and they--
00:33:16.59\00:33:21.66
we try to carry
their groceries from,
00:33:21.70\00:33:23.63
we have people there.
00:33:23.67\00:33:25.00
Carry the stuff of
the people, you know.
00:33:25.03\00:33:26.60
Treat them well.
00:33:26.63\00:33:27.97
And I said to the lady, I said,
00:33:28.00\00:33:31.64
I'll carry your
groceries home for you.
00:33:31.67\00:33:33.68
And she said, no, no, no,
we get picked up by Dial-a-Ride
00:33:33.71\00:33:39.91
over in the Catholic
church's parking lot.
00:33:39.95\00:33:42.78
And I said, that's no problem.
00:33:42.82\00:33:44.79
My car is parked over there now.
00:33:44.82\00:33:48.92
And I'm walking there anyway.
00:33:48.96\00:33:51.63
She's no, no, no,
it's a problem, you know.
00:33:51.66\00:33:55.63
So they struggled
with their groceries.
00:33:55.66\00:33:57.40
They cross the
street dial an emergency,
00:33:57.43\00:33:59.30
you know, the
neighborhood there,
00:33:59.33\00:34:00.77
I went around the
back and I was delayed
00:34:00.80\00:34:03.44
a few minutes
making one of my duties
00:34:03.47\00:34:05.87
is to make sure people are
not parking in no parking zones.
00:34:05.91\00:34:08.68
Right. Right.
00:34:08.71\00:34:10.35
And that's a full
time job sometime.
00:34:10.38\00:34:11.71
And parking is
very difficult there.
00:34:11.75\00:34:13.48
Very difficult. Very difficult.
00:34:13.52\00:34:14.95
Especially if you
have these many people.
00:34:14.98\00:34:16.58
Yes.
00:34:16.62\00:34:17.95
You know, the town police
was asked by the town manager
00:34:17.99\00:34:21.12
isn't this a
problem traffic wise.
00:34:21.16\00:34:22.79
He says, yeah, on Wednesdays
are problem of traffic here.
00:34:22.82\00:34:26.39
On Saturday and Sunday
when church is going on--
00:34:26.43\00:34:28.83
That's real problem.
00:34:28.86\00:34:30.20
Across the street.
00:34:30.23\00:34:31.57
You know, he said,
if I had more officers,
00:34:31.60\00:34:33.74
I'd more in the street.
00:34:33.77\00:34:35.10
Right. Right.
00:34:35.14\00:34:36.47
But these poor people walked
all the way across the street.
00:34:36.50\00:34:39.21
I was late
getting out to my car.
00:34:39.24\00:34:41.34
And as I came out to the car,
00:34:41.38\00:34:43.45
they were just coming
out of that little backroom
00:34:43.48\00:34:46.05
which is the priest would study.
00:34:46.08\00:34:48.18
And then they were embarrassed.
00:34:48.22\00:34:50.45
And they said, well,
00:34:50.49\00:34:51.82
probably you folks
don't want to service anymore
00:34:51.85\00:34:53.22
and I was what
are you talking about.
00:34:53.25\00:34:56.29
You know, we only
afford only Dial-a-Ride.
00:34:56.32\00:34:59.93
So we got to come to your place,
00:34:59.96\00:35:02.06
get our groceries, then
go over and see the priest
00:35:02.10\00:35:04.93
and then
Dial-a-Ride takes us home.
00:35:04.97\00:35:06.33
Yeah.
00:35:06.37\00:35:07.70
And I said, this--
00:35:07.74\00:35:09.80
Sounds like an
organization to me.
00:35:09.84\00:35:11.21
I personally know this
priest. He is not a bad person.
00:35:11.24\00:35:13.54
He is a good
person across the street.
00:35:13.58\00:35:15.91
You come, come to
our food distribution,
00:35:15.94\00:35:17.71
we'll serve you.
00:35:17.75\00:35:19.08
We'll bring your groceries
over to his office here.
00:35:19.11\00:35:22.38
See your priest and then
00:35:22.42\00:35:23.75
the Dial-a-Ride
will take you home.
00:35:23.79\00:35:25.42
There is no
effect on us whatsoever,
00:35:25.45\00:35:28.46
so you know,
people like that that come
00:35:28.49\00:35:31.59
and there's a
senior center in town
00:35:31.63\00:35:36.23
now that probably wasn't
there when you were in there.
00:35:36.26\00:35:38.73
There is a big senior center
00:35:38.77\00:35:40.20
take care of lot of
the retirees and people.
00:35:40.24\00:35:44.01
And the two young
ladies that run that program
00:35:44.04\00:35:48.48
are about Jill's age, you know.
00:35:48.51\00:35:50.65
Yeah.
00:35:50.68\00:35:52.38
And run the program for them.
00:35:52.41\00:35:55.45
And they wondered
why do the seniors come
00:35:55.48\00:35:58.22
when they have
their own program there
00:35:58.25\00:36:00.26
to our program as well.
00:36:00.29\00:36:02.42
And 'cause we have
so many of the seniors
00:36:02.46\00:36:05.49
that come to it and
they said we dress up in wigs
00:36:05.53\00:36:09.06
with all this makeup.
00:36:09.10\00:36:10.77
And we made ourselves
appear like elderly ladies
00:36:10.80\00:36:13.80
and we didn't recognize them.
00:36:13.84\00:36:15.17
We did not recognize
them. They were made up well.
00:36:15.20\00:36:17.71
Is that right.
00:36:17.74\00:36:20.21
And they came in to
the program and they said,
00:36:20.24\00:36:23.75
nobody treats people as
nice as these people do.
00:36:23.78\00:36:27.18
Oh, that's great. That great.
00:36:27.22\00:36:29.38
So they were checking you out.
They were kind of being spies.
00:36:29.42\00:36:33.42
Couple of spies in
there, but you know,
00:36:33.46\00:36:35.06
people offered to
carry their stuff from,
00:36:35.09\00:36:37.26
helped them through
their shopping experience,
00:36:37.29\00:36:39.59
you know, and we try
to talk to them and meet
00:36:39.63\00:36:42.26
with them and
Laurie's really made
00:36:42.30\00:36:45.20
the volunteers over here
00:36:45.23\00:36:46.57
had a big thing of
love them, serve them.
00:36:46.60\00:36:48.60
Yeah.
00:36:48.64\00:36:49.97
And she-- amazingly to me knows
00:36:50.01\00:36:51.54
all these people by their name.
00:36:51.57\00:36:53.71
Right. Oh, that is amazing.
00:36:53.74\00:36:56.04
And if you, you know
00:36:56.08\00:36:57.85
that we don't do
these things as a hook.
00:36:57.88\00:37:00.82
We're not trying to say, okay,
00:37:00.85\00:37:03.05
so many pounds of
food, so many baptisms,
00:37:03.08\00:37:05.62
so much church growth.
00:37:05.65\00:37:08.06
We serve like that
Lord has told us to do.
00:37:08.09\00:37:10.16
Exactly.
00:37:10.19\00:37:11.53
We let Him and the Holy Spirit
00:37:11.56\00:37:13.70
do the work of
bringing people to God's truth,
00:37:13.73\00:37:18.23
but if we're
demonstrating it through love,
00:37:18.27\00:37:22.77
it will pay dividends.
00:37:22.80\00:37:24.84
And when you have an
evangelistic meeting,
00:37:24.87\00:37:27.71
I think you'd be
surprised eventually
00:37:27.74\00:37:30.91
how many of those people.
00:37:30.95\00:37:32.28
By the way, I strongly
recommend that you work,
00:37:32.31\00:37:35.55
that you either now
back of my card for instance,
00:37:35.58\00:37:40.19
I tell people how to
watch 3ABN and wherever I go,
00:37:40.22\00:37:45.03
if I'm on a plane,
Camille is always telling me,
00:37:45.06\00:37:48.53
one of these days
somebody is going to call you
00:37:48.56\00:37:53.40
and say you, you
know, you gave me a card.
00:37:53.44\00:37:55.50
The other day I
was traveling and went
00:37:55.54\00:38:00.41
into a little quick store
the place and the lady was--
00:38:00.44\00:38:05.11
I saw her
reading a spiritual book.
00:38:05.15\00:38:07.75
And so I asked her, I
said, "Are you Christian?"
00:38:07.78\00:38:11.15
And she said, "Yes,
but I'm discouraged."
00:38:11.19\00:38:14.62
I said, "Why are
you discouraged?"
00:38:14.66\00:38:17.13
And then she told me, she
said, "We moved to Atlanta
00:38:17.16\00:38:20.53
and one of the big
name pastors there,
00:38:20.56\00:38:23.10
we went to his church and
then we were so discouraged
00:38:23.13\00:38:27.44
because he built a
multimillion dollar home."
00:38:27.47\00:38:31.04
And she said, "With the
world, there're so many needs
00:38:31.07\00:38:35.51
the way it is for somebody
to build something like this.
00:38:35.54\00:38:38.41
We were discouraged, we left,
00:38:38.45\00:38:40.35
we came back to
Florida she said.
00:38:40.38\00:38:42.55
We have this little store now."
00:38:42.58\00:38:45.19
And, but she said "It
has really hurt our faith."
00:38:45.22\00:38:50.83
And then she told
me about the people
00:38:50.86\00:38:53.63
she bought the store
from have ripped them off.
00:38:53.66\00:38:56.67
And so I was able to pray
with her for her to forgive.
00:38:56.70\00:39:00.94
She and her husband
later with her husband came in,
00:39:00.97\00:39:03.00
we both, prayed
with both of them
00:39:03.04\00:39:05.07
that the Lord would heal
them, help them to forgive
00:39:05.11\00:39:10.65
because this is something that
when God helps us to forgive,
00:39:10.68\00:39:15.42
it helps to clear things up.
00:39:15.45\00:39:17.19
So then I shared 3ABN with them.
00:39:17.22\00:39:19.69
And we do this
wherever We're going out
00:39:19.72\00:39:22.42
and I don't know you
got them watching 3ABN
00:39:22.46\00:39:24.49
but we shared the different ways
00:39:24.53\00:39:26.90
they can watch on
iPad or iPhone or android,
00:39:26.93\00:39:31.43
we're on the app,
streaming live at 3ABN, Roku,
00:39:31.47\00:39:37.31
Dish Network 9393, a
lot of people watch on dish
00:39:37.34\00:39:41.91
and Cable One, Channel
393, Verizon FiOS: Channel 291.
00:39:41.94\00:39:48.78
People don't realize
that they are getting Verizon
00:39:48.82\00:39:52.42
that they can request
that if they've Verizon FiOS
00:39:52.45\00:39:56.42
which is the computer,
00:39:56.46\00:39:58.43
their phone and
their television,
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.10
they can ask for
our channel in free.
00:40:01.13\00:40:03.43
Doesn't cost anything more.
00:40:03.47\00:40:05.10
So we can share this
kind of thing with people.
00:40:05.13\00:40:07.47
You start to-- they
will start to watch,
00:40:07.50\00:40:09.74
they won't
watch it all the time,
00:40:09.77\00:40:11.11
but they will start to watch.
00:40:11.14\00:40:12.47
Many cables of
course and then other ways
00:40:12.51\00:40:15.51
that they can watch.
00:40:15.54\00:40:16.88
So if you can begin to get
them to do that tie 3ABN in,
00:40:16.91\00:40:23.75
I think you'll see even more.
00:40:23.79\00:40:25.29
Yeah, I'm gonna-- I'm gonna--
00:40:25.32\00:40:26.69
We can have
those instructions out.
00:40:26.72\00:40:28.49
And so but this will,
00:40:28.52\00:40:31.66
is one way to
tie these people in,
00:40:31.69\00:40:35.53
so that they can watch at home.
00:40:35.56\00:40:38.40
The demographics of our area
is a lot of well to do people.
00:40:38.43\00:40:42.07
Yes.
00:40:42.10\00:40:43.44
You know, which don't
feel indeed in many cases.
00:40:43.47\00:40:45.57
No.
00:40:45.61\00:40:47.04
And then the poor people
00:40:47.08\00:40:48.98
and of course of
people that supervises.
00:40:49.01\00:40:51.25
The people you saw in
that picture originally
00:40:51.28\00:40:53.31
with the 3ABN people.
00:40:53.35\00:40:55.75
Some of those people have
00:40:55.78\00:40:57.12
dedicated their
lives to serving.
00:40:57.15\00:40:58.49
Yes.
00:40:58.52\00:40:59.85
One of the young man George
00:40:59.89\00:41:01.22
that I know well was
a Peace Corps volunteer,
00:41:01.26\00:41:02.99
you know, and
all of these things.
00:41:03.02\00:41:05.09
So we witness to
these other people
00:41:05.13\00:41:07.43
that are
interested in serving people.
00:41:07.46\00:41:09.00
Right.
00:41:09.03\00:41:10.37
We need to reach
the-- so we can reach
00:41:10.40\00:41:12.70
the upper level where
we couldn't reach before.
00:41:12.73\00:41:15.10
We can reach the lower level,
you need to reach the middle.
00:41:15.14\00:41:17.91
And of course,
Heidi was here this week.
00:41:17.94\00:41:20.01
Yeah. She is
reaching the middle.
00:41:20.04\00:41:22.38
People are interested in health.
00:41:22.41\00:41:23.75
Yeah.
00:41:23.78\00:41:25.11
They're interested in
your cooking programs.
00:41:25.15\00:41:26.65
They're interested
in healthful living
00:41:26.68\00:41:29.22
and health messages.
00:41:29.25\00:41:31.12
So we ultimately want to
have the God's Grocery Store
00:41:31.15\00:41:36.16
that distributes the product.
00:41:36.19\00:41:38.29
We want to have Heidi's
Kitchen in a good restaurant.
00:41:38.33\00:41:42.13
All right.
00:41:42.16\00:41:43.50
And we want to
have God's greenhouses.
00:41:43.53\00:41:44.90
Okay.
00:41:44.93\00:41:46.27
We gonna grow the food
in God's greenhouses fresh
00:41:46.30\00:41:49.20
and supply to
restaurant what it needs,
00:41:49.24\00:41:51.77
sell the rest commercially.
00:41:51.81\00:41:53.48
But then with the
leftovers we'll distribute
00:41:53.51\00:41:56.18
because you know, the Bible says
00:41:56.21\00:41:57.55
you don't harvest the corners
00:41:57.58\00:41:59.45
and you don't pick up the drops,
00:41:59.48\00:42:01.12
you leave some for,
for the people of need.
00:42:01.15\00:42:04.72
So are you planning a new
facility somewhere some place.
00:42:04.75\00:42:07.69
Yeah. We're looking.
00:42:07.72\00:42:09.36
Down the line.
00:42:09.39\00:42:10.73
That we want to now
start the greenhouses
00:42:10.76\00:42:12.49
and get them up and running.
00:42:12.53\00:42:14.20
Heidi's doing a great job
on her restaurants in cooking.
00:42:14.23\00:42:18.13
And her food is
incredibly delicious.
00:42:18.17\00:42:20.84
Oh, yeah.
00:42:20.87\00:42:22.24
In fact, for Christmas,
00:42:22.27\00:42:25.27
we gave everybody
that came in as a client,
00:42:25.31\00:42:28.61
a little bag of three sample
carubies, offered desserts.
00:42:28.64\00:42:33.35
And people kept
coming back and saying,
00:42:33.38\00:42:36.28
how can we get in
line for a second?
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.75
You brought those down to
camp meeting too in Florida.
00:42:38.79\00:42:42.29
And we really enjoyed them.
00:42:42.32\00:42:45.26
I tell you we
had people asking us,
00:42:45.29\00:42:46.96
do you have any
one of those left in.
00:42:47.00\00:42:49.36
And so they really did
enjoy. And they're healthful.
00:42:49.40\00:42:51.57
They're healthful.
00:42:51.60\00:42:52.93
They're very healthful
but it taste very good.
00:42:52.97\00:42:54.97
Yes, you had the
gluten free ones,
00:42:55.00\00:42:56.57
you know, she had for
me which I appreciated.
00:42:56.60\00:42:59.51
Yeah.
00:42:59.54\00:43:00.88
Well, Heidi's
into a plant based.
00:43:00.91\00:43:02.68
You know, vegan diet. Not
just vegan but plant based.
00:43:02.71\00:43:05.51
Right.
00:43:05.55\00:43:06.88
My sister Charlotte
is into the same things.
00:43:06.92\00:43:09.82
You know, several of
the family members are,
00:43:09.85\00:43:12.35
and we wanted to
expand this for some time.
00:43:12.39\00:43:15.19
My business with
the energy project
00:43:15.22\00:43:17.13
is still been quite busy.
00:43:17.16\00:43:19.13
But I've to stop,
I've to taper off that.
00:43:19.16\00:43:23.57
Right, I understand.
00:43:23.60\00:43:24.93
And let the other
workers in the company
00:43:24.97\00:43:26.30
and the CEOs,
let them do the work.
00:43:26.33\00:43:27.77
Let them work.
00:43:27.80\00:43:29.14
And get this
other business going.
00:43:29.17\00:43:30.67
Yeah. So that we can do this.
00:43:30.71\00:43:32.54
And then you can
reach the middle level.
00:43:32.57\00:43:34.74
And, you know,
something that in many ways
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.45
it can be operated as
a non profit business,
00:43:37.48\00:43:41.22
and where it will actually
still be based from ministry.
00:43:41.25\00:43:46.62
And it can be
very effective thing.
00:43:46.65\00:43:49.59
The first one
would be like that,
00:43:49.62\00:43:50.96
it will be a research facility.
00:43:50.99\00:43:52.59
We built a small model of this.
00:43:52.63\00:43:55.26
Chuck Gilbert did in our--
00:43:55.30\00:43:57.40
in his PhD studies at
University of Rhode Island.
00:43:57.43\00:44:01.14
We built a model lab
of everything that we--
00:44:01.17\00:44:04.87
the principles we want to use--
00:44:04.91\00:44:06.68
Okay.
00:44:06.71\00:44:08.18
But, you know, when
Heidi comes to town,
00:44:08.21\00:44:11.05
when Laurie goes
over to UConn Med Center.
00:44:11.08\00:44:13.78
A good friend of mine is
Dr. Sammy Eulgi, an MD PhD
00:44:13.82\00:44:17.45
from UConn Med Center.
00:44:17.49\00:44:18.82
Right.
00:44:18.85\00:44:20.19
So we know a lot of
the people over there.
00:44:20.22\00:44:21.56
All of those people
are in excellent health.
00:44:21.59\00:44:23.19
Oh, yes.
00:44:23.22\00:44:24.56
They all want Heidi's products.
00:44:24.59\00:44:25.93
Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:25.96\00:44:27.33
And that's the
demand that's out there.
00:44:27.36\00:44:30.53
And that's the way I
think we can reach more people,
00:44:30.57\00:44:34.90
and witness to
more for the church.
00:44:34.94\00:44:36.34
Well, we're told by Ellen White
00:44:36.37\00:44:39.54
that the health
message is the right arm.
00:44:39.57\00:44:42.71
And this has been the
focus of Elder Ted Wilson
00:44:42.74\00:44:47.65
is to reach the cities
with the health message.
00:44:47.68\00:44:50.02
In fact Heidi was
there in New York City
00:44:50.05\00:44:52.42
for that outreach that
was that took place there.
00:44:52.45\00:44:55.49
And you've seen the
combination of the message,
00:44:55.52\00:44:59.73
preaching message
00:44:59.76\00:45:01.10
and the health
messaged tied together.
00:45:01.13\00:45:02.90
Well, listen, tell
me any more pictures
00:45:02.93\00:45:04.90
that we're gonna see here
or we're just about through.
00:45:04.93\00:45:07.10
Let see.
00:45:07.14\00:45:08.47
This of course is
one of the special events
00:45:08.50\00:45:10.77
we have every
year is twice the year
00:45:10.81\00:45:14.21
for Thanksgiving and Christmas,
00:45:14.24\00:45:16.18
and that's the
turkey distribution.
00:45:16.21\00:45:17.75
Okay.
00:45:17.78\00:45:19.11
We did 750 turkeys.
00:45:19.15\00:45:23.72
We get a little
bit larger turnout
00:45:23.75\00:45:25.75
when we get
close to the holidays.
00:45:25.79\00:45:27.12
Right.
00:45:27.16\00:45:28.49
And in this year we
helped the organizations
00:45:28.52\00:45:32.53
by actually going and
helping them get the turkeys.
00:45:32.56\00:45:35.46
Right. In the trucks.
00:45:35.50\00:45:36.93
We rented a truck.
00:45:36.97\00:45:38.50
We rented a truck
and we went into Hartford
00:45:38.53\00:45:41.24
and all these businesses
came and donated turkeys
00:45:41.27\00:45:45.34
and we put them in
the back of the truck
00:45:45.37\00:45:47.18
and deliver them
where they needed to go.
00:45:47.21\00:45:49.84
Something that
Beverly did and something
00:45:49.88\00:45:52.05
that Laurie does as well.
00:45:52.08\00:45:53.95
These people have to fill
out special turkey request form,
00:45:53.98\00:45:57.05
you know, these things here.
00:45:57.09\00:45:58.75
Inevitably somebody
either doesn't fill it out right
00:45:58.79\00:46:01.56
or tries to cheat
and get two turkeys.
00:46:01.59\00:46:05.36
Yes.
00:46:05.39\00:46:06.73
And that doesn't work for them
00:46:06.76\00:46:08.10
because they gonna get
kicked out of the system.
00:46:08.13\00:46:09.46
Yeah.
00:46:09.50\00:46:10.83
We get some extras
that we acquire ourselves
00:46:10.87\00:46:12.93
and we get a
lot of-- we stack up
00:46:12.97\00:46:14.47
on chicken too before
the turkey distribution.
00:46:14.50\00:46:17.77
So that people
have something even
00:46:17.81\00:46:19.71
if they try to come to program.
00:46:19.74\00:46:21.74
You get, get them something.
00:46:21.78\00:46:23.71
Well--
00:46:23.75\00:46:25.08
And we participate in
the fund raising for the--
00:46:25.11\00:46:27.18
for the Foodshare organization.
00:46:27.22\00:46:28.85
Yeah.
00:46:28.88\00:46:30.22
We just did the mock for 100.
00:46:30.25\00:46:32.02
It's a three and
half mile walk, 5 K.
00:46:32.05\00:46:36.99
Walk against hunger.
00:46:37.03\00:46:38.53
Right. Yes.
00:46:38.56\00:46:39.89
And I had quite a
few volunteers that came
00:46:39.93\00:46:41.90
and participated in
that, it was very nice.
00:46:41.93\00:46:44.23
Very enjoyable
and it was interesting
00:46:44.27\00:46:46.53
this year because
Foodshare doesn't really,
00:46:46.57\00:46:49.44
you have to be very careful
when you're talking about God.
00:46:49.47\00:46:52.84
All right.
00:46:52.87\00:46:54.21
Well, listen, if
you want to find out
00:46:54.24\00:46:57.18
how you can get in
touch with John and Laurie,
00:46:57.21\00:47:00.98
and God's Grocery Store,
this is how you can do it.
00:47:01.02\00:47:04.89
If you'd like to know
more about this ministry,
00:47:07.69\00:47:10.03
then you can write
to God's Grocery Store,
00:47:10.06\00:47:13.06
97 Broad Street,
Plainville, Connecticut 06062.
00:47:13.09\00:47:18.23
That's God's Grocery
Store, 97 Broad Street,
00:47:18.27\00:47:22.07
Plainville, Connecticut 06062.
00:47:22.10\00:47:25.74
You can call 860-680-6668.
00:47:25.77\00:47:30.75
That's 860-680-6668.
00:47:30.78\00:47:35.42
Or you can email them
at ejtsbabe@gmail.com.
00:47:35.45\00:47:41.99
That's ejtsbabe@gmail.com.
00:47:42.02\00:47:48.50
Well, get in touch with
them because this is something
00:47:52.80\00:47:56.30
that you may be able to
do in your own, own church.
00:47:56.34\00:48:00.58
And get some
people working with you.
00:48:00.61\00:48:03.61
They will tell you how to do it.
00:48:03.65\00:48:05.15
How to put all this together.
00:48:05.18\00:48:07.38
I know they've got
something's written out
00:48:07.42\00:48:09.72
and some of them we'll
share with you verbally,
00:48:09.75\00:48:12.39
but you just get in touch
00:48:12.42\00:48:15.02
because this may open
the door to your community
00:48:15.06\00:48:19.59
for your church in a way
00:48:19.63\00:48:21.63
that you've never
seen that door open before.
00:48:21.66\00:48:26.74
And I'm excited
about some of the things
00:48:26.77\00:48:29.87
we were talking about,
00:48:29.90\00:48:31.44
just off the air here about
the future and future plans
00:48:31.47\00:48:36.44
and what I believe
that God is gonna do.
00:48:36.48\00:48:38.55
Well, listen, we've
got time for another song
00:48:38.58\00:48:41.22
by Jaime Jorge,
"Jesus Paid It All."
00:48:41.25\00:48:45.15