I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I wanna 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 wanna spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I wanna 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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and allow me once
again to thank you
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for sharing just a
little of your day with us.
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To thank you for
your love, your prayers,
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your support of this ministry
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Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
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This program is very special
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because it is the
second of two programs that,
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Future of Ministries that
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we had a chance to
interview and talk with,
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from ASI and
Phoenix, Arizona, 2016.
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And as we always say,
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it is our privilege
and pleasure to go to ASI.
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One, because
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we get to meet
friends of this ministry
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and two, because
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we get to make
friends of other ministries
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and then bring
that information to you
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so that you can be aware
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of the really
constellation of ministries
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that are doing
great work for the Lord,
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so you can be
aware what they're doing
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and then put them
on your prayer list,
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pray for them and
support that they are doing,
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the work that they are doing
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in lifting up
the cause of Jesus.
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So ASI 2016,
Shelley Quinn had a chance
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to meet and speak
with David and Jodi Knott.
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Their ministry is
Gospel Mission Aviation.
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David and Jodi met
at Andrews University
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and had a desire
to do mission work
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and it's nice when
you can meet somebody,
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befriend somebody, love somebody
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who has the same
mission desire that you have.
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They went to Bolivia
on a student mission trip
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and they both loved it.
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They were married
right after school
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and decided to
go back to Bolivia
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to do their mission
service and their mission work.
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They bring free
medical help to the villages,
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they drive ten hours
through the mountains
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and then they hike
about three to four hours
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to get into the villages.
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So this work is
a sacrificial work.
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This work is
something that they're doing
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because the love of
Christ is in their hearts
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and they have both been called
to serve the Lord in Bolivia
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and on the mission field.
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Shelley Quinn,
David and Jodi Knott.
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Again we're coming
to you from the booth,
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set on the
convention floor of ASI
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and we have two very special
young people with us right now.
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And that would be
DJ and Jodi Knott.
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Their ministry is
Gospel Mission Aviation.
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Welcome to 3ABN. Thank you.
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Now you all are
obviously quite young,
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look very young than me.
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Tell us a little bit about
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how the two of you came together
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and how you ended up
ministering in Bolivia?
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Well, we met at Andrews. Okay.
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It's a good place to start.
That's a great place to start.
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And on...
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Jodi's a missionary kid,
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which we find a lot of
them in the mission field.
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And always had a
dream to serve God overseas
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and I really didn't
think there were opportunities
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for my skill set
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but God set opening doors so...
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Amen.
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Now you got your...
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You started flying
when you were 14 years old.
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I did.
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So when did God
put it in your heart
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that you would be
a missionary pilot?
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My dad planting the seed,
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he was a student
missionary in Borneo
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and he lived with the
mission pilot so he...
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In aviation they say,
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you get bit the bug
so he got me infected
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and I went to
Andrews kind of with that
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in the back of my mind
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but always wanted to
be a Bush pilot in Alaska
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'cause I didn't think
mission pilots existed anymore.
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So you ended up going to...
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As a student
missionary to Bolivia.
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I did. I did.
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And you were just immediately
attracted to the people.
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Tell us a little about Bolivia?
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Bolivia is an
interesting country.
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I worked in the lowlands
as a student missionary,
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in the jungle.
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And about half of the
country is high altitude,
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about half is low.
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And the high
altitude is very high,
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it's, you know,
anything in these mountains.
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And I'd be flying back
in forth in the lowlands
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looking at those
snow covered peaks
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and wondering like...
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And hearing stories, you know,
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of villages that
took or three days
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to reach by donkey
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and fascinating
things like this.
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I always wanted to
go in the mountains.
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Okay.
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So you are married
after you graduated,
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is that correct, Jodi?
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Yeah.
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And then how long was it
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before you
actually moved to Bolivia?
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Well, we were in
several different countries
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working with another non-profit
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before we went with
Gospel Mission Aviation
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to Bolivia about two years ago.
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And so we went...
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Right after I
graduated, you know,
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a month after but then we were
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bouncing back and forth around
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various
countries in South America
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before we actually went
to the highlands of Bolivia
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like we had always wanted to.
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Okay, now you're living
in Cochabamba which is...
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Is it fairly modern there,
it's about two million people?
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Yes, fairly modern city.
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But now where
are you ministering
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and tell us a
little about the people
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to whom you're ministering?
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Okay.
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We're ministering in an area
between La Paz and Cochabamba
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which are two big cities
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but in between
are just mountains,
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there's very few roads.
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The people are...
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They still live a
traditional life with a...
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They're shepherds
and subsistence farmers.
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And a lot of them dressed
with the native dress still,
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wear funny hats and...
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Yes.
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They're really
wonderful people and they,
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a lot of them still speak the,
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like Ankan
languages and Quechua,
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Aymara and it's just a
fascinating area for us.
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And what is the practicing
religion there right now,
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do they, are
they like pagan or...?
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Yeah, it's a mix of pagan
and like old Catholic roots,
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they don't really
practice any more.
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And so is it animistic
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or tell us a little
bit about the people?
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Yeah, they believe in spirits
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and but it's
not per se as active
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as like in the jungle areas.
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But yeah, they
believe in mother earth
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and making
sacrifices to things and...
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And what's the name
for mother earth religion?
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Pachamama.
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Pachamama. Okay, Pachamama.
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So they desperately
need to hear the gospel
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but there's something else
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that they need and
that is medical health.
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Yeah,
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So what are you
doing now in Bolivia?
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We're bringing medical
volunteers into these areas
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and bringing free medical help.
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These people don't have
any way to pay for medical help
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and they don't
have any access to it.
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And so what are
you doing with these,
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do you take up medical supplies
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or tell us about
how you get there,
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what you're doing?
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Well, we take our jeep from,
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Toyota Link is our jeep,
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from Cochabamba and drive about
10 hours into the mountains,
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on dirt road side of a
mountain and we get there
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and we leave the
jeep in a village
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and begin to hike,
the next day usually.
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And we hike anywhere from
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three to five
hours into a village
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and each village is quite small,
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sometimes there will
only be three families,
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sometimes there
might be ten families
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and because of
their shepherding.
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So then we go
and we hike in there
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and one of the families
will host us for the night
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and cook us great potato soup
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and give us a nice
sheep skin to sleep on.
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And then we go may be then...
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See whoever needs
help in that village
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and then go the next
day to the next village.
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And so we see several villages
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and then come back to
the jeep and drive home.
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So there are hospitable people
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'cause they're not expecting you
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and you just show up and
they're going to host you.
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They are the kind of a
warm people, aren't they?
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They very much are and
there's no communication
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and there are no
cell phones or anything
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so, actually that's one
of our biggest challenges,
00:08:48.52\00:08:50.39
is trying to tell
them we're coming,
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often times we just show up
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and they take us
in and it's been...
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And we found that the most,
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the people who have the least
are often the most generous.
00:08:57.87\00:09:01.04
That is absolutely true.
00:09:01.07\00:09:03.47
I think that's true
throughout the world.
00:09:03.51\00:09:06.14
We've seen and heard that.
00:09:06.17\00:09:07.51
Now so your dream is right now,
you don't have an aeroplane.
00:09:07.54\00:09:11.98
No.
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So it's a little
difficult to finding
00:09:13.38\00:09:15.52
volunteer medical professionals
00:09:15.55\00:09:18.75
who are willing to drive a day,
00:09:18.79\00:09:21.39
hike another day
00:09:21.42\00:09:22.79
and have that
much time to spend.
00:09:22.82\00:09:24.66
Who are you taking up
now, medical professional wise?
00:09:24.69\00:09:28.30
We've had one
nurse from the States
00:09:28.33\00:09:30.67
who helped us
kind to get started.
00:09:30.70\00:09:32.03
He had experience
with that kind of thing.
00:09:32.07\00:09:33.44
Okay.
00:09:33.47\00:09:34.80
But so far we've had
Bolivian medical volunteers
00:09:34.84\00:09:37.81
and we've been really
blessed, they've been great.
00:09:37.84\00:09:40.54
And, you know, they
go out there and suffer
00:09:40.58\00:09:44.65
and never complain
and they're just awesome.
00:09:44.68\00:09:47.08
They're
Adventists and, you know,
00:09:47.12\00:09:49.05
they just have a real
heart to serve the Lord
00:09:49.08\00:09:52.09
and there's a lot more
who want to participate
00:09:52.12\00:09:54.46
but just you don't have the time
00:09:54.49\00:09:56.59
that it takes to
get to these places,
00:09:56.62\00:09:58.79
can't take that much time off.
00:09:58.83\00:10:00.63
So your goal obviously,
00:10:00.66\00:10:02.16
you're number one goal
is to get an aeroplane.
00:10:02.20\00:10:05.07
What would that cost you?
00:10:05.10\00:10:07.17
It would cost about $200,000.
00:10:07.20\00:10:09.60
And that's including all
of the duties and things...
00:10:09.64\00:10:12.21
That's yeah, the whole program
to have it there operational.
00:10:12.24\00:10:15.14
Okay. Okay.
00:10:15.18\00:10:16.51
And then what you...
00:10:16.54\00:10:17.98
I know that you're not
just interested in them
00:10:18.01\00:10:21.62
and of course,
you're doing what Jesus did
00:10:21.65\00:10:24.09
and that is you meet
the people's medical needs
00:10:24.12\00:10:27.99
or physical needs
and then you are also,
00:10:28.02\00:10:31.53
once you've got,
gained their trust,
00:10:31.56\00:10:34.30
then you're trying to teach them
00:10:34.33\00:10:35.93
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:10:35.96\00:10:38.03
So one of your long term goals
00:10:38.07\00:10:40.44
and we hope it
becomes a short term goal,
00:10:40.47\00:10:42.50
is to end up supplying
00:10:42.54\00:10:44.91
Bible workers to
help the pastors.
00:10:44.94\00:10:47.08
Tell us about the
pastors in this area
00:10:47.11\00:10:49.38
and you won't believe
00:10:49.41\00:10:51.71
what type of responsibility
these pastors have.
00:10:51.75\00:10:56.18
How many churches
00:10:56.22\00:10:57.55
do most pastors
have in the area?
00:10:57.59\00:10:59.95
The pastors that
work in the remote areas
00:10:59.99\00:11:02.52
such as in the
mountains where we are working,
00:11:02.56\00:11:05.39
they have
somewhere around 30 churches.
00:11:05.43\00:11:07.30
Unbelievable.
00:11:07.33\00:11:08.66
So they don't have their
own transportation either,
00:11:08.70\00:11:11.83
so it's very challenging
to get to each of the churches
00:11:11.87\00:11:14.90
even once a year.
00:11:14.94\00:11:17.37
And so you're
looking for Bible workers
00:11:17.41\00:11:19.17
to help these pastors.
00:11:19.21\00:11:21.21
Yeah, or even if
we had the aeroplane
00:11:21.24\00:11:23.55
we could transport the pastors
to their remotest churches
00:11:23.58\00:11:27.58
and be able to take
them there for a weekend
00:11:27.62\00:11:29.82
and bring them back
00:11:29.85\00:11:31.19
and in that way also be
very supportive of the church,
00:11:31.22\00:11:34.96
the local church that's there.
00:11:34.99\00:11:36.79
So you grew up
basically in the mission field.
00:11:36.83\00:11:40.53
You were bitten
by the mission bug
00:11:40.56\00:11:43.33
and having
spent time down there,
00:11:43.37\00:11:44.70
what is it like,
00:11:44.73\00:11:46.07
how long have you
been in Bolivia now?
00:11:46.10\00:11:48.94
About a year and
a half we've been...
00:11:48.97\00:11:50.64
Okay, as a couple I should say.
00:11:50.67\00:11:52.01
Yeah, since we
started this new project
00:11:52.04\00:11:53.94
in the highlands
about a year and a half.
00:11:53.98\00:11:55.58
Okay, Okay.
00:11:55.61\00:11:56.95
And what has been
your greatest challenge?
00:11:56.98\00:11:59.01
And what has been
your greatest blessing?
00:11:59.05\00:12:01.42
Well, the challenge...
00:12:01.45\00:12:03.22
Easy for me to answer that one.
00:12:03.25\00:12:05.95
Finding these places.
00:12:05.99\00:12:07.62
How do you find a place
that has no road access,
00:12:07.66\00:12:10.69
we started with a jeep
and we're thankful for that
00:12:10.73\00:12:13.63
but that only gets
you to the end of the road
00:12:13.66\00:12:16.00
and we're looking for places
beyond the end of the road.
00:12:16.03\00:12:18.20
Plus the...
00:12:18.23\00:12:19.63
So you're
searching out these villages,
00:12:19.67\00:12:21.30
you don't even
know where they are.
00:12:21.34\00:12:22.67
We have... I mean, Google Earth
00:12:22.70\00:12:24.04
and like, I mean,
00:12:24.07\00:12:25.41
we're pulling every string
we can to find these places,
00:12:25.44\00:12:27.41
any kind of networking we can do
00:12:27.44\00:12:29.61
and even still we
have the challenge
00:12:29.64\00:12:32.28
of overcoming the people's fears
00:12:32.31\00:12:33.85
'cause they've
been taken advantage
00:12:33.88\00:12:35.78
of many times
by mining companies
00:12:35.82\00:12:37.75
and there's even
been armed violence
00:12:37.79\00:12:39.75
in the area and so,
over mining disputes.
00:12:39.79\00:12:43.69
And the people are
very nervous by outsiders.
00:12:43.73\00:12:46.36
So to get in there
was a huge challenge.
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.96
Huge.
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.47
We're super thankful
that we have a small area now,
00:12:50.50\00:12:53.97
that's kind of open to us.
00:12:54.00\00:12:56.04
And we're hoping
that will expand and grow
00:12:56.07\00:12:58.01
as people hear what we're doing
00:12:58.04\00:12:59.84
and they say, "Hey, we
want that in our village."
00:12:59.87\00:13:01.54
Yes, amen.
00:13:01.58\00:13:02.91
So what's been
your greatest blessing?
00:13:02.94\00:13:04.88
Have you seen God
working miracles on your behalf?
00:13:04.91\00:13:07.95
And tell us a few.
00:13:07.98\00:13:10.19
Divine appointments
is what I would say.
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.72
Really the divine appointment
to find the first village,
00:13:12.75\00:13:16.62
DJ and there's
the volunteer nurse
00:13:16.66\00:13:18.89
from the States went
into a village by themselves.
00:13:18.93\00:13:21.83
And we're kind of cast out,
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.53
they were put in a
dark room and said,
00:13:24.57\00:13:26.60
"You can't be here
00:13:26.63\00:13:27.97
and we're gonna
finish our meeting
00:13:28.00\00:13:29.34
and then we're gonna
kick you out basically."
00:13:29.37\00:13:31.27
And several people came in
to investigate and interrogate
00:13:31.31\00:13:34.31
but finally one person
actually believed their story
00:13:34.34\00:13:37.71
and the reason was, he said,
00:13:37.75\00:13:39.11
"Well, because you're Adventist.
00:13:39.15\00:13:40.95
I went to an
Adventist primary school
00:13:40.98\00:13:43.39
40 years ago run by missionaries
00:13:43.42\00:13:46.19
and it's no longer
in operation but..."
00:13:46.22\00:13:48.76
He said, "I want you
to come to my village,
00:13:48.79\00:13:50.26
I've been wanting to
get back to the Lord."
00:13:50.29\00:13:52.43
And so from that opportunity
00:13:52.46\00:13:54.86
we're also able to make
more connections and yeah,
00:13:54.90\00:13:59.10
be able to just
reach these people.
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.07
For me the greatest blessing
is just being with the people.
00:14:01.10\00:14:04.81
They're just wonderful
and sometimes they say,
00:14:04.84\00:14:07.04
"Why do you have to leave,
like can't you stay longer."
00:14:07.08\00:14:09.01
Oh, how precious.
00:14:09.04\00:14:10.38
And just come and
watch my sheep with me
00:14:10.41\00:14:12.95
and I think that's so...
00:14:12.98\00:14:15.02
It's so
gratifying and so makes me,
00:14:15.05\00:14:17.62
just brings me so much to it.
00:14:17.65\00:14:19.69
Now how long, when
you're with these people
00:14:19.72\00:14:22.79
and once you've
gained their trust,
00:14:22.82\00:14:24.16
how long does it take you
to where you can really start
00:14:24.19\00:14:26.46
talking about the
Lord or do they obviously,
00:14:26.49\00:14:29.30
just know they're
something different
00:14:29.33\00:14:30.80
and wanna know why you're there?
00:14:30.83\00:14:33.00
Well, we pray with
everybody we treat but...
00:14:33.03\00:14:38.51
I say we're the
doctors and volunteers,
00:14:38.54\00:14:42.18
we pray with them sometimes,
00:14:42.21\00:14:43.55
we sing with them
and we talk to them
00:14:43.58\00:14:45.88
but some of them are
just more open than others
00:14:45.91\00:14:49.55
because of their background
and some of them right away
00:14:49.58\00:14:51.79
they're asking you like,
00:14:51.82\00:14:53.15
"hey, I want to be a
Christian and, you know,
00:14:53.19\00:14:56.12
can we have a
church in this village.
00:14:56.16\00:14:58.99
I want to be part
of getting it started
00:14:59.03\00:15:01.33
and I want the Lord in my life,
00:15:01.36\00:15:03.43
you know, I'm
sacred of the spirits,
00:15:03.47\00:15:06.10
you know,
00:15:06.13\00:15:07.47
I've had lightning kill my sheep
00:15:07.50\00:15:08.84
and stuff like...,"
00:15:08.87\00:15:10.21
things like
this and it's just...
00:15:10.24\00:15:11.57
It opens doors right away. Amen.
00:15:11.61\00:15:12.94
So the Lord just
kinda makes us...
00:15:12.97\00:15:15.08
Sounds like He's making
a level path for your feet.
00:15:15.11\00:15:17.38
He want you arrive.
00:15:17.41\00:15:20.18
And then the aeroplane
would help make a level path
00:15:20.22\00:15:22.58
for the transportation.
00:15:22.62\00:15:24.19
It would also help us,
00:15:24.22\00:15:26.45
some of the people
we really can't help
00:15:26.49\00:15:27.99
because we'd have to
take them to the city
00:15:28.02\00:15:29.76
for treatment and we
have no way to do that.
00:15:29.79\00:15:32.09
If somebody's
too weak to walk out,
00:15:32.13\00:15:34.30
there's really
nothing we can do.
00:15:34.33\00:15:36.00
If it's nothing,
we can treat there.
00:15:36.03\00:15:37.40
So we only have
just about a minute left.
00:15:37.43\00:15:39.43
So if somebody is interested,
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.64
if you're watching now
00:15:42.67\00:15:44.01
and the Holy Spirit's
impressing you saying,
00:15:44.04\00:15:45.37
"Hey, I'd like to
go down and help."
00:15:45.41\00:15:47.21
Can you receive
groups from the United States
00:15:47.24\00:15:50.35
and right now you
have to understand,
00:15:50.38\00:15:51.88
you would be hiking
00:15:51.91\00:15:53.25
because we don't
have the aeroplane yet
00:15:53.28\00:15:55.05
but could you receive groups.
00:15:55.08\00:15:56.79
What size groups
could you receive?
00:15:56.82\00:15:58.15
Small groups.
00:15:58.19\00:15:59.52
The villages are small,
so small groups are good.
00:15:59.55\00:16:01.99
Three to four
people would be great.
00:16:02.02\00:16:03.36
Three to four people.
00:16:03.39\00:16:04.73
All right, but we
want to let you know
00:16:04.76\00:16:06.09
how you can get in
touch with this lovely couple
00:16:06.13\00:16:09.80
and they have a website.
00:16:09.83\00:16:11.47
It is gospelaviation.org
and you can go on,
00:16:11.50\00:16:14.84
learn more about the
ministry and if you would like,
00:16:14.87\00:16:17.27
the Holy Spirit's
impressing you to support
00:16:17.31\00:16:19.87
with financials or
maybe with your services,
00:16:19.91\00:16:23.45
that's wonderful but
please keep them in prayer
00:16:23.48\00:16:26.01
because they are
reaching a people
00:16:26.05\00:16:28.15
that really haven't
been reached before.
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.02
Thanks for watching.
00:16:30.05\00:16:32.45
When I was younger,
00:16:32.49\00:16:34.19
I had a desire to
be a mission pilot
00:16:34.22\00:16:35.89
but my eyesight was good enough
00:16:35.92\00:16:37.36
to let me spot
objects on the sky.
00:16:37.39\00:16:39.29
So I had to scratch that
00:16:39.33\00:16:40.66
but I always have a
great respect for those
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.56
who are mission
pilots who take aviation
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.57
and then use
that to serve Christ
00:16:45.60\00:16:47.27
in the mission field.
00:16:47.30\00:16:48.97
Well, up next.
00:16:49.00\00:16:51.61
Alexis Abrahantes
shares a personal testimony.
00:16:51.64\00:16:56.21
He was born in Cuba.
00:16:56.24\00:16:58.91
Very atheist in his childhood.
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.38
When he was nine,
00:17:01.42\00:17:02.75
he learned about the
church from his mother.
00:17:02.78\00:17:05.05
And they started attending
00:17:05.09\00:17:06.49
and visiting
the church in secret
00:17:06.52\00:17:09.16
while his father was on a trip.
00:17:09.19\00:17:12.23
When he was nine,
00:17:12.26\00:17:13.60
also he was involved in
a horrible burnt accident
00:17:13.63\00:17:17.53
my notes tell me,
00:17:17.57\00:17:18.90
where he was burnt
over 75% of his body,
00:17:18.93\00:17:21.57
so very, very
severe burnt incident.
00:17:21.60\00:17:25.07
The Lord shows his neighbour,
that was the family's enemy.
00:17:25.11\00:17:28.91
Someone that had
sworn to be enemies of his,
00:17:28.94\00:17:31.41
of their particular family
00:17:31.45\00:17:33.65
to help save
Alexis from that accident.
00:17:33.68\00:17:37.19
So this is a very, very
wonderful personal testimony
00:17:37.22\00:17:40.36
about the
guiding hand of the Lord.
00:17:40.39\00:17:42.62
How God can see you through,
00:17:42.66\00:17:44.29
even if you've
started out atheist,
00:17:44.33\00:17:46.76
you can end up a child of God.
00:17:46.80\00:17:49.36
Shelley Quinn,
Alexis Abrahantes.
00:17:49.40\00:17:53.97
Now joining us at the
booth is a special young man
00:17:54.00\00:17:57.04
who has an incredible testimony
00:17:57.07\00:17:59.31
of how God can reach down
00:17:59.34\00:18:01.34
and pull you out of problems
00:18:01.38\00:18:03.81
and use you for
the glory of His name.
00:18:03.85\00:18:06.55
Now let me see if I
can pronounce his name,
00:18:06.58\00:18:09.28
with us is Alexis
Abrahantes Carralero.
00:18:09.32\00:18:13.79
It's excellent.
00:18:13.82\00:18:15.16
Hellos. Yes.
00:18:15.19\00:18:16.52
Thank you.
00:18:16.56\00:18:17.89
Oh, Alexis, thank you so much
for coming today to the booth.
00:18:17.93\00:18:20.96
Now you're going to
be a guest speaker at ASI
00:18:21.00\00:18:23.90
and where do you live right now?
00:18:23.93\00:18:26.60
I'm currently
residing in Miami, Florida.
00:18:26.63\00:18:28.97
In Miami? Yes.
00:18:29.00\00:18:30.34
Thank you for having me. Right.
00:18:30.37\00:18:31.71
And what you do?
00:18:31.74\00:18:33.07
I'm working at Mercy hospital
00:18:33.11\00:18:34.68
as a floor coordinator
for the emergency room
00:18:34.71\00:18:37.71
and also in the
admitting department there.
00:18:37.75\00:18:39.48
Praise God.
00:18:39.51\00:18:40.85
You have had many
challenges in your life
00:18:40.88\00:18:46.92
but you had a very idyllic
childhood growing up in Cuba.
00:18:46.96\00:18:51.93
Tell us about that a little.
00:18:51.96\00:18:54.26
I grew up in...
00:18:54.30\00:18:56.73
I was born in Cuba,
00:18:56.77\00:18:58.53
my dad was a colonel
00:18:58.57\00:19:00.40
of the Tenth
Division of the Ministry
00:19:00.44\00:19:02.14
of Interior of the
armed forces and a diplomat.
00:19:02.17\00:19:05.77
And growing up in a
household like that,
00:19:05.81\00:19:09.48
I had a very idyllic
privileged childhood.
00:19:09.51\00:19:13.75
My mother also was a Commercial
Administrator in Cuba.
00:19:13.78\00:19:18.55
And so I grew up
in a bubbled world,
00:19:18.59\00:19:23.39
where I wasn't entirely aware
of what was surrounding me.
00:19:23.43\00:19:25.79
Okay.
00:19:25.83\00:19:27.16
So this was
during the time of...
00:19:27.20\00:19:31.00
Some particular
challenges in Cuba,
00:19:31.03\00:19:33.74
I'll say because
there are a lot of things
00:19:33.77\00:19:35.20
going on in the world
00:19:35.24\00:19:36.57
that were probably
frightening to the regime.
00:19:36.60\00:19:40.14
Tell us about your
religion in growing up.
00:19:40.18\00:19:44.25
Was your home a Christian home?
00:19:44.28\00:19:46.15
Well, of course,
00:19:46.18\00:19:47.52
my father being a
member of the communist party
00:19:47.55\00:19:49.52
and such a high
ranking official.
00:19:49.55\00:19:51.39
I grew up in a
strictly atheist house hold.
00:19:51.42\00:19:54.99
Where nothing about religion
was discussed et cetera,
00:19:55.02\00:19:58.26
and where...
00:19:58.29\00:19:59.66
When it was discussed,
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.03
it was discussed as a
historical conversation
00:20:01.06\00:20:05.07
and so my knowledge of
religion was very limited.
00:20:05.10\00:20:09.10
But was your mother...
What was her background?
00:20:09.14\00:20:12.04
My mother had been born
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:20:12.07\00:20:14.31
There in Cuba?
00:20:14.34\00:20:15.68
Yes, in Cuba, second generation.
00:20:15.71\00:20:17.68
And she had left the church
at the time of the revolution,
00:20:17.71\00:20:20.65
when the religious
prosecutions began.
00:20:20.68\00:20:22.52
Okay.
00:20:22.55\00:20:23.89
And when I turned nine,
00:20:23.92\00:20:26.86
my father was sent off to
Eastern Europe on a mission.
00:20:26.89\00:20:30.93
And this is when I
learnt her forbidden story,
00:20:30.96\00:20:33.80
her past and the church.
00:20:33.83\00:20:36.16
And everything
begins to sort of unfold.
00:20:36.20\00:20:39.47
A Bible worker by the
name of Bethsaida Hiraltou
00:20:39.50\00:20:42.87
was taking a great risk
in coming to see my mother
00:20:42.90\00:20:46.21
and eventually meets me.
00:20:46.24\00:20:48.44
And we began to go
to church in secret.
00:20:48.48\00:20:50.81
And Bethsaida Hiraltou
takes every opportunity
00:20:50.85\00:20:54.22
to begin to teach me
00:20:54.25\00:20:55.58
about the God
of my fore fathers.
00:20:55.62\00:20:57.42
And this is when the current
kind of begins to rip open
00:20:57.45\00:21:00.36
and I began to see, the
religious persecution that
00:21:00.39\00:21:03.99
Cubans were
suffering at that time,
00:21:04.03\00:21:06.29
those who continue to follow
their religious conscience.
00:21:06.33\00:21:10.00
And both my mother and I
began to visit the church
00:21:10.03\00:21:15.74
and she begins this
incredible return to the Lord.
00:21:15.77\00:21:19.77
That was extremely
risky at that time because...
00:21:19.81\00:21:22.98
Which things have
changed quite a bit?
00:21:23.01\00:21:25.01
Yes, they have
tremendously changed
00:21:25.05\00:21:27.28
and we've been able to see
how all of that has occurred
00:21:27.32\00:21:31.55
and changes will
continue to happen I'm sure.
00:21:31.59\00:21:33.59
Yes. Okay.
00:21:33.62\00:21:34.96
So in a nut shell,
00:21:34.99\00:21:37.59
God really got your
attention at nine years old...
00:21:37.63\00:21:40.40
Yes.
00:21:40.43\00:21:41.76
And you must have
been a very intelligent...
00:21:41.80\00:21:47.74
Your response to
the Lord is so amazing,
00:21:47.77\00:21:49.94
you'll
understand what I'm saying
00:21:49.97\00:21:51.34
in just a moment.
00:21:51.37\00:21:52.71
But you were an
intelligent young man,
00:21:52.74\00:21:55.64
you had a horrific accident
and tell us about the accident.
00:21:55.68\00:22:01.12
At the time that my mother and I
00:22:01.15\00:22:02.65
were visiting
the church in secret,
00:22:02.68\00:22:05.12
we decided that we
were going to get baptized
00:22:05.15\00:22:08.19
and make our conversion public,
00:22:08.22\00:22:11.16
which is
tremendous risk at that time.
00:22:11.19\00:22:13.56
Especially with your
father and his position.
00:22:13.60\00:22:15.33
With my father, correct.
00:22:15.36\00:22:16.80
And because my father would
see that as an act of treason
00:22:16.83\00:22:20.60
and so would the government.
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.30
So an act of
treason of conscience
00:22:22.34\00:22:25.57
and so the day that I
was going to tell my father,
00:22:25.61\00:22:29.08
"Dad, I was visiting the church
00:22:29.11\00:22:31.18
and that I
wanted to be baptized."
00:22:31.21\00:22:32.95
I suffered a
tremendous accident,
00:22:32.98\00:22:36.45
I was carrying a
tank of fuel under my arm,
00:22:36.48\00:22:39.35
that exploded and
it burnt 75% of my body
00:22:39.39\00:22:45.16
with third degree burns.
00:22:45.19\00:22:47.70
It ripped my arm off
00:22:47.73\00:22:51.33
and left it hanging
from the tendons of my back,
00:22:51.37\00:22:53.64
so I lost my arm.
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.54
And it carbonized
all of my air ways,
00:22:55.57\00:23:00.01
my trachea, my larynx,
00:23:00.04\00:23:01.38
my pharynx, my vocal cords
00:23:01.41\00:23:03.35
and half of my right lung.
00:23:03.38\00:23:05.81
Now you were home alone
00:23:05.85\00:23:07.38
at the time of this
tremendous accident.
00:23:07.42\00:23:09.92
You said that the blast
was felt for a kilometer
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.29
around your home.
00:23:12.32\00:23:13.66
Yes.
00:23:13.69\00:23:15.02
Tell us how God even walked
you through that accident,
00:23:15.06\00:23:19.09
being a nine
year old home alone.
00:23:19.13\00:23:21.96
I realized right
as I was burning,
00:23:22.00\00:23:25.07
a blessing that occurred to me
is that I didn't feel any pain.
00:23:25.10\00:23:28.64
My nervous system shut down
and I was unable to feel pain.
00:23:28.67\00:23:33.34
And when I lifted my
arms to touch my hair
00:23:33.38\00:23:36.58
because I felt like
a hurricane in my hair.
00:23:36.61\00:23:39.05
I noticed that I didn't
have my right arm anymore.
00:23:39.08\00:23:42.75
And I knew at that moment,
like a moment of clarity,
00:23:42.78\00:23:47.19
that this was not an accident,
00:23:47.22\00:23:49.36
that Satan had
orchestrated this,
00:23:49.39\00:23:51.63
so that my mother's heart
00:23:51.66\00:23:52.99
would turn cold
forever against God,
00:23:53.03\00:23:55.20
for she was now
taking this amazing risk
00:23:55.23\00:23:57.87
to come back to the church.
00:23:57.90\00:23:59.70
And I began to pray
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.70
and my prayer
was that if I died,
00:24:01.74\00:24:05.47
I wanted God to give
my mother the courage
00:24:05.51\00:24:07.71
to continue on the path
that we had chosen together
00:24:07.74\00:24:10.91
and if I lived I wanted to live
to glorify His name forever.
00:24:10.95\00:24:14.88
I see that is an
astounding prayer
00:24:14.92\00:24:16.28
for a nine year
00:24:16.32\00:24:17.65
'cause it's an astounding prayer
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.49
for an adult but...
00:24:19.52\00:24:21.16
So you are on the floor,
00:24:21.19\00:24:23.49
you're making this
incredible request to the Lord,
00:24:23.53\00:24:29.03
no one is there,
what happened next?
00:24:29.06\00:24:32.57
When I finished my prayer,
00:24:32.60\00:24:34.07
during the prayer I began
to feel this serene silence,
00:24:34.10\00:24:38.81
I couldn't hear the
curtains burning anymore,
00:24:38.84\00:24:43.11
I couldn't hear the dogs
barking outside of the window.
00:24:43.14\00:24:47.98
I felt this incredible
peace and when I opened my eyes,
00:24:48.02\00:24:53.39
after I said " Amen,"
00:24:53.42\00:24:55.02
I was standing at the
other side of the house
00:24:55.06\00:24:57.86
in front of the bathroom.
00:24:57.89\00:25:00.03
And logically I
thought maybe I fainted.
00:25:00.06\00:25:03.26
Someone has brought me here
00:25:03.30\00:25:05.00
and still in flames, I
began to scream for help
00:25:05.03\00:25:08.24
and there was
nobody in the house.
00:25:08.27\00:25:10.51
I opened up the bathroom door
00:25:10.54\00:25:14.11
and I saw myself
burning in the mirror
00:25:14.14\00:25:19.31
but when I looked at the
water faucets of the bathroom,
00:25:19.35\00:25:24.62
they were both turned on.
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.25
Amazing.
00:25:26.29\00:25:27.62
And the water was coming down
00:25:27.66\00:25:29.26
and I remember at that moment
00:25:29.29\00:25:32.46
that my father had a
friend who had lost the finger
00:25:32.49\00:25:36.00
and they saved the finger
by putting some warm water
00:25:36.03\00:25:40.10
and grass around it to
keep the circulation going.
00:25:40.14\00:25:43.24
The water was cold
but I grabbed the towel
00:25:43.27\00:25:47.68
and I began to rip
the pieces of the plastic
00:25:47.71\00:25:49.88
that were melting into my face,
00:25:49.91\00:25:52.11
my neck and my
torso from the container.
00:25:52.15\00:25:56.28
And I dipped the towel...
00:25:56.32\00:25:59.22
So you've got
pieces of the container,
00:25:59.25\00:26:02.32
the plastic,
burning into your face
00:26:02.36\00:26:04.59
and you're pulling them off
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.29
and now you've got this towel,
00:26:06.33\00:26:08.03
you're gonna try to save
the arm that is dangling?
00:26:08.06\00:26:10.37
So with my left arm, I
sunk the towel into the water
00:26:10.40\00:26:13.50
and with my teeth and this arm,
00:26:13.54\00:26:15.90
I grabbed what was
left of my upper arm,
00:26:15.94\00:26:19.61
I put it against what
was left to my shoulder,
00:26:19.64\00:26:22.04
and I wrapped the
towel around of my neck
00:26:22.08\00:26:24.85
and I was able to
secure a knot with my teeth,
00:26:24.88\00:26:28.18
so I could keep it there.
00:26:28.22\00:26:30.35
And I began to
splash all the water
00:26:30.39\00:26:32.79
to take the fire out.
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.82
I left in the
sink of the bathroom
00:26:34.86\00:26:37.43
most of my face,
00:26:37.46\00:26:39.76
almost all of the
front part of my neck
00:26:39.79\00:26:42.90
and my upper chest.
00:26:42.93\00:26:46.90
And then I ran out for help.
00:26:46.94\00:26:49.87
The man that comes to my aid
00:26:49.90\00:26:52.41
was the worst
enemy of my family.
00:26:52.44\00:26:54.38
This is the man that
the Lord chose to save me.
00:26:54.41\00:26:58.31
And he was
taking a nap in his room
00:26:58.35\00:27:01.45
and he heard the blast,
00:27:01.48\00:27:03.39
Saw me come out and he thought,
00:27:03.42\00:27:05.42
"Well, somebody
else will find him."
00:27:05.45\00:27:07.66
And he had a voice
in the room that said,
00:27:07.69\00:27:10.13
"Help him now,"
00:27:10.16\00:27:11.76
and he was so
frightened by that.
00:27:11.79\00:27:14.00
They jumped out of
the second storeyed
00:27:14.03\00:27:16.30
balcony of his house,
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.43
land then in our garden
00:27:18.47\00:27:20.07
and ran up to
me in his underwear
00:27:20.10\00:27:23.27
'cause he was and hugs me.
00:27:23.30\00:27:26.57
When he hugs me, he
starts screaming in pain
00:27:26.61\00:27:30.11
because my body
temperature was so high,
00:27:30.15\00:27:32.71
that my torso melted
right into his torso.
00:27:32.75\00:27:36.42
So he is the one
that runs with me.
00:27:36.45\00:27:40.12
They bring a car to
take me to a hospital
00:27:40.16\00:27:42.49
and that they had to
surgically remove him from me.
00:27:42.52\00:27:45.63
And he suffered third
degree burns in his chest.
00:27:45.66\00:27:48.43
Oh, my. As a result of this.
00:27:48.46\00:27:49.96
Oh, my.
00:27:50.00\00:27:51.47
And this begins an
incredible series of miracles.
00:27:51.50\00:27:56.17
I spent two and a half years
in an intensive critical care,
00:27:56.20\00:27:59.77
inside of a hyperbaric chamber.
00:27:59.81\00:28:02.14
Because you
actually lost your ear,
00:28:02.18\00:28:04.28
you lost your eyelid,
00:28:04.31\00:28:06.08
you had a mask on your face
00:28:06.11\00:28:08.18
because a lot of
your face was gone.
00:28:08.22\00:28:10.05
Yes.
00:28:10.09\00:28:11.42
So I was incubated.
00:28:11.45\00:28:14.16
It's a long testimony
00:28:14.19\00:28:16.12
and I know we
have very little time
00:28:16.16\00:28:17.76
but during that
time I quoted more than
00:28:17.79\00:28:20.66
in five different occasions,
00:28:20.70\00:28:22.86
I was declared
dead on one of them.
00:28:22.90\00:28:25.03
And the doctors did not
expect you to live, did they?
00:28:25.07\00:28:27.97
No, the doctors kept
on telling my parents
00:28:28.00\00:28:32.27
that I was going to pass away
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.94
and they were
going to do their best.
00:28:33.98\00:28:35.91
And so it was a
very difficult position
00:28:35.94\00:28:38.91
but I kept on living one day
00:28:38.95\00:28:41.25
and then other and other
00:28:41.28\00:28:42.62
and the church in Cuba unified
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.85
and they began to fast and pray
00:28:44.89\00:28:47.92
and their fasting and prayer
00:28:47.96\00:28:49.79
began to show
miracles after miracle.
00:28:49.82\00:28:53.03
And out of this
terrible tragedy,
00:28:53.06\00:28:55.16
God began to
make so many triumphs.
00:28:55.20\00:28:58.20
The nursing staff of the
floor began to see miracles
00:28:58.23\00:29:03.51
occur right in
front of their eyes
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.34
and were deeply touched to where
00:29:05.37\00:29:07.08
they began to accept the Lord.
00:29:07.11\00:29:08.98
Praise the Lord.
00:29:09.01\00:29:10.35
And began to see
that it wasn't science
00:29:10.38\00:29:12.25
but that it was God.
00:29:12.28\00:29:14.08
I was told that I
would never walk again,
00:29:14.12\00:29:16.72
I am fully functional.
00:29:16.75\00:29:18.89
And your arm was reattached.
00:29:18.92\00:29:21.16
My arm was reattached and saved.
00:29:21.19\00:29:22.82
I'm one of the very
few people in the world
00:29:22.86\00:29:24.43
that has full function
of their arms like that.
00:29:24.46\00:29:27.76
And I was told that I
wasn't going to be able to speak
00:29:27.80\00:29:31.53
and here I am speaking to you,
00:29:31.57\00:29:33.54
so that I can
fulfill that commission,
00:29:33.57\00:29:35.90
that on that day,
00:29:35.94\00:29:37.47
that God gave
me that opportunity
00:29:37.51\00:29:38.84
so that I can come
and glorify His name
00:29:38.87\00:29:42.41
to show that God
will come and rescue you.
00:29:42.44\00:29:44.45
Amen.
00:29:44.48\00:29:45.81
No matter where you are,
no matter what your position,
00:29:45.85\00:29:48.22
no matter what
your difficulties.
00:29:48.25\00:29:50.19
And even though you may be like,
00:29:50.22\00:29:52.02
I was a piece of meat
gathered in a hyperbaric bed.
00:29:52.05\00:29:56.62
He will use that if
you're willing to be used
00:29:56.66\00:29:59.63
to glorify His name and
to show His great power.
00:29:59.66\00:30:02.73
And you think
about the simple trial...
00:30:02.76\00:30:05.67
Well, I can't say
it's a trial like prayer
00:30:05.70\00:30:07.90
because to think that a
nine year old would say,
00:30:07.94\00:30:10.34
"Lord, if I die,
00:30:10.37\00:30:13.17
keep my mother
courageous but if I live,
00:30:13.21\00:30:15.94
I wanna live for your
glory and speak for your glory"
00:30:15.98\00:30:18.45
and that's what God is
doing in your life now.
00:30:18.48\00:30:19.98
Yes. Yes.
00:30:20.02\00:30:21.35
And it is so amazing.
00:30:21.38\00:30:23.79
I do have to ask one question.
00:30:23.82\00:30:26.22
I know your mother is
an Adventist Christian,
00:30:26.25\00:30:29.06
you are a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
00:30:29.09\00:30:31.36
How did your father respond?
00:30:31.39\00:30:34.06
Did he ever become a Christian?
00:30:34.10\00:30:36.87
My father remained in Cuba
00:30:36.90\00:30:39.17
after we came to
the United States
00:30:39.20\00:30:41.27
for operations
due to my accident.
00:30:41.30\00:30:44.41
My father allowed
me to be baptized.
00:30:44.44\00:30:47.38
He could have, you know,
with held his permission,
00:30:47.41\00:30:52.21
withhold his permission.
00:30:52.25\00:30:53.82
And what he told
me in the last letters
00:30:53.85\00:30:57.15
that I received from
him because he died in 2001,
00:30:57.19\00:31:00.56
we never were
able to see him again.
00:31:00.59\00:31:02.59
After we left Cuba, was
his admiration for Christ,
00:31:02.62\00:31:07.73
for Christ unifying
and a humble message
00:31:07.76\00:31:12.83
and he was deeply
touched by what happened,
00:31:12.87\00:31:15.37
now he never converted formally
00:31:15.40\00:31:17.97
into the church or
been to visit the church.
00:31:18.01\00:31:21.41
However, one very
telling thing was that,
00:31:21.44\00:31:24.31
one night that I
was very ill and dying,
00:31:24.35\00:31:26.45
my mother said to him,
"How could you not pray,
00:31:26.48\00:31:30.15
your son is dying."
00:31:30.19\00:31:31.75
And he said to my mother,
00:31:31.79\00:31:33.12
"Don't you think that
I have tried everything."
00:31:33.15\00:31:36.09
Praise God. Praise God.
00:31:36.12\00:31:38.46
Alexis, we're
so glad that God...
00:31:38.49\00:31:41.26
You're a miracle
child from the beginning
00:31:41.30\00:31:43.57
and you're a miracle child now
00:31:43.60\00:31:45.53
and we're so glad that
you have lived up to your part
00:31:45.57\00:31:49.54
of the request to God
00:31:49.57\00:31:51.31
and you're
speaking for His glory.
00:31:51.34\00:31:52.87
We just want to
encourage you to know
00:31:52.91\00:31:55.61
that God always looks
down and answers the request.
00:31:55.64\00:32:01.72
Any spirit will
request, the answer is yes.
00:32:01.75\00:32:05.12
May God touch your
life like that today.
00:32:05.15\00:32:08.89
Wonderful story,
wonderful heartwarming story
00:32:08.92\00:32:11.26
of how God can
take even an atheist,
00:32:11.29\00:32:14.23
someone who does
not espouse Christianity
00:32:14.26\00:32:17.03
and turn them into a
loving, caring saint of God.
00:32:17.07\00:32:22.24
Up next, Gary and
Marilyn Carpenter,
00:32:22.27\00:32:25.24
another great story,
00:32:25.27\00:32:27.48
personal testimony,
human interest story.
00:32:27.51\00:32:29.81
Gary grew up in the
Assemblies of God church
00:32:29.84\00:32:33.38
His wife Marilyn was raised
00:32:33.42\00:32:35.65
in the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:32:35.68\00:32:38.35
Gary was struggling
00:32:38.39\00:32:39.72
with the
Seventh-day Adventist message
00:32:39.75\00:32:41.39
and many times, the
change from Saturday to...
00:32:41.42\00:32:44.29
From Sunday rather to Saturday,
00:32:44.33\00:32:46.26
the change in diet,
the change in dress,
00:32:46.29\00:32:48.86
the change in deportment,
can be tough for those
00:32:48.90\00:32:51.87
who have a knowledge of God
00:32:51.90\00:32:54.37
but do not have the full truth
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.37
as taught by the Bible
00:32:56.40\00:32:57.74
in the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:32:57.77\00:32:59.11
And so, Gary finally attended
a Seventh-day Adventist church
00:32:59.14\00:33:03.48
with his wife Marilyn.
00:33:03.51\00:33:05.41
He turned to Marilyn
and said, "I am home.
00:33:05.45\00:33:09.52
This is where I
am supposed to be."
00:33:09.55\00:33:12.22
And so the love of Christ,
00:33:12.25\00:33:13.76
the love of a good
wife or good spouse
00:33:13.79\00:33:15.52
can breakdown a
lot of those barriers
00:33:15.56\00:33:17.23
and make the transition
into the Adventist church,
00:33:17.26\00:33:20.16
into the full
truth of the gospel,
00:33:20.20\00:33:21.96
a pleasant and blessed one.
00:33:22.00\00:33:24.40
This is Gary and
Marilyn Carpenter
00:33:24.43\00:33:27.90
interviewed by Shelley Quinn.
00:33:27.94\00:33:31.81
In the booth with us right now
are Gary and Marilyn Carpenter.
00:33:31.84\00:33:35.84
And they have
such an amazing story,
00:33:35.88\00:33:38.18
a testimony of
the goodness of God
00:33:38.21\00:33:40.52
and how He leads
00:33:40.55\00:33:43.32
when we truly surrender
or yield control to Him.
00:33:43.35\00:33:47.16
So Gary, thank you so
much for coming today.
00:33:47.19\00:33:50.13
Well, thank you, Shelley.
00:33:50.16\00:33:51.49
And Marilyn, we're so glad that
00:33:51.53\00:33:53.40
you've got this
wonderful testimony
00:33:53.43\00:33:55.30
to share with the Lord.
00:33:55.33\00:33:56.67
Let me just start.
00:33:56.70\00:33:58.23
Gary, you did not grow up
00:33:58.27\00:34:00.07
as a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian
00:34:00.10\00:34:02.20
but you did grow
up as a Christian.
00:34:02.24\00:34:04.07
Tell us a little
of your background.
00:34:04.11\00:34:06.71
I was raised in the
Assembly of God church,
00:34:06.74\00:34:10.58
most, all of my
life. And I remember
00:34:10.61\00:34:13.72
when I was at the
age of six years old,
00:34:13.75\00:34:16.75
it was so important to
know when they gave an appeal,
00:34:16.79\00:34:21.12
don't miss out on
heaven, get to know Jesus.
00:34:21.16\00:34:25.39
My feet wouldn't even
touch in the floor of that pew
00:34:25.43\00:34:29.83
and I wanted to know Jesus.
00:34:29.86\00:34:31.43
Amen.
00:34:31.47\00:34:32.80
But I was questioned as to,
00:34:32.83\00:34:34.40
would they believe a young child
00:34:34.44\00:34:37.57
but my uncle was
the police officer,
00:34:37.61\00:34:39.91
a head of
Assistant Chief of Police
00:34:39.94\00:34:42.34
at Albuquerque in New Mexico.
00:34:42.38\00:34:44.28
He happened to walk in
from a service that night,
00:34:44.31\00:34:48.02
I turned around and
saw him in his uniform,
00:34:48.05\00:34:50.99
I knew that Rock of Gibraltar
00:34:51.02\00:34:52.55
would be someone
that could lead me
00:34:52.59\00:34:55.86
and he walked me down the
aisle and at the age of six,
00:34:55.89\00:34:59.39
I give my heart and life to Him.
00:34:59.43\00:35:01.76
And He has been with me since.
00:35:01.80\00:35:03.73
Amen. Glory.
00:35:03.77\00:35:05.73
So you grew up having
a deep love for the Lord
00:35:05.77\00:35:09.70
and appreciating
the gospel of grace,
00:35:09.74\00:35:13.17
you understood Jesus.
00:35:13.21\00:35:14.58
When so much,
00:35:14.61\00:35:15.94
when I was a young
teenager in high school,
00:35:15.98\00:35:20.12
as young men would
wear their cigarettes
00:35:20.15\00:35:22.42
and their white
T-shirts rolled up
00:35:22.45\00:35:23.99
in their T-shirts.
00:35:24.02\00:35:25.42
You're dating yourself, Gary.
00:35:25.45\00:35:26.96
I rolled up my Bible.
00:35:26.99\00:35:30.43
Praise God.
00:35:30.46\00:35:31.96
And anybody that would touch
and asking for a cigarette,
00:35:31.99\00:35:35.40
I would say, "If you
touch it one more time,
00:35:35.43\00:35:38.03
I will take it down
read scripture to you."
00:35:38.07\00:35:41.10
And many a time I did that.
00:35:41.14\00:35:43.34
Amongst the high school students
00:35:43.37\00:35:45.61
and my friends and
if they moved an inch,
00:35:45.64\00:35:49.24
they would have to
listen to another scripture.
00:35:49.28\00:35:52.31
How lovely.
00:35:52.35\00:35:53.68
A point got across,
00:35:53.72\00:35:55.12
that I stood for
what I believed in.
00:35:55.15\00:35:57.02
Amen. Amen.
00:35:57.05\00:35:58.45
Now, Marilyn,
00:35:58.49\00:35:59.99
you grew up in a
Seventh-day Adventist home,
00:36:00.02\00:36:02.46
the youngest of six children.
00:36:02.49\00:36:04.56
Tell us a little of
your spiritual journey
00:36:04.59\00:36:08.13
and then how the two of you met?
00:36:08.16\00:36:11.57
Well, I remember
when I was a child
00:36:11.60\00:36:13.80
in this good
Seventh-day Adventist home.
00:36:13.84\00:36:16.54
Hardworking
parents, hardworking...
00:36:16.57\00:36:18.84
and we were
expected to be hardworking.
00:36:18.87\00:36:22.64
I remember seeing a Bible book
00:36:22.68\00:36:27.25
and it had a picture of Jesus
on a Cross being crucified.
00:36:27.28\00:36:31.05
I believe it was one
of our Bible story books
00:36:31.09\00:36:33.66
from the Adventist church.
00:36:33.69\00:36:35.36
And I remember as a little girl,
00:36:35.39\00:36:37.13
may be five or six crying,
"How could they do this?"
00:36:37.16\00:36:42.53
Yes.
00:36:42.56\00:36:43.90
"To this precious
man, who came to earth,
00:36:43.93\00:36:47.84
how could they do that
00:36:47.87\00:36:49.90
and that's a prominent memory."
00:36:49.94\00:36:52.34
And growing up,
00:36:52.37\00:36:54.01
I just sort of
floated away from the church.
00:36:54.04\00:36:58.08
And...
00:36:58.11\00:36:59.45
So when you met Gary,
were you going to church?
00:36:59.48\00:37:01.75
No, I was not. You were not.
00:37:01.78\00:37:03.12
I was not.
00:37:03.15\00:37:04.49
So you got...
00:37:04.52\00:37:05.85
You were
attracted to this woman,
00:37:05.89\00:37:07.22
who then...
00:37:07.26\00:37:08.59
Did you get her to start
coming to church with you?
00:37:08.62\00:37:11.03
Yes, she attended
some of the church services
00:37:11.06\00:37:13.80
that we attended together.
00:37:13.83\00:37:16.60
But I wasn't comfortable.
00:37:16.63\00:37:18.73
I just wasn't
finding what I needed.
00:37:18.77\00:37:21.50
In the Assembly of
God. In the Assembly of God.
00:37:21.54\00:37:23.27
All right.
00:37:23.30\00:37:24.64
From the teachings,
00:37:24.67\00:37:26.51
that I had but I
just did not feel
00:37:26.54\00:37:29.14
the comfort that I...
00:37:29.18\00:37:30.91
And they're beautiful people.
00:37:30.95\00:37:32.28
They know how to pray...
00:37:32.31\00:37:33.65
Yes, yes.
00:37:33.68\00:37:35.02
But let me ask you this,
00:37:35.05\00:37:36.38
how many years
have you been married?
00:37:36.42\00:37:38.52
Twenty one years, this October.
00:37:38.55\00:37:39.95
Twenty one years. Okay.
00:37:39.99\00:37:41.66
When you come together
00:37:41.69\00:37:43.86
and you had not
been going to church,
00:37:43.89\00:37:45.59
it's probably quite
a culture shock to go
00:37:45.63\00:37:49.20
from growing up
Seventh-day Adventist
00:37:49.23\00:37:50.83
into the Assembly of God church,
00:37:50.87\00:37:52.37
was it not?
00:37:52.40\00:37:53.74
Yes, it was. Yes, it was.
00:37:53.77\00:37:55.10
But now you,
00:37:55.14\00:37:56.47
were you a deep
student of the Word
00:37:56.50\00:37:57.84
or you said that
something was missing.
00:37:57.87\00:38:00.44
I really wasn't
deep into the Word.
00:38:00.48\00:38:02.84
Okay.
00:38:02.88\00:38:04.21
Yes, I have studied the
Bible and studied God's Word
00:38:04.25\00:38:08.28
but more of a function
00:38:08.32\00:38:10.12
because of the fact to
just being a surface reader.
00:38:10.15\00:38:13.12
A surface
reader, I understand it.
00:38:13.15\00:38:14.69
But relationship to
hear that still small voice
00:38:14.72\00:38:17.96
and to know my
dedication was to Him.
00:38:17.99\00:38:20.83
I did sell out to
Him all of my life.
00:38:20.86\00:38:23.03
All right, so let me
just explain for our viewers,
00:38:23.06\00:38:25.37
in case you don't know.
00:38:25.40\00:38:26.74
The still small
voice of the Lord's,
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.10
I Kings 19:12, where, you know,
00:38:28.14\00:38:30.74
when the Bible says that
God speaks in an audible voice,
00:38:30.77\00:38:35.11
it's like the rushing of waters,
00:38:35.14\00:38:37.21
it made them
tremble to hear His voice
00:38:37.25\00:38:39.65
when they were at
the foot of Mount Sinai
00:38:39.68\00:38:42.52
but the still small voice,
00:38:42.55\00:38:44.52
I believe and I
know you believe is
00:38:44.55\00:38:46.65
when God whispers a
thought to your mind
00:38:46.69\00:38:50.26
by the power of His Holy Spirit.
00:38:50.29\00:38:52.09
So you've been led by the Spirit
00:38:52.13\00:38:54.06
and you're not
finding satisfaction,
00:38:54.10\00:38:56.33
so God then in 2006,
00:38:56.36\00:39:01.24
He did something to
kind of turn things around
00:39:01.27\00:39:05.11
cause' there's
already this unrest
00:39:05.14\00:39:07.28
and the Bible says, kind of,
00:39:07.31\00:39:08.74
like an eagle
will stir up the nest.
00:39:08.78\00:39:11.78
God will stir up things,
00:39:11.81\00:39:13.58
so eagles do that to get
their eaglets uncomfortable
00:39:13.62\00:39:16.89
when they're ready to fly.
00:39:16.92\00:39:18.59
He's stirring,
your uncomfortable.
00:39:18.62\00:39:20.06
He did that. He did that.
00:39:20.09\00:39:21.42
Okay.
00:39:21.46\00:39:22.79
Now you had an experience
00:39:22.82\00:39:25.13
where you just felt like
00:39:25.16\00:39:26.86
the still small
voice of the Lord
00:39:26.90\00:39:28.23
spoke to you so powerfully.
00:39:28.26\00:39:30.50
Tell us about that.
00:39:30.53\00:39:31.87
Yes. Yes.
00:39:31.90\00:39:33.23
One evening in 2006,
00:39:33.27\00:39:34.87
I was watching
the news on television
00:39:34.90\00:39:37.37
and it was just...
00:39:37.41\00:39:38.77
I feel it physically,
00:39:38.81\00:39:40.98
shaking my shoulders
saying, "Marilyn, wakeup.
00:39:41.01\00:39:45.71
You don't have long.
00:39:45.75\00:39:47.68
Marilyn, wake up.
00:39:47.72\00:39:49.28
You don't have long. Get ready."
00:39:49.32\00:39:53.22
I immediately
cried out to the Lord,
00:39:53.25\00:39:55.66
"Father, forgive me.
00:39:55.69\00:39:57.46
I had been ignoring
you all these years.
00:39:57.49\00:40:01.30
Forgive me,
whatever life I have left,
00:40:01.33\00:40:05.57
whatever breath I take,
00:40:05.60\00:40:07.37
I want to dedicate to
you and do whatever it is,
00:40:07.40\00:40:10.81
you would have me do.
00:40:10.84\00:40:13.07
Thank you for your patience.
00:40:13.11\00:40:14.91
Your long suffering,
your forbearance of..."
00:40:14.94\00:40:18.08
Amen.
00:40:18.11\00:40:19.61
"Such a wandering child."
00:40:19.65\00:40:22.88
And the next day,
00:40:22.92\00:40:25.02
I felt compelled immediately
00:40:25.05\00:40:27.06
to go and get a copy
of the Great Controversy
00:40:27.09\00:40:30.13
and start reading
the Great Controversy.
00:40:30.16\00:40:32.33
So is that a book you were
familiar with from childhood?
00:40:32.36\00:40:35.50
That is a book that I remember
00:40:35.53\00:40:36.90
my mother found very important
00:40:36.93\00:40:39.03
when I was a child,
the youngest of six,
00:40:39.07\00:40:41.67
she was reading us
the Great Controversy.
00:40:41.70\00:40:43.94
Maybe it meant something
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.41
to my older brothers and sisters
00:40:45.44\00:40:47.64
but it didn't mean a
great deal to me at the time
00:40:47.68\00:40:50.71
nor had I
remembered much about it.
00:40:50.75\00:40:53.15
All right.
00:40:53.18\00:40:54.52
So you're reading
the Great Controversy.
00:40:54.55\00:40:55.88
You are in the
car together on a trip
00:40:55.92\00:40:58.29
and she's reading and you
ask, "What are you reading?"
00:40:58.32\00:41:01.89
We had an
acquisition meeting to go to
00:41:01.92\00:41:03.93
and I asked her to
come and ride along with me.
00:41:03.96\00:41:07.20
And so I asked her
what she was reading.
00:41:07.23\00:41:10.17
And she returned,
called the Great Controversy.
00:41:10.20\00:41:13.84
I said, "I've
never heard of that book.
00:41:13.87\00:41:17.11
Why don't you go ahead
and read a few lines to me.? "
00:41:17.14\00:41:20.91
And at that given time...
00:41:20.94\00:41:23.55
Where were you in the book?
00:41:23.58\00:41:25.11
I was reading the
story about Constantine
00:41:25.15\00:41:27.82
changing from the
Seventh-Day Sabbath...
00:41:27.85\00:41:30.99
Yes.
00:41:31.02\00:41:32.35
To honoring the
first day of the week.
00:41:32.39\00:41:34.42
Yes.
00:41:34.46\00:41:35.79
And upon doing that, Shelley,
00:41:35.82\00:41:38.53
the big as I am
00:41:38.56\00:41:40.46
and I don't get angry very easy
00:41:40.50\00:41:43.80
but I began to get angry.
00:41:43.83\00:41:45.63
I said, "Stop reading.
00:41:45.67\00:41:47.54
That's making me
angry." All right.
00:41:47.57\00:41:49.50
Were you angry
because it was challenging
00:41:49.54\00:41:52.17
what you believed was
the truth about the Sunday
00:41:52.21\00:41:54.68
or were you angry
00:41:54.71\00:41:56.04
because you did
not heard this before
00:41:56.08\00:41:58.65
and you knew this was history.
00:41:58.68\00:42:00.72
I knew just the later,
that what you just said...
00:42:00.75\00:42:03.45
You knew this was true
00:42:03.49\00:42:05.35
and it was
history but you just...
00:42:05.39\00:42:06.86
And I said that's true.
00:42:06.89\00:42:09.62
And I realized I
could not get angry
00:42:09.66\00:42:11.99
with anybody but myself.
00:42:12.03\00:42:14.06
I realized I was
just a surface reader.
00:42:14.10\00:42:17.47
Yes.
00:42:17.50\00:42:18.83
And I so identify what...
00:42:18.87\00:42:20.30
That hurt. It does.
00:42:20.34\00:42:22.60
It does.
00:42:22.64\00:42:23.97
But now God's
got your attention.
00:42:24.01\00:42:25.74
Yes.
00:42:25.77\00:42:27.11
And you decided to be
more than a surface reader.
00:42:27.14\00:42:29.04
Yes.
00:42:29.08\00:42:30.41
I challenged it, Shelley,
00:42:30.45\00:42:32.05
I challenged the Word of God.
00:42:32.08\00:42:34.02
I read it and
so, finally I said...
00:42:34.05\00:42:37.72
Deep study for about six months.
00:42:37.75\00:42:39.59
I did but the thing
was, I went with Marilyn,
00:42:39.62\00:42:43.86
we were in the
house, sitting on the diwan,
00:42:43.89\00:42:46.56
looking down over San Bernardino
00:42:46.59\00:42:48.73
toward the Loma
Linda and I said,
00:42:48.76\00:42:50.40
"Remember that big
church you used to attend,"
00:42:50.43\00:42:53.80
I said, "Why don't
we try to attend that
00:42:53.84\00:42:56.94
and see if
there's something there. "
00:42:56.97\00:43:00.58
And this was the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:43:00.61\00:43:02.34
at Loma Linda.
00:43:02.38\00:43:03.71
So in June of 2009,
00:43:03.75\00:43:06.65
I looked on the website to see
00:43:06.68\00:43:08.35
what was happening at
the Loma Linda University
00:43:08.38\00:43:11.02
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:43:11.05\00:43:12.89
and it looked like it
was a good thing to go to,
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.72
it wasn't communion which
might not be a good first visit.
00:43:15.76\00:43:21.10
And so we went and visited
00:43:21.13\00:43:24.30
and attended and
walking in there,
00:43:24.33\00:43:26.40
I remember saying, "Sweetheart,
00:43:26.43\00:43:28.74
remember we're
walking in the church,
00:43:28.77\00:43:30.51
we're not walking into heaven."
00:43:30.54\00:43:34.88
And we went and found seats
00:43:34.91\00:43:39.08
and the service was...
00:43:39.11\00:43:41.35
The music was
lovely, was very spiritual,
00:43:41.38\00:43:44.35
very uplifting and
Gary looked over at me...
00:43:44.39\00:43:48.36
And, Shelley, I couldn't help.
00:43:48.39\00:43:51.19
But sitting there,
00:43:51.23\00:43:52.89
two-thirds back from the front.
00:43:52.93\00:43:56.36
And on the side row,
00:43:56.40\00:43:57.83
I'll never forget that
seating from that time,
00:43:57.87\00:44:02.27
I turned to
Marilyn like I do now
00:44:02.30\00:44:05.97
and I said,
"I'm home. I'm home."
00:44:06.01\00:44:11.21
You know, that's so
precious because you had studied
00:44:11.25\00:44:14.65
and learned the
truth about the Sabbath.
00:44:14.68\00:44:16.48
Yes.
00:44:16.52\00:44:17.85
You had studied
enough to know that
00:44:17.89\00:44:19.45
what you're hearing
00:44:19.49\00:44:21.56
and what the Adventist Church,
00:44:21.59\00:44:23.36
the biblical doctrines
00:44:23.39\00:44:25.03
that Seventh-day
Adventist cling to, are true.
00:44:25.06\00:44:29.13
And that's a precious thing
00:44:29.16\00:44:31.27
and I so relate to
what you're saying.
00:44:31.30\00:44:33.57
From the state
of the dead. Amen.
00:44:33.60\00:44:36.17
From a rapture, wow.
00:44:36.20\00:44:39.07
A second coming, a
real second coming.
00:44:39.11\00:44:41.38
Yes. All right.
00:44:41.41\00:44:42.81
So as God is
revealing these truths
00:44:42.84\00:44:47.68
to you through His Word,
00:44:47.72\00:44:49.08
now you've become a
part of the Adventist church.
00:44:49.12\00:44:51.62
Let me ask you first.
00:44:51.65\00:44:53.72
How did your friends
and family respond to this
00:44:53.76\00:44:57.26
when you made this change?
00:44:57.29\00:44:59.63
Did you become outcast
00:44:59.66\00:45:01.66
or they think you were lunatics?
00:45:01.70\00:45:03.60
May be still are. Okay.
00:45:03.63\00:45:05.40
Yes.
00:45:05.43\00:45:06.77
All right, but God
had a plan. He did.
00:45:06.80\00:45:09.57
Now when I have
found that anyone
00:45:09.60\00:45:14.84
who is willing to
surrender your control to God,
00:45:14.88\00:45:18.28
be led by His Spirit
00:45:18.31\00:45:20.52
which you never
have to worry about
00:45:20.55\00:45:22.18
being led by the Spirit
00:45:22.22\00:45:23.55
because the Spirit
will never do anything
00:45:23.59\00:45:25.42
contrary to the Word
00:45:25.45\00:45:27.12
but when you're
being led by the Spirit
00:45:27.16\00:45:29.06
and you yield to it,
00:45:29.09\00:45:30.83
it's just like
when Isaiah's, you know,
00:45:30.86\00:45:33.19
pressing into the
presence of the Lord, he heard,
00:45:33.23\00:45:35.93
he saw the Lord
high and lifted up
00:45:35.96\00:45:39.37
and hears God say,
00:45:39.40\00:45:41.67
"Whom shall I send...
00:45:41.70\00:45:43.37
resend and who will go for us."
00:45:43.41\00:45:45.01
And Isaiah goes,
"Here I am, Lord. Send me."
00:45:45.04\00:45:49.51
And he touches him
with a coal from the altars.
00:45:49.54\00:45:52.68
You had a
similar experience. Yes.
00:45:52.71\00:45:55.45
Tell us about that. Yes.
00:45:55.48\00:45:57.39
when I experienced all of that,
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.45
about that year, I just said,
00:45:59.49\00:46:01.49
I realized
00:46:01.52\00:46:04.33
I had not been
living God's love,
00:46:04.36\00:46:06.56
one through ten.
00:46:06.59\00:46:08.36
May be one, two, three,
00:46:08.40\00:46:10.57
six and seven.
00:46:10.60\00:46:12.13
Been in business,
00:46:12.17\00:46:14.17
I could go to church on Sunday
00:46:14.20\00:46:17.01
and go back to
work Sunday afternoon.
00:46:17.04\00:46:19.44
Monday through that
Sunday and make money.
00:46:19.47\00:46:23.65
But then I realized,
the fourth commandment,
00:46:23.68\00:46:27.38
it stood out like turning
on the light in a darkroom.
00:46:27.42\00:46:31.02
Amen. Yes.
00:46:31.05\00:46:32.52
Where have I been,
00:46:32.55\00:46:34.09
why have I not seen that before.
00:46:34.12\00:46:36.76
Common sense tells us
that's God's law, live for it.
00:46:36.79\00:46:41.33
Live one through
ten, not two and four,
00:46:41.36\00:46:43.73
five or six
00:46:43.77\00:46:45.27
and that's what I
share with people today.
00:46:45.30\00:46:47.40
Amen.
00:46:47.44\00:46:48.77
God gave us promises, Shelley.
00:46:48.80\00:46:50.57
He didn't have to but He did
00:46:50.61\00:46:52.81
because He loved
you and me and Marilyn
00:46:52.84\00:46:55.58
and these viewers out here.
00:46:55.61\00:46:57.45
He loves you because of...
00:46:57.48\00:46:59.55
And He gives you these
00:46:59.58\00:47:00.95
and He gives you the
desires of your heart.
00:47:00.98\00:47:02.68
Yes.
00:47:02.72\00:47:04.05
But you have to pay
the price of loving Him.
00:47:04.09\00:47:07.36
To love Him is to know Him
and to know Him is to love him.
00:47:07.39\00:47:10.73
Amen.
00:47:10.76\00:47:12.09
You know, the way
I think of it, Gary.
00:47:12.13\00:47:14.90
He is a covenant keeping
God and the new covenant,
00:47:14.93\00:47:17.87
Hebrews 8:10,
00:47:17.90\00:47:19.23
He says, "He writes
His law in our heart."
00:47:19.27\00:47:21.64
And so it is just a covenant,
we don't obey to be saved,
00:47:21.67\00:47:25.67
we obey because we are saved.
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.44
That's right.
00:47:27.48\00:47:28.81
And it is our
covenant response of love
00:47:28.84\00:47:31.41
and I love what
the Sabbath does,
00:47:31.45\00:47:33.62
is that it is a sign God says,
00:47:33.65\00:47:37.29
it's a sign of
His covenant of grace
00:47:37.32\00:47:39.72
because it's a sign that
He's the one who sanctifies us.
00:47:39.75\00:47:42.79
So God is using you now? Yes.
00:47:42.82\00:47:45.49
You are... Slow.
00:47:45.53\00:47:47.66
Actually, God
called you and told you,
00:47:47.70\00:47:50.73
you're gonna
preach and you said,
00:47:50.77\00:47:52.10
"Well, Lord, you
got to give me a sign."
00:47:52.13\00:47:53.47
Tell us about that.
00:47:53.50\00:47:54.84
So it turns out that...
00:47:54.87\00:47:57.57
I said, "Lord, I
will not put my door
00:47:57.61\00:48:01.08
or my hand on a door nor
will I walk through that door.
00:48:01.11\00:48:04.71
And if that's the
case, I need confirmation."
00:48:04.75\00:48:08.88
And like I said, a
day and a half later,
00:48:08.92\00:48:11.92
after telling my
wife, nobody else knew it,
00:48:11.95\00:48:14.76
we received a phone
call into our office
00:48:14.79\00:48:18.69
from a pastor in
Hesperia, California.
00:48:18.73\00:48:21.90
Amen.
00:48:21.93\00:48:23.26
Saying, "Gary, I've shaken
your hand a couple of times.
00:48:23.30\00:48:25.37
I don't know you."
00:48:25.40\00:48:26.74
Now this is a
Seventh-day Adventist pastor?
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.37
A Seventh-day Adventist pastor.
00:48:28.40\00:48:31.01
And he says, "A
day and a half ago,
00:48:31.04\00:48:34.78
the Holy Spirit had
been leading upon my heart
00:48:34.81\00:48:37.75
to call you.
00:48:37.78\00:48:39.55
I don't even know
if you preach or not
00:48:39.58\00:48:42.22
or if you've ever preached.
00:48:42.25\00:48:44.42
But you must come
preach a message in my church."
00:48:44.45\00:48:46.96
Praise God. Amen.
00:48:46.99\00:48:49.32
I said, "Alphonso,
00:48:49.36\00:48:51.59
you don't even maybe
00:48:51.63\00:48:53.46
but what the Holy Spirit's doing
00:48:53.50\00:48:55.36
and given me confirmation.
00:48:55.40\00:48:57.20
Yes, I will
accept. I will be there."
00:48:57.23\00:49:00.70
And there were
about 12 to 14 people,
00:49:00.74\00:49:03.37
through an appeal that morning
00:49:03.41\00:49:05.41
came and give their
heart and life to the Lord.
00:49:05.44\00:49:07.51
Glory to God.
00:49:07.54\00:49:08.88
Eighty-six year old lady
walked up with her walker
00:49:08.91\00:49:11.41
and said, "I must
rededicate my life."
00:49:11.45\00:49:14.15
A 12 year old
little girl, young girl,
00:49:14.18\00:49:16.89
fell at her knees before my wife
00:49:16.92\00:49:19.22
and said, "I must find Jesus."
00:49:19.25\00:49:20.89
Glory to God.
00:49:20.92\00:49:22.26
14 year old girl did
the same and two families.
00:49:22.29\00:49:25.29
Now that was an
anointed service no doubt.
00:49:25.33\00:49:27.40
Let me ask you
this one question,
00:49:27.43\00:49:29.36
I'm not sure how
much time we have left
00:49:29.40\00:49:32.40
but I know that
there's gonna be many people
00:49:32.43\00:49:35.10
who are watching,
00:49:35.14\00:49:36.47
who would be curious about this
00:49:36.50\00:49:37.84
and that is,
00:49:37.87\00:49:39.41
as God was teaching
you all of these truths,
00:49:39.44\00:49:42.81
you know, they said
00:49:42.84\00:49:44.18
preconceived
opinions effectively
00:49:44.21\00:49:46.65
insulate the mind against truth.
00:49:46.68\00:49:49.35
But and it's harder
sometimes to let go of error
00:49:49.38\00:49:52.79
than it is to
accept God's truth.
00:49:52.82\00:49:55.69
How did you...
00:49:55.72\00:49:58.33
Coming from an
Assembly of God background,
00:49:58.36\00:50:01.36
when you came into
the Adventist church,
00:50:01.40\00:50:04.23
no one is speaking in
tongues, how did that...
00:50:04.27\00:50:07.70
How did you accept that?
00:50:07.74\00:50:09.87
That didn't bother
me at all, Shelley.
00:50:09.90\00:50:11.51
Didn't bother you at
all. Didn't bother me at all.
00:50:11.54\00:50:13.64
So God just worked
all the way through.
00:50:13.68\00:50:17.25
All the way through. Hallelujah.
00:50:17.28\00:50:18.98
All the way through. Hallelujah.
00:50:19.01\00:50:20.55
You know, I look at both of you
00:50:20.58\00:50:22.75
and I know that
God's hand is guiding.
00:50:22.78\00:50:25.35
I know that, you know,
00:50:25.39\00:50:27.59
His grace has
been multiplied to you
00:50:27.62\00:50:30.23
and I believe that
God's gonna use you.
00:50:30.26\00:50:34.00
I think sometimes I
didn't grow up Adventist
00:50:34.03\00:50:36.67
and I think sometimes as
we come into the message,
00:50:36.70\00:50:39.47
the beauty of the Sabbath,
00:50:39.50\00:50:40.84
the things that we've
learned are so special to us
00:50:40.87\00:50:44.11
because we didn't have them.
00:50:44.14\00:50:45.91
Sometimes God can use people
00:50:45.94\00:50:47.68
who didn't grow up Adventist
to come teach Adventist
00:50:47.71\00:50:50.85
to appreciate what
they take for granted.
00:50:50.88\00:50:53.52
Time and time again, Shelley.
00:50:53.55\00:50:54.92
I've had people from Loma Linda,
00:50:54.95\00:50:56.65
whoever I met saying,
00:50:56.69\00:50:59.92
"I can't be that way,
I've never been that way,
00:50:59.95\00:51:03.06
I love to see what's
happening in your life."
00:51:03.09\00:51:06.03
And I've had
people come and say,
00:51:06.06\00:51:07.93
"Gary, thank you.
00:51:07.96\00:51:10.07
I've opened up and I'm beginning
00:51:10.10\00:51:12.33
to take that step of faith..."
00:51:12.37\00:51:13.70
Amen.
00:51:13.74\00:51:15.07
"And say what God
has laid in my heart."
00:51:15.10\00:51:17.97
I'd say it to
the viewers, Shelley.
00:51:18.01\00:51:19.64
Today, that still small
voice, don't let it rob you,
00:51:19.67\00:51:24.08
don't let Satan rob you.
00:51:24.11\00:51:25.51
Absolutely.
00:51:25.55\00:51:26.88
Take advantage of what direction
00:51:26.92\00:51:28.72
God tells us to do.
00:51:28.75\00:51:30.09
Absolutely.
00:51:30.12\00:51:31.45
And where to go
and when to say it.
00:51:31.49\00:51:32.82
That gift that is
going to be developed
00:51:32.85\00:51:35.26
day by day and when it develops,
00:51:35.29\00:51:37.86
By listening to
that still small voice
00:51:37.89\00:51:40.30
brings you to
pray, brings you to Him,
00:51:40.33\00:51:42.40
brings you to glorify
Him and win souls for Christ.
00:51:42.43\00:51:45.47
You know, Ellen White said,
00:51:45.50\00:51:46.90
I believe, it's
Christ Object Lessons,
00:51:46.94\00:51:48.57
I believe it's page 129
00:51:48.60\00:51:50.97
but that is we really grow
in relationship with the Lord
00:51:51.01\00:51:53.81
and I am paraphrasing
00:51:53.84\00:51:55.18
but that He will speak
mysteries to us by His Spirit.
00:51:55.21\00:51:58.41
Oh, he will.
00:51:58.45\00:51:59.78
He leads us, He guides us.
00:51:59.81\00:52:02.52
And the Holy
Spirit is so important,
00:52:02.55\00:52:05.09
only those who are lead
by the Spirit are actually
00:52:05.12\00:52:08.09
considered the children of God.
00:52:08.12\00:52:09.76
Thank you so
much... Thank you, Shelley.
00:52:09.79\00:52:11.79
That you have
shared your testimony.
00:52:11.83\00:52:15.30
Thank you for
allowing God to use you
00:52:15.33\00:52:18.37
and we're praying for you that
00:52:18.40\00:52:20.14
you'll continue
to walk in surrender.
00:52:20.17\00:52:21.97
We just wanna
thank all of you at home,
00:52:22.00\00:52:24.64
I hope you've been encouraged
and inspired by this message.
00:52:24.67\00:52:27.91
God bless.
00:52:27.94\00:52:29.71
It's wonderful to know that
00:52:29.74\00:52:31.08
the light of the gospel can come
00:52:31.11\00:52:32.45
into the lives of
professed Christians
00:52:32.48\00:52:35.55
and they can come to the
full truths of the gospel.
00:52:35.58\00:52:37.65
So many times when Adventists
are wedded to non-Adventists,
00:52:37.69\00:52:41.39
sometimes we lose our
faith but it's good to know that
00:52:41.42\00:52:44.56
when you stand for your faith,
00:52:44.59\00:52:45.93
all this can see
00:52:45.96\00:52:47.30
the light of the love
of Christ in your life
00:52:47.33\00:52:48.66
and be brought
into the Adventist fold
00:52:48.70\00:52:50.77
in the truth of the Bible.
00:52:50.80\00:52:52.27
So we are thankful for
Gary and Marilyn Carpenter
00:52:52.30\00:52:55.94
and we ask God's
richest blessings upon them.
00:52:55.97\00:52:58.97
We're gonna go
now to our news break,
00:52:59.01\00:53:00.38
got a couple of things
wanna talk to you about,
00:53:00.41\00:53:02.24
then we'll be back
for a closing thought
00:53:02.28\00:53:04.45
and to put a little wrap
on this particular program.
00:53:04.48\00:53:06.45