I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today.
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My name is CA Murray.
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And thank you for
sharing your day with us.
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This is a very special program
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as we open up our ASI portfolio.
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Just recently 3ABN was
at the 2017 ASI meetings
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in Houston, Texas,
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and we changed things up
just a little bit this year.
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Rather than
bringing the ministries
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to our booth for recording,
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we took our cameras
on the road as it were
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and we went to
the different booths
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to interview the
different ministries
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to give you a
little sense of the booth,
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but not only the booth
but of the ministry itself.
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And so this year
Pastor John Lomacang
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was our roving
ambassador and interviewer,
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and went to
several different booths
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to just hear
what they had to say
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and what God was doing
for these various ministries.
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We've got three in
our first segment here.
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Our first interview
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is with Adventist
Frontier Missions.
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The guest was John
Baxter who was the HR Director
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for Adventist Frontier Missions.
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He was
interviewed by John Lomacang.
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That will be
followed by an interview
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for Your Best Pathway to Health.
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Our good friend Dr.
Lela Lewis is now the CEO
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for Your Best Pathway to Health.
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I happen to be a
member of that board.
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And this is a
wonderful interview
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as these medical
professionals go around,
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really the country to
deliver free medical care.
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And she's going
to be talking about
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the big meeting
coming up in Phoenix.
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And then the last in
this particular segment
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will be Mafgia Ministries.
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The guest is Antionette Duck.
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She is founder and
speaker of Mafgia Ministries.
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Mafgia is the Hebrew
word for intercessor,
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and you'll hear more about that.
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They are
committed to interceding
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for the sanctity of
human life at every level
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from conception to death,
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and Antoinette will talk
a little bit more about that
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as she is interviewed
by Pastor John Lomacang.
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You'll enjoy all
three of these interviews.
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Hello, this is John
Lomacang at ASI, 2017,
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and I'm standing here
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at Adventist
Frontier Missions booth
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with John Baxter.
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Good to have you here today.
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Thanks, good to be
here. Thanks, John.
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Tell us what your position is
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with Adventist
Frontier Missions?
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I work with AFM as the
Human Resource Director,
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and I do some recruiting,
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and then I mentor
student missionaries.
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For those that may
have not heard about
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Adventist Frontier Missions,
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and I can imagine who hasn't.
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Tell us what actually
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the function of
Adventist Frontier Missions is?
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So we go to the places
where the churches not.
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So we're sharing the
gospel in the tough places
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amongst the
Hindus, the Buddhists,
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Animists, Muslims,
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to secular places too as well
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so trying to finish
the Gospel Commission
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in this generation.
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I know years ago I've heard it
referred to as the 680 corridor
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where Jesus is
probably the last name
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or very, very rarely mentioned.
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Tell us what's unique about
Adventist Frontier Missions
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to reach such a
challenging people group?
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So there are about
1.7-1.8 billion people
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who have never
heard the gospel before.
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And so, you know,
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if you're
introducing people to Jesus,
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and they've already heard Jesus,
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maybe they're familiar
with some of the Bible stories,
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you have a
foundation to build on.
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We're going to places
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where either they
haven't heard of Jesus,
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or they don't like what
they've heard about Jesus.
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So you have to
overcome a lot of prejudice.
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And our approach is to try to...
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All of our missionaries,
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long-term missionaries
have to learn the language,
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develop resources
in those languages
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to reach those people groups.
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So instead of just
giving them the gospel,
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do you take care
some of their daily needs
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to soften their
hearts towards the gospel?
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Yeah, so each of our projects
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is built around the gifts
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that God has given to
the missionaries to go out.
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So well, we have some
English language schools,
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we have regular
schools, we have clinics,
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again trying to meet
the needs of the people
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as well as sharing
the gospel with them.
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So countries like
China, Iran, Afghanistan
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are some of the
frontiers that you go to?
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Some of those countries
you just named, we go to.
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I won't say definitively where,
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but yes, we do go to
some of those countries.
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And how long has
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Adventist Frontier
Missions been around?
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We've been around for 32 years.
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And in the course of that time,
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we've probably had about
350 student missionaries,
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and about almost a
100 career missionaries.
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And to be part of
this mission frontier
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or Adventist Frontier Missions,
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tell us some of the ways
that people can get involved
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in Adventist Frontier Missions?
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So there are three
ways, pray, give and go.
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Not everyone can go,
but everyone can pray,
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and whether you're an
old person, or a child,
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everyone can
pray for missionaries,
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and for the people
that are trying to reach.
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People can give,
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and we are
depended upon the faithful,
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sacrificial
giving of God's people.
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And then people can go,
and we really are praying
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that God will send out laborers
into the harvest here so...
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So very quickly,
what kind of training
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if a person wants
to go to the field,
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what kind of
training precedes there
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being appointed to
a particular location?
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So all of our
career missionaries
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will go through
three months of training
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before they launch
that will equip them
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to actually deal with
being in the mission field.
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At the end of three years,
they come back for furlough,
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then we give them
another months of training
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on how to develop
resources, mentor leadership.
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And then another
three years later,
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typically three
years sometimes too.
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We have another
month of training
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which will give, teach them
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how to transition the leadership
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to local leadership,
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and actually start to
pull away from the project.
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And if somebody want
to find out more about
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Adventist Frontier Missions,
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what's the
website they can go to?
00:06:56.31\00:06:57.65
www.afmonline.org.
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AFM online is all together.
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And if you give a ten second,
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what's the challenge you'll give
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to our listeners and viewers?
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We have a lot of
people still to reach.
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I believe Jesus wants to come
and could come in our lifetime.
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But we have to reach
these difficult to reach places,
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go to these people groups.
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Please, please join us.
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Well, thank you so
much, John. Thank you, John.
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You know, the commission is
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"Go, ye therefore
into all the world"
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not just to preach,
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but to touch lives
through the many needs
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that Adventist Frontier Missions
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is participating in.
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I'm privileged
to be sitting here
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with the director and
founder of Pathway to Health,
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Dr Lela Lewis.
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So good to have you here today.
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Thank you so much. So
nice to be here as well.
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I've heard about
Pathway to Health,
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but tell our
viewers and listeners
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where the dream came
from since you are the founder
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and director of
Pathway to Health?
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Well, I believe
the dream came from God
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to be very honest.
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And in 2014,
actually it was 2013,
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we were given an inspiration
sermonette if you will,
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and it basically said,
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Adventists, it's so
wonderful that you get together,
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and you have these wonderful
conferences for yourselves,
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but why don't you do something
for the community around you?
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And out of that
came Pathway to Health.
00:08:05.95\00:08:09.02
And what exactly
is Pathway to Health?
00:08:09.05\00:08:11.22
Pathway to Health is
a Free "Mega-Clinic".
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It's actually a department
00:08:13.19\00:08:14.52
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:08:14.56\00:08:15.89
within North America,
and we provide free medical,
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dental, eye care,
and surgical services
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to uninsured and
underinsured populations
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on a mass scale.
00:08:22.46\00:08:24.27
And the people that participate
in Pathway to Health,
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tell me of the range
of those who participate
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since it's a health, is
it like a mega health expo?
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It's not a health expo,
it's like a hospital on wheels.
00:08:32.41\00:08:35.44
I mean, if you
imagine a hospital,
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and you imagine the
thing being temporarily set up
00:08:37.28\00:08:39.65
in a gigantic building.
00:08:39.68\00:08:41.42
That is exactly what it is.
00:08:41.45\00:08:43.28
So as far as that
volunteer spectrum,
00:08:43.32\00:08:46.02
everyone is welcome.
00:08:46.05\00:08:47.52
I mean, we need electricians,
00:08:47.56\00:08:49.02
we need plumbers
to run the dental,
00:08:49.06\00:08:51.19
plumbing department.
00:08:51.23\00:08:52.56
We need individuals
to set the facility up,
00:08:52.59\00:08:55.30
people to obviously be
physicians, and dentists,
00:08:55.33\00:08:58.00
and various specialists,
physical therapists,
00:08:58.03\00:09:01.10
anything and
everything is needed.
00:09:01.14\00:09:02.84
In fact, our oldest volunteer
I believe was 98 years old.
00:09:02.87\00:09:06.78
And what are some of the
cities where these health expos,
00:09:06.81\00:09:10.51
and I once again these
mega clinics have been held?
00:09:10.55\00:09:13.65
So we've done San Francisco,
Oakland, San Antonio, Texas,
00:09:13.68\00:09:18.12
Spokane,
Washington, Los Angeles,
00:09:18.15\00:09:20.56
Beckley, West Virginia,
00:09:20.59\00:09:22.26
and we're gearing
up for another big one.
00:09:22.29\00:09:25.39
Now I've heard the phrase,
00:09:25.43\00:09:27.50
people don't know
how much you care,
00:09:27.53\00:09:29.86
people don't know how
much you care until they...
00:09:29.90\00:09:31.67
How's that go again?
00:09:31.70\00:09:33.03
Until you actually
show them Jesus' love.
00:09:33.07\00:09:34.97
It's so true. It is so true.
00:09:35.00\00:09:37.51
And you know,
the patients come by,
00:09:37.54\00:09:39.57
literally by the thousands.
00:09:39.61\00:09:41.31
We've been able to service
just under 30,000 patients
00:09:41.34\00:09:44.38
in two and a half
years worth over...
00:09:44.41\00:09:46.15
just under $90
million in free health care.
00:09:46.18\00:09:49.05
And they come by the hoards,
00:09:49.08\00:09:50.42
but what touches
them so much is that
00:09:50.45\00:09:52.59
we would give of
ourselves to show Jesus' love,
00:09:52.62\00:09:56.22
and that just draws
them enormously to God.
00:09:56.26\00:09:59.56
I got the cliché.
00:09:59.59\00:10:00.93
They don't care
how much you know
00:10:00.96\00:10:02.30
until they know
how much you care.
00:10:02.33\00:10:03.67
And I've seen... Good.
00:10:03.70\00:10:05.03
I've seen some of
the health mega clinics,
00:10:05.07\00:10:06.87
I've seen people coming in,
00:10:06.90\00:10:08.70
and people from
all walks of life,
00:10:08.74\00:10:10.81
they see this massive set-up,
and they come and they say,
00:10:10.84\00:10:13.74
"Is this really free?"
00:10:13.78\00:10:15.14
Now how much is the cost?
00:10:15.18\00:10:16.71
Well, to the
patient, it's completely free.
00:10:16.75\00:10:19.45
Obviously, there's a
budget that has to, you know,
00:10:19.48\00:10:21.68
we have to get
donations to cover the cost.
00:10:21.72\00:10:23.79
It costs about on
average a $100 per patient,
00:10:23.82\00:10:27.06
but everything is
completely free to the patients.
00:10:27.09\00:10:30.29
So when a person
walks in, for example,
00:10:30.33\00:10:32.13
they'll get eye
care, dental care...
00:10:32.16\00:10:34.46
Dental care, surgeries
00:10:34.50\00:10:36.10
we do surgical
procedures on the floor.
00:10:36.13\00:10:38.13
I mean, we've taken
out football sized lipomas.
00:10:38.17\00:10:40.90
These are benign tumors
off of the backs of patients
00:10:40.94\00:10:43.20
under local anesthesia,
00:10:43.24\00:10:45.04
and amazing,
amazing things taking place.
00:10:45.07\00:10:47.28
And I'm a gynecologist.
00:10:47.31\00:10:48.64
So we have amazing women's
procedures there as well.
00:10:48.68\00:10:51.48
It's a lot of fun,
00:10:51.51\00:10:53.01
and it's just a
great experience.
00:10:53.05\00:10:55.68
So from the time
a person comes in
00:10:55.72\00:10:57.59
until the time they leave,
00:10:57.62\00:10:58.95
what are some of the
things that they experience?
00:10:58.99\00:11:00.42
I know this is not just medical,
00:11:00.46\00:11:01.79
but what are some
of other procedures?
00:11:01.82\00:11:03.16
We also offer haircuts,
beautician, and barber services
00:11:03.19\00:11:06.33
which is an amazing opportunity.
00:11:06.36\00:11:08.26
We have an entire
clothing department
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.10
where men can actually
get brand new men suits.
00:11:10.13\00:11:12.57
Many of these men have
never had a suit in their life.
00:11:12.60\00:11:15.34
You know, you think of
such as something so small,
00:11:15.37\00:11:17.31
but it really is a
very big difference.
00:11:17.34\00:11:19.21
We have legal services.
00:11:19.24\00:11:20.61
Our attorney
services are providing various
00:11:20.64\00:11:23.01
free forms of legal
clientele information.
00:11:23.04\00:11:26.82
And obviously, every
spectrum of medicine,
00:11:26.85\00:11:28.85
we have an entire
pharmacy department,
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.62
patients can get three
months free worth of medication
00:11:30.65\00:11:34.12
and a full laboratory services.
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.12
The list goes
on, and on, and on.
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.89
And if a person want to
participate as a volunteer,
00:11:37.93\00:11:40.23
how can they do so?
00:11:40.26\00:11:41.60
What is the website?
00:11:41.63\00:11:42.96
So go to pathway to
health volunteer.org,
00:11:43.00\00:11:46.94
pathway to health
volunteer.org, and you can...
00:11:46.97\00:11:50.57
It will change your entire life.
00:11:50.61\00:11:52.81
Well, thank you,
Dr. Lewis so much
00:11:52.84\00:11:54.18
for participating in
this short interview.
00:11:54.21\00:11:55.54
Thank you.
00:11:55.58\00:11:56.91
And for those of you watching
the program and listening,
00:11:56.95\00:11:58.65
anyone can be involved.
00:11:58.68\00:12:00.58
The Lord calls
whatever your qualification,
00:12:00.62\00:12:02.78
Pathway to Health may be the way
00:12:02.82\00:12:05.15
that the Lord
wants you to reach out
00:12:05.19\00:12:06.52
and touch someone else's life.
00:12:06.55\00:12:07.89
I'm sitting here
00:12:07.92\00:12:09.26
with Antionette Duck
of Mafgia Ministries.
00:12:09.29\00:12:11.39
Antionette good to
have you here today.
00:12:11.43\00:12:12.76
Thank you.
00:12:12.79\00:12:14.13
You know, that
name is so unique.
00:12:14.16\00:12:15.50
Tell us what it means,
00:12:15.53\00:12:16.87
and where you got
the inspiration from?
00:12:16.90\00:12:19.00
And then tell us
about what your ministry is?
00:12:19.03\00:12:20.87
Sure.
00:12:20.90\00:12:22.24
"Mafgia" is a Hebrew
word for intercessor,
00:12:22.27\00:12:24.57
and it comes from
the verse Isaiah 59:16,
00:12:24.61\00:12:27.58
where the Lord is
speaking, and He said,
00:12:27.61\00:12:28.94
He wondered that
there was no intercessor.
00:12:28.98\00:12:31.48
And so the Lord Himself
stepped in as the intercessor.
00:12:31.51\00:12:34.88
Our desire is to
intercede for the sanctity,
00:12:34.92\00:12:38.49
the value of human
life from conception,
00:12:38.52\00:12:41.29
from its very
beginning until natural death.
00:12:41.32\00:12:44.09
But we're also committed,
00:12:44.13\00:12:45.46
equally committed to interceding
00:12:45.49\00:12:46.83
for
reconciliation and redemption
00:12:46.86\00:12:48.83
for women and men
00:12:48.86\00:12:50.20
who have experienced
the tragedy of an abortion.
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.57
Wow.
00:12:52.60\00:12:53.94
Tell me where this
inspiration came from?
00:12:53.97\00:12:55.30
Because I've spoken to
you a few times before,
00:12:55.34\00:12:57.67
and I can see this is very
much a hard issue with you.
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.91
Tell me where the idea
and the push came from?
00:12:59.94\00:13:02.14
Sure. Well, I myself
was rescued from abortion.
00:13:02.18\00:13:05.65
And it was people
00:13:05.68\00:13:07.62
who value not just my
life but the life of my mother.
00:13:07.65\00:13:11.89
They wanted to
preserve not just my life
00:13:11.92\00:13:13.92
but my mother's life,
her spiritual soundness.
00:13:13.96\00:13:17.09
And they were willing to
go to uncomfortable places
00:13:17.13\00:13:20.26
to intervene, intercede
to help set someone free.
00:13:20.30\00:13:25.13
Now in being invited
to go from one location,
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.80
one venue to the
other, what is your message?
00:13:27.84\00:13:30.37
And what do you tell to
the audience that's there?
00:13:30.41\00:13:33.17
We really seek...
00:13:33.21\00:13:34.71
The Mafgia is two
tiered in the sense that...
00:13:34.74\00:13:39.38
We believe that
abortion is a symptom
00:13:39.41\00:13:40.82
of a much deeper problem.
00:13:40.85\00:13:42.35
We believe we've forgotten
what it means to be made
00:13:42.38\00:13:44.49
in the image of the Lord.
00:13:44.52\00:13:45.95
And we often define our
value by how much money we have,
00:13:45.99\00:13:48.92
or how wealthy we are, or
the influence that we have,
00:13:48.96\00:13:52.19
when in reality we're valuable
because the Lord says so.
00:13:52.23\00:13:55.50
He established
that through creation.
00:13:55.53\00:13:57.20
He established
that through the cross.
00:13:57.23\00:13:58.97
And He says,
00:13:59.00\00:14:00.34
"I made you, I redeemed
you, I established your value."
00:14:00.37\00:14:02.80
And that at our crux
is what we want people
00:14:02.84\00:14:05.61
to embrace for themselves.
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.54
And many people
think that life only begins
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.24
after a baby is born, but
the Bible says to Jeremiah,
00:14:09.28\00:14:12.41
"I knew you when you
were in your mother's womb."
00:14:12.45\00:14:14.58
And so I'm also a
benefactor of my mom
00:14:14.62\00:14:16.89
making the right
decision to keep me
00:14:16.92\00:14:18.85
even though she was not married.
00:14:18.89\00:14:21.19
And so when we talk
about impacting lives,
00:14:21.22\00:14:24.39
how have you seen the
impact of this ministry?
00:14:24.43\00:14:26.90
It has been tremendous.
00:14:26.93\00:14:29.10
The number of
people in our church
00:14:29.13\00:14:30.70
who are post or boarded,
the number is staggering,
00:14:30.73\00:14:33.47
the way it's affected our
men, our women generationally
00:14:33.50\00:14:36.67
within family units.
00:14:36.71\00:14:38.34
The need is so huge,
and beyond that as a people
00:14:38.37\00:14:43.78
as defining
ourselves by the Lord standard.
00:14:43.81\00:14:46.68
It's an unshakable standard
00:14:46.72\00:14:48.15
that can never be
diminished or destroyed.
00:14:48.18\00:14:51.15
And so, we've seen people
throughout the United States
00:14:51.19\00:14:54.79
just respond so
well to this message.
00:14:54.82\00:14:57.53
Now do you have materials
that people can access?
00:14:57.56\00:14:59.59
And how can they get
access to these materials?
00:14:59.63\00:15:01.73
We do, we do, we have
my partner in ministry,
00:15:01.76\00:15:04.30
Diane Wagner is not here today.
00:15:04.33\00:15:06.57
She has a
tremendous, tremendous story.
00:15:06.60\00:15:08.94
She is post abortive,
00:15:08.97\00:15:10.31
and experience
the Lord's healing
00:15:10.34\00:15:11.74
and redemption from that.
00:15:11.77\00:15:13.11
She has a booklet.
00:15:13.14\00:15:14.48
I have a booklet
that I've created
00:15:14.51\00:15:15.84
that really talks about
00:15:15.88\00:15:17.21
the various
aspects of this issue.
00:15:17.25\00:15:19.08
Our website www.mafgia.com.
00:15:19.11\00:15:23.15
They can
certainly contact us there,
00:15:23.18\00:15:25.12
or at our email
address, info@mafgia.com.
00:15:25.15\00:15:29.72
And spell Mafgia for us?
00:15:29.76\00:15:31.19
Sure. It's M-A-F-G-I-A. Okay.
00:15:31.23\00:15:34.76
And if you were to
tell someone watching,
00:15:34.80\00:15:36.93
or listening to this interview
00:15:36.97\00:15:38.33
or that may be on the
pivotal point of deciding,
00:15:38.37\00:15:40.50
what would you say?
00:15:40.54\00:15:41.90
Wow.
00:15:41.94\00:15:43.81
I would want them to understand
how valuable they are,
00:15:43.84\00:15:46.64
not simply talking to them
about the value of their child,
00:15:46.68\00:15:49.81
but for someone to
say, do you understand
00:15:49.84\00:15:53.05
that the Lord of Glory
brought you into existence?
00:15:53.08\00:15:56.05
That His fingers
crafted you, you were his idea,
00:15:56.08\00:15:59.49
and He loves you so much.
00:15:59.52\00:16:00.86
He values you so much
as He values your child,
00:16:00.89\00:16:05.09
would they
embrace the value of both?
00:16:05.13\00:16:07.83
Wow. Well, thank
you so much, Antionette.
00:16:07.86\00:16:09.26
I appreciate you so
much in your ministry.
00:16:09.30\00:16:10.63
May God continue
blessing you. Thank you.
00:16:10.67\00:16:12.53
And on behalf of
ASI, 2017 and 3ABN.
00:16:12.57\00:16:16.67
This is John Lomacang.
00:16:16.71\00:16:18.77
And amen.
00:16:18.81\00:16:20.14
Three very different
ministries fulfilling
00:16:20.18\00:16:22.11
three very different,
00:16:22.14\00:16:23.48
but important roles
in the cause of Christ.
00:16:23.51\00:16:26.18
In this segment,
we take a look at now
00:16:26.21\00:16:29.92
Adventist Help
00:16:29.95\00:16:31.72
which is a
wonderful organization
00:16:31.75\00:16:33.15
that I was not familiar
with before this sitting,
00:16:33.19\00:16:36.52
but Michael Von Horsten
00:16:36.56\00:16:39.59
is the coordinating
physician for Adventist Help
00:16:39.63\00:16:44.00
followed by AMEN,
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.20
the Adventist
Medical Evangelism Network,
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.64
another medical ministry.
00:16:49.67\00:16:51.64
Our guest is
Vintrin. He's the COO of Amen.
00:16:51.67\00:16:56.14
I had a chance to work with
him in Haiti several years ago
00:16:56.18\00:16:59.25
after the big earthquake there.
00:16:59.28\00:17:00.98
AMEN does a fabulous job.
00:17:01.02\00:17:03.28
And then John Lomacang
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.22
was able to
talk with Kyle Fiess,
00:17:05.25\00:17:08.82
vice president for
projects for our dear friends
00:17:08.86\00:17:12.29
at Maranatha
Volunteers International.
00:17:12.33\00:17:15.86
Three again,
very unique ministries
00:17:15.90\00:17:18.10
doing a great work for the Lord.
00:17:18.13\00:17:21.34
Hello, I'm John
Lomacang, here at ASI, 2017,
00:17:21.37\00:17:24.57
in Houston, Texas.
00:17:24.61\00:17:25.94
And I'm standing here
with Michael-John Von Horsten.
00:17:25.97\00:17:28.21
I included your middle
name with Adventist Help.
00:17:28.24\00:17:32.01
Thank you so much for giving us
the opportunity this afternoon.
00:17:32.05\00:17:34.52
Tell us what is Adventist Help?
00:17:34.55\00:17:36.62
So Adventist Help
00:17:36.65\00:17:37.99
is a medical humanitarian
initiative set-up in 2015
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.49
by ASI in Europe.
00:17:40.52\00:17:42.59
It was set-up in
response to the refugee crisis
00:17:42.62\00:17:44.39
from the Middle East.
00:17:44.43\00:17:45.76
There was a large
influx of refugees
00:17:45.79\00:17:47.13
coming into Eastern
Europe, and into Greece,
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.47
and we set-up this organization
00:17:50.50\00:17:52.80
in response to that to
provide medical services
00:17:52.83\00:17:55.24
to this population of
people coming into Europe.
00:17:55.27\00:17:58.91
And what is your
capacity with Adventist Help?
00:17:58.94\00:18:01.24
So I'm coordinating
physician for Adventist Help.
00:18:01.28\00:18:03.35
I've been working with
them for the past two years
00:18:03.38\00:18:05.25
running the medical program,
00:18:05.28\00:18:06.61
the medical side of the program.
00:18:06.65\00:18:07.98
And that accent gives you
away you're from South Africa?
00:18:08.02\00:18:10.02
Yes, from Cape town. Yes. Okay.
00:18:10.05\00:18:11.89
Tell me what Adventist
Help does on a broader scale
00:18:11.92\00:18:15.46
because you've mentioned,
it was started with ASI,
00:18:15.49\00:18:18.63
but give us
some of the instances
00:18:18.66\00:18:20.26
of where the outposts
are where they operate?
00:18:20.30\00:18:22.20
Okay, so we
started working Lesbos,
00:18:22.23\00:18:23.77
on the island of Lesbos.
00:18:23.80\00:18:25.53
I'm sure many of you
have seen in the media,
00:18:25.57\00:18:27.04
Lesbos was one of the
main arrival points of refugees
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.74
coming on boats from Turkey.
00:18:29.77\00:18:31.81
What... Oh, from
Turkey? From Turkey.
00:18:31.84\00:18:33.17
So the Lesbos Island
is east, eastern Greece.
00:18:33.21\00:18:35.94
It was a very
intense place to work.
00:18:35.98\00:18:38.28
I mean, lots of people
were drowning in these boats
00:18:38.31\00:18:40.38
that are overcrowded,
00:18:40.42\00:18:42.12
and boats that
were supposed to carry
00:18:42.15\00:18:43.85
10-15 people
would carry 60 people.
00:18:43.89\00:18:46.12
I mean, everyday bodies
00:18:46.15\00:18:47.49
would be washing
up on the beaches.
00:18:47.52\00:18:48.86
And we decided to put together
00:18:48.89\00:18:50.73
an emergency unit.
00:18:50.76\00:18:52.09
The field emergency units
provide emergency services
00:18:52.13\00:18:54.20
for this population.
00:18:54.23\00:18:55.56
And from there, our project
00:18:55.60\00:18:56.93
just launched into
something much bigger.
00:18:56.97\00:18:58.63
Wow.
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.00
So what impact have you
seen through Adventist Help?
00:19:00.04\00:19:02.57
And you also are
not just an independent,
00:19:02.60\00:19:04.57
not just started by ASI,
00:19:04.61\00:19:05.94
but you also partner
00:19:05.97\00:19:07.31
with another aspect
of Adventist ministries?
00:19:07.34\00:19:09.24
So currently we are...
Our main operation is in Iraq.
00:19:09.28\00:19:12.78
And there we've
partnered with ADRA Kurdistan
00:19:12.81\00:19:15.65
who already on the ground
to build a 45 bed hospital.
00:19:15.68\00:19:20.29
This hospital is 25 kilometers
east of the city of Mosul
00:19:20.32\00:19:24.13
which is modern day Nineveh.
00:19:24.16\00:19:26.70
So it's really Bible country.
00:19:26.73\00:19:28.06
The Prophet Joel is
buried on a mountain
00:19:28.10\00:19:29.73
just north of us, it's...
00:19:29.76\00:19:31.10
We really...
00:19:31.13\00:19:32.47
We're on the plains of
Nineveh where Jonah was.
00:19:32.50\00:19:33.84
And this area as
you know from media
00:19:33.87\00:19:36.67
is an area that has been
actually ravaged by ISIS.
00:19:36.71\00:19:40.01
And there was a
liberation process
00:19:40.04\00:19:42.31
that's been underway for
the past four, five months
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.51
with many, many
thousands of people
00:19:45.55\00:19:47.52
displaced from their homes.
00:19:47.55\00:19:49.35
Many people have been
killed in the process.
00:19:49.38\00:19:51.89
It's an area that's
really, really messed up.
00:19:51.92\00:19:54.66
And so we are the only
facility providing emergency,
00:19:54.69\00:19:58.33
and in-patient
facilities for 100,000 people.
00:19:58.36\00:20:01.86
They're all in camps,
and called the zone-1,
00:20:01.90\00:20:04.40
east of Mosul,
00:20:04.43\00:20:06.40
the people that have fled
from ISIS, 20,000 children.
00:20:06.43\00:20:09.84
Now how could someone listening
to this program and thinking,
00:20:09.87\00:20:13.88
"Wow, how do you reach
out in the Middle East?
00:20:13.91\00:20:15.41
How do you find yourself
in such a challenging area?"
00:20:15.44\00:20:17.95
How can people get involved?
00:20:17.98\00:20:19.31
So right now,
it's a 45 bed hospital.
00:20:19.35\00:20:22.75
So we're quite out of our depth
00:20:22.78\00:20:26.52
because it's the
population of 100,000 people
00:20:26.55\00:20:28.06
that we are trying to cover.
00:20:28.09\00:20:29.42
And so we're right now appealing
00:20:29.46\00:20:30.89
for people to get involved,
00:20:30.93\00:20:32.63
in particular
medical practitioners.
00:20:32.66\00:20:35.06
So we're looking for
emergency doctors, nurses,
00:20:35.10\00:20:37.67
paramedics,
physician assistants.
00:20:37.70\00:20:39.83
We're trying to open
a dental program as well
00:20:39.87\00:20:41.60
over the next few
weeks, or dentists, dental...
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.81
oral hygienists.
00:20:44.84\00:20:46.17
And we also had a
mental health program
00:20:46.21\00:20:47.54
that we're working on.
00:20:47.58\00:20:48.91
And as you can
imagine a population
00:20:48.94\00:20:50.28
that has been living under
ISIS occupation for three years
00:20:50.31\00:20:53.68
have seen the most
horrendous atrocities.
00:20:53.72\00:20:55.98
We're dealing with people
who have lost their children,
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.25
who've seen their
family members decapitated,
00:20:58.29\00:21:00.36
who've had family
members crucified,
00:21:00.39\00:21:02.12
who've had people
thrown off buildings,
00:21:02.16\00:21:04.33
people have been raped,
you know, kept as slaves.
00:21:04.36\00:21:07.16
And that's what we're dealing
within a day-to-day basis.
00:21:07.20\00:21:09.16
We've even seen children
that have been tortured,
00:21:09.20\00:21:11.30
have physical scars of
being electrocuted by ISIS.
00:21:11.33\00:21:14.40
So serious mental health issues
and serious medical issues.
00:21:14.44\00:21:17.24
Now, how can somebody
find out more about it?
00:21:17.27\00:21:19.11
Is there a particular website?
00:21:19.14\00:21:20.48
Yes, so, I mean, you
can visit our website
00:21:20.51\00:21:21.98
www.adventisthelp.org.
00:21:22.01\00:21:25.41
Or also www.adra.org,
our partner organization.
00:21:25.45\00:21:29.78
Well, Michael John Von
Horsten, thank you so much.
00:21:29.82\00:21:32.39
I appreciate so much for
what you do for the Lord.
00:21:32.42\00:21:34.82
I'm standing with the COO
of AMEN Ministries, Vintrin.
00:21:34.86\00:21:39.86
Vin, so good to meet you today.
00:21:39.89\00:21:41.63
Tell us a little
bit about your ministry.
00:21:41.66\00:21:43.63
First of all, beginning
by, how did AMEN get started?
00:21:43.67\00:21:47.00
And what does AMEN mean?
00:21:47.04\00:21:48.60
AMEN originally
started 13 years ago
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.17
as a way for our physicians
00:21:51.21\00:21:53.24
to interact with their
patient in the secular world.
00:21:53.27\00:21:56.34
Four years ago, we
started the AMEN Clinic
00:21:56.38\00:22:00.38
pretty much to help
ministries in the health field.
00:22:00.42\00:22:04.69
And now we've grown
pretty much after four years
00:22:04.72\00:22:09.32
to a very large mobile clinic.
00:22:09.36\00:22:11.53
AMEN actually stands for
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.19
Adventist Medical
Evangelistic Network.
00:22:13.23\00:22:15.83
Okay.
00:22:15.86\00:22:17.23
And how have you seen
00:22:17.27\00:22:20.00
AMEN impact
other people's lives?
00:22:20.04\00:22:23.94
Especially one for
those who are non-Adventist,
00:22:23.97\00:22:25.77
they come and they need help.
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.51
We are the supplement
to affordable care act,
00:22:27.54\00:22:29.81
but they see the loving attitude
00:22:29.84\00:22:32.31
that we come to
these clinics in helping
00:22:32.35\00:22:34.35
and they're more open to
the idea of, "Why we do it?"
00:22:34.38\00:22:37.82
They don't have that
attachment of what is free.
00:22:37.85\00:22:41.59
So they come and
they are so thankful,
00:22:41.62\00:22:44.39
but then they seek
00:22:44.43\00:22:45.76
other services
within the church,
00:22:45.79\00:22:47.63
and they become
part of the family.
00:22:47.66\00:22:49.00
And that's the most
rewarding part of it all.
00:22:49.03\00:22:50.77
In essence how
did AMEN get started?
00:22:50.80\00:22:52.83
You told me before,
but I want our viewers
00:22:52.87\00:22:54.30
and listeners
to know about that.
00:22:54.34\00:22:55.67
How did this
ministry get off the ground?
00:22:55.70\00:22:57.47
It started
actually with Mark Finley,
00:22:57.51\00:23:00.14
and a couple of dentists
00:23:00.18\00:23:02.04
and physicians actually decided,
00:23:02.08\00:23:04.55
how are we going to grow
in terms of just evangelism
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.22
through the health field,
and following Ellen G. White.
00:23:07.25\00:23:09.85
And basically, from afterward,
00:23:09.88\00:23:12.49
they came with a
concept of just a mobile clinic.
00:23:12.52\00:23:15.19
Okay.
00:23:15.22\00:23:16.56
And I notice
you have some tools,
00:23:16.59\00:23:17.93
you have some dental
tools that I was looking at.
00:23:17.96\00:23:19.63
And thankfully I
didn't need any of them today,
00:23:19.66\00:23:22.00
but when you use
these dental tools,
00:23:22.03\00:23:24.87
you talked about
the Clinic-in-a-Box.
00:23:24.90\00:23:27.40
So describe that for us?
00:23:27.44\00:23:28.77
So the Clinic-in-a-Box
is really the idea that
00:23:28.80\00:23:31.77
what we want to do
is serve small churches.
00:23:31.81\00:23:35.78
These large mobile clinics
are very expensive to run,
00:23:35.81\00:23:39.41
and it's a small
churches can't afford that,
00:23:39.45\00:23:41.08
especially when those are
new or they're struggling,
00:23:41.12\00:23:42.98
they really need
someone to kind of get the hook
00:23:43.02\00:23:45.62
to help with the community.
00:23:45.65\00:23:46.99
And the Clinic-in-a-Box
is really the model behind it
00:23:47.02\00:23:49.42
is take the
church out of the shadow
00:23:49.46\00:23:51.49
of the community, and
put a spotlight on them.
00:23:51.53\00:23:53.66
What we're offering is
a complete dental unit,
00:23:53.70\00:23:56.23
viable one, and
arbitrary or visionally
00:23:56.26\00:23:59.20
in a really compact style
00:23:59.23\00:24:01.40
so that they can
serve their community
00:24:01.44\00:24:04.14
in a very small rural area.
00:24:04.17\00:24:06.14
Okay. So it's
pretty affordable then.
00:24:06.17\00:24:07.94
Is there any cost behind it?
00:24:07.98\00:24:09.34
Absolutely, every
church charge a fee,
00:24:09.38\00:24:11.61
but it's the cost of
that it's very minimal
00:24:11.65\00:24:13.98
compared to our 26 foot truck.
00:24:14.02\00:24:16.42
Okay, so the
truck travels in a...
00:24:16.45\00:24:18.29
Is it just in the United States,
00:24:18.32\00:24:19.65
or around the world?
00:24:19.69\00:24:21.02
So typically,
the Clinic-in-a-Box
00:24:21.06\00:24:22.46
in a large truck
does travel all 48 states,
00:24:22.49\00:24:26.26
but we do two international.
00:24:26.29\00:24:29.00
We've been to Greece,
00:24:29.03\00:24:30.37
and we're
preparing to go to Iraq.
00:24:30.40\00:24:31.83
Wow, Iraq.
00:24:31.87\00:24:33.20
That's a challenging field,
00:24:33.23\00:24:34.57
but then you've seen
what the Lord has done.
00:24:34.60\00:24:37.14
And if people
want to get involved,
00:24:37.17\00:24:38.64
what website do they go to?
00:24:38.67\00:24:40.28
Well, we want you
to definitely involve,
00:24:40.31\00:24:41.64
please, go to
amenfreeclinic.org.
00:24:41.68\00:24:44.31
And check out all our clinics,
and be able to volunteer,
00:24:44.35\00:24:48.38
or even donate,
00:24:48.42\00:24:49.75
or however they want
to send us a message.
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.12
Okay.
00:24:51.15\00:24:52.49
And about how
many people are working
00:24:52.52\00:24:53.86
with AMEN Ministries right now?
00:24:53.89\00:24:55.22
Typically, right now,
00:24:55.26\00:24:56.59
we have about nine
full staff employees
00:24:56.62\00:24:58.13
that runs 40 clinics.
00:24:58.16\00:25:00.00
Now are they volunteers
or are they on salary?
00:25:00.03\00:25:02.23
They're full
salaried staff employees.
00:25:02.26\00:25:03.60
Okay.
00:25:03.63\00:25:04.97
And if you want
to challenge someone
00:25:05.00\00:25:06.70
in getting involved in ministry,
00:25:06.74\00:25:08.07
what would you
say to them today?
00:25:08.10\00:25:09.97
Just go out and do it.
00:25:10.01\00:25:12.24
All right, well, you
heard it from Vintrin,
00:25:12.27\00:25:15.04
the only person I know
00:25:15.08\00:25:16.41
that has only two
syllables in his entire name,
00:25:16.44\00:25:19.21
but the Lord is
abiding in his heart,
00:25:19.25\00:25:20.88
and also in his ministries.
00:25:20.92\00:25:22.52
And I'm here with Kyle
Fiess of Maranatha Volunteers.
00:25:22.55\00:25:25.59
Kyle, so good to
see you. Thank you.
00:25:25.62\00:25:26.96
Matter of fact, I
know you. That's right.
00:25:26.99\00:25:28.42
So I'm just glad to be
able to partner with you today
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.56
to kind of bring your
ministry to the forefront,
00:25:30.59\00:25:32.96
and let those who may not
have heard about Maranatha,
00:25:32.99\00:25:35.16
find out about it today.
00:25:35.20\00:25:36.53
Tell us what capacity you're in,
00:25:36.56\00:25:37.97
and what Maranatha is?
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.83
John, I work for Maranatha
Volunteers International
00:25:39.87\00:25:42.14
as the vice
president of projects,
00:25:42.17\00:25:44.21
and that really
focuses on both volunteers
00:25:44.24\00:25:46.88
and getting projects
done around the world.
00:25:46.91\00:25:49.04
Okay. And what
does Maranatha mean?
00:25:49.08\00:25:50.65
We've heard the term,
00:25:50.68\00:25:52.01
and as a pastor I
know what it means,
00:25:52.05\00:25:53.38
but I'd like you to interpret
00:25:53.42\00:25:54.75
that for our
viewers and listeners.
00:25:54.78\00:25:56.12
So Maranatha
comes from the Aramaic,
00:25:56.15\00:25:59.55
"Lord Jesus come quickly".
00:25:59.59\00:26:01.22
And it reflects our belief
that Jesus is coming quickly,
00:26:01.26\00:26:04.23
and we need to do everything
we can to make that happen.
00:26:04.26\00:26:08.13
And how old is Maranatha?
How long is it been around?
00:26:08.16\00:26:10.73
Maranatha started in 1969
00:26:10.77\00:26:12.60
as a way to get
people involved in service,
00:26:12.63\00:26:16.10
and it really has
grown from there to something
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.47
where we mobilize
about 2,500 people every year
00:26:18.51\00:26:21.74
to go on mission trips.
00:26:21.78\00:26:23.11
And Maranatha is in
about how many countries?
00:26:23.14\00:26:25.21
Right now, we're working in
15 countries around the world.
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.68
15, 16.
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.68
I've heard of
Maranatha building churches,
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.42
but they've expanded that
00:26:31.45\00:26:32.79
to some other very
important projects.
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.59
Tell us about that?
00:26:34.62\00:26:35.96
Well, we build
churches, we build schools,
00:26:35.99\00:26:37.89
we build clinics, hospitals,
00:26:37.93\00:26:41.00
really what the church needs
in different parts of the world
00:26:41.03\00:26:44.17
in the terms of infrastructure,
00:26:44.20\00:26:46.20
if we can do it, we try to help.
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.00
And you've also
become very efficient
00:26:48.04\00:26:49.47
in a project
called "One-Day Church".
00:26:49.50\00:26:50.97
Tell us about that?
00:26:51.01\00:26:52.34
So the One-Day
Church concept helps
00:26:52.37\00:26:54.61
provide churches
and schools, and places
00:26:54.64\00:26:56.95
where it's really
difficult to build.
00:26:56.98\00:26:58.45
And so Maranatha has been
able to be part of that program,
00:26:58.48\00:27:01.52
and we've built
thousands of those churches
00:27:01.55\00:27:04.29
and school
classrooms around the world.
00:27:04.32\00:27:06.09
I've had the privilege of
going to Zimbabwe and Zambia.
00:27:06.12\00:27:08.56
But tell us about Haiti,
00:27:08.59\00:27:09.92
and the impact of
Maranatha in Haiti
00:27:09.96\00:27:11.36
following that major
earthquake a few years ago?
00:27:11.39\00:27:13.80
We got a call from the church
to respond to the earthquake
00:27:13.83\00:27:17.00
that happened in
Haiti by building structures
00:27:17.03\00:27:19.27
that could be used as places
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.80
where people could
stay after the earthquake.
00:27:21.84\00:27:23.64
And then those
buildings got turned
00:27:23.67\00:27:25.11
into school
classrooms and churches later,
00:27:25.14\00:27:27.54
but Maranatha
was able to mobilize
00:27:27.58\00:27:29.11
and build over 100
classrooms in Haiti,
00:27:29.14\00:27:31.68
and really helped to
provide some very quick response
00:27:31.71\00:27:36.25
to what happened there.
00:27:36.28\00:27:37.79
How do people that have
these needs get involved?
00:27:37.82\00:27:40.62
And how do these
projects get chosen?
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.92
So the projects get
chosen by the church
00:27:42.96\00:27:46.93
asking us to help.
00:27:46.96\00:27:48.30
So we're
responsive organization,
00:27:48.33\00:27:49.66
we don't go anywhere
00:27:49.70\00:27:51.03
where the church
doesn't ask us to help.
00:27:51.07\00:27:52.67
And then we present
those needs to people,
00:27:52.70\00:27:55.14
volunteers around the world,
00:27:55.17\00:27:56.71
and say, hey, would
you like to get involved?
00:27:56.74\00:27:58.47
And so the
opportunities might be in Kenya,
00:27:58.51\00:28:01.38
or in India, or in Brazil.
00:28:01.41\00:28:03.21
And then we
provided a way for people
00:28:03.24\00:28:05.25
to actually go and
work on those projects
00:28:05.28\00:28:07.12
and be short term missionaries
for about two weeks or so.
00:28:07.15\00:28:10.29
Is there any age
limit to the participants
00:28:10.32\00:28:12.65
to get involved in Maranatha?
00:28:12.69\00:28:14.32
Last week, I was
on a project in Kenya.
00:28:14.36\00:28:16.39
We had a
two-year-old and a 93-year-old.
00:28:16.42\00:28:18.99
So there you go.
00:28:19.03\00:28:20.36
I was on one of the
projects where they were...
00:28:20.40\00:28:21.73
I think a pair of
sisters, they were in their 80s,
00:28:21.76\00:28:23.63
and I said, "What
are you doing here?"
00:28:23.67\00:28:25.10
And she said,
00:28:25.13\00:28:26.47
"My only other choice is
to sit home on the couch,
00:28:26.50\00:28:27.84
and I'm done with that."
00:28:27.87\00:28:29.20
But Maranatha has made a
difference around the world.
00:28:29.24\00:28:31.04
How can people
00:28:31.07\00:28:32.41
who are hearing about
this maybe for the first time
00:28:32.44\00:28:34.58
get involved in being
a Maranatha Volunteer?
00:28:34.61\00:28:37.18
Anybody can get involved.
00:28:37.21\00:28:38.55
And so we encourage
people to go to our website
00:28:38.58\00:28:40.32
maranatha.org,
00:28:40.35\00:28:41.68
and learn about how
they can get involved,
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.72
and also all the
different locations
00:28:43.75\00:28:45.89
from here in the United States
00:28:45.92\00:28:47.66
to many different
countries around the world.
00:28:47.69\00:28:49.39
So the church is not
just in one location.
00:28:49.42\00:28:51.46
You can put the
church by God's grace
00:28:51.49\00:28:52.99
in any location that
the request has come?
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.00
That's right.
00:28:55.03\00:28:56.36
And on behalf of those
who are working in the fields,
00:28:56.40\00:28:59.50
what would you say
to a person who'd say,
00:28:59.53\00:29:00.87
"Well, I don't
really have any ministry.
00:29:00.90\00:29:02.24
How can I really
help the Lord come soon?"
00:29:02.27\00:29:05.21
So anybody can get involved.
00:29:05.24\00:29:07.84
And there's always
ways, we welcome anybody,
00:29:07.88\00:29:10.65
any skill level,
00:29:10.68\00:29:12.01
and we'll make sure
we'll put you to work,
00:29:12.05\00:29:13.38
and we'll make you feel like
that you're super productive.
00:29:13.42\00:29:16.02
Okay. Well, Kyle,
thank you so much.
00:29:16.05\00:29:17.49
I appreciate
talking with you again,
00:29:17.52\00:29:19.29
and for those of you listening
in on behalf of ASI, 2017,
00:29:19.32\00:29:23.22
here in
Houston, Texas, and 3ABN.
00:29:23.26\00:29:26.09
This is John Lomacang.
00:29:26.13\00:29:27.93
And amen.
00:29:27.96\00:29:29.30
I hope you're getting an
idea of the various ministries
00:29:29.33\00:29:32.47
that we're featuring here
on our 3ABN Today portfolio.
00:29:32.50\00:29:39.14
One of the
things that is exciting
00:29:39.17\00:29:40.98
when we go to
the different booths
00:29:41.01\00:29:42.51
is to see the vast
array of ministries.
00:29:42.54\00:29:45.88
And of course, as
we bring them to you
00:29:45.91\00:29:48.45
there might be one
that particularly touches,
00:29:48.48\00:29:50.79
you're fancying
that you want to support,
00:29:50.82\00:29:52.62
you want to pray for,
00:29:52.65\00:29:53.99
they all deserve
your prayers and support.
00:29:54.02\00:29:55.59
But there may be one that
you maybe want to be a part of,
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.43
and you can make
contact with them,
00:29:58.46\00:30:00.66
or contact us here at 3ABN.
00:30:00.70\00:30:03.10
We've got four more
ministries in our last segment.
00:30:03.13\00:30:05.93
The first one is Eyes For India,
00:30:05.97\00:30:08.07
this is another
medical ministry.
00:30:08.10\00:30:10.91
The guest is Jacob
Prabhakar, he is a physician.
00:30:10.94\00:30:16.11
And John had a
chance to talk with him
00:30:16.14\00:30:18.71
doing a wonderful
work there in India.
00:30:18.75\00:30:21.78
That will be
followed by Uplifting Him,
00:30:21.82\00:30:26.62
the guest is Kathy Hartman.
00:30:26.65\00:30:29.26
She is the field representative
for Uplifting Him.
00:30:29.29\00:30:32.36
It's a Ministry that supports
people of Mongolian heritage.
00:30:32.39\00:30:36.80
So it is targeted particularly
to the Mongolian people.
00:30:36.83\00:30:41.70
That will be followed by our
friend's Christmas Behind Bars.
00:30:41.74\00:30:45.71
This is Lemuel and Donna Vega,
part of a wonderful ministry,
00:30:45.74\00:30:49.54
part of our show Free Indeed
00:30:49.58\00:30:51.08
that it was my
pleasure along with Brad Walker,
00:30:51.11\00:30:53.35
and Lemuel Vega to co-create
that particular program.
00:30:53.38\00:30:56.75
Christmas Behind
Bars began 21 years ago,
00:30:56.79\00:30:59.99
and brings hope
to the incarcerated.
00:31:00.02\00:31:03.32
And last, but
certainly not least
00:31:03.36\00:31:05.66
is Three Angels Deaf Ministries.
00:31:05.69\00:31:09.83
Our guest is Esther Doss.
00:31:09.86\00:31:11.73
She is the
public relations officer
00:31:11.77\00:31:14.20
for Three
Angels Deaf Ministries,
00:31:14.24\00:31:17.21
and Pastor John
had a chance to spend
00:31:17.24\00:31:19.51
just a little time
00:31:19.54\00:31:20.88
with all four of these
very wonderful ministries.
00:31:20.91\00:31:26.05
Hello, this is John
Lomacang here at ASI,
00:31:26.08\00:31:28.22
2017 in Houston, Texas.
00:31:28.25\00:31:30.35
And I'm with Dr Jacob Prabhakar.
00:31:30.39\00:31:33.05
Am I saying that correctly? Yes.
00:31:33.09\00:31:34.82
Pretty close. Very close.
00:31:34.86\00:31:36.32
And he is with
Eyes For India ministry.
00:31:36.36\00:31:38.99
Good to have you here today.
00:31:39.03\00:31:40.36
Good to see you again.
Good to see you, Pastor.
00:31:40.40\00:31:41.80
Now for those who are watching
maybe for the first time,
00:31:41.83\00:31:44.20
tell us what Eyes
For India is all about?
00:31:44.23\00:31:46.84
Eyes For India is a
ministry to the people of India.
00:31:46.87\00:31:50.61
India has the
population of 1.3 billion,
00:31:50.64\00:31:53.84
and 15 million
of them are blind.
00:31:53.88\00:31:56.11
Eyes For India goes to
the people where they are,
00:31:56.14\00:31:58.28
just like the method of
Jesus, going to the people,
00:31:58.31\00:32:01.02
meeting their physical needs,
00:32:01.05\00:32:03.35
and also not only
opening the physical eyes,
00:32:03.39\00:32:06.52
but opening the
spiritual eyes of the people.
00:32:06.55\00:32:08.79
Our ministry is
in the Hindu temples,
00:32:08.82\00:32:10.76
and Sikh temples,
00:32:10.79\00:32:12.13
and Muslim
communities across India
00:32:12.16\00:32:14.33
into the interior parts
00:32:14.36\00:32:15.70
where there is no help,
there is no health care,
00:32:15.73\00:32:17.87
and we go to the
people, help them,
00:32:17.90\00:32:20.10
and give them a Steps to
Christ booklet, or a Bible,
00:32:20.14\00:32:23.07
or a Great Controversy,
00:32:23.10\00:32:24.44
and then tell
them to follow Jesus.
00:32:24.47\00:32:27.31
Now how did Eyes
For India get started?
00:32:27.34\00:32:30.41
Eyes For India was born in 2012
00:32:30.45\00:32:32.51
when we were
looking for sponsors,
00:32:32.55\00:32:33.98
and people who could help us.
00:32:34.02\00:32:35.48
In 2012, a rich person
came forward to help us,
00:32:35.52\00:32:40.32
and since then there's
been a tremendous impact,
00:32:40.36\00:32:42.56
and we are helping more than
00:32:42.59\00:32:44.39
10,000 to 12,000
people across India in a year,
00:32:44.43\00:32:47.73
and this is going
in such a big way.
00:32:47.76\00:32:50.23
And many people not only
00:32:50.27\00:32:51.60
opening the eyes
of the blind people,
00:32:51.63\00:32:53.23
but opening the spiritual eyes
along with the physical eyes.
00:32:53.27\00:32:56.84
So not only are they
getting physical help,
00:32:56.87\00:32:59.14
but it's also
helping their spiritual life.
00:32:59.17\00:33:00.84
Is that
correct? Right. Yes, yes.
00:33:00.88\00:33:02.54
We along with the
opening the eyes, we...
00:33:02.58\00:33:05.41
After surgery,
we pray with them,
00:33:05.45\00:33:07.75
we talk to them about Jesus,
and share the love of Jesus,
00:33:07.78\00:33:11.42
and give them a Steps to Christ
booklet and a Help booklet
00:33:11.45\00:33:13.82
and see, and to know that,
00:33:13.86\00:33:16.12
you know, at the end of surgery,
00:33:16.16\00:33:17.49
these people or
patients go back excited,
00:33:17.53\00:33:19.26
praising the name of Jesus.
00:33:19.29\00:33:20.83
Now it's amazing to me.
00:33:20.86\00:33:22.20
I know a little bit
about Eyes For India,
00:33:22.23\00:33:23.57
but how large is
the medical staff
00:33:23.60\00:33:25.67
for Eyes of India?
00:33:25.70\00:33:27.04
In other words, how
many doctors are doing
00:33:27.07\00:33:28.40
the eye surgeries?
00:33:28.44\00:33:29.77
Our team is a small team
about eight to ten people.
00:33:29.80\00:33:32.41
We travel across in a bus
into the interiors as far as
00:33:32.44\00:33:36.44
two to three days
of traveling in a bus,
00:33:36.48\00:33:38.81
and go to the
interiors and help them.
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.65
But we take the help of a
lot of volunteers, locals,
00:33:40.68\00:33:43.15
wherein we take their help
00:33:43.18\00:33:44.59
and help all
the patients around.
00:33:44.62\00:33:46.99
How do you find your
patients? We go to the people.
00:33:47.02\00:33:49.62
We identify patients in
villages, and gather them,
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.86
and bring them, bring
them to the nearest hospital,
00:33:52.89\00:33:54.93
and we operate them.
00:33:54.96\00:33:56.30
On a single
day, we meet about...
00:33:56.33\00:33:58.97
We screen about 1,500 patients.
00:33:59.00\00:34:01.40
We gather about 250 patients,
00:34:01.44\00:34:03.91
operate them in
about six to eight hours
00:34:03.94\00:34:07.11
our surgeries would finish.
00:34:07.14\00:34:08.54
And how long does a
removal of a cataract take,
00:34:08.58\00:34:11.01
at least, for you?
00:34:11.05\00:34:12.51
We devised a small procedure
00:34:12.55\00:34:14.58
that finishes in
less than two minutes.
00:34:14.62\00:34:16.72
One minute to two minutes,
30, 35 surgeries in one hour,
00:34:16.75\00:34:19.82
about 465 surgeries
we could do in a day,
00:34:19.85\00:34:23.12
and about 2,400
surgeries in one week.
00:34:23.16\00:34:25.56
Wow, that's a lot.
00:34:25.59\00:34:26.93
And so I've been
looking at your record.
00:34:26.96\00:34:28.86
How many surgeries
have you done so far?
00:34:28.90\00:34:31.37
We praise God
00:34:31.40\00:34:32.73
for these
numbers, these numbers.
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.10
The credit goes to Jesus
because it's doctor Jesus
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.37
who's helping us
to do these surgeries.
00:34:36.40\00:34:38.11
We have done,
I've done personally
00:34:38.14\00:34:39.47
about more than
120,000 surgeries.
00:34:39.51\00:34:41.11
Wow.
00:34:41.14\00:34:42.48
So when the Bible says,
opening the eyes of the blind.
00:34:42.51\00:34:44.18
That's not only spiritual
but that's also literal.
00:34:44.21\00:34:46.98
How can people watching
and listening to the program
00:34:47.02\00:34:49.15
get involved?
00:34:49.18\00:34:51.99
One cataract
surgery causes less than,
00:34:52.02\00:34:54.22
you know, it
just cost about $75.
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.32
It's not even a cell
phone bill in a month.
00:34:56.36\00:34:59.69
If you're willing to help
us, and help the people see
00:34:59.73\00:35:03.23
not only
physically and spiritually,
00:35:03.26\00:35:04.93
you could go to
website, rnmh, rnmhospital.org,
00:35:04.97\00:35:10.91
or it is
written.org or Eyes For India.
00:35:10.94\00:35:13.84
You will be able to
find ways and means to help
00:35:13.88\00:35:18.35
Eyes For India so
that we could reach
00:35:18.38\00:35:20.08
into the many, many
parts of the country
00:35:20.12\00:35:23.62
and help many people.
00:35:23.65\00:35:24.99
That's rnm hospital...
00:35:25.02\00:35:27.09
.org. .org.
00:35:27.12\00:35:29.26
I'm with Kathy Hartman
of Uplifting Him Ministries.
00:35:29.29\00:35:32.43
Kathy, good to
be with you today.
00:35:32.46\00:35:34.40
Tell us about
Uplifting Him Ministries?
00:35:34.43\00:35:37.27
Uplifting Him
Ministries began in 2007
00:35:37.30\00:35:40.20
when I saw the great need
00:35:40.24\00:35:42.50
that of Mongolians
not knowing Jesus Christ.
00:35:42.54\00:35:45.44
We were teaching
English in a close country.
00:35:45.47\00:35:48.04
And they were people
there who had never...
00:35:48.08\00:35:50.45
Mongolians there who had
never heard of Jesus Christ.
00:35:50.48\00:35:53.21
And one dear girl said,
00:35:53.25\00:35:55.78
"I have never
heard of Jesus Christ.
00:35:55.82\00:35:57.95
My family has
never heard of Him.
00:35:57.99\00:35:59.65
And no one in my
village has heard of Him."
00:35:59.69\00:36:02.32
And God put the
burden on our heart
00:36:02.36\00:36:04.19
that the Mongolian Christians,
00:36:04.23\00:36:07.46
Adventists in Mongolia
could come to other places,
00:36:07.50\00:36:10.67
and reach these people
00:36:10.70\00:36:12.03
with a good
news of Jesus Christ.
00:36:12.07\00:36:13.40
Now how did you
get to choose Mongolia?
00:36:13.44\00:36:15.70
Well, back in 1991, God led
my late husband Brad Charlie
00:36:15.74\00:36:19.34
and myself to Mongolia,
00:36:19.37\00:36:21.18
and there was no
Seventh-day Adventist
00:36:21.21\00:36:22.94
to meet us there at that time.
00:36:22.98\00:36:25.18
And what does your
ministry entailing?
00:36:25.21\00:36:27.12
What is the ministry,
what do you do for the people?
00:36:27.15\00:36:29.68
We want to reach Jesus,
00:36:29.72\00:36:31.35
reach Mongolians
for Jesus Christ.
00:36:31.39\00:36:34.72
Now are there
any service oriented?
00:36:34.76\00:36:36.56
I mean, you share the gospel,
you tell them about Jesus.
00:36:36.59\00:36:39.79
But are there any
service oriented things
00:36:39.83\00:36:41.86
that reach their daily lives?
00:36:41.90\00:36:44.83
Well, we have several projects
of trying to reach children
00:36:44.87\00:36:47.97
because almost
half the population
00:36:48.00\00:36:49.64
are children and young people.
00:36:49.67\00:36:51.84
And so there's many different
children's ministries things
00:36:51.87\00:36:53.98
we could do to reach children,
00:36:54.01\00:36:55.81
reaching one to
strengthen the members,
00:36:55.84\00:36:58.61
we want to reach families.
00:36:58.65\00:37:00.62
We have many different projects,
00:37:00.65\00:37:02.38
but our current
biggest project is Gateway
00:37:02.42\00:37:05.35
which is establishing a
Seventh-day Adventist Academy
00:37:05.39\00:37:08.62
so that the young
people can continue
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.83
with the Adventist education.
00:37:10.86\00:37:13.19
Now personally what
are they holding school,
00:37:13.23\00:37:15.93
and since you talk
about an Adventist Academy
00:37:15.96\00:37:17.83
as far as a future project,
00:37:17.87\00:37:19.67
where they're
holding school now?
00:37:19.70\00:37:21.20
Well, right now, there
is an elementary school
00:37:21.24\00:37:23.41
in one of the
churches in the capital city.
00:37:23.44\00:37:27.58
But there's...
00:37:27.61\00:37:28.94
They need something
that they can go beyond that.
00:37:28.98\00:37:32.15
And so with the Gateway School,
there will be a health reach,
00:37:32.18\00:37:36.12
have health center,
have occasional training,
00:37:36.15\00:37:38.72
agriculture as well
as recreation center.
00:37:38.75\00:37:42.52
And how can
people that are watching,
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.49
or listening to the program say,
00:37:44.53\00:37:46.09
"Hey, I want to get involved.
00:37:46.13\00:37:47.46
I want to be
able to finance that.
00:37:47.50\00:37:48.83
I want to be a part of
that, maybe a volunteer.
00:37:48.86\00:37:50.30
How can they get involved?
00:37:50.33\00:37:51.90
They can go to our
website, upliftinghim.org.
00:37:51.93\00:37:55.24
They can also go
straight to the Gateway website,
00:37:55.27\00:37:58.97
gatewayiec.org.
00:37:59.01\00:38:01.18
Okay. Now how many people
are involved in this ministry?
00:38:01.21\00:38:04.68
I know you are one, but
do you have a large staff?
00:38:04.71\00:38:07.25
Or do people just
come and volunteer
00:38:07.28\00:38:09.02
from the United States
or other parts of the world?
00:38:09.05\00:38:11.35
Well, this, the Gateway program
00:38:11.39\00:38:13.56
is with this
Seventh-day Adventist Mission
00:38:13.59\00:38:17.33
in Mongolia and Uplifting Him,
00:38:17.36\00:38:19.56
and we're doing a joint project
for this to try to help people
00:38:19.59\00:38:22.83
be aware of the
great need there.
00:38:22.86\00:38:24.97
So people can come and volunteer
00:38:25.00\00:38:27.04
six months or a year,
or how does that work?
00:38:27.07\00:38:30.31
Right now, we're in
the building process,
00:38:30.34\00:38:32.41
so we can take
volunteers to come
00:38:32.44\00:38:34.11
and help with the building.
00:38:34.14\00:38:35.48
And also once that
the school is going,
00:38:35.51\00:38:37.45
we need all the staff,
and so there's a lot of needs.
00:38:37.48\00:38:41.48
So you cover
many different topics
00:38:41.52\00:38:43.89
like maths, religion, science,
00:38:43.92\00:38:46.45
all those
different types of things?
00:38:46.49\00:38:47.82
Yes, the academy
will be in English.
00:38:47.86\00:38:50.06
And we're doing cooperation
with Griggs University.
00:38:50.09\00:38:52.73
And so it... Wow.
00:38:52.76\00:38:54.33
The students will get
a US High School diploma.
00:38:54.36\00:38:58.13
Oh, wonderful, wonderful.
00:38:58.17\00:38:59.67
Now is this any cost
00:38:59.70\00:39:01.04
to the people
that go to the school?
00:39:01.07\00:39:02.44
Or is the cost being shouldered
by the people that donate?
00:39:02.47\00:39:07.08
The students will
pay to go to the school.
00:39:07.11\00:39:08.98
Okay. Yes.
00:39:09.01\00:39:10.35
But fairly minimal,
since it's in a community
00:39:10.38\00:39:12.65
where they can't
afford very much.
00:39:12.68\00:39:14.32
Right, there are
three international schools
00:39:14.35\00:39:16.95
already in Mongolia.
00:39:16.99\00:39:18.55
And so it's appealing
to the wealthier class,
00:39:18.59\00:39:21.46
and then with the scholarships
with that be enable to send
00:39:21.49\00:39:24.89
the Adventist young people.
00:39:24.93\00:39:26.26
Wow, wow.
00:39:26.29\00:39:27.63
Kathy, this is
such a worthy project.
00:39:27.66\00:39:29.00
We know that the Lord is
going to bless tremendously
00:39:29.03\00:39:30.77
as He puts together the
academy, send the finances,
00:39:30.80\00:39:33.97
and also those people
that will uplift Jesus,
00:39:34.00\00:39:36.71
and lead others to
get to know who He is.
00:39:36.74\00:39:38.91
Well, I tell you,
00:39:38.94\00:39:40.28
we pray that you'll
participate in one way
00:39:40.31\00:39:41.94
either by your prayers,
or your financial support.
00:39:41.98\00:39:45.25
Hello, I'm John Lomacang
here in Houston, Texas at ASI,
00:39:45.28\00:39:48.18
2017 with the founder and CEO
00:39:48.22\00:39:51.45
and director of
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:39:51.49\00:39:53.62
Lemuel Vega.
Lemuel, so good to see you.
00:39:53.66\00:39:55.82
I know you are really...
We are really good friends.
00:39:55.86\00:39:58.29
You've been so involved in 3ABN,
00:39:58.33\00:40:00.00
but there's somebody
watching this program
00:40:00.03\00:40:02.03
that may not know what
Christmas Behind Bars is,
00:40:02.06\00:40:05.13
since Christmas
comes once a year.
00:40:05.17\00:40:06.50
That's right.
00:40:06.53\00:40:07.87
Christmas Behind Bars
started about 21 years ago
00:40:07.90\00:40:09.50
making some simple gift packages
00:40:09.54\00:40:11.27
to take to the
folk that are in jail.
00:40:11.31\00:40:12.67
Because when
you're incarcerated,
00:40:12.71\00:40:14.38
Christmas is long
this time of the year.
00:40:14.41\00:40:17.55
And so how did you get up?
00:40:17.58\00:40:19.51
How did you come up
00:40:19.55\00:40:20.88
with a concept of
Christmas Behind Bars?
00:40:20.92\00:40:22.45
John, when I was in prison,
00:40:22.48\00:40:23.82
there were people
that came to visit me
00:40:23.85\00:40:25.39
to read and study the Bible,
00:40:25.42\00:40:26.92
and bring some things
from the outside world
00:40:26.96\00:40:29.06
that we didn't have
and it impacted my life.
00:40:29.09\00:40:31.46
And when I gave
my heart to Christ,
00:40:31.49\00:40:34.06
then He
orchestrated a prison ministry,
00:40:34.10\00:40:37.07
and it got called
Christmas Behind Bars.
00:40:37.10\00:40:39.53
And so you're
from the inside out,
00:40:39.57\00:40:43.04
now from the outside in.
00:40:43.07\00:40:45.17
If I could use it,
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.54
how have you seen Christmas
Behind Bars impact lives?
00:40:46.57\00:40:49.24
You know, they say that about
98% of the prison population
00:40:49.28\00:40:52.31
come out to these programs
00:40:52.35\00:40:54.15
so there's all face
denominations in walks of life.
00:40:54.18\00:40:56.99
There's hurting
people in a place
00:40:57.02\00:40:58.82
that they don't want to be,
00:40:58.85\00:41:00.19
and we see them living
with hope, the Bible studies,
00:41:00.22\00:41:02.92
the book request,
there's been baptisms.
00:41:02.96\00:41:06.06
We're just sowing
seeds for the kingdom.
00:41:06.09\00:41:07.70
We don't have numbers
00:41:07.73\00:41:09.06
of how many people have
given their heart to Christ,
00:41:09.10\00:41:11.53
but we're just sowing
seeds for the kingdom.
00:41:11.57\00:41:13.44
And having been involved
in Christmas Behind Bars,
00:41:13.47\00:41:15.40
I remember getting together
00:41:15.44\00:41:16.77
putting all the
baskets together,
00:41:16.81\00:41:18.14
and all the
boxes and the cereal,
00:41:18.17\00:41:20.41
and the
magazines, and the chips,
00:41:20.44\00:41:22.68
and all the things
00:41:22.71\00:41:24.05
that people are
looking forward to.
00:41:24.08\00:41:25.41
But when you go behind bars,
00:41:25.45\00:41:26.78
you're not just
changing their lives
00:41:26.82\00:41:28.15
with the things
you give to them,
00:41:28.18\00:41:29.52
but inside that packet
00:41:29.55\00:41:30.89
is something else
that's even more eternal.
00:41:30.92\00:41:33.05
What is that?
00:41:33.09\00:41:34.42
Ironically, John,
you probably helped
00:41:34.46\00:41:35.79
put one of those
packages together
00:41:35.82\00:41:37.16
for a young man named David,
00:41:37.19\00:41:38.59
and he received
the Desire of Ages,
00:41:38.63\00:41:40.13
and he gave his life to Christ,
00:41:40.16\00:41:41.50
and he was just
baptized months ago.
00:41:41.53\00:41:43.23
So the food will long be gone,
00:41:43.26\00:41:44.70
but it's the
books, the Bible studies,
00:41:44.73\00:41:46.30
it's the
handshakes, and the smiles,
00:41:46.33\00:41:48.30
and the gift of
love to let them know
00:41:48.34\00:41:49.67
that God loves them,
and they're not forgotten.
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.44
So Christmas Behind Bars
is a year around ministry
00:41:51.47\00:41:53.81
to bring hope to
the incarcerated.
00:41:53.84\00:41:55.54
And is it just for male
prisons or female prisons?
00:41:55.58\00:41:57.88
Tell me about that?
00:41:57.91\00:41:59.25
Juveniles, men,
women, people on death row,
00:41:59.28\00:42:01.88
people who are
on suicide watches,
00:42:01.92\00:42:03.39
for every inmate
that's incarcerated,
00:42:03.42\00:42:05.15
wherever they
are if we can get in.
00:42:05.19\00:42:06.59
So when Jesus said,
00:42:06.62\00:42:07.96
He came to set the captive free.
00:42:07.99\00:42:09.32
That means, you could
be behind bars serving time
00:42:09.36\00:42:10.73
even on death row and
still find eternal life?
00:42:10.76\00:42:13.73
Internally, we can be free,
00:42:13.76\00:42:15.10
and have a purpose in this
life unto everlasting life.
00:42:15.13\00:42:18.13
Now what keeps you going?
00:42:18.17\00:42:19.50
Because you know,
you said, 21 years,
00:42:19.53\00:42:21.00
you're still out there.
00:42:21.04\00:42:22.37
What keeps you
and your family going?
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.41
It's a love of God.
00:42:24.44\00:42:25.77
It inspires us to and
energizes us day-after-day.
00:42:25.81\00:42:29.11
And then it's the volunteers
and sponsors that help
00:42:29.14\00:42:31.21
make this ministry
possible because it's not us.
00:42:31.25\00:42:34.22
Now how can people get
involved because it's financial,
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.48
I mean, the financial burden
is tremendous, I know that.
00:42:36.52\00:42:38.99
How can people get
involved financially?
00:42:39.02\00:42:40.72
They can contact us at
christmasbehindbars.org.
00:42:40.76\00:42:43.96
We do need, there
are some things we need,
00:42:43.99\00:42:45.99
some equipment
and different things,
00:42:46.03\00:42:47.36
but we need their
love, and their prayers,
00:42:47.40\00:42:49.40
and the devotional materials
are what keeps on giving.
00:42:49.43\00:42:52.33
Now can people also go
to the prisons with you?
00:42:52.37\00:42:54.84
Absolutely, yeah,
they can contact us.
00:42:54.87\00:42:56.84
We'll be visiting a
prison in Arkansas next week.
00:42:56.87\00:43:00.04
We just got back
from South Carolina
00:43:00.08\00:43:01.61
a couple weeks ago,
September be Alabama.
00:43:01.64\00:43:03.58
So yeah, if they'd like
00:43:03.61\00:43:04.95
to get their prison
ministry team involved,
00:43:04.98\00:43:07.05
or invite us to
one of their prisons
00:43:07.08\00:43:08.42
that they're already
actively involved in,
00:43:08.45\00:43:10.32
that would be phenomenal.
00:43:10.35\00:43:11.69
That's how it grows.
00:43:11.72\00:43:13.05
And you'll never know the impact
00:43:13.09\00:43:14.42
until eternity rolls?
00:43:14.46\00:43:15.79
That's right.
00:43:15.82\00:43:17.16
So this is your
passion? Absolutely.
00:43:17.19\00:43:18.53
And you're looking forward
to not only giving people gifts,
00:43:18.56\00:43:20.10
but introducing them to
the gift of eternal life?
00:43:20.13\00:43:22.60
And that's the gift of 3ABN.
00:43:22.63\00:43:24.20
And we thank them
for what they're doing
00:43:24.23\00:43:25.57
there this across the world.
00:43:25.60\00:43:26.94
Thank you.
00:43:26.97\00:43:28.30
Now somebody might
say, "I don't have a gift."
00:43:28.34\00:43:29.67
What do you say to
them? They can pray.
00:43:29.70\00:43:31.04
Keep us in their prayers. Okay.
00:43:31.07\00:43:32.77
Well, Lemuel, thank you so much
00:43:32.81\00:43:34.48
for all you do for
the kingdom of God.
00:43:34.51\00:43:36.14
And once again, that website...
00:43:36.18\00:43:37.71
christmasbehindbars.org
00:43:37.75\00:43:39.31
Okay, thank you.
00:43:39.35\00:43:40.68
I'm with Esther Doss today,
Three Angels Deaf Ministries.
00:43:40.72\00:43:44.12
Esther, good to
have you here today.
00:43:44.15\00:43:45.62
Yes.
00:43:45.65\00:43:46.99
Tell me, what, and why, and how?
00:43:47.02\00:43:49.46
Let's begin with the why?
00:43:49.49\00:43:50.83
Why does Three Angels
Deaf Ministries exist?
00:43:50.86\00:43:53.50
We're here
00:43:53.53\00:43:54.86
because there are
two million deaf people
00:43:54.90\00:43:56.23
in North America,
00:43:56.26\00:43:57.60
and we find that
only 2% to 4% of them
00:43:57.63\00:43:59.83
go to church anywhere.
00:43:59.87\00:44:01.34
So 98%, 96% of deaf people
00:44:01.37\00:44:03.87
all over the United States
and Canada don't go anywhere.
00:44:03.91\00:44:06.27
They don't have a really
close relationship with Jesus.
00:44:06.31\00:44:09.11
And we also found that
00:44:09.14\00:44:10.48
there are just about
300 or more Adventists.
00:44:10.51\00:44:13.21
And so the work here is great.
00:44:13.25\00:44:15.95
What was the impetus behind
getting this ministry started?
00:44:15.98\00:44:19.99
Well, actually the
church had organized work
00:44:20.02\00:44:22.89
with Christian Record Services,
00:44:22.92\00:44:24.59
they had a deaf
service department.
00:44:24.63\00:44:27.03
However, in 1997, they
closed that department,
00:44:27.06\00:44:29.46
and then there
wasn't anything organized
00:44:29.50\00:44:31.23
for the deaf ministry.
00:44:31.27\00:44:32.60
And so what we did is
we started this ministry,
00:44:32.63\00:44:36.07
it is organized by
deaf people themselves,
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.71
and it's meeting the needs
00:44:38.74\00:44:40.08
not only of
those that are members,
00:44:40.11\00:44:41.98
but also to do
evangelistic work.
00:44:42.01\00:44:44.08
Okay, now your field of outreach
00:44:44.11\00:44:45.61
is it just the United
States or the world at large?
00:44:45.65\00:44:48.55
Primarily, it is
in the United States,
00:44:48.58\00:44:50.82
but we also try to
minister to other places
00:44:50.85\00:44:53.69
around the world as we can.
00:44:53.72\00:44:55.12
American Sign Language
is not a universal language,
00:44:55.16\00:44:57.39
it's not used
all around the world,
00:44:57.43\00:44:58.76
but places where they are,
00:44:58.79\00:45:00.13
we try to help
those areas as well.
00:45:00.16\00:45:01.93
What are some of the
materials that you use
00:45:01.96\00:45:03.53
to accomplish your mission?
00:45:03.57\00:45:05.23
We use a lot of DVDs,
00:45:05.27\00:45:06.60
and that's because
American Sign Language
00:45:06.63\00:45:08.30
is the primary
language for deaf people,
00:45:08.34\00:45:11.04
it's non English.
00:45:11.07\00:45:12.41
And so that's why,
books and closed captioning
00:45:12.44\00:45:14.91
might be helpful,
00:45:14.94\00:45:16.28
but it is sign language
that will reach the deaf.
00:45:16.31\00:45:19.21
Now, there are a lot
of television ministries
00:45:19.25\00:45:20.95
that are Adventist
geared, Christian geared,
00:45:20.98\00:45:22.78
what can they do to be able
to facilitate helping the deaf?
00:45:22.82\00:45:26.49
I appreciate that question.
00:45:26.52\00:45:28.16
The main thing would be
to put closed captioning
00:45:28.19\00:45:29.89
on their programming.
00:45:29.92\00:45:31.26
And perhaps if
that doesn't work,
00:45:31.29\00:45:32.63
or if they could also
incorporate interpreter,
00:45:32.66\00:45:34.13
that would be wonderful.
00:45:34.16\00:45:35.50
Now the reason I mentioned those
00:45:35.53\00:45:37.37
because 3ABN is
actively taking the role
00:45:37.40\00:45:39.70
in putting closed captioning.
00:45:39.73\00:45:41.47
What about physical materials
that could help the deaf also?
00:45:41.50\00:45:44.61
What are some of the
things that we can help produce?
00:45:44.64\00:45:46.21
Well, I really...
00:45:46.24\00:45:47.58
First of all, I want
to say thank you to 3ABN
00:45:47.61\00:45:48.94
for putting closed
captioning on there.
00:45:48.98\00:45:50.31
Many deaf members
themselves had told to me
00:45:50.35\00:45:51.68
how blessed they are by that.
00:45:51.71\00:45:53.75
As far as other things,
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.12
you know, the sign
language is the primary thing.
00:45:55.15\00:45:57.12
Anything that we
can do in sign language,
00:45:57.15\00:45:59.32
whether it be interpretation,
or on DVD, or programming,
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.59
whether it be online,
or whatever it may be,
00:46:02.62\00:46:05.36
sign language is important.
00:46:05.39\00:46:07.26
And how is the
organization supported?
00:46:07.30\00:46:10.13
It is primarily donor supported.
00:46:10.17\00:46:12.53
We do receive some funding
00:46:12.57\00:46:13.90
from the North American division
00:46:13.94\00:46:15.27
because we are their
resource for deaf ministries.
00:46:15.30\00:46:17.81
So they do supply some
of our funds that we need,
00:46:17.84\00:46:21.14
but we also are
very dependent on donors.
00:46:21.18\00:46:23.35
And how do you
reach out to the churches?
00:46:23.38\00:46:24.91
I mean, is there a
staff that you have,
00:46:24.95\00:46:26.51
and how do you get
to the local churches?
00:46:26.55\00:46:28.42
Our staff is very, very small.
00:46:28.45\00:46:30.29
And so we go to
venues like this at ASI
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.32
where we can try to
network with people in churches.
00:46:32.35\00:46:35.22
We do work with local churches,
we work with a new organ...
00:46:35.26\00:46:39.39
You know, North
American Division
00:46:39.43\00:46:40.76
now has deaf
ministries coordinators,
00:46:40.80\00:46:42.13
and we're working
with them to try to get out
00:46:42.16\00:46:43.50
to the conferences,
and unions, and churches.
00:46:43.53\00:46:45.47
How can people get involved in?
00:46:45.50\00:46:46.97
If you have a website,
00:46:47.00\00:46:48.34
how can we get in touch with you
00:46:48.37\00:46:49.70
through that website?
00:46:49.74\00:46:51.07
Okay. Our website is 3adm.org.
00:46:51.11\00:46:53.68
I'll say it again 3adm.org.
00:46:53.71\00:46:57.05
And...
00:46:57.08\00:46:59.21
You can reach us
through the website,
00:46:59.25\00:47:00.58
we have all of our
contact information there.
00:47:00.62\00:47:02.72
If a person want to get involved
00:47:02.75\00:47:04.09
as far as a
volunteer, how will they do it?
00:47:04.12\00:47:06.15
Well, we could
always use some volunteers.
00:47:06.19\00:47:08.16
You know, primarily
we need people to pray.
00:47:08.19\00:47:10.33
And of course, we
can always use donors.
00:47:10.36\00:47:12.03
I don't know any
organization that doesn't.
00:47:12.06\00:47:14.13
But we need people on the ground
00:47:14.16\00:47:17.10
that are willing to make
friends with deaf people,
00:47:17.13\00:47:18.70
that are willing to go out there
00:47:18.73\00:47:20.07
and just be a
friend, be a family member
00:47:20.10\00:47:22.77
in their local churches.
00:47:22.80\00:47:24.14
Well, Esther, thank you so much
for bringing to our attention
00:47:24.17\00:47:26.47
the important need for
getting the gospel to everyone,
00:47:26.51\00:47:30.18
those who can hear,
those who cannot hear,
00:47:30.21\00:47:31.78
those who can see
00:47:31.81\00:47:33.15
because only then will
the gospel be finished.
00:47:33.18\00:47:35.28
Well, as you've heard,
00:47:35.32\00:47:36.65
there's a great need
for the deaf ministry.
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.02
So on behalf of ASI, 2017
in Houston, Texas, and 3ABN,
00:47:38.05\00:47:41.92
this is John Lomacang.
00:47:41.96\00:47:44.19
We've been pleased to
give you a window into ten
00:47:44.23\00:47:48.16
very, very wonderful ministries
00:47:48.20\00:47:51.23
that are really
ministries for the end time
00:47:51.27\00:47:54.20
because of their
pragmatic way of dealing
00:47:54.24\00:47:59.24
with the problems of today.
00:47:59.27\00:48:00.78
These are not just
preaching ministries,
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.18
these are hands on the wheel,
00:48:02.21\00:48:05.01
rubber meets the road ministries
00:48:05.05\00:48:06.95
that are touching
and meeting felt needs.
00:48:06.98\00:48:10.85
We had Adventist
Frontier Missions,
00:48:10.89\00:48:12.72
1.7 billion people,
00:48:12.75\00:48:14.62
they're trying
to reach for Christ.
00:48:14.66\00:48:16.19
Your Best Pathway to Health
00:48:16.22\00:48:19.26
making a great
difference in cities.
00:48:19.29\00:48:21.10
Mafgia, a very
specialized ministry.
00:48:21.13\00:48:24.03
Adventist Help begun
in 2015 by ASI, Europe.
00:48:24.07\00:48:27.84
Adventist Medical
Evangelism Network
00:48:27.87\00:48:29.74
started by Mark
Finley, some 13 years ago.
00:48:29.77\00:48:32.67
Maranatha
Volunteers begun in 1969.
00:48:32.71\00:48:36.81
Eyes For India, a new ministry.
00:48:36.85\00:48:38.85
Uplifting Him
targeting Mongolia.
00:48:38.88\00:48:41.48
Christmas Behind
Bars, some 21 years old.
00:48:41.52\00:48:45.19
And Three
Angels Deaf Ministries,
00:48:45.22\00:48:47.59
all of these are
wonderful ministries
00:48:47.62\00:48:50.06
that are doing a
great work for the Lord.
00:48:50.09\00:48:52.13
Remember them in your
prayers and with your support.
00:48:52.16\00:48:55.10
Our time has fast
slipped into eternity.
00:48:55.13\00:48:57.07
Allow me now on
closing to wish you
00:48:57.10\00:48:58.43
both grace and peace
00:48:58.47\00:49:00.04
through our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:49:00.07\00:49:01.70
We'll see again soon.
Bye-bye and God bless.
00:49:01.74\00:49:04.67