I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to "3ABN Today."
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My name is C.A Murray.
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This particular program is
some 5 years in the making.
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We only get to do it
after a General Conference
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when we get to meet
people from around the world
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to tell us how God has
blessed their ministries.
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First up, Jiao
Hong Zhi, Shen Bin Yi,
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and Daniel Jiao from China,
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talking about
suffering for the Lord,
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suffering for your faith
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and ultimate
victory in Jesus Christ.
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Danny Shelton had a
chance to do this interview.
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It's great to be here
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at the General
Conference session
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because we can meet
brothers and sisters
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from all around the world.
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Sitting next to me is Daniel.
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Daniel, you're from China?
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Yeah, yes.
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And you're the
secretary of the...
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Chinese Union Mission.
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Union Mission,
there in Hong Kong.
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Yes.
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I've been to Hong
Kong, such a beautiful city.
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How do you
pronounce your last name?
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Jiao. Jiao.
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Daniel Jiao.
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And would you
introduce your parents to us?
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Yeah, this is my
father, his name is Hong Zhi.
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You should always
say last name first,
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so then say Jiao Hong Zhi.
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That's my
mother, her name is Shen,
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last name is Shen, Shen Bin Yi.
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So you use, even
though they're married,
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in America we use the
same husband-wife names.
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Yes. She keeps her maiden name.
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Yes, in China usually,
even after you're married,
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you still...
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she still keep her name.
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Oh, that's
interesting, very interesting.
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We're very happy to
have you here today.
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And may I call you pastor?
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And is your
father physician, too?
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Uh, he was a
physician but he's retired.
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Yes, he's retired.
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But did he
become formally a pastor
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or was he just a missionary?
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Yes, he was
ordained as a pastor.
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Oh, ordained, so--
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Well, how about this,
I'll call you brother.
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We are brothers
and sister in the Lord.
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Yes.
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We're so glad
that you're here today.
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And we wanted to
take just a few moments
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to get a little
bit of your testimony
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being born and raised in China.
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How did you become
Seventh-Day Adventist?
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At that time, he
said that his parents
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brought them to the church
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but he didn't have a lot of
understanding of the belief.
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Okay.
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After he got into the
Medic school in Shanghai,
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the second year of his
study in the Medical school,
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he felt the
moving of the Holy Spirit
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and he was really
drawn to following Jesus.
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Okay, so what
happened in Medical school?
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Now did he have freedom
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to worship on the Sabbath, then?
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And initially they applied
to the school, and the school,
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after a while they
said that, "It's okay."
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Initially they allow
him to keep the Sabbath.
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Okay.
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At that time he was
thinking about his life.
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He said, "When I
graduate from Medical school,
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then may be I'll get married,
then may be I'll have children.
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Now, I'll continue the work.
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One day I will die."
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And he thought about life
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that doesn't seems
to have lot of meaning.
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Oh.
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At that time so he is thinking,
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"What exactly the
meaning of my life?"
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And at that time, the
Holy Spirit moved him.
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He felt that, "If I am in Jesus,
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and be in God,
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and God within
Jesus, then there is love,
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and love is eternal life."
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So after that my life
really, his life changed.
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And whenever I meet
people, I will tell that,
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"You need to come
and believe in Jesus,
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the good news of Jesus Christ."
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At some point, tell
us how you met your wife.
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When he was studying
in the Medical school,
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the last year of
his Medical school,
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the school said that,
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"We can no longer allow
you to keep the Sabbath."
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And they said that,
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"If you don't come
to school on Sabbath,
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then you have to drop out."
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So he continued to
apply, to be off on Sabbath,
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but eventually
the school said that,
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"You can no
longer keep the Sabbath."
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And he had to
drop out of the school.
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After he left the Medic school,
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he devoted his time in a church.
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At that time in Shanghai,
the church in Shanghai,
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they have about seven or
eight young people together.
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Mm-hmm.
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So at that time,
when he was in the church,
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he met my mother.
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Oh, okay.
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She was working in a hospital,
but also had difficulty
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keeping the Sabbath
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and eventually she had to choose
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either go to work on
Sabbath or quit her job.
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And she also quit her job.
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And so both of them,
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they were in the
church, together.
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Okay, so
eventually you're married
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and then something happened
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only a few months
after your marriage.
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Uh, so they were in a church,
and eventually about 5 years
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they decided to be married.
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But then the
political situation in China
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became really tight.
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People, one by one,
were taken into prison.
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The reason that they were
thinking about getting married
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was only looking at
political situations.
00:10:02.66\00:10:06.67
She was afraid if
they don't get married,
00:10:06.70\00:10:10.94
if he has been
taken into prison,
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then they will be
separated for ever.
00:10:14.24\00:10:17.25
So after they were
married for 3 months,
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he was sentenced to labor
camp and they were separated.
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Now why?
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Because you wouldn't quit going
to church on Sabbath or why?
00:10:36.40\00:10:40.84
There are three
reasons for sentencing him.
00:10:49.38\00:10:52.95
One is that he was
keeping the Sabbath.
00:10:52.98\00:10:55.52
And secondly, is that they were
printing the Conflict series,
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the five volumes of
Ellen G. White books,
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just being translated
and so they were the first,
00:11:17.74\00:11:22.54
that printing those books
00:11:22.58\00:11:23.95
and sending on
to all over China.
00:11:23.98\00:11:25.91
And the third reason is
that they talked about that,
00:11:36.19\00:11:41.16
"We need to stand
up against the devil."
00:11:41.20\00:11:43.87
They said that, "Word devil,
00:11:43.90\00:11:46.43
are you referring that
to the Chinese government?"
00:11:46.47\00:11:50.51
So they said that,
00:11:50.54\00:11:51.87
"No, that's
against the government."
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So that's the three reasons
that he was being sentenced.
00:11:54.78\00:11:57.15
Okay, all right.
00:11:57.18\00:11:58.51
I want to talk to your
mother for just a moment.
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You're married for just 3 months
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and your husband
is taken from you,
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that was such a shock.
00:12:08.29\00:12:09.72
Did you know how long
he would be in prison?
00:12:20.04\00:12:22.30
Initially she didn't know
how long he was sentenced, yes.
00:12:34.35\00:12:40.72
It must've been so hard
on you, you're newly-wed,
00:12:40.76\00:12:44.33
love your husband, love Jesus,
and now your husband is gone.
00:12:44.36\00:12:48.46
How did you cope with that?
00:12:48.50\00:12:49.83
The reason that
I married him was
00:13:08.68\00:13:11.39
that I know that
he keeps the Sabbath.
00:13:11.42\00:13:14.49
A person who keeps the Sabbath
is a person that's dependable.
00:13:14.52\00:13:18.63
That's why I married him.
00:13:18.66\00:13:20.83
Okay.
00:13:20.86\00:13:22.20
So let me
translate, so she said that
00:13:41.48\00:13:45.45
because of this
she is not worried
00:13:45.49\00:13:48.62
no matter how long he's
being sentenced to prison.
00:13:48.66\00:13:53.73
So she's
prepared to wait for him.
00:13:53.76\00:13:56.36
Okay.
00:13:56.40\00:13:57.73
And so she was getting
ready to see him last time
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.40
before he is sent away,
she said she was prepared
00:14:01.44\00:14:05.64
to say one sentence to him.
00:14:05.67\00:14:10.15
And she knew that
00:14:16.62\00:14:18.12
as they were seeing each other,
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.52
she would only
be given ten minutes
00:14:20.56\00:14:22.82
to talk to each other.
00:14:22.86\00:14:24.29
So the first, she
told him told him that,
00:14:34.67\00:14:37.67
"I have read
this written sentence
00:14:37.71\00:14:41.74
and I know that you're
being sentenced for 12 years."
00:14:41.78\00:14:44.85
Wow.
00:14:44.88\00:14:46.21
And she said,
00:14:54.72\00:14:56.59
"You go no matter it's 12 years,
00:14:56.62\00:15:01.03
even it is 20 years, I
will still wait for you."
00:15:01.06\00:15:03.70
Wow, that is
wonderful, wonderful.
00:15:03.73\00:15:06.74
Now, I want to move,
fast forward a little bit.
00:15:06.77\00:15:09.97
So the 12 years are
up, you get out of prison,
00:15:10.01\00:15:15.08
what happened next?
00:15:15.11\00:15:16.51
So he was sentenced for 12 years
00:15:32.26\00:15:35.26
but after he got there,
00:15:35.30\00:15:37.73
his sentence was
taken off 3 years.
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.60
Okay.
00:15:40.64\00:15:41.97
So he had served
about nine years.
00:15:42.00\00:15:44.34
Okay.
00:15:44.37\00:15:45.71
The main reason
that his sentence
00:15:58.99\00:16:00.66
was reduced because,
00:16:00.69\00:16:02.92
when they got to the labor camp,
00:16:02.96\00:16:04.99
they were lot of
prisoners die, everyday,
00:16:05.03\00:16:09.63
because of
malnutrition or other reasons.
00:16:09.66\00:16:12.90
But after he got there he
was helping with the clinic,
00:16:12.93\00:16:17.67
for three months nobody died.
00:16:17.71\00:16:19.57
Oh, wow.
00:16:19.61\00:16:20.94
So that was kind of incentive
00:16:20.98\00:16:22.31
to take off three
years from his sentence.
00:16:22.34\00:16:25.95
Wonderful.
00:16:25.98\00:16:27.95
And so three years taken
off, he served for nine years.
00:16:27.98\00:16:33.72
Wow, amazing story.
00:16:33.76\00:16:35.69
But then you get out of prison,
what work did you go into?
00:16:35.72\00:16:39.06
Did you become a doctor?
00:16:39.09\00:16:40.43
Did you continue to preach
about the Lord and the Sabbath?
00:16:40.46\00:16:45.27
So while he was at the prison,
he started to share his faith
00:17:22.70\00:17:29.88
with those who were
still in the prison.
00:17:29.91\00:17:31.98
So after he served his sentence,
00:17:46.90\00:17:51.40
he was not allowed to
come back to Shanghai,
00:17:51.43\00:17:55.17
so at that time my
mother decided to come
00:17:55.20\00:17:58.34
to the labor camp
to stay with him yes.
00:17:58.37\00:18:01.94
Okay.
00:18:01.98\00:18:03.31
So you know, labor
camp, even when we were small,
00:18:16.93\00:18:21.20
we kept Sabbath
and people wondering,
00:18:21.23\00:18:24.70
"Why they are
keeping the Sabbath?"
00:18:24.73\00:18:26.57
So they start to ask questions.
00:18:26.60\00:18:28.80
When people ask, he
will share with them
00:18:28.84\00:18:32.04
the reason that
he kept the Sabbath.
00:18:32.07\00:18:33.71
Wow.
00:18:33.74\00:18:35.08
At that time, the
hospital asked him
00:18:54.70\00:18:58.20
to give some
training to the nurses.
00:18:58.23\00:19:04.04
And he said that, "I
can give training everyday
00:19:04.07\00:19:07.24
but not on Sabbath."
00:19:07.28\00:19:08.98
And the hospital
administration they initially,
00:19:09.01\00:19:13.58
they said, "No."
00:19:13.62\00:19:14.95
They said, "You have
to do it on Sabbath."
00:19:14.98\00:19:16.45
So the officials were
very angry and he felt that,
00:19:26.03\00:19:30.90
maybe they'll put him
back into prison again.
00:19:30.93\00:19:34.30
So he wrote a
report, outlining his belief
00:19:42.41\00:19:47.15
to the highest ranking
official in the labor camp.
00:19:47.18\00:19:50.35
That he had determination
00:19:59.49\00:20:02.66
that if he cannot
keep the Sabbath anymore,
00:20:02.70\00:20:05.93
he was willing to
go back to the prison.
00:20:05.97\00:20:08.47
Wow.
00:20:08.50\00:20:09.84
And we were thankful
that after he given a report,
00:20:18.58\00:20:22.85
they read his report, and
he was given the permission
00:20:22.88\00:20:26.22
to keep the Sabbath.
00:20:26.25\00:20:27.69
Alright, praise the Lord. Yeah.
00:20:27.72\00:20:29.26
I wanted to...
00:20:29.29\00:20:30.63
our time is running short.
00:20:30.66\00:20:31.99
But I want to get to the
end at some point the government
00:20:32.03\00:20:35.93
actually then, did
they reinstated him,
00:20:35.96\00:20:39.13
what did they
do to his sentence?
00:20:39.17\00:20:41.14
So that he had to,
eventually he had to,
00:21:06.73\00:21:09.43
small meeting
places with about 40 people
00:21:09.46\00:21:12.20
worshipping
together in the labor camp.
00:21:12.23\00:21:14.07
So he shared the
Sabbath material,
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.66
shared the Bible
story with them on Sabbath.
00:21:34.69\00:21:37.33
And a while later,
00:21:50.54\00:21:57.55
in 1983 the labor camp said,
00:21:57.58\00:22:03.15
"We need to
reverse your identity,
00:22:03.18\00:22:08.42
before you were prisoner
but no longer prisoner."
00:22:08.46\00:22:13.09
Wow, praise the Lord.
00:22:13.13\00:22:15.50
So the Provisional
Governor wrote the letter
00:22:22.04\00:22:24.87
to the labor camp said that,
00:22:24.91\00:22:27.51
"This person has
wrongfully sentenced,
00:22:27.54\00:22:30.21
you need to use
him in the hospital."
00:22:30.25\00:22:32.85
Wonderful, wonderful.
00:22:32.88\00:22:34.48
And they start to rank him
00:22:41.36\00:22:44.93
as one of the government
official in the labor camp.
00:22:44.96\00:22:49.40
So all the three reasons
00:22:56.44\00:22:57.81
that he was being
sentenced were cleared.
00:22:57.84\00:23:01.88
So they said that those
three were not based on facts.
00:23:01.91\00:23:06.31
So he became a
official in labor camp.
00:23:10.99\00:23:14.72
And vindicated and
it reminds us right now,
00:23:14.76\00:23:17.36
Satan has accused all of us.
00:23:17.39\00:23:20.00
Yes, that's right.
00:23:20.03\00:23:21.36
All the human beings
of rebellion against him.
00:23:21.40\00:23:24.97
He's trying to
sentence us to death
00:23:25.00\00:23:27.70
but God doesn't allow it.
00:23:27.74\00:23:29.57
In the end, our Creator God
vindicates us when we submit
00:23:29.60\00:23:34.21
and commit our lives
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:23:34.24\00:23:36.54
That's right, that's right.
00:23:36.58\00:23:37.91
Then now, we once
again are restored
00:23:37.95\00:23:40.92
to where we were created to be.
00:23:40.95\00:23:43.49
Amen.
00:23:43.52\00:23:44.85
It happened to him
in a physical sense.
00:23:44.89\00:23:46.22
We're talking spiritual sense.
00:23:46.25\00:23:48.12
That's right. That's right.
00:23:48.16\00:23:49.49
What a blessing.
00:23:49.52\00:23:51.03
We're out of time but
thank you, for being here.
00:23:51.06\00:23:53.36
Thank you, for
sharing this great testimony
00:23:53.40\00:23:56.23
of what God has
done in your life.
00:23:56.26\00:23:58.83
So we also thank
God. We have done nothing.
00:24:23.86\00:24:27.76
Well, all the
glory go through God.
00:24:27.80\00:24:29.73
Amen, all right.
Thank you so much.
00:24:29.76\00:24:31.57
Williams Costa Jr.
is the newly re-elected
00:24:39.87\00:24:44.25
communications director
for the General Conference.
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.21
He and Danny Shelton have
a long standing friendship
00:24:46.25\00:24:49.35
and relationship.
00:24:49.38\00:24:50.72
Danny got a
chance to talk with him
00:24:50.75\00:24:52.12
about new
methods of communication
00:24:52.15\00:24:54.42
and how we all can share
the Three Angels' messages.
00:24:54.46\00:24:57.36
Well, it's my privilege
to have as a guest today,
00:25:03.10\00:25:06.53
Brother Williams
Costa Jr. and Brother Costa,
00:25:06.57\00:25:10.21
it's good to have you here.
00:25:10.24\00:25:11.57
Yes.
00:25:11.61\00:25:12.94
And he is the General
00:25:12.97\00:25:14.31
Conference
communications director,
00:25:14.34\00:25:16.81
for those of you
that don't know exactly
00:25:16.85\00:25:18.98
what that means, it means,
he is communication director
00:25:19.01\00:25:21.82
over entire world church
of Seventh-Day Adventist.
00:25:21.85\00:25:25.95
What are we, something
like 18 million strong now?
00:25:25.99\00:25:29.76
A lot of people, right?
00:25:29.79\00:25:31.13
Today, you know,
on the last years,
00:25:31.16\00:25:33.66
communication has changed a lot.
00:25:33.70\00:25:35.46
Yes.
00:25:35.50\00:25:36.83
And today,
everybody is a communicator.
00:25:36.87\00:25:39.73
If you have a phone,
you can send a message,
00:25:39.77\00:25:42.84
you can have a blog, you
can have a site, you can tweet,
00:25:42.87\00:25:47.18
you can have Facebook.
00:25:47.21\00:25:48.54
So on these days it's
imperative that we as a church,
00:25:48.58\00:25:52.75
can communicate,
can share our message
00:25:52.78\00:25:56.42
so people can
understand what is going on.
00:25:56.45\00:25:58.85
Absolutely, and the
communication highways
00:25:58.89\00:26:01.39
have broadened so much,
and we talked about Daniel,
00:26:01.42\00:26:04.86
"And knowledge
shall be increased.
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.70
Many shall run to and fro."
00:26:06.73\00:26:08.50
I met you, I met this
Brother 25 years ago in Brazil.
00:26:08.53\00:26:12.57
And then we had hardly
any television stations.
00:26:12.60\00:26:15.84
There was no Hope channel.
00:26:15.87\00:26:17.91
I think 3ABN was the only one
at the time as far television.
00:26:17.94\00:26:21.08
We had AWR in radio.
00:26:21.11\00:26:23.68
But there were so
few ways to communicate
00:26:23.71\00:26:27.35
to the population on earth.
00:26:27.38\00:26:29.48
Now God has
brought this technology
00:26:29.52\00:26:32.75
that you're in the best position
00:26:32.79\00:26:34.96
anyone else ever sat in.
00:26:34.99\00:26:36.79
Imagine if you were
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.16
the first General Conference
communication director
00:26:38.19\00:26:41.20
and your job was to take
the message to the world.
00:26:41.23\00:26:43.77
Yeah, you know, I remember
those days when we talked.
00:26:43.80\00:26:47.94
I remember visiting
the head quarters of 3ABN,
00:26:47.97\00:26:51.11
much smaller studios,
00:26:51.14\00:26:53.24
lots of dreams, big initiatives.
00:26:53.27\00:26:56.44
But yes, there was a revolution.
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.21
Was there iPhones and iPads
and computers and all of this,
00:26:59.25\00:27:03.55
suddenly everybody
could take a message
00:27:03.59\00:27:07.32
and do a video and
edit and the audio.
00:27:07.36\00:27:10.66
So it's amazing, absolutely.
00:27:10.69\00:27:12.49
Absolutely.
00:27:12.53\00:27:13.86
I wanted to talk
to you, of course,
00:27:13.90\00:27:15.23
you're hearing
and it's a huge job.
00:27:15.26\00:27:16.60
You not only have
all of the entities
00:27:16.63\00:27:18.83
within the church
but you have newspapers
00:27:18.87\00:27:21.24
and television
stations coming everyday,
00:27:21.27\00:27:23.91
from outside the church
00:27:23.94\00:27:25.57
because we have
basically taken over
00:27:25.61\00:27:28.51
San Antonio for
our practical purposes.
00:27:28.54\00:27:31.51
And so it's all
your responsibility
00:27:31.55\00:27:34.12
to try to make sure
00:27:34.15\00:27:35.48
the right
information gets disseminated.
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.45
Yeah, the North America division
00:27:37.49\00:27:40.26
and the leaders
had a wonderful idea
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.52
to create this
Expo, Health Expo, here,
00:27:42.56\00:27:45.76
some months ago.
00:27:45.79\00:27:47.13
Yes.
00:27:47.16\00:27:48.50
And in this Health Expo,
there was service for people,
00:27:48.53\00:27:52.33
for the community
and all kinds of way.
00:27:52.37\00:27:54.90
So it was more than
$20 millions in service.
00:27:54.94\00:27:58.57
Wow.
00:27:58.61\00:27:59.94
And people said, "Well, look,
those Seventh-Day Adventists,
00:27:59.97\00:28:04.65
they are our friends.
00:28:04.68\00:28:07.62
And right now that we
have this big gathering here,
00:28:07.65\00:28:11.15
it's amazing to see how
open and friendly they are.
00:28:11.19\00:28:15.99
Even the news, sometimes
00:28:16.02\00:28:17.96
journalists become tough people,
00:28:17.99\00:28:20.90
but over here after all
of this that has been done,
00:28:20.93\00:28:24.33
they are friendly and nice.
00:28:24.37\00:28:25.93
So the
communication informing people.
00:28:25.97\00:28:29.37
And now the
communication with the media
00:28:29.40\00:28:32.11
and with the people,
00:28:32.14\00:28:33.58
it's something
extremely effective.
00:28:33.61\00:28:35.64
Absolutely.
00:28:35.68\00:28:37.01
I'd like to go
back some and talk,
00:28:37.05\00:28:39.58
what are lot of the
folk may not know about you
00:28:39.61\00:28:42.32
as your musical background.
00:28:42.35\00:28:44.95
When I met you, I was amazed
00:28:44.99\00:28:48.19
that you're Moses Premo
and some other folks have said,
00:28:48.22\00:28:52.06
"We have someone in Brazil
who's an incredible arranger."
00:28:52.09\00:28:55.93
And the way they said
was, "We'll put him up
00:28:55.96\00:28:58.17
against any American
arranger that you have,
00:28:58.20\00:29:00.74
any musician you have."
00:29:00.77\00:29:02.54
And I said, "I
want to meet this man."
00:29:02.57\00:29:03.91
Oh, man.
00:29:03.94\00:29:05.27
And they said, "His
name is Williams Costa Jr."
00:29:05.31\00:29:07.48
And God has
gifted him and his family
00:29:07.51\00:29:09.94
tremendous abilities.
00:29:09.98\00:29:11.55
He arranges, he writes music,
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.22
not only writes
but he arranges music,
00:29:15.25\00:29:17.85
he directs choirs, and
so your music background,
00:29:17.89\00:29:21.82
how did you get from
such a musical background
00:29:21.86\00:29:24.56
to the position you're in today?
00:29:24.59\00:29:27.33
Well, my academic
foundation was in music.
00:29:27.36\00:29:30.97
I was graduated
as piano performer,
00:29:31.00\00:29:34.10
music education, and
composition and conducting.
00:29:34.14\00:29:38.97
This is my academic background.
00:29:39.01\00:29:41.04
During 20 years I
was a music teacher,
00:29:41.08\00:29:43.58
arranger, composer, et cetera.
00:29:43.61\00:29:46.38
But then I discovered and said,
00:29:46.41\00:29:48.28
"Well, I need to be
involved with television
00:29:48.32\00:29:50.89
to promote music."
00:29:50.92\00:29:52.95
There was an opportunity
with It is Written at Brazil.
00:29:52.99\00:29:57.03
And I went to It is
Written to promote music.
00:29:57.06\00:30:00.76
But in dealing with the mayor
and the decisions for Christ
00:30:00.80\00:30:05.23
and all of this,
I became converted
00:30:05.27\00:30:07.54
for communication.
00:30:07.57\00:30:08.90
So from there, it's a
process. It was a process.
00:30:10.21\00:30:13.14
And you, you,
you're a pastor as well?
00:30:13.17\00:30:15.44
Yeah, and then
from It Is Written
00:30:15.48\00:30:18.25
I was invited to be
responsible for ADSAT,
00:30:18.28\00:30:21.72
that was the previous
hope channel in South America.
00:30:21.75\00:30:24.55
Then I went to the
communication department
00:30:24.59\00:30:26.96
in South America.
00:30:26.99\00:30:28.32
And then came for
the General Conference.
00:30:28.36\00:30:30.56
How long have you been
the G.C. General Conference
00:30:30.59\00:30:33.60
communications? Eight years.
00:30:33.63\00:30:34.96
Eight years?
Approximately eight years.
00:30:35.00\00:30:36.43
Three years as an
associate director
00:30:36.46\00:30:38.63
in communications
00:30:38.67\00:30:40.00
and five years as a
communications director.
00:30:40.04\00:30:42.54
Now they are saying to me that
I need to stay five years more.
00:30:42.57\00:30:45.17
I don't know, let's see.
00:30:45.21\00:30:46.54
Well, we hope so.
You've done an incredible job.
00:30:47.28\00:30:50.15
And again what
we've talked about in,
00:30:50.18\00:30:52.25
a lot of our
viewers, they love hearing
00:30:52.28\00:30:54.62
from some of our
leaders because they sit at home
00:30:54.65\00:30:57.85
and turn on the television,
especially younger folk,
00:30:57.89\00:31:01.66
10, 15, 20, 25 years old.
00:31:01.69\00:31:04.06
They don't know
that 30, 35 years ago,
00:31:04.09\00:31:07.80
this was not possible.
00:31:07.83\00:31:09.53
Now anywhere in the
world, on your phones
00:31:09.56\00:31:11.53
you can look up
"3ABN," the hope channels,
00:31:11.57\00:31:13.94
all of these
networks anywhere in the world
00:31:13.97\00:31:17.04
and watch Adventist programming.
00:31:17.07\00:31:19.61
And of course,
then you have ministries
00:31:19.64\00:31:21.54
within the church like
"Amazing Facts," it is written,
00:31:21.58\00:31:24.45
you know, "Breath
of Life," all of those.
00:31:24.48\00:31:27.12
The communications,
00:31:27.15\00:31:28.48
it's a matter of
keeping everything
00:31:28.52\00:31:31.02
up to this wave so
that we're not behind times
00:31:31.05\00:31:34.62
with the rest of the world.
00:31:34.66\00:31:36.02
You know, Danny, I really
think that the Lord is raising
00:31:36.06\00:31:40.43
all of these sources,
for us to use as tools,
00:31:40.46\00:31:44.37
to share the
good news of salvation
00:31:44.40\00:31:46.90
because it's best
time for Jesus to come.
00:31:46.94\00:31:50.84
And there is so
many things to do.
00:31:51.84\00:31:54.68
So I think that those
tools of communication,
00:31:54.71\00:31:57.88
those media
platforms are instruments
00:31:57.91\00:32:00.92
that the Holy Spirit will use
00:32:00.95\00:32:02.65
to spread the
Three Angels' message.
00:32:02.68\00:32:04.92
And I really
congratulate for "3ABN"
00:32:04.95\00:32:07.72
and all the possibilities
that you're developing
00:32:07.76\00:32:11.29
to share this good news.
00:32:11.33\00:32:13.06
This is why we exist. Yeah.
00:32:13.09\00:32:14.66
That's the reason
00:32:14.70\00:32:16.03
why we are living
here on this earth.
00:32:16.06\00:32:19.27
It's a privilege to be a
part of God's remnant church.
00:32:19.30\00:32:23.77
Part of the Seventh
day Adventist church.
00:32:23.81\00:32:25.47
We believe God has
people in all churches.
00:32:25.51\00:32:27.61
But He always had a
church that gives present truth.
00:32:27.64\00:32:30.88
And so we have a particular
message to give to the world,
00:32:30.91\00:32:34.98
and it's Three Angels' messages,
00:32:35.02\00:32:36.85
Fear God and give glory to him.
00:32:36.89\00:32:38.95
You know, for the hour
of His judgment is to come.
00:32:38.99\00:32:40.89
It's an in-time's
message for an in-time's people.
00:32:40.92\00:32:44.13
And so the
position that you're in,
00:32:44.16\00:32:46.83
God has hand
picked you as surely
00:32:47.93\00:32:50.17
as He's hand picked out Wilson
00:32:50.20\00:32:52.27
as the president
00:32:52.30\00:32:53.67
because the president
without communications
00:32:53.70\00:32:57.44
is just in a
little room by himself.
00:32:57.47\00:32:59.74
And so God has set this up.
00:32:59.77\00:33:02.61
We like to say, I'd like to say,
00:33:02.64\00:33:04.01
this has been a setup.
00:33:04.05\00:33:05.78
Sometimes that's
negative but it's a setup
00:33:05.81\00:33:08.62
that God has you here,
Brother Williams Costa Jr.
00:33:08.65\00:33:12.05
for such an hour as this
00:33:12.09\00:33:13.76
to work not only
within the Adventist church
00:33:13.79\00:33:16.83
but then you have to
put up with folks like
00:33:16.86\00:33:18.46
"3ABN" coming around and saying,
00:33:18.49\00:33:20.53
"Where can we get
involved in this?"
00:33:20.56\00:33:22.40
And so thank you, for
allowing us to be a part
00:33:22.43\00:33:25.17
because you mentioned
earlier, we're all one.
00:33:25.20\00:33:29.10
Yeah. We have the same message,
00:33:29.14\00:33:31.34
and there's so much
communication out there
00:33:31.37\00:33:33.78
but God has raised up "3ABN"
00:33:33.81\00:33:36.54
and I think is I agree with you.
00:33:36.58\00:33:38.38
Technology for
radio and television
00:33:38.41\00:33:40.65
is not for the world.
00:33:40.68\00:33:42.02
God has said, Jesus said,
00:33:42.05\00:33:43.59
"Look, I want to
come back to this earth.
00:33:43.62\00:33:45.49
I guess I'm gonna have to help
my lazy people a little bit."
00:33:45.52\00:33:48.19
They should be out there
00:33:48.22\00:33:49.56
but we'll help them
with communications.
00:33:49.59\00:33:51.29
And how many people
do you meet that says,
00:33:51.33\00:33:54.36
"I found Jesus through
watching hope channel or 3ABN
00:33:54.40\00:33:58.13
or listening to
Adventist radio."
00:33:58.17\00:34:00.50
And what an impact that is had
00:34:00.54\00:34:02.60
to think that
we're living in a time
00:34:02.64\00:34:04.54
that where as we sat here,
the signal goes 22,300 miles
00:34:04.57\00:34:08.74
to space, it's
covering nine satellites
00:34:08.78\00:34:11.21
so that
anywhere on planet earth,
00:34:11.25\00:34:13.72
any inhabitant
continent can be reached,
00:34:13.75\00:34:16.99
not only through 3ABN,
00:34:17.02\00:34:18.45
but hoping all
these other channels.
00:34:18.49\00:34:20.02
Absolutely.
00:34:20.06\00:34:21.39
It's an amazing
time to be alive.
00:34:21.42\00:34:23.39
But never has a
job been more difficult
00:34:23.43\00:34:26.03
and I'm gonna ask
my, all or our viewers
00:34:26.06\00:34:29.86
to continually
lift you up in prayer.
00:34:29.90\00:34:32.67
Because the message Jesus says,
"Go ye into all the world."
00:34:32.70\00:34:37.54
In this sentence,
00:34:37.57\00:34:38.91
He's not only saying to
each of us but particularly
00:34:38.94\00:34:42.74
the
responsibility on your shoulders
00:34:42.78\00:34:45.35
as World Communications Director
00:34:45.38\00:34:48.38
for the world church.
00:34:48.42\00:34:51.12
I've appointed you
for such an hour as this
00:34:51.15\00:34:53.15
so before we shut down here,
I want to say a little prayer
00:34:53.19\00:34:56.16
and I'm gonna ask our
viewers to pray for you
00:34:56.19\00:34:58.63
because no one knows,
00:34:58.66\00:35:00.26
I've seen him just a little bit,
00:35:00.30\00:35:02.03
this man has gone
almost 24x7 it seems like
00:35:02.06\00:35:05.13
if it's phone
wasn't shut off right now
00:35:05.17\00:35:07.37
he'd be keep answering it
00:35:07.40\00:35:09.00
because he has so
much responsibility.
00:35:09.04\00:35:12.11
At this point, I'm
glad that you are not me.
00:35:12.14\00:35:14.18
I can sit back and watch
you. Oh, no, it's all been
00:35:14.21\00:35:16.75
a real privilege to me,
00:35:16.78\00:35:18.41
I'd like to
congratulate all the viewers.
00:35:18.45\00:35:22.12
And I would like
to wish all the vision
00:35:22.15\00:35:26.49
and perception
to do the mission.
00:35:26.52\00:35:29.19
Thank you, for your
support to this ministry.
00:35:29.22\00:35:31.86
Thank you, for supporting
all the initiatives to spread
00:35:31.89\00:35:35.56
the good news of salvation.
00:35:35.60\00:35:37.53
And may God bless
you and your dear family.
00:35:37.57\00:35:40.90
Alright, let me say a
special prayer for you.
00:35:40.94\00:35:42.90
I'd like our viewers
at home to join with us,
00:35:42.94\00:35:45.14
Heavenly Father,
00:35:45.17\00:35:46.51
we just come to You
today, we're so grateful
00:35:46.54\00:35:48.61
and so thankful that
You've allowed us to be alive
00:35:48.64\00:35:51.68
in these closing
moments of earth's history.
00:35:51.71\00:35:53.88
I'm so thankful that
You've taken this son of Yours,
00:35:54.32\00:35:59.22
this brother of ours that
You have gifted in so many ways
00:35:59.25\00:36:03.73
through music, but
most of all for burden
00:36:03.76\00:36:07.30
to take the
gospel to all the world
00:36:07.33\00:36:09.46
and that you have lifted him up,
00:36:09.50\00:36:11.03
man has not done it.
00:36:11.07\00:36:12.40
You have put him in a
position to disseminate
00:36:12.43\00:36:15.40
this great gospel of the kingdom
00:36:15.44\00:36:17.67
and to all the world
before you come back.
00:36:17.71\00:36:19.97
So I pray, You
continue to be with him.
00:36:20.01\00:36:22.31
Thank You, how you
blessed the last eight years,
00:36:22.34\00:36:24.45
we pray for more blessings
this coming five years,
00:36:24.48\00:36:27.68
we pray that to
next G.C. session
00:36:27.72\00:36:30.95
could be in heaven as it were.
00:36:30.99\00:36:32.72
Otherwise we could
be there and we realize
00:36:32.75\00:36:34.99
that your coming is very soon.
00:36:35.02\00:36:36.69
World events are
happening so rapidly.
00:36:36.73\00:36:40.06
Thank You, again
for the privilege
00:36:40.10\00:36:42.60
that You have given us,
00:36:42.63\00:36:44.23
the Seventh Day
Adventist's Christians to take
00:36:44.27\00:36:46.37
the Three Angels'
messages to the world,
00:36:46.40\00:36:48.74
and thank You,
for allowing us here,
00:36:48.77\00:36:50.67
"3ABN" to be able to
work with this great church
00:36:50.71\00:36:53.58
and with folk like Elder Wilson
and Brother Williams Costa Jr.
00:36:53.61\00:36:57.61
that we can join
hands together to accomplish
00:36:57.65\00:37:00.22
what You have called us to do.
00:37:00.25\00:37:01.85
We thank You, and give you
honor and glory and praise.
00:37:01.88\00:37:05.09
In Jesus name I pray.
00:37:05.12\00:37:06.55
Amen. Amen.
00:37:06.59\00:37:07.92
Amen. All right.
00:37:07.96\00:37:09.29
Thank you very much.
00:37:09.32\00:37:10.66
Did you know that
the General Conference
00:37:14.23\00:37:15.70
has its own
professional mortgage broker?
00:37:15.73\00:37:18.37
I didn't know that for
many years but indeed they do,
00:37:18.40\00:37:20.90
the name is Anees Abdelnour,
General Conference treasury,
00:37:20.94\00:37:25.74
portfolio manager.
00:37:25.77\00:37:27.78
The General
Conference does have investments
00:37:27.81\00:37:29.91
that are used as, to
keep up with inflation,
00:37:29.94\00:37:32.28
conservative investments
that are made to increase
00:37:32.31\00:37:35.08
the dividends or
returns to the church,
00:37:35.12\00:37:37.05
on money that is invested.
00:37:37.09\00:37:38.85
Anees is a professional
mortgage broker for the G.C.
00:37:39.85\00:37:42.36
He was shared about the
mission project in Jordan,
00:37:42.39\00:37:44.96
where they help deliver
food to the people of Jordan
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.56
and help the colleges
and those who want to learn
00:37:47.60\00:37:51.57
to work on computers.
00:37:51.60\00:37:52.93
They have helped
with health clinics
00:37:52.97\00:37:54.54
and also conducted a youth camp.
00:37:54.57\00:37:58.14
Jim Gilley had a chance
to talk with Anees Abdelnour.
00:37:58.17\00:38:01.61
One of the great things
about being in San Antonio,
00:38:05.28\00:38:09.72
Texas right now
00:38:09.75\00:38:11.19
at the 60th
General Conference session
00:38:11.22\00:38:14.36
is that you see old
friends, folks that you've known
00:38:14.39\00:38:17.83
in the past and you
run into them in the halls
00:38:17.86\00:38:21.40
and I ran into
one, the other day
00:38:21.43\00:38:23.03
and I said, "I want
you to come on board,"
00:38:23.06\00:38:25.17
because I had heard about
00:38:25.20\00:38:27.27
some things that were taking
place in this person's life.
00:38:27.30\00:38:30.61
The guest that I'm
going to introduce to you
00:38:30.64\00:38:33.54
is Anees Abdelnour.
00:38:33.58\00:38:37.08
And Anees, we welcome you today.
00:38:37.11\00:38:39.41
My pleasure. We're
so happy to have you.
00:38:39.45\00:38:41.42
Now let me tell you
a little bit about him
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.09
and how I met him.
00:38:44.12\00:38:45.85
You see,
00:38:45.89\00:38:47.22
when people go to
move into Washington, DC
00:38:47.26\00:38:49.92
to be at the
General Conference office
00:38:49.96\00:38:51.76
which I was there for five years
00:38:51.79\00:38:53.80
as a vice president.
00:38:53.83\00:38:55.43
I needed a place
to stay and of course,
00:38:55.46\00:38:59.10
when you come into
the area, no one knows you
00:38:59.13\00:39:02.50
and the General Conference
has within its own confines
00:39:02.54\00:39:05.97
a treasury department,
00:39:06.01\00:39:07.38
its own mortgage
company so to speak.
00:39:07.41\00:39:10.41
In other words from reserves,
they make loans on houses
00:39:10.45\00:39:14.18
that are fully secured.
00:39:14.22\00:39:15.82
Believe me they
are very business
00:39:15.85\00:39:18.25
like in that transaction.
00:39:18.29\00:39:20.79
And they make with
the money that they have,
00:39:20.82\00:39:24.46
a good mortgage return
as a mortgage company would.
00:39:24.49\00:39:28.86
They have a professional
running that department
00:39:28.90\00:39:32.93
and it comes under treasury
of the General Conference
00:39:32.97\00:39:36.50
but Anees is the professional
mortgage banker that does this
00:39:36.54\00:39:42.18
and works as a
full time employee
00:39:42.21\00:39:44.58
for the General Conference.
00:39:44.61\00:39:46.31
And Anees, does that
pretty well encompass
00:39:46.35\00:39:49.75
what you do there?
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.12
Exactly, among other
things, that is what I do.
00:39:51.15\00:39:53.79
Alright.
00:39:53.82\00:39:55.16
But now, Anees has a love
for the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:39:55.19\00:40:00.03
He and I, we're
just, we're connected.
00:40:00.06\00:40:03.90
There was a connection from
just when I sat at the table
00:40:03.93\00:40:07.37
and filled out the paper work
and I made my mortgage payments
00:40:07.40\00:40:11.87
on time and so far,
00:40:11.91\00:40:13.48
but the innovation
paid that house off.
00:40:13.51\00:40:15.91
But he and I made a
connection that was far beyond
00:40:15.94\00:40:21.78
just a business relationship,
it was a friendship.
00:40:21.82\00:40:25.35
We see each other in the
hall and greet each other there.
00:40:25.39\00:40:29.19
When I found out that
Anees is a native of Jordan,
00:40:29.22\00:40:33.66
in the Middle
East, the country Jordan,
00:40:33.70\00:40:36.16
what city in Jordan actually?
00:40:36.20\00:40:38.60
Uh, I was born in the
capital city of Amman.
00:40:38.63\00:40:42.27
In Amman, Jordan? Yes.
00:40:42.30\00:40:43.67
I've been there
a number of times,
00:40:43.71\00:40:45.31
it's a wonderful city
where I used to go there often
00:40:45.34\00:40:48.38
and go down to Petra. Yes.
00:40:48.41\00:40:50.21
And made that drive down
there and then go back in
00:40:50.25\00:40:54.68
to the Sic back into
the Treasury building.
00:40:54.72\00:40:58.72
It's a wonderful
city. It really is.
00:40:58.75\00:41:00.72
It's a beautiful thing.
00:41:00.76\00:41:02.42
But even though you
live in United States,
00:41:02.46\00:41:07.16
you have a burden for Jordan.
00:41:08.16\00:41:11.13
Tell me a little
bit about what you do.
00:41:11.17\00:41:13.30
I have been involved
in a mission project,
00:41:13.34\00:41:17.44
God's mission project
in the country of Jordan.
00:41:17.47\00:41:20.98
This is how my mother raised me,
00:41:21.01\00:41:24.51
my brother, and my sisters
00:41:24.55\00:41:27.02
to always help others.
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.12
So I connected with
Elder Homer Trecartin,
00:41:29.15\00:41:33.86
president of the Middle
East, North Africa Union,
00:41:33.89\00:41:38.03
who connected me
00:41:38.06\00:41:40.03
with the leadership
of the mission in Jordan.
00:41:40.06\00:41:43.93
So I walk with the youth
pastor and the youth in Jordan
00:41:43.97\00:41:49.70
doing what Jesus
did on earth. Yes.
00:41:49.74\00:41:53.01
Helping others and
building relationships.
00:41:53.04\00:41:55.88
You know, people
think, people don't realize
00:41:55.91\00:41:58.61
that Jesus was
often in that territory
00:41:58.65\00:42:03.15
because it was
kind of an expansion
00:42:03.18\00:42:06.15
of that particular area.
00:42:06.19\00:42:08.12
And he would go over
into that area on his travels.
00:42:08.16\00:42:11.49
You can see the travels as
you study the new testimony.
00:42:11.53\00:42:14.90
Exactly. Yeah.
00:42:14.93\00:42:16.26
And also, before I
get into the details,
00:42:16.30\00:42:19.63
I would like also to comment
the G.C Adventist mission
00:42:19.67\00:42:23.74
department because they
were a major inspiration
00:42:23.77\00:42:27.28
to me personally. Right, right.
00:42:27.31\00:42:30.05
So tell us a little bit
more about the specific work
00:42:30.08\00:42:33.55
that you do there, would you?
00:42:33.58\00:42:35.18
Okay, so what we did
there last year in Jordan,
00:42:35.22\00:42:39.42
as we distributed food supplies,
00:42:39.45\00:42:44.23
door to door in
very poor neighborhood
00:42:44.26\00:42:48.00
in three
different cities in Jordan.
00:42:48.03\00:42:50.30
What kind of food
would you take to?
00:42:50.33\00:42:52.33
Just basically--
00:42:52.37\00:42:53.70
Basics. Basics.
00:42:53.74\00:42:55.07
Rice. Basic food
supplies, exactly.
00:42:55.10\00:42:58.54
Uh, flour maybe.
00:42:58.57\00:42:59.91
Rice, sugar,
basic needs, exactly.
00:42:59.94\00:43:04.91
And so we went
to poor neighborhood
00:43:04.95\00:43:07.22
and many of those who received
the food were Syrian refugees
00:43:07.25\00:43:13.05
who came to
Jordan across the border.
00:43:13.09\00:43:15.52
Yes.
00:43:15.56\00:43:16.89
So we went to these homes,
we passed the food supplies,
00:43:16.93\00:43:21.13
we prayed for these people,
and it was very much rewarding
00:43:22.13\00:43:26.60
and very much
appreciated by these people.
00:43:26.63\00:43:29.24
right. Now you
mentioned about a man
00:43:29.27\00:43:32.21
who has been
sick for four years.
00:43:32.24\00:43:34.78
Tell us about that
man. Yeah, we visited a man
00:43:34.81\00:43:37.61
who has been in
bed for four years
00:43:38.88\00:43:41.25
and could not walk.
00:43:41.28\00:43:42.68
After we passed
the food supplies,
00:43:42.72\00:43:45.05
and we prayed for
him, he pleaded for us
00:43:46.39\00:43:49.09
that sometime in the future,
00:43:49.12\00:43:51.09
if we can supply
him with a medical bed
00:43:51.13\00:43:54.86
so it will make his
life more user-friendly.
00:43:54.90\00:43:57.57
Right. I bet that were raised
00:43:57.60\00:43:59.60
and lowered, and
they can adjust it
00:43:59.63\00:44:02.14
to make him more
comfortable for a person
00:44:02.17\00:44:04.51
that is to lie on
bed 24 hours a day.
00:44:04.54\00:44:07.71
Yes, yes, yeah.
00:44:07.74\00:44:09.31
Have you been
able to do that yet?
00:44:09.34\00:44:11.38
We are working on it.
00:44:11.41\00:44:12.75
You're working on
it? I'm working on it.
00:44:12.78\00:44:14.12
Now I know that
there are a lot of children
00:44:14.15\00:44:17.02
in that part of the world
00:44:17.05\00:44:19.35
and many of
them have real needs,
00:44:19.39\00:44:21.46
have you been able to
help any other children?
00:44:21.49\00:44:24.36
Okay, one of the things
00:44:24.39\00:44:25.73
that we did last year
is we passed 70 backpacks
00:44:25.76\00:44:32.30
full of food
supplies to 70 children
00:44:32.33\00:44:36.37
in two different
cities in Jordan,
00:44:36.40\00:44:38.17
in Amman and
Madaba near Mount Nebo.
00:44:38.21\00:44:41.61
Okay.
00:44:41.64\00:44:42.98
And it was very much appreciated
00:44:43.01\00:44:45.78
and it was passed
to very poor children.
00:44:45.81\00:44:49.88
Now Mount Nebo,
00:44:49.92\00:44:51.32
what was the biblical
significance of Mount Nebo?
00:44:51.35\00:44:54.19
Madaba, Madaba, near Mount Nebo.
00:44:54.22\00:44:57.23
Okay.
00:44:57.26\00:44:58.76
We'll talk about the matter,
00:44:58.79\00:45:01.03
I know you were not
there but you were near there.
00:45:01.06\00:45:02.76
This is where Moses died, right?
00:45:02.80\00:45:04.60
Exactly, exactly.
00:45:04.63\00:45:06.90
So we're dealing
in a part of the world
00:45:06.94\00:45:09.14
where the whole message
of salvation really began.
00:45:09.17\00:45:15.88
It's coming to
Abraham, and then through Moses,
00:45:15.91\00:45:20.65
and then to Jesus,
and the message going
00:45:20.68\00:45:24.19
out around the world. Yes, yes.
00:45:24.22\00:45:26.86
Now tell us some more
about some of the teaching,
00:45:26.89\00:45:30.39
you had an ability
that you've been able to,
00:45:30.43\00:45:32.36
there are a lot of people there
that want to learn computers
00:45:32.39\00:45:36.20
and so forth, have you been
able to help them with that?
00:45:36.23\00:45:38.30
Yes, I've been to
school in Amman, Jordan.
00:45:38.33\00:45:42.24
They have a
computer lab so we conducted
00:45:42.27\00:45:45.07
free computer training
classes to anybody who wanted
00:45:45.11\00:45:49.84
to learn computers
from the community.
00:45:49.88\00:45:52.75
And it was highly accepted
and very rewarding to many.
00:45:52.78\00:45:56.82
Have you been able
to help some of those
00:45:56.85\00:45:58.85
that particularly
involved in our faith
00:45:58.89\00:46:02.56
there to secure computers,
to help them with any projects,
00:46:02.59\00:46:08.53
some of the youth group workers.
00:46:08.56\00:46:10.27
We have been hopefully, in the
future we will be doing that.
00:46:10.30\00:46:12.53
You're gonna be doing that?
But this was the first project
00:46:12.57\00:46:14.87
of this type in
Jordan. Right, right.
00:46:14.90\00:46:17.34
And we are working to
expand that in the future.
00:46:17.37\00:46:21.21
When will you be going back?
00:46:21.24\00:46:23.35
I will be going
back again in September
00:46:23.38\00:46:28.42
and there is a
project that we have planned
00:46:28.45\00:46:35.42
in collaboration of the G.C.
00:46:35.46\00:46:38.89
Healthy ministry
department and the Middle East
00:46:40.03\00:46:42.66
North Africa union to hold
to do what we did last year,
00:46:42.70\00:46:47.34
and also expanded
to conduct you know,
00:46:47.37\00:46:50.54
health clinics, health expos
in different parts of Jordan.
00:46:50.57\00:46:55.28
Right.
00:46:55.31\00:46:56.64
Now youth camps
are really something
00:46:56.68\00:46:59.05
that are non existent in a way.
00:46:59.08\00:47:02.05
But you were able
to have a youth camp
00:47:02.08\00:47:04.85
for the young people, right?
00:47:04.89\00:47:06.55
Yes, the conclusion of
the mission project last year,
00:47:06.59\00:47:09.82
we organized a youth camp
that was attended by 70 youth
00:47:09.86\00:47:15.60
and to reflect on the
success of the mission project
00:47:15.63\00:47:19.90
and also reflect on
the theme of the camp,
00:47:19.93\00:47:23.91
"Growing in Christ."
00:47:23.94\00:47:26.01
And these young people
were there for about how long?
00:47:26.04\00:47:29.28
At the camp for about four days.
00:47:29.31\00:47:31.18
Now what did they do?
Where did they have the camp?
00:47:31.21\00:47:33.42
Where is it take place?
00:47:33.45\00:47:34.78
Okay, we held the camp last year
00:47:34.82\00:47:38.52
in a city called
Jerash, in north of Amman.
00:47:38.55\00:47:42.52
Yeah. And it's a
Greek Roman city.
00:47:42.56\00:47:45.59
And we held it in the
mountains of that city, Jerash.
00:47:45.63\00:47:51.50
Now in America, when
they have a youth camp,
00:47:51.53\00:47:54.14
what we think of is water skiing
00:47:54.17\00:47:56.64
and we think of horseback riding
00:47:56.67\00:47:58.87
and all that.
00:47:58.91\00:48:00.24
What kind of
activities did those youth do?
00:48:00.28\00:48:02.31
Okay, we had
meditation sessions,
00:48:02.34\00:48:06.85
hiking, and they organized
in groups of ten people
00:48:06.88\00:48:13.19
and they discussed a
subject and there was a chaplain
00:48:13.22\00:48:20.66
that came from the
Middle East University,
00:48:20.70\00:48:23.16
and he is
originally from Argentina.
00:48:23.20\00:48:26.27
But he worked at the
Middle East University,
00:48:26.30\00:48:28.70
see, he
organized different games
00:48:28.74\00:48:31.61
and spiritual
games for the youth
00:48:31.64\00:48:34.34
in different parts of the day.
00:48:34.38\00:48:35.84
Okay, so they are not
playing a lot of games,
00:48:35.88\00:48:39.95
they're studying and
learning quite a bit.
00:48:39.98\00:48:42.48
Growing, exactly. Yeah.
00:48:42.52\00:48:44.42
Now, but the background
of these young people,
00:48:44.45\00:48:47.32
they were church members
or were they young people
00:48:47.36\00:48:50.49
from the community? A
combination of church members
00:48:50.53\00:48:52.73
and non church members.
And how are they selected?
00:48:52.76\00:48:56.26
It was promoted in the
church and whoever you know,
00:48:57.50\00:49:02.00
chose to come, they come.
00:49:02.04\00:49:03.77
And they were may be
bring their neighbors
00:49:03.81\00:49:05.64
or friends or relatives.
Friends and relatives, exactly.
00:49:05.67\00:49:08.64
Right.
00:49:08.68\00:49:10.01
Are you planning
to do that again?
00:49:10.05\00:49:11.55
We are hoping to do that
again and may be not in this
00:49:11.58\00:49:16.28
coming September
because they just held
00:49:16.32\00:49:18.95
the youth camp in
Jordan, last month.
00:49:18.99\00:49:21.42
But in future trips, and
we are planning these trips
00:49:21.46\00:49:24.19
on annual basis.
00:49:24.23\00:49:26.23
We are hoping to do that in
the future holding youth camps.
00:49:26.26\00:49:29.46
Okay. And you've
mentioned already
00:49:29.50\00:49:31.93
that you are planning
more trips over in the future.
00:49:31.97\00:49:35.64
Exactly.
00:49:35.67\00:49:37.07
And I'll also do,
would like to mention
00:49:37.11\00:49:39.37
one more thing
that we did in Jordan
00:49:39.41\00:49:42.61
is we visited a
center for disabled children
00:49:42.64\00:49:46.98
in the capital
city of Amman. Okay.
00:49:47.02\00:49:49.12
Now when we talk with
somebody we usually ask them
00:49:49.15\00:49:52.42
what can our viewers
do to help you with this?
00:49:52.45\00:49:55.89
What can they do?
00:49:55.92\00:49:57.56
Basically they can connect
with us either by participating
00:49:57.59\00:50:02.66
in this project.
00:50:04.00\00:50:05.63
They can help
financially if they choose to.
00:50:05.67\00:50:08.47
What if you have
a qualified person
00:50:08.50\00:50:11.11
that wants to go and help?
00:50:11.14\00:50:12.47
Can they contact you and
make arrangements for that?
00:50:12.51\00:50:16.34
As I said you know, we
are doing more projects
00:50:16.38\00:50:19.08
in the future,
they can contact me,
00:50:19.11\00:50:20.75
and we will work and doing
00:50:20.78\00:50:22.62
a mutual work together
in the country of Jordan.
00:50:22.65\00:50:25.49
Yeah, of course I
have a great burden
00:50:25.52\00:50:28.36
for all parts of the world
but I have a special burden
00:50:28.39\00:50:32.43
for the Middle East.
00:50:32.46\00:50:33.86
I have a special
burden for Jordan, for Egypt,
00:50:33.90\00:50:37.43
and I'll be honest with
you, more so for Israel than any
00:50:37.47\00:50:42.24
because our work has
been so difficult there.
00:50:42.27\00:50:45.17
And I've been connecting
a lot with Roger Robertson,
00:50:45.21\00:50:47.94
and we've worked a lot to
help that particular work.
00:50:47.98\00:50:51.71
Uh, Lebanon of course,
00:50:51.75\00:50:53.45
we've got other
work going on up there.
00:50:53.48\00:50:55.22
I'm not involved
personally, but we supported
00:50:55.25\00:50:57.75
and any other
part of the Middle East
00:50:57.79\00:50:59.89
where we can support.
00:50:59.92\00:51:01.46
So we're excited about
what you're doing there.
00:51:01.49\00:51:04.59
I know that the Middle
East North Africa union
00:51:04.63\00:51:08.36
under the leadership
of Elder Homer Trecartin
00:51:08.40\00:51:10.90
they're doing a great
job and advancing the work
00:51:10.93\00:51:14.14
in that part of the world.
00:51:14.17\00:51:15.50
Amen.
00:51:15.54\00:51:16.87
We're just so happy
that this is happening
00:51:16.91\00:51:19.31
and you know, the
amazing thing again Anees job
00:51:19.34\00:51:22.91
is not to do this.
00:51:22.94\00:51:24.38
He's not hired to do this.
00:51:24.41\00:51:25.88
This is his volunteer work.
00:51:25.91\00:51:28.18
This is what he
does as a lay person.
00:51:28.22\00:51:31.05
This is what he does as a member
00:51:31.09\00:51:33.15
of the Seventh
Day Adventist church
00:51:33.19\00:51:35.32
wanting to get the
message out around the world.
00:51:35.36\00:51:38.89
The Lord has given him his,
00:51:38.93\00:51:40.66
a burden for his native country,
00:51:40.70\00:51:42.46
the place where he was
born and I know that some of you
00:51:42.50\00:51:48.17
are also from Jordan
00:51:48.20\00:51:50.04
and you are
watching this program.
00:51:50.07\00:51:52.31
And maybe that's
where you were born
00:51:52.34\00:51:54.38
and you'd like to be a
part of it, contact Anees.
00:51:54.41\00:51:57.08
We're gonna put up
contact information
00:51:57.11\00:51:59.38
at the closure of this segment.
00:51:59.41\00:52:01.05
And I hope that you will
feel free to contact him.
00:52:01.08\00:52:04.79
Let him know
that you're praying.
00:52:04.82\00:52:06.92
Let him know if there's some way
00:52:06.96\00:52:09.06
that you can
support this outreach
00:52:09.09\00:52:11.96
to the people of Jordan.
00:52:11.99\00:52:14.93
You know the Lord
Jesus is coming soon.
00:52:14.96\00:52:17.93
He's coming for all of us.
00:52:17.97\00:52:20.14
We must do all that
we can to finish the work
00:52:20.17\00:52:24.57
wherever He calls us to go.
00:52:24.61\00:52:28.48
Anees, I'm so happy
00:52:28.51\00:52:30.61
that you could be with us today.
00:52:30.65\00:52:32.58
I'm honored as well.
00:52:32.61\00:52:34.25
And we're gonna
continue the prayer
00:52:34.28\00:52:36.89
for the work of
all of the Middle East,
00:52:36.92\00:52:40.26
especially that union there
00:52:40.29\00:52:45.19
where the brothers... and
we're gonna also be praying
00:52:45.23\00:52:48.73
especially for your
outreach into Jordan
00:52:48.76\00:52:53.44
and that it will
benefit many souls
00:52:53.47\00:52:56.50
and that many will be
in the kingdom as a result.
00:52:56.54\00:53:00.64
Thank you,
Anees, for joining us.
00:53:00.68\00:53:03.14
God bless you. God bless you.
00:53:03.18\00:53:04.55
There are many
Seventh Day Adventist workers
00:53:11.22\00:53:13.69
at the General
Conference and in other areas
00:53:13.72\00:53:15.86
who in addition to their
job portfolio carry other
00:53:15.89\00:53:20.20
and wear other hats
for their native countries,
00:53:20.23\00:53:22.80
Anees, a native of Jordan
has a burden for that country
00:53:22.83\00:53:25.70
and he's working with
and through the government
00:53:25.73\00:53:29.00
to work with the people
of the country of Jordan.
00:53:29.04\00:53:32.41
The contact information
for the General Conference,
00:53:32.44\00:53:34.38
if would you like
to be a part of this
00:53:34.41\00:53:36.44
or support this work
00:53:36.48\00:53:37.81
(301) 680-6000 is the number
00:53:37.85\00:53:41.08
of the General
Conference head quarters.
00:53:41.12\00:53:42.58
(301) 680-6000.
00:53:42.62\00:53:45.12
Or you can write them
at 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
00:53:45.15\00:53:49.32
Silver Spring, Maryland
00:53:49.36\00:53:50.86
And you can make
contact with Anees Abdelnour
00:53:50.89\00:53:53.60
and support the
country of Jordan.
00:53:53.63\00:53:56.33
Well, we're gonna go
to a news break just now,
00:53:56.36\00:53:58.77
then we'll be
back to wrap this up.
00:53:58.80\00:54:00.54