Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY017112A
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00:02 I want to spend my life
00:08 Mending broken people 00:13 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:35 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:10 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn 01:11 and we welcome you once again to 3ABN Today. 01:15 We're so glad that you've tuned in 01:17 as you do each and every day. 01:19 And we just want to take this opportunity 01:21 to thank you from the bottom of our hearts 01:24 for your prayerful support of 3ABN. 01:27 We thank you for your prayers, 01:29 your love and your financial donations 01:31 because this ministry, we partnered together, 01:34 this ministry belongs to the Lord 01:37 but we are His hands and His feet, 01:41 I guess you could say. 01:42 And we're so grateful that you've partnered with us. 01:45 Before I introduce our guest 01:47 and we've got a wonderful story today. 01:50 But before I introduce our guests, 01:52 I wanted to read you a scripture 01:54 and you'll see why I chose this scripture 01:56 in just a moment. 01:58 But this is Acts 2:17 and 18. 02:02 And this is what the Bible says, 02:05 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, 02:08 says God," this is the Lord speaking, 02:10 they're quoting that, 02:11 "I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh. 02:15 Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men 02:19 shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 02:22 And on My men servants and on My maid servants, 02:26 I will pour out my Spirit in those days 02:28 and they shall prophesy." 02:30 They shall tell the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 02:36 We have two beautiful people with us today. 02:39 No old men but someone who is a true prayer warrior 02:45 and has had dreams from God 02:47 and these dreams are being fulfilled. 02:50 So let me introduce you to our special guests. 02:52 First we have Beatriz Rodrigues. 02:55 Beatriz, you are the director 02:58 for the African Mission for Jesus, is that...? 03:02 Yes. 03:03 Well, we're so glad you're here. 03:05 Thank you. Thank you. 03:06 You're from New Jersey? Yes. 03:07 All right. 03:09 And we're going to learn your story 03:11 and a little more about the mission. 03:13 But sitting next to her, 03:15 we have Anthony, who I will call Tony. 03:19 Anthony Ponterio Jr. you're a Junior? 03:24 Yes, that's correct. Okay. 03:26 And you are the co-director 03:27 for the African Mission for Jesus? 03:29 Yes, I am. 03:31 Well, we're very grateful that you're both here 03:33 to tell a great story. 03:36 This is their first time on television 03:38 and I've told them that you guys don't bite, 03:40 so they can relax and be themselves. 03:44 But before we get into the story, 03:46 we've got Danny Shelton's niece, 03:49 Gerri Lynn is with us today. 03:52 And what Gerri Lynn is going to be singing for us... 03:55 This is Gerri Lynn Mendenhall and she will be singing 03:59 "If There Ever was A Time". 04:16 If there ever was a time 04:19 I needed You before 04:24 Lord, I need You now 04:28 And if there ever was a trial 04:32 I couldn't handle on my own 04:36 That's how this feels somehow 04:41 And if there ever was a child 04:45 Crying out for help 04:49 That's what this song's about 04:54 If there ever was a time I needed You before 05:01 Lord, I need You now 05:07 If there ever was a Friend 05:10 Who always kept His word 05:14 Lord, I know it's You 05:19 For there's never been a time 05:22 That You've left me all alone 05:26 Or been untrue 05:30 And if I know anything 05:35 It's that You will meet my need 05:39 Just like You always do 05:45 So I'm leaning on Your Love 05:47 And counting on Your Grace 05:51 Just to see me through 05:55 I need You to remind me 06:01 How Faithful You have been 06:08 And when I'm at my weakest 06:14 That's where 06:15 Your Grace begins 06:21 If there ever was a time 06:25 I needed You before 06:30 Lord, I need You now 06:34 And if there was a trial 06:37 I couldn't handle on my own 06:42 That's how this feels somehow 06:47 And if there ever was a child 06:51 Crying out for help 06:55 That's what this song's about, all about 07:01 If there ever was a time 07:03 I needed You before 07:07 Lord, I need You now 07:13 If there ever was a Friend 07:16 Lord, I know it's You 07:20 And I need You now 07:27 I need 07:31 You now 07:43 Amen. 07:44 If there ever was a time that we need Jesus, it is now. 07:47 And, you know, it is, I believe with all my heart, 07:51 we're in the last days. 07:53 And I don't know if that means... 07:55 I used to say, "Well, I'm not sure 07:56 Christ will come during my lifetime 07:59 'cause I'm not a young chicken anymore." 08:04 But now I'm beginning to wonder, Tony, 08:07 if He might not, you know, so He's coming soon. 08:11 But people around the world need 08:13 to hear about Jesus. 08:14 And I've got two people here with me on the set, 08:17 beautiful people, 08:19 and once again we have Beatriz Rodrigues 08:23 and Tony Ponterio. 08:25 You're with the African Mission for Jesus. 08:28 But before we start about what that is, 08:31 I think that our audience 08:34 would love to hear a little of your testimony. 08:36 So I'm gonna start with you, Beatriz. 08:38 Yes. 08:39 You grew up in a Nazarene home. 08:41 Now I just have to say, 08:43 I've had about 15 minutes to talk with these people 08:46 and it took me about four minutes to recognize 08:48 when Beatriz started talking. 08:50 This woman is a prayer warrior. 08:53 And she's had the call of God on her life 08:56 from the time she was quite young. 08:58 You grew up in a Nazarene Christian home. 09:02 But when you... Where was that by the way? 09:04 Where are you from? I'm from Cape Verde. 09:08 Cape Verde is a colony Portuguese 09:11 in the West Coast of Africa. 09:13 So I was... 09:15 And I was not... 09:20 My whole family is Nazarene 09:22 and I was the first one to break it. 09:25 All right. 09:26 But it happened in such an unusual way. 09:29 You were eight years old, what happened? 09:32 I went to church and we were in a Sunday school. 09:36 Me and my brothers is eight of us. 09:39 And I was there 09:42 and a male voice come to my head and says, 09:45 "Get up and go to this house. 09:48 And this man is gonna take you." 09:52 And I get up and I walk, I walk, 09:55 and I don't let my brothers and sisters know this. 09:59 I get up and walk. 10:00 And then I went direct to a house, 10:04 like six blocks away and I knock on the door and... 10:10 Did you know who lived in this house? 10:12 No, no. Okay. 10:13 And the lady opened the door, 10:16 it looked like her daughter come 10:18 to the door and says, 10:21 "Young girl, what can I do to help you?" 10:23 I say, "I came to look for the man 10:25 who's gonna go to my mother's house 10:27 to take me to His church." 10:29 I said, "I knew my mother 10:31 would not let me go anywhere else." 10:34 And opened the door, and she tell me to come in, 10:38 I come in, and this white, pale white pastor man down, 10:43 so shows up at the door. 10:45 He says, "How can I do for you?" 10:47 And I say, 10:48 "You have to take me to church, to your church. 10:51 My mother will not let me go there." 10:54 And he says, "Where do you live?" 10:56 I say, I tell him where I live. 10:59 And he was later dispensed for the city. 11:02 And he went to my mother's house 11:04 and picked me up, 11:06 and my mother was shocked 11:08 but she didn't refused 11:10 because she had respect because he was a pastor. 11:13 And he was a Seventh-day Adventist pastor? 11:15 Seventh-day Adventist pastor 11:17 which I did not know at the time anything 11:20 about Seventh-day Adventist. 11:23 And he took me to his church 11:26 and I was very happy to be in his church. 11:29 But my mother do not let nobody know 11:33 because here in US we have all the family 11:36 from my mother's side 11:38 who put us to school and all those things. 11:41 And then she... 11:43 And they were all Nazarenes? 11:44 Yes, and she didn't want to break that. 11:46 Okay. 11:47 And my aunt who support us a lot, 11:52 she died not a long ago at 115. 11:57 Hundred and fifteen? Yes. 11:59 Wow! 12:00 Preached in the streets of New Bedford, 12:02 almost don't know, everywhere. 12:05 And then... 12:06 So from there she let me go but she had a plan. 12:11 She sent me to next island 12:13 which has the name, the next island is Fogo. 12:16 And to see if she can take me out of that. 12:20 My God make such a blessings for me 12:22 because there not only I get to the church, 12:26 five minutes from my sister house 12:27 who is married and lived there. 12:30 And it was school and church so I get both. 12:34 So you got the Seventh-day Adventist Christian education 12:37 in the church. 12:39 So essentially, you're eight years old, 12:42 the still small voice of the Lord tells you to get up 12:44 and go to a stranger's house, 12:46 you walked there, he's a pastor, 12:48 he starts taking you to church, but your mother doesn't want 12:52 to break the Nazarene tradition, 12:54 sent you off to live with your sister, 12:57 and now you've got the Adventist school 13:00 and the Adventist church. 13:01 And there I learned to be missionary 13:03 to visit the sick, to help the poor, 13:06 to make sure they have food to eat, 13:09 that is when I started. 13:11 Praise the Lord. 13:12 Now I'm gonna fast forward this. 13:14 You end up moving to the United States. 13:17 You've got this background 13:19 that's been basically inscribed on your heart now 13:24 to be a missionary 13:25 but you're now living in United States, 13:27 you've got two daughters, 13:29 you've got six grandchildren, tell... 13:31 And I have a son, 13:33 first I have a son and two daughters, yes. 13:36 And then God is going to call on you for a number of things 13:42 that we're gonna hear here in just a moment 13:44 before I jump there. 13:48 Let me start with Tony 13:50 because, Tony, you have a connection here too. 13:53 Tell us, did you grow up in a Christian home? 13:57 No, my family were Catholics. Okay. 13:59 But they weren't very strict with it. 14:02 So I had a general idea 14:04 of what the Catholic Church was about, 14:07 but I never really studied the Bible or went to church. 14:11 It wasn't until I was in my 20s, 14:13 I started to work with her friend, Paul, 14:17 and I was actually his apprentice 14:20 to be an electrician. 14:21 And as he was teaching me the trade, 14:23 he was also talking to me about God and about the Bible. 14:27 And I never heard these things before 14:30 and it just amazed me because he told me, 14:33 you know, "Buy a Bible and look it up for yourself." 14:36 So I did. 14:37 And turns out everything 14:39 that he was saying was right there the whole time. 14:41 So in the midst of my wild life... 14:46 What do you mean by wild life? 14:48 Going out to bars, drinking, doing drugs. 14:52 Okay, so you were very carnal? Yes. 14:55 Okay. Very much so. 14:58 I wasn't happy though, 14:59 even though I was doing these things. 15:01 And I didn't know why. 15:03 And I guess, the more I started to hear the truth, 15:06 the more I started to gravitate towards it. 15:10 So after working with Paul for about three years, 15:14 he introduced me to Beatriz and another church member 15:17 where they gave me Bible studies, 15:20 and it was a year after that in 2009 15:23 when I was baptized into the Adventist church. 15:25 All right. 15:26 So you're a busy little warrior for God 15:31 and you're giving Bible studies and praise the Lord 15:34 because what are you doing now, I don't want to leave that out. 15:37 You've gone from living a very secular lifestyle, 15:41 what people think of as normal, to have a hearing of the truth, 15:47 studying the truth with Beatriz, 15:49 but what are you doing about that truth? 15:53 So now the Lord called me to be in ministry fulltime 15:58 and I'm studying at Andrews University 16:00 to be a pastor. 16:02 I love these stories. And what I told Tony... 16:05 And if you just look at it and see, 16:08 there are many powerful ministers 16:12 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 16:14 that this was their story, drugs, alcohol, 16:18 and God rescued them, 16:20 He'd shown His light, 16:22 turn them from darkness to light 16:24 from the power of Satan to Him, 16:25 and now He's using them in such a mighty way. 16:28 And whereas if I go out and tried to talk to someone 16:32 who is drinking and drugs, 16:35 they're not going to listen to me 16:36 'cause I didn't... 16:38 Well, I'm not gonna say I never drank, 16:39 but I never did drugs, but they'll listen to you. 16:43 And that's why God can use you so powerfully. 16:46 All right, back to Beatriz. 16:48 Okay, Beatriz, this missionary heart, 16:52 you're still doing what you can locally. 16:56 But one day at church a letter arrives... 16:59 Yes. Tell us about this letter? 17:03 This letter came to Brother Green, 17:07 the elder and his wife, 17:11 knowing I come for those directions 17:14 and she bring that letter. 17:16 Okay, so you could say coming from that direction, 17:17 the letter came from Africa. 17:19 Africa, yes. Okay, from Ghana. 17:20 And she walked and come to me, 17:23 opened my hand and put the letter in my hand. 17:26 I get little worried 17:28 because I recognized the envelope, 17:30 but I could not read it because it's his handwriting. 17:34 And I lost memory, and I could not. 17:37 There's a lot of thing, I could not do. 17:39 Why did you lose memory? Car accident. 17:41 You had a car accident? Yes. 17:43 And that... 17:44 Let's linger on that for just a moment 17:47 'cause I think that's important. 17:48 You had a car accident 17:49 that actually laid you up for two years in bed? 17:52 Two years in bed, 17:54 after that it was hard to get around 17:57 but I had to... 17:59 What happened during those two years so, 18:00 you got introduced to something? 18:02 Oh, I have nine different aides 18:07 taking care of me all the time. 18:09 I could not speak much, but I could... 18:12 It's interesting. 18:14 I forgot everything 18:17 but the love of God was still there in my heart. 18:20 Praise God. 18:21 And I was still able to ask the Lord 18:24 to send me somebody else 18:25 because when they opened their mouth, 18:27 I smell cigarette and I smell perfume 18:30 and all that was harming me 18:31 because I have a high allergy problem. 18:34 Okay. 18:35 And from there, 18:37 the ninth aide was God sent woman 18:40 and she loves the Lord. 18:42 Not an Adventist, but she loves the Lord. 18:45 And she took care of me, she taught me to eat 18:49 and she prepared food for me to eat 18:52 because I was not eating. 18:53 It was... 18:54 Her name was Sandine Bear, woman, but very godly woman. 19:00 And it was during the time of your recuperation 19:05 from this accident 19:07 that you got introduced to 3ABN? 19:10 They were bringing CD Brooks' tapes 19:13 and put it there, 19:14 and take me like out of sort of a coma 19:17 which I was there like a vegetable. 19:20 The voice seemed to bring me up. 19:23 And then I started walking, 19:27 take steps with the walker, 19:30 and for what, 19:32 and then about six months later, 19:35 and my friend took me to church. 19:40 And in the church, 19:42 a friend of his invited us to go and eat with them. 19:48 And it was a blessing 19:50 because I don't watch public television. 19:53 And I found Christian television. 19:56 I say, "What is that?" 19:58 And she say, "That is 3ABN by Danny Shelton." 20:04 I say, "Wow! I wish I had that." 20:07 And then, I keep thinking, I keep thinking about it, 20:10 and then I finally get the satellite 20:12 and that bring me back so fast. 20:15 Praise God. 20:17 Because I started to see things 20:18 which are healing my heart and my mind was always worried 20:22 about the other peoples, what would happen. 20:26 And it seems like to wake me up of that sinking hole, 20:30 waiting for the death because I was there to die, 20:33 I was not there to live. 20:34 Yeah, and I know that they thought 20:37 you were going to die several times. 20:39 Yeah, three times. Yeah. 20:40 But God was making certain that His living Word, 20:46 the Word that is alive and active and powerful, 20:49 is going in you 20:50 and so you are coming back around. 20:52 Now you get this letter at church. 20:55 Now you've recuperated, 20:57 you've still got a little memory loss. 20:59 This woman spoke seven languages. 21:01 She said English is not your strong suit but... 21:05 Yes, but I know now. 21:08 So all of those other languages have left you? 21:11 Yes, yes. All right. 21:12 Now tell me the letter, you take it home, 21:17 you have your daughter read this to you? 21:18 Yes. 21:19 I tell my daughter, 21:21 "Can you please read this letter for me?" 21:23 The envelope is Africa and I'm worried about it. 21:27 Then she said, "Okay." And she takes it and she reads. 21:30 She said, "Ma, this letter is like asking you 21:33 for used books and to spread the gospel." 21:38 And I said, "What else? She says, used for things, 21:42 anything you can get to send them 21:44 to spread the gospel." 21:45 So when they say that and he pointed 21:50 some names of the books, so one of the... 21:55 The younger elder 21:57 which is Hubert Green, I asked him. 21:58 I say, "Can you please look for some books for me 22:02 to send to this man, because it's something serious. 22:05 This man don't ask for money, or for food, or for clothing." 22:09 I say, "This is God's work. 22:11 Now let me pause just there 22:12 'cause that is such an important thing. 22:15 She's getting a letter from Ghana. 22:16 There are so many scams where people from, 22:20 supposedly from these countries will write and ask for money 22:25 and funds and half the time, they're not even there. 22:29 But you knew that this was truly a heart cry 22:34 from an evangelist by the name of Moses 22:37 because he's not asking for money, 22:39 what he's asking for is send me books 22:43 to spread the gospel. 22:44 Okay. Yes. 22:46 And I... 22:49 He did it. 22:51 He ordered the books for me and he found some books 22:53 and I fill it up. 22:55 And one sister of the church 22:56 bring me books from her house also, 22:59 Sister White books, very important 23:01 because he mentioned that in the list. 23:03 And I say, 23:06 "Well, I cannot afford to buy a plastic barrel. 23:11 I had to send it in a paper barrels." 23:14 And it happens to be... 23:16 He get the letter messed up, 23:19 but I put plastic inside over to make sure 23:22 the books are protected. 23:24 And he received it and he was so happy 23:27 and he sent me the pictures of him 23:30 and I say, "This man is always... 23:36 One side, he's hiding one side." 23:38 I'm wondering why. 23:39 But I never paid attention to it. 23:42 And from that I show it, I tell in the church 23:47 what's happening about the clothing. 23:50 They say they give to the widows. 23:52 I say, "Oh, my goodness. 23:54 They have a need of those things." 23:59 Then the church started giving me, 24:00 they started going outside 24:03 and asking people to give in different churches, 24:06 not only Thomas Hoover Church, different Adventist church. 24:09 And people I used to work with, which is just co-workers, 24:13 they come with the stuff to my house 24:16 and start packing the barrels and send the barrels. 24:21 And the barrels was expensive, 24:23 about $35 a piece, empty to buy. 24:28 But the Lord provided me barrels for $15, 24:32 just as they showed me 24:34 the blue barrels come down in my bedroom, 24:38 come down for low price, 24:41 I get it down for that low price, 24:43 for $10 a piece. 24:45 The only thing I could not clean it 24:47 because chocolate in it and I'm allergic to chocolate. 24:50 Oh, but you got somebody to... 24:52 But I got the barrels and they clean it for me. 24:55 So this is how Africa Mission for Jesus began? 24:59 Yes. 25:00 The Evangelist Moses 25:01 and we'll see his picture in just a moment. 25:04 But the reason she said in the pictures that he sent, 25:06 he's always kind of hiding one side, 25:09 as you learned that, 25:10 he also was disabled, he lost an arm in an accident. 25:13 I was so shocked. 25:15 When I said, "Oh, Lord, what kind of thing is that?" 25:18 One disabled person to another disabled person. 25:21 Isn't that amazing how God works? 25:23 I say, "What is this?" 25:26 And it happens, he sew his own shirt 25:28 because he have packets in them, 25:30 he put the books and go around. 25:32 He walks miles and miles 25:33 to go far away to distribute books. 25:37 And I know he's going to be very happy 25:38 when he receives the 2,000 books 25:40 from Danny Shelton 25:42 because at the end of the month they will have it. 25:44 Oh, that is such a blessing... 25:46 He talked to me about Danny Shelton like, 25:49 I know Danny Shelton, we live, he's my neighbor. 25:54 He take picture of everything and send it me 25:56 to see what he needs, what books he needs. 25:59 What's so fascinating is here is somebody in Ghana 26:04 who obviously has seen 3ABN 26:07 'cause he knows Danny Shelton as a brother in Christ. 26:09 Yeah, because I send all my magazines. 26:11 Yeah, and you're sending all of this 26:13 so you're getting that. 26:14 Now when you're sending... 26:18 This is 2007, it's when this began. 26:20 Yes. Yes. 26:21 But something happened, it started growing from being 26:26 just a book mission project 26:31 to what? 26:35 We went to distribute the clothes on the street 26:38 to all the poor, 26:39 don't have to be only Adventist, 26:41 to everyone and the church grow so big. 26:44 And the baptism, 26:47 we got over 2,000 baptisms 26:52 with this program of street mission. 26:56 So you've got the street mission going... 26:58 Yes, yes. 26:59 And this is just a few years and these books... 27:03 Was it more than just one mission? 27:05 I mean, was it more than just Moses? 27:07 Moses have a group of 25 laymen. 27:10 They work together. Okay, 25 laymen. 27:11 They're out doing a street ministry 27:13 and they have 2,000 baptisms. 27:16 That's amazing. Up-to-date, yeah, yeah. 27:19 And here people donate 27:20 clothing, shoes, dishes, everything. 27:24 Last year, I sent 37 barrels, this year I sent 31 27:29 because I have some at home 27:31 because I don't have the finance to send it all. 27:33 I still have some in my backyard. 27:35 I fill them up, 27:36 I leave in the backyard till the God provide, 27:39 then they will go. 27:40 Praise the Lord. Yeah. 27:41 So 2000... That means the churches... 27:44 He's planning churches left and right, aren't they? 27:47 Yes. Yes. How many churches now? 27:49 We have 24 churches, and before them, 27:55 doesn't have a building yet. 27:56 They worship under the large tree. 27:59 They sit there, but it's very uncomfortable 28:01 because the dust and the heat is so hot like oven. 28:06 I never felt such heat like that before. 28:09 All right, so you're getting ahead of yourself. 28:11 So what happens is you receive... 28:16 Where did this idea of the school come up? 28:19 I mean, the church is seeing explosive growth. 28:24 Now, how did 28:25 this school come about? 28:30 The school come out... 28:33 I had a dream. 28:34 I was walking in this place, 28:37 and all the sun is in large place 28:41 and I'll end up with a lot of children 28:43 around me. 28:44 You've got on a large white hat? 28:46 Yes. 28:47 And with a large white hat on, 28:51 and I say, "What is this?" 28:55 And in my mind, "Yes, you have to educate them, 29:00 you have to give them the school and a dream." 29:04 And it happens to be, I keep quiet about it 29:10 because I know my situation, 29:11 I can't go to A to B, you know how I talk, 29:15 not in line. 29:17 And it happens to be the school. 29:23 Moses called me, he tell me, "I have this dream." 29:27 And, when he tell me he had this dream, 29:30 I said, "What is the dream? 29:32 And he tell me, I say, 29:34 "But I don't talk to you to tell you that." 29:36 He says, "Mama, what..." 29:37 He calls me Mama, he says, "Mama, I had this dream, 29:41 you don't tell me I had this dream," 29:42 I said, "But I had the same dream." 29:44 I said, "You're over there, I'm over here." 29:47 And then another brother called me and tell me, 29:50 he's a university professor. 29:54 He tell me, "I had this dream with you open the school 29:57 with this big white hat on." 30:00 I say, "Oh, my goodness, I don't even have this hat." 30:03 And I wear a hat to church. 30:06 I say, "I don't have it" and it happens to be. 30:11 I tell Moses, and Moses go ahead 30:14 and prepare everything for me to go there and to see 30:19 if the school will take step forward. 30:24 And when I went everything was prepared. 30:27 So you have a dream, you don't tell anyone. 30:31 Moses has the same dream, then a university professor, 30:34 who's a friend has the identical dream. 30:36 I think the Lord was trying to get her to teach you. 30:39 It shakes me up 30:41 when the people have same dream as me. 30:43 I was scared. 30:45 Well, you know 30:46 it's God speaking through you all. 30:47 Because I know I'm un-capable. 30:49 I don't see myself capable to do none of those things. 30:52 But he went, he happens to be. 30:56 The doctor tell me, "You cannot go to Africa. 30:58 You will not get there." 31:00 So they invite you to come, 31:02 the letter comes or they invite you 31:04 to come to Africa, this is... 31:05 It started in 2007, now this is 2011, correct? 31:09 Yes, yes, 2011. 31:11 So now you've been invited to come 31:13 for a groundbreaking for the school, 31:15 but you're still... 31:17 You say... 31:18 And the doctor says, I will not make it. 31:20 The heart will not get me there. 31:21 And so it's not just... 31:22 Was it your heart, or did you have a head injury, 31:24 what caused... 31:25 Yes, the last one I just have a head injury. 31:27 You had the head injury, so you feel like 31:29 you don't always go A, B, C, D, 31:32 you kind of zig-zag. 31:34 Yes, I zig-zag, yeah. 31:35 You've got the heart condition, what happened? 31:39 Let me have Tony tell this story. 31:43 So one Sabbath, Beatriz was telling me 31:46 that she was invited to go to Ghana 31:49 because they wanted to dedicate the school on her name. 31:52 So as she's talking to me in church, 31:55 at the same time, I'm praying in my head, 31:58 and I said, "Okay, Lord, if this is... 32:00 If you want me to go with Beatriz, 32:02 have her ask me to go 32:04 with her before the Sabbath ends." 32:05 So that afternoon, I was eating lunch at her house 32:09 and she was by the oven preparing something 32:14 and she just stopped, 32:15 she turned around, she looked at me, said, 32:17 "Tony, do you want to go to Africa?" 32:19 So I said, "Yeah, I'll go." Praise the Lord. 32:22 So you go to Africa, 32:24 tell us about the groundbreaking, Tony? 32:27 So we both went in faith 32:30 because, you know, we've only 32:32 talked to them through letters or on the phone, 32:36 but they brought us there, 32:38 and it was an incredible experience all around. 32:44 I've never seen poverty like that before. 32:47 And I don't think Beatriz has either 32:49 but it shocked us both. 32:50 No, I've never seen. Yeah. 32:52 And what amazed me and impressed me so much 32:55 'cause at that time, 32:56 I was only in the church for like two years, 32:58 but to see how active the church members were. 33:02 Every day of the week, 33:03 they would wake up 5 o'clock in the morning 33:05 and do Sabbath school together before they went to work. 33:07 Praise God. Yeah. 33:08 And, you know... 33:10 No wonder the church is growing so... 33:11 Yeah, everybody in the church, 5:00 in the morning. 33:13 Well, yeah, I mean, for them their life revolves 33:17 around the church, not the other way around. 33:18 Praise God. 33:19 So that really impressed me a lot. 33:21 And, you know, on Sabbath afternoon, 33:25 the kids would go out 2x2, 33:28 you know, knocking on doors, 33:29 handing out literature and then, 33:33 you know, eventually we got to their groundbreaking 33:35 where we met their conference president 33:37 and they came and Beatriz broke the ground 33:40 with conference president there. 33:41 Amen and amen. 33:43 So let's take a look at some of these pictures, 33:47 so that you will know... 33:50 And see that, put some faces to what's going on. 33:53 I think our first picture of, is of Moses, 33:56 the one-armed evangelist. 33:57 This is his family, right? Yes, yes, this is Moses family. 34:00 And there is Beatriz and Tony and... 34:04 Juliette. A beautiful family, all right. 34:08 Now here, tell us about these pictures, Tony? 34:13 So this was one of the villages that we visited. 34:16 And it was in the middle of cocoa farm. 34:20 So like you wouldn't even it was there 34:22 unless someone led you to it. 34:24 But the living conditions were very poor. 34:28 The houses were made of mud. 34:30 And they... 34:31 Now I see there's a receptacle there for them to gather water. 34:34 Did they have clean water? 34:35 No, they didn't have clean water. 34:37 They would go gather the water 34:39 from the river and bring it back. 34:41 And it's brown. I don't know how they... 34:43 I don't know how they get white clothes 34:44 out of brown water. 34:46 And they get baptized in that water and that's worse. 34:49 Okay, now we'll continue with the pictures. 34:53 Yes, so this is one of the classrooms 34:56 that we saw and this is pretty much... 34:59 This was their existing school. This is how they were educated. 35:02 But when you got 2,000 new members 35:05 in new churches, this is not quite 35:08 what we need, is it? 35:10 All right. No. 35:11 No. 35:12 And this is the groundbreaking ceremony 35:14 with the conference president. 35:16 In 2011, that must have been so exciting for you, Beatriz. 35:20 Yes, yes. 35:22 I was very excited, especially to know 35:24 they take me everywhere. 35:26 And the Lord caused me to walk. I do not walk much, I faint. 35:32 But the Lord caused me to walk everywhere 35:35 they take me, 35:36 and there was nobody to hold me. 35:38 I walked free by myself. I was so surprised. 35:42 Praise God. 35:43 Yeah, they kept us busy every day 35:45 that we were there. 35:46 I'm sure they did. 35:47 So they would come and get us 35:49 and they would bring us to all these different villages 35:50 that were receiving the goods 35:52 that we were sending them over the years. 35:54 Praise God. 35:55 Okay, let's continue with the pictures. 35:58 Who are these people, Beatriz? 36:00 Those are... 36:03 It's hard for me to talk about them. 36:05 Those are the children with no parents. 36:08 So these are orphans? 36:09 They're wandering from house to house to get food to eat. 36:12 And the church members, they feed them. 36:16 They don't have home. 36:18 Oh, bless their little pretty hearts. 36:19 And over there, 36:20 they don't have home to put them either 36:22 because everybody have this little room, 36:26 they go in the night, but to receive you is outside. 36:30 So these little orphans just live outdoors? 36:33 Yes. Yes. Yes. Bless their hearts. 36:36 Bless their hearts. 36:37 But now they're coming to the school now. 36:40 We're going to see that in just a moment. 36:42 We'll continue with the pictures. 36:46 This is what, Tony? 36:49 So this is the elementary school 36:51 that we started in 2011. 36:53 Okay. This is just the first floor. 36:56 Right now, they have a second floor. 36:58 We don't have any current pictures 37:00 because the camera they had broke. 37:02 But there's plans to finish with the third floor. 37:06 All right, now how many students 37:08 do you actually have going to the school now? 37:10 Four hundred and eighty five. 37:12 Four hundred and eighty five students. 37:14 Schooling them in the church and schooling them 37:16 in the side of the church, 37:18 in those hackers they make with the wood, 37:23 they make classes. 37:24 Now are they all church members' children, 37:26 or do you have other...? 37:27 No, no, no. 37:29 Everybody want their children to go 37:30 to that Adventist school also. 37:33 What is the benefit of other village people 37:36 coming to get an Adventist education? 37:40 It's, especially not all of them read. 37:44 The adults, not all read. 37:45 They don't have education, 37:47 and they wanted their children to learn, to read. 37:49 And when we have the baptism, he always sent the money. 37:55 Tony sent the money for Bibles to give them as a gift. 38:00 And they give to the children who already learned to read, 38:05 who knows how to read, 38:06 to read to their parents and stuff like that. 38:09 But the blessings of having them 38:11 in the school is because they learn about Christ 38:14 and they grow up in different mindsets 38:17 and God knows what they can be to go out 38:22 and to do work of the Lord. 38:24 Amen, and so many of them 38:26 when they're educated in an Adventist school, 38:31 they become strong Adventist Christians, 38:34 don't they? 38:35 All right, and the next picture? 38:38 Who is this, Tony? 38:40 So this was the first king that we met, King Nana. 38:44 He's the one who's in-charge of all the kings in the area. 38:48 And he's the one who donated 10 acres of land for a school. 38:53 So he's donated 10 acres of land 38:55 that he wants to be a high school? 38:56 Yes. Yes. 38:58 Your school is a primary school, 38:59 one to eight? 39:01 Yes. One to eight was started. 39:03 We're supposed to start high school, 39:06 but one morning I wake up with not know 39:11 is that is not the one you're gonna do. 39:13 You're gonna start 39:15 with the one you break the ground. 39:17 So I didn't know how to break that to them, 39:20 to tell them what's happening. 39:22 But Moses is so much into the Lord, 39:26 and you talk to him, 39:27 and he will understand the meaning of everything. 39:31 I tell him, I say, 39:32 "I cannot start the high school. 39:36 It has to be where the ground is breaking first." 39:39 He says, "No problem, Mama, I will take it around 39:43 and it will be at that. 39:44 So we started for the little childrens 39:47 because that is what it was in my dream. 39:50 So the king wanted you to start a high school, 39:52 but you're saying, 39:53 "No, where we broke ground first, 39:54 we've got to do it for the little children 39:56 as God has shown you." 39:58 He gave me his phone number, 39:59 he says, "When you're ready to build, 40:01 give me a call, and I'll clear the land for you." 40:04 Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. 40:06 But I don't have funds to do that. 40:10 Not yet, you don't have the funds but... 40:13 Now, actually, we'll keep going. 40:16 Let's look at the next picture 40:17 because then there is the mayor of the town 40:20 and here is the picture of him. 40:22 He's actually already got the plans. 40:25 He's presenting you with the plans 40:27 for the high school here. 40:29 And then we have, in the next picture, 40:34 we have other kings? 40:36 Yes. Yes. 40:38 All right, so how many kings did you meet? 40:40 We met five kings and one queen, total. 40:46 And each one of them were very excited 40:48 about what we were doing there, so... 40:50 There's another... 40:51 Moses would introduce us to them 40:53 and we would present to them, 40:54 you know, what the mission was about, 40:56 what our plans were for the school and everything 40:59 and all of them are very excited 41:00 and they were all willing 41:02 to donate land to build schools. 41:05 Praise God. Yeah. 41:06 So how much money do you need 41:10 to finish the first school? 41:16 Are you just building as the money, 41:18 as the funds come in? 41:19 We build as I get donations, I send it to them. 41:23 And that's why they're slow. 41:25 But I say, 41:26 "Well, isn't that finishing fast enough?" 41:27 But I forgot, 41:29 till the Lord shows me I'm responsible 41:31 for those teachers' salary because they are poor, 41:35 they don't have nothing, no money to pay the teachers. 41:38 So that's why it was so slow, could not finish. 41:41 About $10,000 will finish it. 41:45 Okay, wonderful, wonderful. 41:47 So that will give it 41:49 the third floor and many more students. 41:53 But it's impressive to think you already have 500 students. 41:57 And I trust those little orphans 41:59 do come to school, right? 42:00 Yes, yes. 42:02 All the children, 42:03 they put all the children in the school. 42:04 They help all the children, 42:06 especially Moses is always after the children 42:11 and he trains his own children to be like him. 42:14 It's amazing. Amazing, it's right. 42:19 Moses, when I was there, Enoch, his son was about to graduate. 42:26 He is so much like me. 42:28 He took his money of graduation and get the books to spread, 42:33 to give to the people. 42:35 Praise God. In the meetings they have. 42:39 And when the young man called me, says "Mama Beatriz, 42:41 it's my last chance and the age to graduate." 42:45 He don't have no more chance. 42:47 He says, 42:48 "My father used my money to give the books away." 42:53 I say, "Enoch, how much money is your graduation?" 42:56 He said $400. 42:58 I say, "You're not going to stay out of the education." 43:01 So I made sure I get that money and send it to him, 43:04 and he graduate 43:05 and he went straight to teach in the school. 43:07 Praise God. 43:09 Yeah, he finished his high school 43:10 and went straight to teach in the school. 43:11 He's still working for the school 43:13 and taking more classes 43:15 for the high teaching and a computer. 43:18 So you've only been there in Africa, 43:22 the one time in 2011, both of you went, 43:25 but you must feel the heart connection. 43:29 You feel to your Brother Moses is so strong, 43:32 and you know that this is something... 43:35 Tony, I'm impressed that you're in school 43:37 and yet you're the co-director 43:39 with this ministry and God is using you both 43:42 in such a mighty way. 43:44 Here, as she, Beatriz is always referring to herself 43:48 as a disabled woman because after her car accident, 43:51 she no longer remembers the seven languages 43:55 that she knew, but she had the heart problems, 43:58 she had the brain injury, 44:01 but yet, God through a letter, look what God began, 44:07 just Moses in faith wrote a letter 44:10 that came to your church, and look what he began. 44:12 Now I know your plans, 44:15 your dreams are to finish the primary school, 44:20 get that third floor 44:22 and then to begin the... 44:26 To step out in faith and begin the high school. 44:29 Now the high school... 44:31 How many children in that area 44:32 do you think would in the high school... 44:34 The plans are pretty grand 44:36 for this high school, aren't they? 44:37 How many children? 44:39 But the thing is they have a plan 44:40 to bring the other children 44:41 from the other places also to that high school 44:44 if he's build it. 44:46 It's something that king knows about Adventist 44:50 and he's very close. 44:52 Even Moses deal with him in his own place. 44:56 It's something he knows about our education here. 44:59 Praise God. Praise God. 45:01 I just can't help but think how amazing the Lord 45:07 is that He's obviously had his hand on your life 45:11 from the time you were little bitty girl 45:14 to send you to a pastor's house to just say, 45:16 "Hey, you're supposed to take me to your church." 45:19 And obviously, for you, Tony, 45:23 I mean, he reached down 45:25 and touched you and you made this transition. 45:29 It must not have been easy 45:30 when you're coming from a background 45:33 of no Christian upbringing, 45:36 in a carnal lifestyle to suddenly think, 45:41 "Okay, I've learned this, what am I gonna do with it." 45:43 Tell us about your transition time? 45:47 So it was probably one of the hardest decisions 45:49 I ever had to make. 45:52 And it got to the point where I knew enough of the truth. 45:55 I accepted the beliefs, 45:57 but it still didn't touch the heart yet. 46:00 And it got to the point where God showed me like, 46:03 "You have to make a decision now." 46:05 So that's when I decided I was gonna get baptized. 46:08 And, you know, I started praying 46:12 right away for God to help me, 46:15 deliver me from these addictions 46:16 that I had and one by one, 46:17 He just removed them 46:19 and I've never been back to it since. 46:20 Praise God. Yeah. 46:22 You know, what scripture 46:23 that reminds me of Psalm 129:4, says, 46:26 "The Lord is righteous, 46:28 He has cut me free from the cords that bind me." 46:31 And so now you guys are working together 46:34 and you're working toward your degree 46:37 to become a pastor. 46:40 What do you... 46:44 Did you ever think that God 46:45 would use you to touch so many lives? 46:48 I mean, I know 46:49 you've always been missionary-minded. 46:51 Never in my lifetime. And you're not even... 46:53 You've only traveled one time to Africa 46:56 and yet the ministry continues. 46:58 Yes. 46:59 And I never thought of it, 47:03 but I always have this wish 47:05 when I see Danny Shelton talk about how he started, 47:10 him and his brother, how everything... 47:12 And I kept saying, 47:13 "Oh, boy, something seems familiar." 47:17 And then when I see 47:19 the other programs of mission works, 47:23 I say, "Oh, Lord, I wish I would see this program 47:26 when I was young, not when I'm sick now. 47:29 I would go and do it." 47:31 And I keep wishing for things. 47:34 And then, when this came, I was surprised. 47:40 I went because my doctor says, 47:42 "You cannot go, you will not reach." 47:44 So he gave me letter to give to my church. 47:46 I say, "I'm not giving you the letter, 47:48 but I know I cannot go," 47:50 I stand there and I tell them, "You don't need to worry, 47:53 if I don't come back, I will be buried in 24 hours, 47:55 nobody needs to go." 47:59 And I went and come back. You did. 48:02 But I knew Tony would be an converted Adventist 48:08 because when he see those people, 48:10 he says, "Beatriz, we have everything 48:14 but we're so unhappy, and look at those people, 48:16 they don't have nothing, 48:18 look at the smile on their face and they're happy." 48:21 And I knew, it comes from their change. 48:24 Amen. Amen. 48:25 God changed us when the time is right. 48:27 You know, I know you don't mind me sharing this 48:30 that you're not a rich woman. 48:31 As a matter of fact, 48:32 she is a member of the "Blessing is on the Go" 48:37 evangelistic team and you prayed 48:41 and asked God to give you an amount 48:44 to send each month and He did, didn't He? 48:48 Yes. 48:49 And she has said, "I wished I prayed for more." 48:52 But she didn't have it to give, 48:53 but you're supporting the world mission. 48:55 I see it. I was still in bed. 48:59 I see it. I don't move much. 49:02 People take me to church, but not on my own. 49:04 I have to be with them with a walker, 49:07 but I see the program, 49:10 I say, "Oh, Lord, I wish I have a $20, 49:14 so I would send for long as I live 49:18 to the Danny Shelton mission." 49:22 And two months later, in my social security, 49:25 it was $20 extra. 49:28 I say, "Oh, my goodness, this has to go there. 49:31 I cannot do anything with it. It has to go there." 49:34 Even if I'm sick, 49:36 I'm late because sometimes I get sick and I'm late, 49:40 but in my checks I know 49:42 when I send it and when I get the better, 49:45 I go through it and I correct it 49:48 because I know that is not mine. 49:50 God's provide even to come here. 49:54 The Lord provided for me to come here. 49:56 I don't have it in my hand. He provides. 49:59 He always provides. 50:00 And you are proof, Beatriz, 50:04 that the blessing is on the go. 50:06 This is someone who, 50:08 God put it in her heart from a young child, 50:12 she's been missionary-minded 50:14 but as she has stepped out to help others, 50:16 God has really helped her and it's amazing. 50:20 Now that's being passed on to you as well, Tony. 50:23 You know, I just believe that the Lord is probably, 50:30 not probably, I believe 50:31 that God is touching hearts right now. 50:34 You may have Bibles or books or items that you can donate. 50:39 Your ministry is in New Jersey 50:42 but people can send you Bibles or books 50:45 that can be sent to a very 50:48 on-fire Christian group in Ghana 50:51 who are reaching out... 50:53 And in just a matter of few years, 50:55 they had 2,000 members. 50:57 This is just amazing to see what God can do. 51:01 Many times, we've got... 51:03 JD and I buy two copies of the same books 51:07 because he likes to mark in a certain way 51:10 and I like to mark in a certain way. 51:12 So I need to get you some books as well that are duplicates. 51:15 But if the Lord is impressing you, 51:18 that you would like to help with the building of the, 51:21 the completion of the primary school, 51:23 or if may be you can donate books. 51:27 If you'd like Tony to come speak at your church 51:30 and tell you about the African Mission 51:33 or Africa Mission for Jesus, 51:36 here's how you can get in touch with them. 51:41 If you would like to contact Toni 51:43 or Beatriz about Africa Mission for Jesus, 51:46 or if you'd like to support them with books 51:48 or donations to their building project, 51:51 you may reach them in a variety of ways. 51:53 You can write to them at Africa Mission for Jesus, 51:57 P.O. Box 4674, Toms River, 52:00 New Jersey 08754. 52:04 That's Africa Mission for Jesus, 52:06 P.O. Box 4674, Toms River, 52:09 New Jersey 08754, 52:13 or call them at 732-240-0534. 52:19 That's 732-240-0534. |
Revised 2018-03-22