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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I'm C.A. Murray,
and thank you once again
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for sharing just a
little of your day with us.
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And this is a very important
program, very exciting one,
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because we get to
travel from the United States
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to West Africa to
Beirut, Lebanon of all places,
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as we see people who
are doing great things
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for the cause of Jesus Christ.
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We've heard a lot about
Syria as of late, refugees,
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pouring out of
Syria moving into Europe.
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But the refugee problem
in Syria has been going on
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for quite sometime.
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Today, Shelley Quinn,
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gets a chance to
interview Alexis Hurd-Shires.
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She is the young woman
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who helped start an
Adventist learning center,
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an elementary
school for refugee children
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in of all
places, Beirut, Lebanon.
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Again, we're coming to you
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from the floor of
the convention hall
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here in San Antonio,
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at the 2015
General Conference Session.
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And we have with us
today a very lovely young lady,
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who is doing an
incredible humanitarian
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and educational
work in Beirut, Lebanon.
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Let me introduce you
to Alexis Hurd-Shires.
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Alexis, we are so glad
you are here with us today.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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Well, before we get into
the work you are doing now,
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just tell us a little
bit about your background
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and how you ended
up in Beirut, Lebanon?
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Well, you know, I was raised
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traveling all
over the countryside
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in the United States,
because my father was a pastor.
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And that's why I love traveling
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and I love going
different places.
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Because of that love for travel,
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I have done all kinds
of different projects.
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I worked at an
orphanage in Romania.
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I worked at a school
in Guyana, South America
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to some troops down into Mexico
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and traveled all over the place.
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So, of course, when
the opportunity came
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to go to Beirut,
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I jumped at the idea of going
and being in another culture,
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experiencing new places,
and seeing what I could do
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to meet the needs
of the people there.
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Well, it's fascinating to me.
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Now you work under the
Middle East North African Union.
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And the program is I
guess we could call it
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a centers of the
influence Program.
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You are running an Adventist
learning center, is it called?
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Yes, the name of our project
is Adventist Learning Center.
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Okay, tell us a little bit
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about what
you're doing in Beirut?
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What I'm doing in
Beirut right now is
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I have a school
for Syrian refugees,
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for those of you
who follow the war,
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you know, that's been going
on for four years now in Syria.
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And because of that it's
very dangerous for people
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to stay many
times in the communities
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that they grew up in.
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May be their
home is destroyed now,
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may be it's not safe because
there is fighting near by so,
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they leave as quickly as they
can to neighboring countries.
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And then Lebanon
is an ideal choice
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because it's right
in the edge of Syria.
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So, when they
get to Lebanon that--
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as refuges they are living
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in these tiny
one room apartments.
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Not knowing any one,
not being able to connect.
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So, when I went
to Beirut in 2013,
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I did a needs assessment to see
what were the needs of the area
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and what could I
do as an individual
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and what could I do,
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what kind of a
center could I create
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that would meet the
needs of the local community.
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Because that's the idea
of a center of influence,
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is to give us an opportunity
to interact day to day life
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with the people around us,
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instead of just
thinking about ourselves.
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But you know, really
reach out to the community.
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So, from my needs
assessment I found that
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there is hundreds of
thousands of Syrian children
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that are unable to
get into local schools,
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one of the main reasons
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is because there's
simply so many of them
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and the schools aren't
equipped to handle them.
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The other reason is because
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of huge lapses in
education, you know.
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You think they've
been out of school
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for two to four
years may be that's because
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there is no longer school
in their area, it was bombed.
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May be their teachers fled,
may be they were just scared
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to send their kids to school,
you know, when there is war,
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you don't want to
send your kids out
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where you don't
know where they are.
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You want them home with you.
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And then on the
top of that in Syria,
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education is completely in
Arabic, where as in Lebanon,
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it's all French
or English education
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with very little in Arabic.
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So, they weren't equipped
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to join into the Lebanon schools
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and there wasn't space for them.
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And these places that did have
space were the private schools,
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but they don't have money.
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If you can't
afford to feed your kids
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how you're gonna
send them to school.
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So, God worked in amazing ways
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and within three
months of arriving
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we're able to open
the doors to our center.
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And so your center,
you're taking students,
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children of how, what age group?
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We have kids
between six years old
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and twelve years
old at the center.
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We have 70 of them.
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Now when they come,
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many of them had
never had any English.
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Is that correct?
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When they come,
almost all of them
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have never had any English
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and what's more,
because of the work
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some of them who are
even eight or nine years old
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have never been into
school in their entire life.
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So their first educational
experience is at our center.
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Now, let's talk about
the culture because in Syria,
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people are members of
the very tight knit group
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and there are so
many different sects.
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When they go to
Lebanon, is one of the reasons
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you said that they stay
to themselves quite often,
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is this just the fear
of other Syrians or what?
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No.
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You know, when you
flee a war situation
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and there are so
many different factions
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you don't know
who you can trust.
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And so, they are
coming to a foreign country,
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full of people
who they don't know,
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they are foreigners they're
not wanted to the same extent
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as they would be in
their own homes, you know.
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These are the
ones that are coming in
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and don't have a
place and of course,
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there's people that
took compassion on them
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but it's also very
hard to just come in
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and integrate into a new society
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when you have nothing.
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So, as you mentioned
there is a lot of fear.
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When we were going
out and meeting people,
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we met women after
women that said you know,
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"I haven't been out of
my house in two weeks."
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"I haven't been out of
my house in three months."
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"We just don't
know who is out there.
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We don't know who
is accepting of us.
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We don't know
where the resources are
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and what to do.
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We're just trying to like
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stick our family
together and survive."
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So, did you go door to
door to encourage students
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or how do you get your students?
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Well, initially as I mentioned
I did a needs assessment.
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So, I sat down with
the community leaders
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and said what's the
needs of your community
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and then once we
targeted the Syrian refugees,
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I just started going
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house to house
with my translator,
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sitting down with them
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saying what was your
experience coming to Lebanon.
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What are the
needs that you have?
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And so from our initial
interviews with families,
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that's how we got the
students of our first year.
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And because of now the
reputation of our school,
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we don't have to go
looking for students anywhere.
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I mean, as a matter of fact,
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I have a waiting list of a
150 and we only have 70 places.
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And there is even more that
have come and said you know,
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we can't put our name on
the list because out of 150
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you're never
gonna get to us any way,
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so what's the point.
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So there is a huge
need in our community alone,
00:08:09.12\00:08:11.12
there is probably some
four or five thousand kids
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that are just not in education,
any kind of education.
00:08:13.52\00:08:16.02
And that's really sad.
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Tell us what you do with those
children when they come in,
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they've not been
exposed to English.
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Are most of your class
English and French or...
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We don't teach any French.
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Because I'm from the
States and I don't know French
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and I've cultivated an English
speaking staff for myself.
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Actually, we have a
really multi-cultural group.
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We have staff from
Lithuania, Romania, Egypt.
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I have one Syrian as
well, one from Nigeria,
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one from America,
very multi-cultural staff.
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So, the kids come in
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and education is
primarily in English.
00:08:47.92\00:08:50.36
Except for Arabic
class, everything else
00:08:50.39\00:08:52.99
we teach them in English
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and they may not
understand everything.
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But the beautiful thing
is because of this project
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we have some big
sisters and some moms
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that are desperate to be
part of what we are doing.
00:09:01.24\00:09:03.51
And some of them have
come to some ESL classes.
00:09:03.54\00:09:06.57
So when we need
help in the classes,
00:09:06.61\00:09:08.74
they can help us
with the translation,
00:09:08.78\00:09:10.45
so that children understand
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and then they
have an opportunity
00:09:11.88\00:09:13.21
to be busy in
doing something as well.
00:09:13.25\00:09:15.45
So how fast do they
progress, when you take a child
00:09:15.48\00:09:18.25
that's been out of school
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or may be never
been to a school?
00:09:19.65\00:09:21.36
But may be if they're
one of the older children
00:09:21.39\00:09:23.93
they may have been out
of school two to four years.
00:09:23.96\00:09:26.46
How fast do they progress?
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Well, you know the main barrier
is teaching them English.
00:09:28.83\00:09:31.67
But once they get English,
00:09:31.70\00:09:33.03
we're able to
move fairly quickly.
00:09:33.07\00:09:35.00
When we started in
2013, none of the kids,
00:09:35.04\00:09:37.44
no matter if they
were six or twelve,
00:09:37.47\00:09:39.41
could pass a third grade test.
00:09:39.44\00:09:41.34
So, basically our first
year, everyone started between
00:09:41.38\00:09:44.11
kindergarten and third grade,
even if they were the big kids.
00:09:44.15\00:09:48.82
The bid kids progress very fast.
00:09:48.85\00:09:50.49
In two years time they finish
third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
00:09:50.52\00:09:55.02
And now we're
trying to support them
00:09:55.06\00:09:57.49
getting into regular schools
00:09:57.53\00:09:58.86
because our school
only goes to sixth grade.
00:09:58.89\00:10:01.33
So, we're trying to see
what we can do to help them
00:10:01.36\00:10:04.10
be able to attend local schools.
00:10:04.13\00:10:06.40
So let's talk about
that just a little bit.
00:10:06.43\00:10:07.90
When they have
finished the sixth grade level,
00:10:07.94\00:10:12.37
the option is to
go to a private school
00:10:12.41\00:10:15.08
basically because...
00:10:15.11\00:10:16.44
Basically the
public schools are full.
00:10:16.48\00:10:19.01
They are-- I've
had a couple of kids
00:10:19.05\00:10:20.62
who've been able to get
in but the majority will not.
00:10:20.65\00:10:22.95
So, either and God
forbid, their education stops
00:10:22.98\00:10:27.12
or we find other schools,
00:10:27.16\00:10:30.03
private schools that
are willing to accept them,
00:10:30.06\00:10:31.93
the problem there is funding
because our school is free
00:10:31.96\00:10:35.13
but the other
schools aren't free.
00:10:35.16\00:10:36.77
So, you're looking at anywhere
00:10:36.80\00:10:38.13
from $1500 to $3000 a
year for them to go to school.
00:10:38.17\00:10:42.70
And there are schools that are
open and willing to take them
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.14
but and they will give them
discounts but it's not enough
00:10:45.17\00:10:47.78
when you are refugee and
you can't feed your family
00:10:47.81\00:10:49.78
and you can't
afford to pay the rent
00:10:49.81\00:10:51.21
how could you send
your child to school.
00:10:51.25\00:10:53.11
So, we're praying so much
for doors to open for the kids
00:10:53.15\00:10:56.72
from our oldest class
who finish sixth grade
00:10:56.75\00:10:58.75
be able to go to school.
00:10:58.79\00:11:00.39
But now we
understand the educational part,
00:11:00.42\00:11:02.96
let's talk about the
breaking down of barriers.
00:11:02.99\00:11:09.33
Well, are you finding
that the community now
00:11:09.36\00:11:12.73
is becoming more trusting?
00:11:12.77\00:11:14.44
You an American
and a lot of them
00:11:14.47\00:11:16.50
think very highly of Americans
00:11:16.54\00:11:18.37
but are they
becoming more trusting?
00:11:18.41\00:11:21.08
Is there
interaction among the families?
00:11:21.11\00:11:23.04
Is there interaction
among you in the families
00:11:23.08\00:11:25.81
on a personal level?
00:11:25.85\00:11:27.18
Well, you know, our really
large component of what we do
00:11:27.22\00:11:30.45
is not only to provide
the service of education
00:11:30.49\00:11:33.05
but to have social
interaction with the family.
00:11:33.09\00:11:35.09
So as I said we started out
00:11:35.12\00:11:36.62
by doing visits
with the families
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.03
and just meeting
them where they were.
00:11:38.06\00:11:39.56
And we found a group of
people traumatized by the war
00:11:39.59\00:11:43.60
who are scared to
go out of their houses
00:11:43.63\00:11:45.87
worried about what
other people thought.
00:11:45.90\00:11:47.37
Even some of them who
were out in the community
00:11:47.40\00:11:49.34
and didn't have good experiences
00:11:49.37\00:11:51.21
interacting with the locals
00:11:51.24\00:11:52.77
who were very suspicious
00:11:52.81\00:11:54.34
but as they spent
time at the school,
00:11:54.38\00:11:57.05
as you mentioned not only
00:11:57.08\00:11:58.41
did they come
closer to each other
00:11:58.45\00:11:59.78
but they came close to us.
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.15
In Syria it's a very--
00:12:01.18\00:12:03.42
like the rest of the Middle East
00:12:03.45\00:12:04.79
they are family
oriented society.
00:12:04.82\00:12:06.15
So they went from
having big families
00:12:06.19\00:12:08.59
or you know
everybody on your street,
00:12:08.62\00:12:10.79
you do things
together to suddenly being
00:12:10.83\00:12:12.86
these isolated
groups of one family here,
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.86
one family there,
another family here.
00:12:15.90\00:12:17.70
And not only isolated
from their own communities
00:12:17.73\00:12:19.83
but in a culture
they didn't understand
00:12:19.87\00:12:23.91
to the same degree
even though it's close.
00:12:23.94\00:12:25.81
So because of the
school we've kind of been
00:12:25.84\00:12:28.28
this melting part where
families from all over Syria
00:12:28.31\00:12:31.78
different parts you've
never known each other before.
00:12:31.81\00:12:33.88
Syrians and Kurds
have just come together
00:12:33.92\00:12:36.55
and got to know each
other and to see that, you know,
00:12:36.58\00:12:39.49
you don't have to be in
my family for me to love
00:12:39.52\00:12:41.92
and to trust you and to
watch the relationships form
00:12:41.96\00:12:45.29
between the women
and between the children.
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.10
Yeah, for kids it's easy
but for the adults to say,
00:12:47.13\00:12:50.20
you know, I'm from Damascus
00:12:50.23\00:12:51.57
and I may be have
never been to Aleppo
00:12:51.60\00:12:53.87
but you are from
Aleppo and I like you
00:12:53.90\00:12:56.04
and we have something in common.
00:12:56.07\00:12:57.67
So you have seen
barriers come down
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.31
and I believe didn't you tell me
00:12:59.34\00:13:00.84
before we came
in our pre-interview
00:13:00.88\00:13:03.85
you mentioned
something about you have been
00:13:03.88\00:13:05.55
to their homes for dinner
that they are inviting you.
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.78
Right now this is
the month of Ramadan,
00:13:07.82\00:13:10.05
we have I think half
of the month last left
00:13:10.09\00:13:11.89
so before I got
to the States here--
00:13:11.92\00:13:15.82
Ramadan is a time when
you call your family together
00:13:15.86\00:13:18.66
and you break the
fast every evening.
00:13:18.69\00:13:21.26
And every single evening before
I arrived here I have families
00:13:21.30\00:13:24.37
asking me please, come
to my house for Ramadan.
00:13:24.40\00:13:26.77
So we go about sunset
and we sit on the floor
00:13:26.80\00:13:29.40
and we put out the food
and we contribute to each other
00:13:29.44\00:13:32.71
and we sit and we
talk and we play games
00:13:32.74\00:13:34.88
and we just have fun as a family
00:13:34.91\00:13:36.88
and we had over and
over people tell us,
00:13:36.91\00:13:38.98
we don't have family
here but we have you.
00:13:39.01\00:13:42.72
And they know you are
an Adventist so you are--
00:13:42.75\00:13:44.69
They knew that we are Adventist.
00:13:44.72\00:13:46.62
Now let me ask you
about your greatest challenge.
00:13:46.65\00:13:48.56
I know that you've had--
it's been two years so far
00:13:48.59\00:13:53.40
you've had a
staff of five teachers
00:13:53.43\00:13:55.46
but I understand that
right now its some of those
00:13:55.50\00:13:59.50
are having to move on.
00:13:59.53\00:14:00.87
So what are some of your
00:14:00.90\00:14:02.24
greatest challenges
for the coming year?
00:14:02.27\00:14:04.01
For sure right now
my greatest challenge is
00:14:04.04\00:14:06.78
I need to find few
more teachers for next year.
00:14:06.81\00:14:10.71
In the past God
has always provided
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.55
so I know He is
gonna do it this time
00:14:12.58\00:14:14.45
but just looking for some people
00:14:14.48\00:14:17.35
that have a heart for
showing love to others
00:14:17.39\00:14:21.49
and for teaching, for
meeting with different people
00:14:21.52\00:14:25.09
from different cultures
and spending time with them.
00:14:25.13\00:14:27.33
That's one of our
greatest challenges
00:14:27.36\00:14:30.07
at the school itself.
00:14:30.10\00:14:31.73
And then I think that I
know your school is well funded
00:14:31.77\00:14:35.00
and you're
offering those services free
00:14:35.04\00:14:37.61
but from time to time there
is other humanitarian needs
00:14:37.64\00:14:40.44
that need to be met.
00:14:40.48\00:14:41.81
You know, living as
a refugee is not easy.
00:14:41.84\00:14:43.88
Yes. It's not easy at all.
00:14:43.91\00:14:45.98
It's been so sad to watch
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.62
some of the families
have gone back to Syria
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.48
because they
couldn't afford to survive.
00:14:49.52\00:14:51.22
So we have from time to
time when receiving donations
00:14:51.25\00:14:54.42
and then we are able to help
with rents or buy a bag of food
00:14:54.46\00:14:58.39
or it was really awesome
00:14:58.43\00:15:00.43
when they first came
we got some donations.
00:15:00.46\00:15:02.23
We were able to buy mattresses
00:15:02.26\00:15:03.60
so they didn't have
to lie on the floor.
00:15:03.63\00:15:06.00
Winter time we were able
to buy shoes for the kids.
00:15:06.03\00:15:09.40
They walk some of
them 20 minutes to school
00:15:09.44\00:15:11.34
every day or more.
00:15:11.37\00:15:13.01
So being able to have a
pair of waterproof shoes
00:15:13.04\00:15:15.48
to just walk back and
forth is so important.
00:15:15.51\00:15:18.85
So for sure our school
00:15:18.88\00:15:20.28
is 100 percent
provided for by the union
00:15:20.32\00:15:22.98
but when it comes to meeting
00:15:23.02\00:15:24.35
the individual
needs of the people
00:15:24.39\00:15:26.32
that's where we are
really at a disadvantage.
00:15:26.35\00:15:29.16
Alexis, I'm so proud of you
00:15:29.19\00:15:30.53
and I know your
parents are as well
00:15:30.56\00:15:32.09
because this whole idea
was started by Homer Trecartin,
00:15:32.13\00:15:38.50
who is the union president
00:15:38.53\00:15:40.50
for the Middle East
and North Africa Union.
00:15:40.54\00:15:42.87
His idea of centers of influence
00:15:42.90\00:15:45.61
and they are making a difference
00:15:45.64\00:15:47.01
because people are
getting to know Adventist
00:15:47.04\00:15:49.78
and they are beginning to
love Adventists because of this.
00:15:49.81\00:15:52.95
And I love the
work that you are doing.
00:15:52.98\00:15:54.75
If you think that--
00:15:54.78\00:15:57.39
if God is stirring
your heart right now,
00:15:57.42\00:15:59.25
the Holy Spirit is
whispering in your ear
00:15:59.29\00:16:02.62
that may be you would like to go
00:16:02.66\00:16:03.99
and give a year or
two years of service
00:16:04.03\00:16:06.49
and become a teacher
00:16:06.53\00:16:08.43
at the Adventist
learning school in Beirut.
00:16:08.46\00:16:11.53
God can use in a major way
00:16:11.57\00:16:13.34
and you can go to
the Facebook page,
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.50
Alexis has a Facebook.
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.34
It's facebook.com
/adventistlearningcenter,
00:16:17.37\00:16:24.91
facebook.com
/adventistlearningcenter.
00:16:24.95\00:16:30.72
There you can see the
employment opportunities
00:16:30.75\00:16:34.52
as well as maybe you
would like to support
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.43
some of the other
humanitarian needs
00:16:37.46\00:16:40.26
that like for shoes
or for food somebody.
00:16:40.30\00:16:43.23
We just want to thank you
so much for joining us and,
00:16:43.26\00:16:46.23
Alexis, thank you for
the work that you are doing.
00:16:46.27\00:16:48.60
Thank you for
having me. Amen. Amen.
00:16:48.64\00:16:51.07
In the month since
that interview was taped
00:16:53.38\00:16:55.64
of course the
Syrian refugee problem
00:16:55.68\00:16:57.65
has really
mushroomed and grown and grown.
00:16:57.68\00:17:00.08
But you are so
proud to see young people,
00:17:00.12\00:17:02.05
Seventh-day
Adventist young people
00:17:02.08\00:17:03.65
who are rolling up their
sleeves and getting involved.
00:17:03.69\00:17:06.89
She is right there on the
borders of Syria in Lebanon,
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.96
in Beirut teaching and
training and lifting up Jesus.
00:17:09.99\00:17:14.36
That is so
powerful and so wonderful.
00:17:14.40\00:17:16.56
Next up, Fred and Isatta Coker
and their children are brining
00:17:16.60\00:17:22.50
the gospel to the Susu
in Guinea, West Africa.
00:17:22.54\00:17:27.34
Fred is a former animist
and Isatta is a former Muslim.
00:17:27.38\00:17:31.28
Together they are working
to lift up the name of Jesus
00:17:31.31\00:17:34.78
and doing a great work
among the people in Susu.
00:17:34.82\00:17:38.42
Again we are coming to you
00:17:44.19\00:17:45.53
from the floor of
the convention hall
00:17:45.56\00:17:47.13
here at the 2015
General Conference Session
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.37
in San Antonio and we have--
00:17:50.40\00:17:53.87
we are hearing
such exciting stories
00:17:53.90\00:17:56.20
about what Adventist
missionaries are doing.
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.97
We have a lovely
couple with us today,
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.04
their names are
Fred and Isatta Coker.
00:18:01.08\00:18:04.41
And they are missionaries
00:18:04.45\00:18:06.15
working with
Adventist Frontier Mission.
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.28
They are working on the Susu,
00:18:09.32\00:18:12.52
Susu project in
Guinea, West Africa.
00:18:12.55\00:18:16.62
What I would like to
do before we get rolling
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.93
on this exciting
project and all the stories
00:18:19.96\00:18:22.33
we have is tell our viewers
how you both being Muslims
00:18:22.36\00:18:28.80
ended up Seventh-day
Adventist Christians.
00:18:28.84\00:18:31.77
Fred, we will start with you.
00:18:31.81\00:18:33.68
Well, my journey
to be a Christian
00:18:33.71\00:18:36.95
is a very exciting one.
00:18:36.98\00:18:41.15
I grew up in a Muslim
home with my grandmother
00:18:41.18\00:18:44.82
and she takes me
to the Mosque everyday
00:18:44.85\00:18:49.59
but she had faith
in an Adventist school
00:18:49.62\00:18:52.23
and we were
just a short distance
00:18:52.26\00:18:54.76
from the Adventist
school in Bo, Sierra Leone.
00:18:54.80\00:18:58.20
And I did my
primary education there
00:18:58.23\00:19:01.47
and but I was never
interested into church
00:19:01.50\00:19:05.57
because of the messages
that we get from the mosque.
00:19:05.61\00:19:10.58
And as I was growing up
I had a few gang members
00:19:10.61\00:19:14.72
that will go to
the church on Saturdays
00:19:14.75\00:19:21.32
and steal mangoes and
fruits from the church yard.
00:19:21.36\00:19:25.96
And the first mandate
that went from the church was,
00:19:25.99\00:19:32.07
"When you get
those boys beat them up."
00:19:32.10\00:19:35.04
But the mission president's
wife Mrs. Palmer at that time,
00:19:35.07\00:19:39.44
Pastor Palmer his wife was
just so sweet and she said,
00:19:39.47\00:19:46.21
"I have something
to do with these kids.
00:19:46.25\00:19:48.22
Don't beat them up."
00:19:48.25\00:19:49.65
She started
with a very inspiring
00:19:49.68\00:19:53.69
Bible Sabbath school
class under the mango tree.
00:19:53.72\00:19:58.49
Right under the mango trees?
00:19:58.53\00:20:00.23
Well, because we went there
00:20:00.26\00:20:01.76
our main goal was to get mangoes
00:20:01.80\00:20:04.03
and right under the mango tree
00:20:04.07\00:20:06.80
she had felt and
Bible story lined up
00:20:06.84\00:20:10.74
on a mat on the
floor on the ground
00:20:10.77\00:20:14.08
and when they catch us
they would bring us to her
00:20:14.11\00:20:18.45
and they would bring us to her
00:20:18.48\00:20:20.48
and she would
give us Bible lessons
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.85
under that mango tree.
00:20:22.88\00:20:24.22
And then my friends and I were--
00:20:24.25\00:20:28.12
we began to go there
not only for the mangoes
00:20:28.16\00:20:30.83
but also to hear
this Bible stories.
00:20:30.86\00:20:34.00
But because of the Islamic
influence in my upbringing
00:20:34.03\00:20:37.23
I was never interested
and half of my members,
00:20:37.27\00:20:41.14
my gang members became
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:20:41.17\00:20:44.04
And I continue on my life
00:20:44.07\00:20:47.31
and I went to the
Adventist secondary school,
00:20:47.34\00:20:52.05
Milton
Comprehensive Secondary School
00:20:52.08\00:20:55.42
but I was never interested
00:20:55.45\00:20:57.12
until when war broke
out in Sierra Leone 1991.
00:20:57.15\00:21:01.79
Iran to Guinea as a
refugee and there our stepfather
00:21:01.82\00:21:07.70
who was a colporteur
00:21:07.73\00:21:11.10
decided to just
group us together
00:21:11.13\00:21:13.30
and give us Bible
stories and Bible lessons.
00:21:13.34\00:21:18.67
We were doing it in the morning,
00:21:18.71\00:21:20.31
in the afternoon,
and in the evening.
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.11
That was the only thing that
we had to do there, you know,
00:21:22.14\00:21:25.35
and he took our name
to the Conakry mission
00:21:25.38\00:21:29.08
and we got baptized my
wife and I the same day.
00:21:29.12\00:21:32.62
That's my journey as
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:21:32.65\00:21:37.06
Praise the Lord.
00:21:37.09\00:21:38.43
And I know for you, Isatta,
that you grew up in a Muslim--
00:21:38.46\00:21:42.10
your father was a devout Muslim
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.93
but your brother
became a Christian
00:21:44.97\00:21:47.87
or was interested
00:21:47.90\00:21:49.24
and he is the one
who influenced you.
00:21:49.27\00:21:51.44
Yes.
00:21:51.47\00:21:54.41
It was very interesting
00:21:54.44\00:21:55.78
because it was one
day he came over to me
00:21:55.81\00:21:58.41
because he had this girlfriend
who always comes over to me.
00:21:58.45\00:22:01.78
So when the
girlfriend is ready to go,
00:22:01.82\00:22:04.32
he kind of like
accompany the girl.
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.76
So one day he was
passing in a corner
00:22:06.79\00:22:10.06
and he saw this church
00:22:10.09\00:22:11.76
and most time they kind of like
lean on the walls of the church
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.83
and start
discussing with his girlfriend.
00:22:14.86\00:22:17.97
And one day he started
hearing all this preaching
00:22:18.00\00:22:22.74
because it is a church
and it's a Pentecostal church.
00:22:22.77\00:22:26.27
So he was very excited
and he came running to me
00:22:26.31\00:22:29.11
because my brother
and I were very close.
00:22:29.14\00:22:31.98
So he came running
to me, he said, mom,
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.18
because he called my mommy.
00:22:34.22\00:22:36.38
"Something very interesting
00:22:36.42\00:22:37.95
do you want us to exploit."
00:22:37.99\00:22:39.42
I was, "what is it?"
He said, "It's a church.
00:22:39.45\00:22:43.39
Come on let's go, let's
go and see what is in there."
00:22:43.43\00:22:45.99
So we went he and I at first,
the first time he and I went
00:22:46.03\00:22:50.50
but I was a little bit scared.
00:22:50.53\00:22:52.73
I was very scared of my dad
00:22:52.77\00:22:54.30
because we are
completely Muslims
00:22:54.34\00:22:56.14
and every morning
my father wake us up,
00:22:56.17\00:22:59.97
my father wake us
up to do our prayers
00:23:00.01\00:23:03.78
and so it was scary for me.
00:23:03.81\00:23:06.41
I told my brother, I said,
00:23:06.45\00:23:07.78
"Don't you think this is
gonna be a problem for us?"
00:23:07.82\00:23:10.19
So he was like, "Let's
just hide and keep going.
00:23:10.22\00:23:13.69
Our father will
not know anything."
00:23:13.72\00:23:15.46
So we kept on going, going.
00:23:15.49\00:23:17.49
So one day we decided
to give our life to Jesus.
00:23:17.53\00:23:20.40
So we got baptized but
by then I was dating a guy
00:23:20.43\00:23:23.37
and he too he was coming
from a Muslim background.
00:23:23.40\00:23:26.20
So he ends up-- because of me
00:23:26.23\00:23:28.67
he started coming
over to the church.
00:23:28.70\00:23:30.64
So he and I got into a fight
for one reason or the other.
00:23:30.67\00:23:33.48
He said, "I should not
go back to the church."
00:23:33.51\00:23:35.41
But by then I was so into
the service and everything
00:23:35.44\00:23:39.31
so I said, "You cannot
stop me to go to church.
00:23:39.35\00:23:41.78
I'm gonna go to church.
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.15
This is my salvation.
It is not your salvation.
00:23:43.18\00:23:46.05
So let me go to church."
00:23:46.09\00:23:47.86
So one day he was angry
at me when I went to church
00:23:47.89\00:23:51.56
so he slapped me actually.
00:23:51.59\00:23:54.60
He slapped me actually
and he was very angry with me.
00:23:54.63\00:23:58.03
So finally I went
he told my dad about it
00:23:58.07\00:24:00.77
because he knew if
he tell my dad about it
00:24:00.80\00:24:03.07
my dad is gonna be angry at me.
00:24:03.10\00:24:04.87
So he told my dad
and my dad was very angry
00:24:04.91\00:24:07.78
and he just
slapped me on my face
00:24:07.81\00:24:10.35
and he had a big
ring and my face,
00:24:10.38\00:24:13.11
my nose actually got
dent because of that.
00:24:13.15\00:24:15.95
And so your father actually
kicked you out of the house
00:24:15.98\00:24:19.22
because of this but the point
is we want to get to your story
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.89
about what you are doing now.
00:24:22.92\00:24:24.86
The point is the
seeds for you were planted
00:24:24.89\00:24:28.33
under the mango tree.
00:24:28.36\00:24:29.70
The seeds for you were planted
hopefully by your brother
00:24:29.73\00:24:34.30
and now you are both Christians
and you are working in Guinea
00:24:34.34\00:24:39.47
to educate Muslim children
00:24:39.51\00:24:43.51
but at the school it's
the Fria Adventist School.
00:24:43.55\00:24:48.02
This is the Susu Project. Yes.
00:24:48.05\00:24:50.72
There the parents know that
00:24:50.75\00:24:54.29
when they send
children to your school
00:24:54.32\00:24:57.39
although they
are completely Muslim
00:24:57.43\00:24:59.59
they have to sign on something
understanding that they are
00:24:59.63\00:25:02.36
going to be trained in the Bible
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.93
and you are going
to pray with them.
00:25:04.97\00:25:06.60
Tell us about the school.
00:25:06.63\00:25:08.94
Well, this school
started in 2005 with Coleman's
00:25:08.97\00:25:15.08
and we-- I was
actually a Bible teacher
00:25:15.11\00:25:21.18
when the school started
00:25:21.22\00:25:22.55
and Marc Coleman was
there, director of the school.
00:25:22.58\00:25:26.35
And we and with
the help of Angel,
00:25:26.39\00:25:31.86
Angel Johnson who was working
00:25:31.89\00:25:33.36
with the Adventist Mission too
00:25:33.40\00:25:35.26
we decided to have
00:25:35.30\00:25:37.93
rules and regulations that all--
00:25:37.97\00:25:41.27
every parents will read
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.30
before they enroll their
children into our school.
00:25:43.34\00:25:47.14
And in that it is boldly written
00:25:47.18\00:25:49.48
that Bible is
part of the curriculum
00:25:49.51\00:25:52.11
that they accept when they
00:25:52.15\00:25:54.08
enroll their
children in our school
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.18
they will be praying
as we do as Christians
00:25:56.22\00:25:59.45
and they will be
studying the Bible.
00:25:59.49\00:26:01.52
And these parents
consent and most of them signed
00:26:01.56\00:26:06.06
and if you don't
sign the consent form
00:26:06.09\00:26:08.80
will not allow your
child in our school.
00:26:08.83\00:26:10.77
Yeah, your school
girls from kindergarten
00:26:10.80\00:26:14.24
through the 12th
grade through high school--
00:26:14.27\00:26:15.97
That's right. Yes.
00:26:16.00\00:26:17.34
And you teach
biology, physics, everything.
00:26:17.37\00:26:20.18
And Bible. And Bible.
00:26:20.21\00:26:21.78
That's right.
00:26:21.81\00:26:23.14
Now what kind of an
influence did has this had
00:26:23.18\00:26:26.88
or impact has this
had on the children?
00:26:26.92\00:26:29.38
Are the parents noticing a
difference in their children
00:26:29.42\00:26:32.02
when they have
been taught the Bible?
00:26:32.05\00:26:33.59
Yes.
00:26:33.62\00:26:34.96
In fact, that's the
reason why the school is growing
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.69
as we teach the
children our morals
00:26:37.73\00:26:40.66
and we teach them how
00:26:40.70\00:26:43.37
to live a life the way of God.
00:26:43.40\00:26:48.87
We are seeing the effect
00:26:49.40\00:26:52.81
of the Word of
God in their lives.
00:26:52.84\00:26:54.74
Their parents are seeing it
and they tell their friends oh,
00:26:54.78\00:26:58.91
my child is in that
school and, you know,
00:26:58.95\00:27:01.18
this boy was troublesome
and was doing this and that
00:27:01.22\00:27:03.85
and that and that
but now he is changed.
00:27:03.89\00:27:06.79
You know, that school is good.
00:27:06.82\00:27:08.22
They don't only teach but
they also train our children
00:27:08.26\00:27:11.96
and from five students
00:27:11.99\00:27:14.76
now we are talking
about 300 students.
00:27:14.80\00:27:17.23
So it's having a
positive influence
00:27:17.27\00:27:20.24
and one of the striking one
00:27:20.27\00:27:24.27
is most recently
we have five graders,
00:27:24.31\00:27:26.61
six graders who
sat the national exams
00:27:26.64\00:27:30.48
to go to junior high school.
00:27:30.51\00:27:32.45
And these six
graders put Jesus to test.
00:27:32.48\00:27:35.18
They actually fast and
pray and they want Jesus
00:27:35.22\00:27:40.96
to let them pass their exams.
00:27:40.99\00:27:43.32
All of them. Yes.
00:27:43.36\00:27:44.69
If Jesus do then He is God.
00:27:44.73\00:27:47.36
And each time we teach them
Bible when they go home they
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.80
will take them to their
Quranic school to water down
00:27:50.83\00:27:55.20
whatever we have given them.
00:27:55.24\00:27:56.81
But the thing that
Jesus is the answer
00:27:56.84\00:28:00.24
to every problem
remains in their head
00:28:00.28\00:28:03.28
and so they organize themselves
00:28:03.31\00:28:06.01
and at the end of the day
00:28:06.05\00:28:07.68
when the results
came out all of them,
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.35
13 of them passed their exams
00:28:10.39\00:28:12.85
and they start sending
texts to their teachers,
00:28:12.89\00:28:15.39
"Jesus is
alive. Jesus is alive."
00:28:15.42\00:28:17.63
Very sweet.
00:28:17.66\00:28:19.13
Now when it comes to exams
I know that there in Guinea
00:28:19.16\00:28:25.17
most of the exams
are given on Sabbaths.
00:28:25.20\00:28:28.47
That's right.
00:28:28.50\00:28:29.84
So what did you all do
to overcome that problem?
00:28:29.87\00:28:33.61
Well, with the,
00:28:33.64\00:28:36.14
with the Coleman's
when they were there
00:28:36.18\00:28:38.35
we had a team
meeting and we decided that
00:28:38.38\00:28:41.58
there is something we can
do about this Sabbath problem.
00:28:41.62\00:28:47.09
And we prayed about it
and we began to brain storm
00:28:47.12\00:28:52.19
and we came up an exam called
00:28:52.23\00:28:54.20
the BDAS in
French we call it BDIS
00:28:54.23\00:28:58.63
and it is an exam
00:28:58.67\00:29:02.70
that we decided to put together.
00:29:02.74\00:29:06.81
We have curriculums from
France, Guinea and all over
00:29:06.84\00:29:12.65
and we created this
exam and our first student
00:29:12.68\00:29:18.42
is now with her
husband in Cameroon.
00:29:18.45\00:29:22.02
She had because of Sabbath
everyyear for three years
00:29:22.06\00:29:26.39
she was not passing the exams.
00:29:26.43\00:29:29.13
And when we put this test
together she passed the test
00:29:29.16\00:29:33.10
and we actually
presented the exam
00:29:33.13\00:29:36.37
to the ministry of
education who has approved
00:29:36.40\00:29:40.81
and she is now in university
00:29:40.84\00:29:43.65
and we have also tried
the same exam in Mauritania
00:29:43.68\00:29:47.45
and it was approved.
00:29:47.48\00:29:49.35
And so we are--
00:29:49.38\00:29:51.89
the Susu Projects is
not only using this exam
00:29:51.92\00:29:55.12
but AFM as a whole wherever
there is Sabbath problem
00:29:55.16\00:29:58.99
we try to use this exam
to help the young people
00:29:59.03\00:30:03.16
who want to serve God and
Sabbath being the problem.
00:30:03.20\00:30:07.27
So this exam is
internationally recognized
00:30:07.30\00:30:10.91
that it is not
administered on the Sabbath.
00:30:10.94\00:30:12.41
Yes. Exactly.
00:30:12.44\00:30:13.78
Now I know that you have a
little over 300 students now
00:30:13.81\00:30:17.15
but at one point you had even
more until the Ebola outbreak.
00:30:17.18\00:30:21.82
Isatta, tell us what happened
during the Ebola outbreak?
00:30:21.85\00:30:25.25
The Ebola has actually been
00:30:25.29\00:30:29.12
a serious
challenge for our projects
00:30:29.16\00:30:32.39
because it's
actually touched a core
00:30:32.43\00:30:35.06
of the tradition in Guinea.
00:30:35.10\00:30:37.63
And the Guineans are
people who like shaking hands
00:30:37.67\00:30:41.20
and bracing in like
little, little group, you know.
00:30:41.24\00:30:44.47
But the government actually said
00:30:44.51\00:30:48.24
it is prohibited right now
for people to shake their hands
00:30:48.28\00:30:51.91
and to even come
together in a form of a group
00:30:51.95\00:30:56.18
or to even talk
to-- to even play around.
00:30:56.22\00:30:59.55
So there were so
many things that this,
00:30:59.59\00:31:01.56
the Ebola actually affected.
00:31:01.59\00:31:04.43
So because of
some of these issues
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.10
the school has a difficulty,
00:31:07.13\00:31:09.60
because most of
the parents are afraid
00:31:09.63\00:31:12.17
to bring their
children to school
00:31:12.20\00:31:14.60
thinking that the Ebola
will be part of their problem.
00:31:14.64\00:31:18.17
Yes, but now Fria,
the area in which you live
00:31:18.21\00:31:21.54
God actually kept His
hand over that area, didn't He?
00:31:21.58\00:31:25.38
Yes.
00:31:25.41\00:31:26.75
Even though you had
what, close to 700 students
00:31:26.78\00:31:29.25
and a lot of parents who thought
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.75
that government
was actually trying
00:31:31.79\00:31:34.26
to inject students
with the Ebola disease,
00:31:34.29\00:31:37.79
so a lot of parents removed
the children from the school
00:31:37.83\00:31:41.60
but God kept His hand
over the area of Fria.
00:31:41.63\00:31:45.83
You had Ebola
outbreaks all around your city
00:31:45.87\00:31:50.51
but nothing there in Fria.
00:31:50.54\00:31:52.77
Exactly and the Ebola situation
00:31:52.81\00:31:55.11
is not only the only thing
00:31:55.14\00:31:56.75
that we have seen
God's hands in it.
00:31:56.78\00:31:59.55
The school has been--
00:31:59.58\00:32:01.92
the authorities have attempted
to close the school twice
00:32:01.95\00:32:05.69
because we teach Bible
and we pray in the school.
00:32:05.72\00:32:08.52
And with prayers God
has actually worked miracle.
00:32:08.56\00:32:13.29
Each time the attempt,
the Lord will show Himself,
00:32:13.33\00:32:16.73
manifest Himself and
there will be ashamed
00:32:16.77\00:32:19.87
and the school is
moving and we are growing
00:32:19.90\00:32:25.07
and we thank you all for
our prayer for your prayers
00:32:25.11\00:32:27.64
because praying for Guinea,
and Liberia, and Sierra Leone
00:32:27.68\00:32:32.21
and that special
prayer for Susu project,
00:32:32.25\00:32:34.72
kept Fria out of
that grip of Ebola.
00:32:34.75\00:32:39.35
Praise the Lord.
00:32:39.39\00:32:40.72
And also those
who had threatened
00:32:40.76\00:32:42.59
to close your school have not.
00:32:42.62\00:32:45.43
So what is your greatest
challenge now as a school?
00:32:45.46\00:32:49.56
Our greatest challenge
right now for the school
00:32:49.60\00:32:51.97
is having our
own school building.
00:32:52.00\00:32:56.50
We have two campuses,
00:32:56.54\00:32:58.67
all of these campuses are rented
00:32:58.71\00:33:01.91
and because of the
things that we are doing in town
00:33:01.94\00:33:05.35
and the way we live with people,
00:33:05.38\00:33:08.18
people just
love working with us.
00:33:08.22\00:33:10.42
And so this lady
rented us both schools to us
00:33:10.45\00:33:14.69
and our challenge is
to have our own building
00:33:14.72\00:33:17.83
which it is under construction
as we are talking right now.
00:33:17.86\00:33:21.63
And that's our challenge
00:33:21.66\00:33:24.43
and the other
challenge that we have too
00:33:24.47\00:33:26.33
is we have less
Adventist teachers.
00:33:26.37\00:33:29.87
But the entire
administration of the school,
00:33:29.90\00:33:32.27
Seventh-day
Adventist, Guinea is a country
00:33:32.31\00:33:35.48
that has between 10 to
20 million people but--
00:33:35.51\00:33:39.68
And they are mostly
Muslims. Ninety percent Muslims.
00:33:39.71\00:33:42.72
Ninety percent
Muslims and what is the--
00:33:42.75\00:33:45.19
are they farmers or...
00:33:45.22\00:33:46.96
They are fishermen and
they are business people.
00:33:46.99\00:33:49.82
Okay.
00:33:49.86\00:33:51.19
And but we have professionals
who are non-Adventist
00:33:51.23\00:33:57.13
that are teaching
hourly basis other subject.
00:33:57.17\00:34:01.00
But for Bible and other things
that related to our church,
00:34:01.04\00:34:07.08
we are the ones doing it.
00:34:07.11\00:34:10.01
It's such an
exciting project. Yes.
00:34:10.05\00:34:12.61
So what we want
you at home to know,
00:34:12.65\00:34:16.05
I guess first, I
want to thank you both
00:34:16.08\00:34:17.85
for the work that you are doing.
00:34:17.89\00:34:19.49
But for those of you at home
00:34:19.52\00:34:21.09
if you would like to get
more information on this,
00:34:21.12\00:34:24.96
you can go to the Adventist
Frontier Mission website
00:34:24.99\00:34:29.40
and it's just
simply AF for Frontier,
00:34:29.43\00:34:32.87
AFMonline.org, correct?
00:34:32.90\00:34:37.21
Yes.
00:34:37.24\00:34:38.57
AFMonline.org and
click on the Susu Project,
00:34:38.61\00:34:44.21
that's Susu Project.
00:34:44.25\00:34:47.85
So if they-- if you want
to see what they are doing
00:34:47.88\00:34:50.22
or perhaps you would
like to help, support,
00:34:50.25\00:34:52.49
I know you need
more increased funding
00:34:52.52\00:34:54.86
for the building
of this new school.
00:34:54.89\00:34:57.66
But it is exciting to
see how you are touching
00:34:57.69\00:35:01.63
so many lives and
I'm going to say this--
00:35:01.66\00:35:04.23
I say this often to people
00:35:04.27\00:35:06.43
but I don't believe
that Jesus is going to return
00:35:06.47\00:35:09.44
until there is 1.7
billion Muslims out there
00:35:09.47\00:35:14.08
they need to
hear the Word of God.
00:35:14.11\00:35:16.64
The Chinese and the Muslims
00:35:16.68\00:35:19.31
are to me the two
un-reached territories,
00:35:19.35\00:35:22.68
but people like you
are doing a great work
00:35:22.72\00:35:26.69
and we want to thank you.
00:35:26.72\00:35:28.12
And it's exciting
that God brought you
00:35:28.16\00:35:31.93
out of the same background
00:35:31.96\00:35:33.86
and now He is using
you to reach others.
00:35:33.90\00:35:36.06
I praise God for that. Amen.
00:35:36.10\00:35:37.43
Praise God. Thank you so much.
00:35:37.47\00:35:38.90
We are so glad
that you joined us
00:35:38.93\00:35:40.84
and we are going to be
having more reports coming soon.
00:35:40.87\00:35:43.91
Well, we've been
to Beirut, Lebanon,
00:35:46.94\00:35:48.84
we've been to
Guinea, West Africa.
00:35:48.88\00:35:51.58
Now we return home
to these United States.
00:35:51.61\00:35:55.45
A long time friend of
this ministry Richard Bland,
00:35:55.48\00:35:57.85
he is the president,
00:35:57.89\00:35:59.22
founder of United
Prison Ministry International.
00:35:59.25\00:36:03.09
This is a ministry
that has been working
00:36:03.12\00:36:05.03
for many, many, years
00:36:05.06\00:36:06.39
and doing such a great
work sending out literature
00:36:06.43\00:36:09.10
free to prisons around
and across the United States.
00:36:09.13\00:36:12.13
I suspect they've covered most
00:36:12.17\00:36:13.60
if not all of the
prisons in this country.
00:36:13.64\00:36:16.27
Richard Bland is a survivor
00:36:16.30\00:36:18.51
and he did that walk
of Martin Luther King
00:36:18.54\00:36:21.34
on the frontlines there
in Selma, Alabama, in 1965.
00:36:21.38\00:36:25.51
You recall that famous walk.
00:36:25.55\00:36:27.52
If you visit UPMI.org
00:36:27.55\00:36:30.59
and sign up for the
dollar a day program,
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.39
he will send you two pictures.
00:36:33.42\00:36:35.09
One of the Selma walk in 1965
and then 50 years later 2015,
00:36:35.12\00:36:40.23
so you can compare the two.
00:36:40.26\00:36:42.73
But Richard
Bland was interviewed
00:36:42.76\00:36:44.87
by our own John
Lomacang to talk about the work
00:36:44.90\00:36:47.67
of United Prison
Ministries International
00:36:47.70\00:36:50.01
and the great work
that they have been doing
00:36:50.04\00:36:52.01
over these many, many years.
00:36:52.04\00:36:54.08
Hello, friends, and welcome
00:36:58.18\00:36:59.51
to the 2015
General Conference session
00:36:59.55\00:37:01.98
here in San Antonio, Texas.
00:37:02.02\00:37:04.39
This is the 60th
General Conference Session
00:37:04.42\00:37:07.26
and what makes this so wonderful
00:37:07.29\00:37:08.72
is we are able to connect
and reconnect with people
00:37:08.76\00:37:11.89
that have been a part
of the ministry of 3ABN
00:37:11.93\00:37:14.36
as is our guest today,
our Brother Richard Bland.
00:37:14.40\00:37:18.20
And so let's
meet him at this time.
00:37:18.23\00:37:20.14
Good to have you
here, Brother Bland.
00:37:20.17\00:37:21.50
Pleasure being here with you.
00:37:21.54\00:37:22.87
You know, you are
a long time friend
00:37:22.90\00:37:25.47
and associate and
partner with 3ABN.
00:37:25.51\00:37:27.74
We go back always
00:37:27.78\00:37:29.84
and you are also a
big city guy from Chicago,
00:37:29.88\00:37:32.01
I'm from New York.
00:37:32.05\00:37:33.72
You know, we are
both from the city
00:37:33.75\00:37:35.08
but we are both
heading to a city.
00:37:35.12\00:37:36.95
That's right.
00:37:36.99\00:37:38.32
And what I
appreciate about your ministry,
00:37:38.35\00:37:40.29
by the way those
who are listening
00:37:40.32\00:37:41.66
and watching this program,
tell us about your ministry.
00:37:41.69\00:37:44.36
Give us what that UPMI
means, what does that mean?
00:37:44.39\00:37:46.73
It means United Prison
Ministries International.
00:37:46.76\00:37:49.66
And how long have you been
involved in prison ministry?
00:37:49.70\00:37:51.93
This is the 35th
year. Thirty fifth.
00:37:51.97\00:37:54.30
Setting the
captives free. That's right.
00:37:54.34\00:37:56.50
Now tell me what
fuels you to continue
00:37:56.54\00:37:59.14
to go forward
in prison ministry?
00:37:59.17\00:38:00.54
There are so many people
00:38:00.58\00:38:01.91
that are being
incarcerated on a daily basis.
00:38:01.94\00:38:03.95
What keeps you motivated?
00:38:03.98\00:38:05.31
Oh, what keeps me motivated,
I've read in the Bible
00:38:05.35\00:38:07.42
that Jesus cannot come anywhere
00:38:07.45\00:38:09.32
until the gospel
is taught everywhere.
00:38:09.35\00:38:11.19
And I want to go
home. That's right.
00:38:11.22\00:38:12.99
And I found out something
00:38:13.02\00:38:14.82
if you really
want to reach people
00:38:14.86\00:38:16.52
to spread the gospel,
reach those incarcerated.
00:38:16.56\00:38:19.09
I can see why
now Jesus picked Paul
00:38:19.13\00:38:21.66
to write 14
books in New Testament.
00:38:21.70\00:38:23.73
He was incarcerated.
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.10
I can see why
now he picked Moses
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.74
who wrote first
five books of the Bible.
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.40
Because those
people there they--
00:38:28.44\00:38:30.54
once their life changed
00:38:30.57\00:38:32.34
they do the things that
the God wants them to do.
00:38:32.37\00:38:35.01
So in other words,
people that understand
00:38:35.04\00:38:36.54
what it means to be set free
00:38:36.58\00:38:38.55
can also have a passion
for setting other people free.
00:38:38.58\00:38:40.78
Exactly right.
00:38:40.82\00:38:42.15
But now go us back
to your earlier days
00:38:42.18\00:38:43.65
'cause we've seen you
developing through the years,
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.95
we have seen your passion,
00:38:45.99\00:38:47.32
you have a great
connection with Danny Shelton,
00:38:47.36\00:38:48.69
the founder of 3ABN
and everyone at 3ABN
00:38:48.72\00:38:51.26
has interviewed you except me.
00:38:51.29\00:38:52.93
Even my wife
interviewed you. That's so true.
00:38:52.96\00:38:54.76
On radio. Yeah.
00:38:54.80\00:38:56.13
But your stories continue
00:38:56.16\00:38:57.53
and I'm always
amazed about the fact
00:38:57.57\00:39:00.44
that you are never disappointed.
00:39:00.47\00:39:02.70
God always provides.
00:39:02.74\00:39:04.41
Tell us about how
God makes a difference
00:39:04.44\00:39:07.41
because you are
going to some prisons
00:39:07.44\00:39:08.78
where, you know,
people are doing life.
00:39:08.81\00:39:10.45
Oh, yeah.
00:39:10.48\00:39:11.81
Some people will
never be set free
00:39:11.85\00:39:13.18
from being behind bars.
00:39:13.21\00:39:14.58
What gives you that
passion every morning
00:39:14.62\00:39:16.62
to continue going on?
00:39:16.65\00:39:17.99
Well, number
one, I see everybody
00:39:18.02\00:39:19.35
through the eyes of Jesus.
00:39:19.39\00:39:20.72
How does Jesus see them?
00:39:20.76\00:39:22.09
He says, "These are
the people I came to save."
00:39:22.12\00:39:24.19
See the first
prison was this world
00:39:24.23\00:39:25.93
when the Jesus came
down here and they--
00:39:25.96\00:39:27.76
you know, put everybody
out of the Garden of Eden
00:39:27.80\00:39:29.43
with guards and so forth.
00:39:29.46\00:39:30.80
That's the first prison.
00:39:30.83\00:39:32.17
But as I think about,
you know, I've been involved
00:39:32.20\00:39:34.10
with 76
countries of the world now.
00:39:34.14\00:39:36.20
But just the other day,
00:39:36.24\00:39:37.67
you know, just
yesterday, in fact,
00:39:37.71\00:39:39.37
two guys came up
for me from Romania
00:39:39.41\00:39:41.94
that who have been imprisoned.
00:39:41.98\00:39:43.31
Now they are
ministers in Israel.
00:39:43.35\00:39:45.55
And then I hear
stories like this.
00:39:45.58\00:39:47.62
I served with
every prison in Russia.
00:39:47.65\00:39:49.55
We started going
there in 1991 and Romania,
00:39:49.58\00:39:53.32
I been there 11
times so many places,
00:39:53.36\00:39:55.66
Africa, India and so forth.
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.46
But in America we serve
00:39:57.49\00:39:59.06
every prison in
the United States,
00:39:59.09\00:40:02.40
every prison in
the United States
00:40:02.43\00:40:04.17
with free
material if they write us.
00:40:04.20\00:40:06.63
That's the key.
00:40:06.67\00:40:08.00
And so the
material that people receive
00:40:08.04\00:40:10.14
when they are either
doing time in a local jail
00:40:10.17\00:40:13.64
or they are serving life.
00:40:13.68\00:40:15.01
Tell me some of the material
that you make available.
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.01
Well, our main
Bible is the Bible.
00:40:17.05\00:40:19.35
Then we have Bible lesson
00:40:19.38\00:40:20.82
and the next book
probably "Desire of Ages"
00:40:20.85\00:40:22.58
that's probably the one.
00:40:22.62\00:40:24.95
And then of course,
you have "Steps to Christ"
00:40:24.99\00:40:26.92
then we have what we
call Bible Questions Answered.
00:40:26.96\00:40:29.22
That's been a very popular book.
00:40:29.26\00:40:30.63
There's 14
Bible studies in that.
00:40:30.66\00:40:32.19
Excellent book.
00:40:32.23\00:40:33.56
Like Jim Gilley said,
your president, he said,
00:40:33.60\00:40:35.60
"That's the best
witnessing tool he's ever seen,"
00:40:35.63\00:40:37.83
that Bible
Questions Answered book.
00:40:37.87\00:40:39.77
You know what,
somebody told me this story once
00:40:39.80\00:40:41.77
and I really
smiled when I heard it
00:40:41.80\00:40:43.97
that you had a
very, you had a friend
00:40:44.01\00:40:45.81
that was very wealthy
and he said to you one day,
00:40:45.84\00:40:48.18
"Why don't you
ever ask me for money
00:40:48.21\00:40:49.91
to help your ministry?"
00:40:49.94\00:40:51.48
And your response was
00:40:51.51\00:40:52.85
"Why should I ask the steward,
I'm gonna ask the owner."
00:40:52.88\00:40:55.58
And it an amazing story.
00:40:55.62\00:40:57.99
Now the reason I bring that up
00:40:58.02\00:40:59.35
is because God
has been sustaining
00:40:59.39\00:41:00.99
your ministry for 35 years.
00:41:01.02\00:41:04.16
But I also want
you to tell our viewers
00:41:04.19\00:41:06.36
how they can become involved
in strengthening the ministry.
00:41:06.39\00:41:09.96
You have something
called "a dollar a day"
00:41:10.00\00:41:11.63
talk about that.
00:41:11.67\00:41:13.00
Yeah.
00:41:13.03\00:41:14.37
But you, it's
interesting you said that
00:41:14.40\00:41:15.74
because that is true.
00:41:15.77\00:41:17.57
I read everyday Philippians 4:6,
00:41:17.61\00:41:20.54
"My God shall
supply all my needs."
00:41:20.58\00:41:22.51
So I ask God to send out
the people but I ask Him,
00:41:22.54\00:41:25.01
I don't ask people, I ask God.
00:41:25.05\00:41:26.48
That's right.
00:41:26.51\00:41:27.85
Now just a few years ago,
00:41:27.88\00:41:29.22
well, about a year or so ago
00:41:29.25\00:41:30.59
the Lord impressed
me that every Christian
00:41:30.62\00:41:32.35
can give a
dollar a day for Jesus.
00:41:32.39\00:41:33.82
That's right.
00:41:33.86\00:41:35.19
So with the dollar a day
for Jesus and our ministry
00:41:35.22\00:41:37.83
we can give away 440
Bible studies a month
00:41:37.86\00:41:41.03
with just a
dollar a day, $30 a month
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.23
or 15 Bible
studies or 10 Bibles.
00:41:43.26\00:41:45.97
So we let people know that.
00:41:46.00\00:41:47.40
So we are looking now
00:41:47.44\00:41:48.77
for at least five million people
00:41:48.80\00:41:50.44
to sign up for
the dollar day program
00:41:50.47\00:41:52.54
because post rates--
it's going up quite a bit high
00:41:52.57\00:41:55.11
and then we found out everybody
00:41:55.14\00:41:56.95
that
participated in this program
00:41:56.98\00:41:58.31
they get a blessing.
00:41:58.35\00:41:59.68
That's right.
00:41:59.71\00:42:01.05
Now but what we are
doing now on top of that,
00:42:01.08\00:42:02.42
to make it really
interesting, as you may know
00:42:02.45\00:42:04.92
50 years ago this year
00:42:04.95\00:42:06.76
I was in the
Selma Montgomery March.
00:42:06.79\00:42:08.99
I lived in San Diego,
California at that time.
00:42:09.02\00:42:10.76
That's right.
00:42:10.79\00:42:12.13
I want to touch on
that because a lot of people
00:42:12.16\00:42:13.83
listening to the program
00:42:13.86\00:42:15.20
are right now in our world today
00:42:15.23\00:42:17.17
people have
heard, many have heard
00:42:17.20\00:42:18.53
about the movie called Selma.
00:42:18.57\00:42:19.90
That's right.
00:42:19.93\00:42:21.27
A reenactment of the crossing
of the bridge there in Alabama
00:42:21.30\00:42:23.84
when Dr. Martin Luther
King was inspired to go forward
00:42:23.87\00:42:27.14
with the mantra "We
will be free at last."
00:42:27.18\00:42:30.91
But you, one of
the only survivors
00:42:30.95\00:42:33.18
I've seen a picture of you,
00:42:33.21\00:42:34.72
we are gonna show that
picture in just a moment here.
00:42:34.75\00:42:36.82
When you were in that
crowd there in Selma, Alabama.
00:42:36.85\00:42:40.99
Just go back to that day
and tell me what it was like.
00:42:41.02\00:42:43.06
Well, when you say
only survivor of the picture
00:42:43.09\00:42:45.46
that we have here
of Martin Luther King
00:42:45.49\00:42:48.00
and his wife and Ralph Bunt
00:42:48.03\00:42:50.43
and that little group--
00:42:50.47\00:42:51.80
And that sort to do.
00:42:51.83\00:42:53.17
That little bit they tell me
I'm the only one that's alive
00:42:53.20\00:42:54.64
in that little picture shot.
00:42:54.67\00:42:56.00
Okay, I got you.
00:42:56.04\00:42:57.37
Because I'm sure
there's some other people
00:42:57.41\00:42:58.74
like John Lewis and
other people that's alive
00:42:58.77\00:43:00.11
but they were not in
that frontline there in 1965.
00:43:00.14\00:43:04.05
Now with that I lived
in San Diego at the time.
00:43:04.08\00:43:07.32
I was in business then, I
was in real estate business
00:43:07.35\00:43:09.82
and when the call went out
00:43:09.85\00:43:12.12
after seeing the Reed get killed
00:43:12.15\00:43:15.22
and Lee get
killed and a blind man,
00:43:15.26\00:43:18.69
a blind white man from
Atlanta walk in and a one legged
00:43:18.73\00:43:23.06
white man walking from
Michigan we got on the plane
00:43:23.10\00:43:27.14
and a bunch of us
got on the plane then,
00:43:27.17\00:43:29.90
you know, from San
Diego stopped in Hollywood.
00:43:29.94\00:43:32.31
We picked up Peter,
Paul and Mary Sammy Davis,
00:43:32.34\00:43:34.44
Little Jr. and lot of
the people that we flew down
00:43:34.48\00:43:37.61
for the last day of the march.
00:43:37.65\00:43:39.75
Last two day of
prior to the march
00:43:39.78\00:43:41.42
and that's the picture
that's you are gonna see.
00:43:41.45\00:43:43.55
But then 50 years
later, just a few months ago--
00:43:43.59\00:43:47.19
that you're speaking
about after the movie was made,
00:43:47.22\00:43:50.99
the people that did the
movie saw that I had been
00:43:51.03\00:43:53.93
there 50 years ago so there's
another shot you are gonna see
00:43:53.96\00:43:56.97
we stand in I
guess with Oprah Winfrey.
00:43:57.00\00:44:00.94
Oprah Winfrey, that's right.
00:44:00.97\00:44:02.30
And the crew that did the movie.
00:44:02.34\00:44:04.04
And the featured
star that played the role
00:44:04.07\00:44:06.14
that Martin Luther King, Jr.
00:44:06.17\00:44:07.51
And we're gonna make that
available to anybody that join,
00:44:07.54\00:44:10.15
go to our website UPMI.org
00:44:10.18\00:44:13.42
and join that
one dollar day club.
00:44:13.45\00:44:15.82
See now one of the- my
saying is this one dollar
00:44:15.85\00:44:18.39
a day I mean, one
dollar a day for Jesus
00:44:18.42\00:44:20.69
everybody can do that.
00:44:20.72\00:44:22.06
Right.
00:44:22.09\00:44:23.43
Some people are giving
three dollars a day for Jesus
00:44:23.46\00:44:24.79
which comes about $100 a month.
00:44:24.83\00:44:26.16
Right. Some people give more.
00:44:26.19\00:44:27.53
But all you got to do is
click there and every month
00:44:27.56\00:44:30.30
therefore, we will know
00:44:30.33\00:44:31.67
how many
millions of books to buy.
00:44:31.70\00:44:33.90
Would you believe already we
gave away over 71 million books
00:44:33.94\00:44:37.17
and Bible lessons to men
and women in prison free?
00:44:37.21\00:44:39.94
Wow.
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.31
And that happens when
people partner with you
00:44:41.34\00:44:43.85
to make a
difference in your ministry.
00:44:43.88\00:44:45.38
It's their ministry,
it's not our ministry.
00:44:45.41\00:44:47.12
And actually it's God's ministry
00:44:47.15\00:44:48.52
we work on the team. That's all.
00:44:48.55\00:44:50.25
Just to make sure that
the people got the website.
00:44:50.29\00:44:51.95
If you think
about it, it's UPMI.org.
00:44:51.99\00:44:55.86
United Prison
Ministries International.org.
00:44:55.89\00:44:59.59
Now you don't determine how
long your ministry is gonna go
00:44:59.63\00:45:03.97
but you are now based on
the length of your ministry.
00:45:04.00\00:45:06.77
You are an
established institution,
00:45:06.80\00:45:09.60
25 years and above is this--
00:45:09.64\00:45:11.31
Thirty five years.
00:45:11.34\00:45:12.67
Right. It's 35th year.
00:45:12.71\00:45:14.04
Anything above 25 is an
established institution.
00:45:14.08\00:45:15.41
Oh, is that right?
00:45:15.44\00:45:16.78
So you are ten
years beyond that.
00:45:16.81\00:45:18.15
Now some of the people who have
00:45:18.18\00:45:20.02
participated
with you in ministry.
00:45:20.05\00:45:21.38
Give me some of those
names that people that have been
00:45:21.42\00:45:23.28
involved in ministry
with you in prison ministry.
00:45:23.32\00:45:26.29
You mean workers
in the ministry there?
00:45:26.32\00:45:27.86
Yeah, workers. Workers with you.
00:45:27.89\00:45:29.22
Well, we've had Harry Williams,
00:45:29.26\00:45:30.89
we had a prison warden
who even stopped her job,
00:45:30.93\00:45:34.63
Shirlie Lobmiller for 17
years and work with that.
00:45:34.66\00:45:37.63
And then we have, you
know, people all participated.
00:45:37.67\00:45:40.54
In fact, if you
think about the first time
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.27
Danny told a
story we were together
00:45:43.30\00:45:46.14
and already been in Benton,
California, he and his brother.
00:45:46.17\00:45:50.15
In fact, we stayed together
that night when he first told
00:45:50.18\00:45:52.08
his story on the
way to the California
00:45:52.11\00:45:54.58
about his dream,
you know, and of course,
00:45:54.62\00:45:57.72
Then we have people like
Bill McCater that has helped us
00:45:57.75\00:46:00.66
in the ministry that in
turn went over and helped him,
00:46:00.69\00:46:03.32
you know, the foundation.
00:46:03.36\00:46:04.69
So there's so
many people, you know,
00:46:04.73\00:46:06.86
that have been involved.
00:46:06.90\00:46:08.56
No you also go to churches
00:46:08.60\00:46:10.13
if they invite you to
because a lot of people
00:46:10.17\00:46:12.23
don't have prison
ministry in their church.
00:46:12.27\00:46:13.60
That's right.
00:46:13.64\00:46:14.97
And sometimes you accept
invitations to go to churches
00:46:15.00\00:46:17.37
to talk about prison ministry
and help them establish it.
00:46:17.41\00:46:20.44
Tell me some of the
things that besides just giving
00:46:20.48\00:46:23.18
literature and
sermons do you also
00:46:23.21\00:46:25.61
include baptisms in
your prison ministry?
00:46:25.65\00:46:27.78
No. We don't.
00:46:27.82\00:46:29.15
What we focus on
is the Word of God.
00:46:29.18\00:46:30.79
We have known in the prison
ministry we go by the book.
00:46:30.82\00:46:33.05
Okay.
00:46:33.09\00:46:34.42
The reason why we've never
been kicked out any prison,
00:46:34.46\00:46:36.12
anywhere in the
world because if they--
00:46:36.16\00:46:38.09
if the Bible is
there we are there.
00:46:38.13\00:46:39.89
Okay.
00:46:39.93\00:46:41.26
Because we strictly say--
00:46:41.30\00:46:43.57
the first day we give
them is Jeremiah 17:5,
00:46:43.60\00:46:46.77
"Cursed be the man
that trust in man."
00:46:46.80\00:46:48.67
I say, I'm a man if you trust
me you are gonna be cursed.
00:46:48.70\00:46:51.47
Jeremiah 17: 7 said,
00:46:51.51\00:46:53.01
"Blessed the man
that trust in the Lord."
00:46:53.04\00:46:54.84
If you want to be
blessed you trust in the Lord.
00:46:54.88\00:46:56.98
Jeremiah 17:9 said, "The heart
is deceitful above all things
00:46:57.01\00:47:00.82
and desperately wicked."
00:47:00.85\00:47:02.18
So we say now you
can trust yourself.
00:47:02.22\00:47:03.85
They say, yeah.
Don't trust another person.
00:47:03.89\00:47:05.82
So that has narrowed them in.
00:47:05.85\00:47:07.62
So this is why we have done
so many million Bible lesson
00:47:07.66\00:47:10.93
because nobody kick us out
if the Bible is there because
00:47:10.96\00:47:12.89
we stay with the Bible.
00:47:12.93\00:47:14.26
From Genesis 1
to Revelation 22:21
00:47:14.30\00:47:17.00
we tell the prisoner this.
00:47:17.03\00:47:18.43
There are 66 books,
there is 1,189 chapters,
00:47:18.47\00:47:22.57
31,173 verses, 773,692.
00:47:22.60\00:47:26.94
We said if you
studied that then we will be
00:47:26.98\00:47:28.94
in the same kingdom together.
00:47:28.98\00:47:30.71
But we do come over
some that's I found unique.
00:47:30.75\00:47:33.88
We tell if they
believe the first two chapters
00:47:33.92\00:47:36.35
of Bible we've been
neighbors in the kingdom. Why?
00:47:36.38\00:47:39.05
Because the first two
chapters tell you four things.
00:47:39.09\00:47:42.52
Number one, it tell you where
you come from, who made you.
00:47:42.56\00:47:44.83
It will tell you what to eat.
00:47:44.86\00:47:46.19
It tells you who to marry
and tell you when to worship.
00:47:46.23\00:47:48.40
That's the
foundation of the Bible.
00:47:48.43\00:47:50.13
That's amazing.
00:47:50.17\00:47:51.50
Do you know we are the
only ministry in the world
00:47:51.53\00:47:53.13
that teaches all four things?
00:47:53.17\00:47:55.04
Okay, go over them again.
00:47:55.07\00:47:56.40
We tell you where
you come from, creation.
00:47:56.44\00:47:57.77
Right. Okay.
00:47:57.81\00:47:59.14
And tell you what to eat. Okay.
00:47:59.17\00:48:00.51
And tell you who to marry
and tell you when to worship.
00:48:00.54\00:48:01.88
Praise the Lord.
00:48:01.91\00:48:03.24
That's in the first
two chapters of Bible.
00:48:03.28\00:48:04.61
Wow.
00:48:04.65\00:48:05.98
And that's the most important
00:48:06.01\00:48:07.35
because God
can't even change that.
00:48:07.38\00:48:08.72
Just like you can't
change your birthday
00:48:08.75\00:48:10.09
God cannot change the
first two chapters of the Bible.
00:48:10.12\00:48:11.95
I like that. I like that.
00:48:11.99\00:48:13.32
Now there are four chapters
00:48:13.36\00:48:14.69
in Bible that
has no sin in them.
00:48:14.72\00:48:16.06
The first two and the last two.
00:48:16.09\00:48:17.43
The last two talk about heaven.
00:48:17.46\00:48:18.79
The first two
talk about creation.
00:48:18.83\00:48:20.16
And God can't even
change the first two.
00:48:20.20\00:48:21.93
Well, that's-- see as a preacher
00:48:21.96\00:48:23.30
I'm gonna hold on
to that. Oh, yeah.
00:48:23.33\00:48:24.67
I'm gonna use it at some place
I'm not gonna tell you where.
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.33
Okay. But that's good.
00:48:26.37\00:48:27.70
The first two
chapters where you came from,
00:48:27.74\00:48:30.64
who to marry,what to eat
00:48:30.67\00:48:32.27
And when to
worship. And when to worship.
00:48:32.31\00:48:33.94
Wow.
00:48:33.98\00:48:35.31
And we are the-- if you
believe those first two chapters
00:48:35.34\00:48:36.88
we will be
neighbors in the kingdom,
00:48:36.91\00:48:38.25
I tell everybody that.
00:48:38.28\00:48:39.61
Wow.
00:48:39.65\00:48:40.98
Now what are some of
the new goals that you have
00:48:41.02\00:48:43.72
for the future of your ministry?
00:48:43.75\00:48:45.32
What some of the what?
00:48:45.35\00:48:46.69
Some of the new goals or some
new things that you are aiming
00:48:46.72\00:48:48.62
at for the
future of your ministry?
00:48:48.66\00:48:50.06
Well, the thing
about it now, you know,
00:48:50.09\00:48:51.49
with technology now is
in the last several years
00:48:51.53\00:48:56.36
we've lost 95
percent of our donors
00:48:56.40\00:48:58.50
because they were older than me.
00:48:58.53\00:48:59.87
Okay.
00:48:59.90\00:49:01.24
Remember, you see,
so as new technology now
00:49:01.27\00:49:02.94
so people are
doing things differently.
00:49:02.97\00:49:04.57
So this is why we are
asking people now I have to pray
00:49:04.61\00:49:06.84
about it by the year ago,
00:49:06.88\00:49:08.21
"Lord, show me
what everybody can do."
00:49:08.24\00:49:09.68
He said, "Everybody
can give a dollar a day."
00:49:09.71\00:49:11.45
Okay. You see what I mean.
00:49:11.48\00:49:12.81
So they get
millions of people to do that
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.92
and they will get a blessing.
00:49:14.95\00:49:16.69
And remember this
is prison evangelism.
00:49:16.72\00:49:19.55
I want to you to hear me now,
00:49:19.59\00:49:20.99
so therefore 10 percent
of your money belongs to who?
00:49:21.02\00:49:24.13
To the Lord.
00:49:24.16\00:49:25.49
So you can use that
for prison evangelism
00:49:25.53\00:49:27.90
because that's
what we use it for.
00:49:27.93\00:49:29.26
You see what I mean.
00:49:29.30\00:49:30.63
Some people say,
well, it's got-- no, no,
00:49:30.67\00:49:33.30
tithe money, God's money
is to be used for evangelism
00:49:33.34\00:49:36.44
that you do evangelism,
00:49:36.47\00:49:37.94
wherever evangelism is
going that's God's money.
00:49:37.97\00:49:40.64
So I'm letting people do that.
00:49:40.68\00:49:42.01
They don't have
to get extra money
00:49:42.04\00:49:43.38
just divide their
money for prisoners.
00:49:43.41\00:49:45.28
Now one out of every
six percent in America
00:49:45.31\00:49:48.68
has a relative
or friend in prison.
00:49:48.72\00:49:50.75
So therefore,
we are helping them
00:49:50.79\00:49:53.25
to change their personal life.
00:49:53.29\00:49:54.72
One thing a warden
just told me recently,
00:49:54.76\00:49:56.96
he said, when a man or
woman get out of prison
00:49:56.99\00:49:59.56
they do one or two things.
00:49:59.59\00:50:01.33
They either gonna look
you up or stick you up.
00:50:01.36\00:50:03.87
Now without Christ
they are gonna do what?
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.10
Stick you up.
That's guaranteed. Why?
00:50:06.13\00:50:08.24
Because prison
teach you more crime
00:50:08.27\00:50:10.37
than more Christ, remember that.
00:50:10.41\00:50:12.37
When they are in
prison, this is a fact,
00:50:12.41\00:50:15.08
you talk to any prison
00:50:15.11\00:50:16.44
there they study more
crime than more Christ.
00:50:16.48\00:50:18.55
That's amazing.
00:50:18.58\00:50:19.91
So that's why we are there
to make sure they study more
00:50:19.95\00:50:22.82
Christ instead of more crime.
00:50:22.85\00:50:24.35
To cut down on
the recidivism rate.
00:50:24.39\00:50:25.92
Oh, yeah.
00:50:25.95\00:50:27.29
Don't have them go
back. That's right.
00:50:27.32\00:50:28.66
So your message in a nutshell
is "If the Son therefore,
00:50:28.69\00:50:31.03
shall make you free,
you shall be free indeed."
00:50:31.06\00:50:33.90
Free indeed. Wow.
00:50:33.93\00:50:35.26
I tell you, it's
amazing when you think about
00:50:35.30\00:50:36.70
what has happened in your
life over the last 35 years.
00:50:36.73\00:50:38.67
That's right.
00:50:38.70\00:50:40.04
You go from real estate
and now you are getting people
00:50:40.07\00:50:42.00
ready for some new real estate.
00:50:42.04\00:50:43.54
Oh, real estate that
that doesn't deteriorate.
00:50:43.57\00:50:46.07
That's what
made me change really
00:50:46.11\00:50:47.91
because that's a-- you
know, there is no insurance.
00:50:47.94\00:50:51.35
Everything here on
the earth belong to the--
00:50:51.38\00:50:53.92
I want them in the kingdom.
00:50:53.95\00:50:55.88
And let me add
something else to your ministry,
00:50:55.92\00:50:57.35
you give me some
nuggets I'm going to use
00:50:57.39\00:50:59.12
but let me give you a
couple of other things.
00:50:59.15\00:51:00.79
If people ask you what
you do, tell them you sell
00:51:00.82\00:51:02.42
fire insurance
and life insurance.
00:51:02.46\00:51:04.89
That's right.
00:51:04.93\00:51:06.43
Prevent from the fire and
God will give you life eternal.
00:51:06.46\00:51:08.73
You got to believe that.
00:51:08.76\00:51:10.10
Well, Brother Bland, thank you
so much for being here today.
00:51:10.13\00:51:11.93
I'll tell you if you want
to say something to motivate
00:51:11.97\00:51:14.17
the people that are
watching this program,
00:51:14.20\00:51:15.94
what can you say in a nutshell?
00:51:15.97\00:51:17.57
Well, I want to say this,
if they want a real blessing
00:51:17.61\00:51:21.38
do what Jesus tell
them to do and that's,
00:51:21.41\00:51:24.31
there are six
things in the Bible.
00:51:24.35\00:51:25.95
The six things the
last thing Jesus told to do
00:51:25.98\00:51:28.42
was to remember those in prison.
00:51:28.45\00:51:29.88
And I could see why
because the prisoner
00:51:29.92\00:51:32.12
is the last person who
believed in Jesus Christ.
00:51:32.15\00:51:35.92
On the cross everybody
is forsaken but a prisoner.
00:51:35.96\00:51:37.93
Wow. Wow.
00:51:37.96\00:51:39.29
So if you want to reach
the city, reach prisoner.
00:51:39.33\00:51:41.36
If you want to reach
the world, reach prisoners.
00:51:41.40\00:51:43.53
Well, thank you so
much for being here.
00:51:43.57\00:51:44.90
May God bless you
so much. We appreciate.
00:51:44.93\00:51:46.27
May God bless you.
Don't forget UPMI.org.
00:51:46.30\00:51:47.74
Go to the website look at them.
00:51:47.77\00:51:49.67
Okay, I'll do that. To
the dollar a day program.
00:51:49.70\00:51:51.44
Well, friends, you know,
we always have something good
00:51:51.47\00:51:53.14
for you here at 3ABN.
00:51:53.17\00:51:54.51
Continue praying for us
and United Prison Ministries
00:51:54.54\00:51:56.98
International
until we see you again.
00:51:57.01\00:51:58.95
What powerful ministries.
00:52:01.12\00:52:02.62
I'm particularly
impressed by these ministries
00:52:02.65\00:52:05.72
that we've
highlighted on our show.
00:52:05.75\00:52:07.32
We will talk a little bit more
about them in just a little bit
00:52:07.36\00:52:09.49
when we come back
from the news break.
00:52:09.52\00:52:11.23
But Beirut,
Lebanon long our heartbeat
00:52:11.26\00:52:15.16
a lot of things happening.
00:52:15.20\00:52:16.63
Yeah, you've got Adventist
young people there lifting up
00:52:16.67\00:52:19.30
the name of Jesus,
dealing with the refugee problem
00:52:19.33\00:52:21.80
as best they can,
teaching young people
00:52:21.84\00:52:24.04
some for the very
first time in their lives
00:52:24.07\00:52:26.54
sitting in school and
learning the language.
00:52:26.57\00:52:28.74
What a powerful,
powerful ministry.
00:52:28.78\00:52:30.41
And then we have long wondered
how was God going to deal with,
00:52:30.45\00:52:35.05
how is the Lord going to
wrestle with the Muslim issue.
00:52:35.08\00:52:39.52
I was gonna say
problem or rather say issue.
00:52:39.55\00:52:42.56
Will they get to
know about Jesus?
00:52:42.59\00:52:44.26
Will they get an opportunity
to hear the word of the Lord?
00:52:44.29\00:52:48.23
Well, there are those who
are coming out of that community
00:52:48.26\00:52:50.97
and coming to Christ and
then returning to that community
00:52:51.00\00:52:54.57
in an effort to win
their fellows to Jesus Christ.
00:52:54.60\00:52:57.44
So Fred and Isatta, we salute
them for what must be a very,
00:52:57.47\00:53:03.45
very tough work and a work
sometimes that can be taken
00:53:03.48\00:53:07.25
or undertaken at the cost
or the peril of your life.
00:53:07.28\00:53:11.05
And so we need to
keep on praying for those
00:53:11.09\00:53:12.89
who are working
in that 10/40 Window,
00:53:12.92\00:53:15.06
who are working
with groups of Muslims
00:53:15.09\00:53:18.63
because it is not an easy work,
00:53:18.66\00:53:20.43
it is not a work where you
get large or mass baptisms.
00:53:20.46\00:53:23.06
It is not a work where you
get lot of pats on the back.
00:53:23.10\00:53:26.03
It's a work where you dig
in, you take Christ with you
00:53:26.07\00:53:29.24
and you do the work
that has to be done.
00:53:29.27\00:53:31.37
And of course, United
Prison Ministries not only
00:53:31.41\00:53:33.71
have they done
work around the country
00:53:33.74\00:53:36.51
they have also
done work in Romania
00:53:36.54\00:53:37.98
and many countries in Europe,
00:53:38.01\00:53:39.35
really around the
world lifting up the gospel
00:53:39.38\00:53:41.78
in the name of Jesus Christ
and passing out literature.
00:53:41.82\00:53:43.79
Well, we are gonna go to
our news break then we will back
00:53:43.82\00:53:46.82
and put a little bow on
this and end our program.
00:53:46.86\00:53:49.52