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
another 3ABN Today Program.
00:01:10.80\00:01:13.74
My name is Jason Bradley,
and I'm so excited to be here
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with our wonderful guests.
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And you know what?
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I just wanna jump right into it
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because we have so much to cover
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in this short amount of time.
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We have Julia O'Carey
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and she is the
director of ASAP Ministries.
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And we have Gem Castor
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who is the prayer
coordinator for ASAP Ministries.
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Now
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I know that we
have a lot to talk about
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and before we jump into
what ASAP Ministry stands for
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and what it's all about,
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Pastor Moses Brown
is going to bless us
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with a wonderful song
entitled "Because He Lives."
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God sent His son
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They called Him Jesus
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He came to live,
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Heal and forgive
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He bled and died
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To buy my pardon
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An empty grave is there
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Just to prove my Savior lives
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Because He lives
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I can face tomorrow
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Because He lives
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All fear is gone
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Because I know, yes I know
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He holds the future
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My life is worth the living
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Just because He lives
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And then one day
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I'll cross that river
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I'll fight life's final war
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With pain
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And then as death
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Gives way to victory
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I'll see the light of glory
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And I'll know that my Lord lives
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Because He lives
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I can face tomorrow
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Because my God lives
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All fear is gone
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Because I know, yes I know
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He holds the future
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My life is worth the living
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Just because He lives
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Because God lives
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You can face tomorrow
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Because He lives
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All fear is gone
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Because I know, yes I know
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He holds the future
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My life is worth the living
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Your life can
be worth the living
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Oh, our life is worth the living
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Just
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Because my God lives
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Wow! What a powerful song.
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Powerful song.
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I'm so happy to
have you guys here,
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Julia and Gem.
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You know, when I
think about ASAP Ministries,
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I think asap, I
think as soon as possible,
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I think sense of urgency.
What does ASAP stand for?
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ASAP stands for
Advocates for Southeast Asians
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and the Persecuted.
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And yes, Jason,
there is a sense of urgency
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because Christ
is coming so soon,
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we need to reach the world asap.
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Amen. Amen. Yeah.
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And, you know, how did...
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Well, first off,
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Gem, how did you
get involved with ASAP?
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This is quite interesting
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because I just got
involved in ASAP now,
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but I realize that
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at the beginning
of my missionary work,
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the first ministries
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that I
volunteered into was ASAP.
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So at the birth of
my missionary journey,
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ASAP was there.
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Wow!
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And, Julia, you
are the director.
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How did you get involved?
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Well, it happened when
I was just a little kid
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because my parents
went over to Thailand,
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when I was just turning eight,
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and God called them
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to work in the
refugee camps in Thailand
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for those who were pouring
in from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam,
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all over the
neighboring countries
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in the early '80s.
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And so I grew up
working in refugee camps
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alongside my parents.
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And I think at that time
that put a love in my heart
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for the people of Asia
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and for the persecuted the poor,
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the unreached refugees...
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Yeah.
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And my mom Judy Aitken
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is actually the
founder of ASAP Ministries.
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Oh! Okay.
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And she was so passionate
about this working since 1995
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in the ministry.
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And I went in through school
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and became a
teacher and educator,
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and I always thought
ASAP was more my mom's thing,
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and I'm a teacher.
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But the Lord clearly
showed me in His Word
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that this is what
He wanted me to do.
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So 14 years ago, I
started working with ASAP.
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Wow! Wow!
00:08:07.32\00:08:08.65
Fourteen years ago. Yeah.
00:08:08.68\00:08:10.02
And so your mom started it.
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Yeah.
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And you had that
same burden that she had.
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Well, God really started it.
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God's the founder but...
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Yes. Yes.
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She followed along
with what God wanted.
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Amen. Amen.
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Well, we have a
short two-minute video
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that will show
us a little bit more
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about what ASAP is all about.
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Okay.
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In the 10/40 Window,
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live 3 billion unreached people.
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Eighty percent
of the world's poor
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and millions are
persecuted for their faith.
00:08:40.32\00:08:44.35
ASAP Ministries,
believe ethnic missionaries,
00:08:44.39\00:08:47.69
empowered by the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:08:47.72\00:08:50.03
are the key for reaching
the 10/40 Window for Christ.
00:08:50.06\00:08:54.10
That's why 23 years ago,
00:08:54.13\00:08:55.90
we began training lay
people in Southeast Asia
00:08:55.93\00:08:58.77
as church planters, teachers,
and medical missionaries
00:08:58.80\00:09:02.34
to fulfill the great commission
among their own people groups
00:09:02.37\00:09:06.57
using Christ
compassionate methods.
00:09:06.61\00:09:09.84
Today, with God's blessing,
00:09:09.88\00:09:12.08
ASAP supports nearly
600 ethnic missionaries
00:09:12.11\00:09:16.35
and thousands of impoverished
and at-risk children
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are learning about
Jesus in ASAP funded school
00:09:19.45\00:09:22.92
across Southeast Asia
00:09:22.96\00:09:24.49
and elsewhere in
the 10/40 Window.
00:09:24.53\00:09:27.60
Along with our ongoing projects,
00:09:27.63\00:09:29.63
recently, ASAP has broken ground
00:09:29.66\00:09:32.10
on the first
Seventh-day Adventist Academy
00:09:32.13\00:09:34.74
in the
communist country of Laos,
00:09:34.77\00:09:37.01
support a new lifestyle center,
00:09:37.04\00:09:39.34
ministering to
Muslims in a close country,
00:09:39.37\00:09:42.24
and launched the
Reach the World Next Door
00:09:42.28\00:09:44.15
training program
in Houston, Texas
00:09:44.18\00:09:46.72
to equip young
adults to reach refugees
00:09:46.75\00:09:49.15
and immigrants
from the 10/40 Window
00:09:49.18\00:09:51.45
living in North America.
00:09:51.49\00:09:53.66
Thanks to an ASI grant.
00:09:53.69\00:09:55.02
We've also started
00:09:55.06\00:09:56.39
a secret
missionary training program,
00:09:56.42\00:09:58.69
serving an outcast
population in a close country.
00:09:58.73\00:10:03.00
And by faith,
00:10:03.03\00:10:04.37
we began producing sermon series
00:10:04.40\00:10:06.17
for some of the world's
least reached people groups
00:10:06.20\00:10:09.17
so that they can hear the gospel
00:10:09.20\00:10:11.14
in their heart language
for the very first time.
00:10:11.17\00:10:14.91
We are driven
by a single purpose
00:10:14.94\00:10:17.45
to reach the world ASAP
because Jesus is coming soon.
00:10:17.48\00:10:22.98
Now more than
ever, mission matters.
00:10:23.02\00:10:26.12
I like how he said
00:10:29.16\00:10:30.53
now more than
ever, mission matters.
00:10:30.56\00:10:33.29
You know, again, speaking
to that sense of urgency.
00:10:33.33\00:10:35.26
Yes.
00:10:35.30\00:10:36.67
What else would you like to add
00:10:36.70\00:10:38.03
that that video didn't
cover about ASAP Ministries?
00:10:38.07\00:10:41.14
Well, Jason,
one thing about ASAP
00:10:41.17\00:10:43.61
that it emphasizes
00:10:43.64\00:10:44.97
that ASAP supports
the ethnic missionaries
00:10:45.01\00:10:47.74
the people from the countries
00:10:47.78\00:10:49.28
'cause they know the
language, the culture,
00:10:49.31\00:10:51.28
they're there to stay,
00:10:51.31\00:10:52.78
and they can go
00:10:52.81\00:10:54.15
into these closed
countries and places
00:10:54.22\00:10:55.85
that I could never
work as a missionary.
00:10:55.88\00:10:58.82
Yes.
00:10:58.85\00:11:00.19
And what I love about ASAP
00:11:00.26\00:11:01.69
is that the Lord has called
us to do the work holistically.
00:11:01.72\00:11:05.83
And so it's a way
00:11:05.86\00:11:07.90
that they work in
compassion like Jesus,
00:11:07.93\00:11:10.37
so they assess the
needs of where they're at.
00:11:10.40\00:11:13.34
And so they do
things like help with wells
00:11:13.37\00:11:15.84
or help with schools
00:11:15.87\00:11:17.21
or help with whatever
is needed in the village
00:11:17.24\00:11:19.67
to give them a
better quality life,
00:11:19.71\00:11:22.34
but they don't end there
00:11:22.38\00:11:23.75
because the main goal is
to share Jesus with them.
00:11:23.78\00:11:26.08
Wow! Yeah.
00:11:26.11\00:11:27.45
And so what it looks
like to me is like...
00:11:27.52\00:11:29.92
And what you're saying is that
you go into these communities
00:11:29.95\00:11:32.75
and they empower the
people and equip the people
00:11:32.79\00:11:35.36
to share the
gospel with everyone else.
00:11:35.39\00:11:37.89
Exactly, so we train
them and people sponsor them
00:11:37.93\00:11:42.00
and we support what we can,
00:11:42.03\00:11:43.37
but the biggest
thing is we pray for them.
00:11:43.40\00:11:46.17
And we do what we
can to spread the gospel
00:11:46.20\00:11:48.30
in the most
difficult parts of the world
00:11:48.34\00:11:50.21
like the 10/40 Window
00:11:50.24\00:11:52.21
where very few mission
dollars and missionaries go.
00:11:52.24\00:11:55.54
This is dark area
00:11:55.58\00:11:56.95
that are mostly
Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu
00:11:56.98\00:11:59.78
and that's where ASAP focuses.
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.68
So...
00:12:01.72\00:12:03.62
Unpack...
00:12:03.69\00:12:05.02
I'm a little confused
about the 10/40 Window.
00:12:05.05\00:12:07.19
So the 10/40 Window is that...
00:12:07.26\00:12:10.33
What is that?
00:12:10.36\00:12:11.69
It's the 40 degree, 10 degree
latitude part of the world.
00:12:11.73\00:12:16.03
If you go to JoshuaProject.net
or ASAP Ministries,
00:12:16.06\00:12:19.20
you'll see the exact countries
00:12:19.23\00:12:21.27
that fall within
that area of the world.
00:12:21.30\00:12:24.44
And they're the least reached,
00:12:24.47\00:12:27.38
so we really
focused on the unreached
00:12:27.41\00:12:30.25
and the
persecuted poor and refugees
00:12:30.28\00:12:33.15
from that part of the world.
00:12:33.18\00:12:34.52
Wow!
00:12:34.55\00:12:35.88
Now we have another video
that I would like to go to.
00:12:35.92\00:12:41.09
This is roughly
about five minutes,
00:12:41.12\00:12:43.83
but it's very sensitive
like it made me almost tear up,
00:12:43.86\00:12:48.53
you know, to see the love
00:12:48.56\00:12:51.53
from one human
being to the next.
00:12:51.57\00:12:54.90
Let's just go.
Let's go to the video.
00:12:54.94\00:12:57.04
In first-century Palestine,
00:13:00.78\00:13:02.54
leprosy was known
as the living death.
00:13:02.58\00:13:05.61
Lepers were shunned
by their communities
00:13:05.65\00:13:07.95
and often their families
as unclean, even dangerous.
00:13:07.98\00:13:12.62
It was commonly believed
that God was punishing them
00:13:12.65\00:13:15.72
for their sins.
00:13:15.76\00:13:17.53
Sadly, in spite of advances
in science and medical care,
00:13:17.56\00:13:21.50
modern day lepers in
many parts of the world
00:13:21.53\00:13:24.00
are still
considered untouchables.
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.87
They are cast away
from society, left to live,
00:13:26.94\00:13:30.11
and care for themselves
in squalid conditions.
00:13:30.14\00:13:33.98
When Jesus came to this earth,
00:13:34.01\00:13:35.91
He showed us a different
way to relate to the disease
00:13:35.94\00:13:39.18
and the outcast among us.
00:13:39.21\00:13:41.32
He befriended them,
loved them, even healed them.
00:13:41.35\00:13:45.29
ASAP
missionaries, like Sister Lily
00:13:45.32\00:13:47.72
are following in
the footsteps of Jesus,
00:13:47.76\00:13:50.36
living and working
in the leper colonies
00:13:50.43\00:13:52.59
of a close country in Asia.
00:13:52.63\00:13:55.36
Today, I invite you
to follow Sister Lily
00:13:55.40\00:13:58.50
to a home of an elderly couple
00:13:58.53\00:14:00.34
and watch
00:14:00.37\00:14:01.70
the ministry of
healing in action
00:14:01.74\00:14:03.51
as she tenderly cares for
a blind leper and his wife.
00:14:03.54\00:14:07.68
This is ASAP
Ministries Mission Matters.
00:14:07.71\00:14:11.35
Scripture says that
at His second coming,
00:17:21.70\00:17:24.31
Jesus will say to
His true followers,
00:17:24.34\00:17:26.91
"Verily I say unto you,
00:17:26.98\00:17:29.01
inasmuch as you have done it
unto one of the least of these,
00:17:29.04\00:17:32.31
my brethren, ye
have done it unto me."
00:17:32.35\00:17:35.35
Today, you may not be
able to go as a missionary
00:17:35.38\00:17:38.95
to the outcasts
of a closed country,
00:17:38.99\00:17:41.32
but you can go as a missionary
00:17:41.36\00:17:43.09
to the suffering
and forgotten citizens
00:17:43.12\00:17:45.36
of your hometown.
00:17:45.39\00:17:47.10
You may not be able to
speak words of compassion
00:17:47.13\00:17:49.96
to lepers half a world away,
00:17:50.00\00:17:52.20
but your prayers can ascend
to heaven on their behalf.
00:17:52.23\00:17:56.37
You may not be
able to wash their faces
00:17:56.40\00:17:58.44
or cook them a meal,
00:17:58.47\00:18:00.11
but you can support
ASAP missionaries who can.
00:18:00.18\00:18:03.65
It costs $150 a month to
pay the salary of an ASAP worker
00:18:03.68\00:18:08.35
in a leper colony.
00:18:08.38\00:18:10.19
And one time
gifts of $6, $12, or $25
00:18:10.22\00:18:14.49
can provide lepers
with much needed mats,
00:18:14.52\00:18:17.13
mosquito repellent
lamps, and blankets.
00:18:17.16\00:18:20.40
Will you help ASAP Ministries
00:18:20.43\00:18:22.16
extend the hands
and the feet of Jesus
00:18:22.20\00:18:24.97
to these
precious children of God?
00:18:25.00\00:18:27.64
Because Jesus is coming soon.
00:18:27.67\00:18:30.14
Now more than
ever, Mission Matters.
00:18:30.21\00:18:33.68
Wow!
00:18:39.31\00:18:40.65
That is such a touching video
to see that care and compassion
00:18:40.72\00:18:44.92
that one human
being has for the next.
00:18:44.95\00:18:47.76
And in the day and age in
which we live, it seems like,
00:18:47.79\00:18:50.93
you know, that's
almost gone out the window,
00:18:50.96\00:18:53.33
you don't see
that type of caring
00:18:53.40\00:18:56.10
as often as we should.
00:18:56.13\00:18:58.87
What else can you share
and your experience with that?
00:18:58.90\00:19:04.44
I really have seen
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.14
how just those
simple acts of love,
00:19:06.17\00:19:08.61
Jason, to the lepers
has transformed their lives
00:19:08.64\00:19:12.71
because they
experienced so much loss
00:19:12.75\00:19:15.32
because when they got leprosy,
00:19:15.35\00:19:18.69
they were ostracized
from their communities.
00:19:18.72\00:19:21.69
So they lost their positions,
their status in society,
00:19:21.72\00:19:26.46
their families,
00:19:26.49\00:19:27.83
and they're put
in these colonies.
00:19:27.86\00:19:29.46
And it's not only
difficult for them to function,
00:19:29.50\00:19:33.94
the government
gives them some medicine
00:19:33.97\00:19:36.34
so they're not contagious
00:19:36.37\00:19:37.71
but then they don't have
the proper care that they need.
00:19:37.74\00:19:40.98
Just simple things like bathing,
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.24
cleaning their wounds,
00:19:43.28\00:19:44.81
cutting their hair, their nails.
00:19:44.85\00:19:46.58
And so we see that when
we send these volunteers
00:19:46.61\00:19:50.39
that love Jesus in,
00:19:50.42\00:19:52.49
these lepers are
just blown away by this.
00:19:52.52\00:19:55.96
And they're like,
"Why are you here?"
00:19:55.99\00:19:57.76
Like Sister Lily.
00:19:57.79\00:19:59.19
And they said,
"Why would you do this?"
00:19:59.23\00:20:02.50
And that's the prime opportunity
00:20:02.53\00:20:04.70
for them to share,
it's because of Jesus.
00:20:04.73\00:20:07.44
And then they
say, "Who is Jesus?"
00:20:07.47\00:20:09.14
And then they
have an opportunity
00:20:09.17\00:20:10.61
to share all about the gospel.
00:20:10.64\00:20:13.41
And these lepers
just eat it all up.
00:20:13.48\00:20:15.58
They love it. Yes.
00:20:15.61\00:20:16.95
They fall in
love with Jesus. Yes.
00:20:16.98\00:20:18.71
And it's really
Christ method. It is.
00:20:18.75\00:20:21.25
You know, because
00:20:21.28\00:20:22.62
they're meeting the
needs of the people,
00:20:22.65\00:20:23.99
and then they're
leading unto Christ
00:20:24.02\00:20:25.35
ending in
evangelism which is beautiful.
00:20:25.39\00:20:27.36
Exactly.
00:20:27.39\00:20:28.72
And as so many things
that we take for granted
00:20:28.76\00:20:30.93
on a daily basis,
00:20:30.96\00:20:32.36
you know, being able
to, you said, comb your hair
00:20:32.39\00:20:35.93
or cut your nails,
00:20:35.96\00:20:38.40
I mean, all kinds of stuff
00:20:38.43\00:20:39.90
that we take for
granted on daily basis
00:20:39.93\00:20:41.74
that they can't
do for themselves.
00:20:41.77\00:20:43.61
Right. They're
definitely oppressed.
00:20:43.64\00:20:46.54
But I had a
chance to visit them.
00:20:46.57\00:20:49.38
And I was so
touched, personally.
00:20:49.41\00:20:52.68
I was so impacted by them.
00:20:52.71\00:20:57.52
They taught me so much.
00:20:57.59\00:20:59.02
And so I wanna show
you a few little pictures
00:20:59.05\00:21:01.82
of my time there
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.53
and tell you a
couple of stories.
00:21:03.56\00:21:04.89
Nice. In the leper colony?
00:21:04.93\00:21:06.26
Yeah. In the leper colony.
00:21:06.29\00:21:07.63
And what's going
on in this picture?
00:21:07.66\00:21:09.00
I got there, and
I greeted them all.
00:21:09.03\00:21:10.60
And I heard later,
they were so surprised
00:21:10.67\00:21:13.84
because they rarely get touched.
00:21:13.87\00:21:16.37
And I would just reach out
00:21:16.40\00:21:18.77
and shake their hands and stuff.
00:21:18.81\00:21:20.21
I didn't think
anything of it. Yes.
00:21:20.28\00:21:22.21
But it meant so
much to them. Yeah.
00:21:22.24\00:21:24.31
And so it just shows
that Jesus makes a difference,
00:21:24.35\00:21:29.05
you know, not me.
00:21:29.08\00:21:30.42
Yes.
00:21:30.49\00:21:31.82
But then when I was
there, I met this man,
00:21:31.85\00:21:34.32
we can keep
looking at the pictures.
00:21:34.36\00:21:36.32
We can go through these.
00:21:36.36\00:21:37.69
Yeah. Okay.
00:21:37.73\00:21:39.06
Well, you know, I
helped with the volunteers
00:21:39.09\00:21:41.36
doing simple things.
00:21:41.40\00:21:42.73
And I thought at first I'd be,
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.77
you know, queasy in my stomach
and not able to handle it.
00:21:44.80\00:21:47.84
But I prayed about it.
00:21:47.87\00:21:49.20
And I said, "Lord, give me love.
00:21:49.24\00:21:51.37
It's not about me,
it's not about these people,
00:21:51.41\00:21:53.58
just give me love."
00:21:53.61\00:21:54.94
Amen. And He did.
00:21:54.98\00:21:56.31
He took away that queasiness
and I was able to love
00:21:56.34\00:21:59.18
so that was a miracle.
00:21:59.21\00:22:00.55
Yes, yes.
00:22:00.62\00:22:01.95
And this man here that I met,
00:22:01.98\00:22:04.12
he is the happiest man
00:22:04.19\00:22:06.42
I've ever met in
my whole entire life.
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.29
Wow.
00:22:08.32\00:22:09.66
He was bedridden, Jason, blind,
00:22:09.69\00:22:13.60
and wounds all over his body,
00:22:13.63\00:22:16.67
lost everything.
00:22:16.70\00:22:18.10
But then he told me,
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.07
he said, "I'm
glad I got leprosy."
00:22:21.10\00:22:23.51
And I said, "Why is that?"
00:22:23.54\00:22:24.87
And he said, "Because
if I never got leprosy,
00:22:24.91\00:22:26.68
I would never have met Jesus."
00:22:26.71\00:22:28.18
Wow!
00:22:28.21\00:22:29.54
And he would sing,
and he grabbed my hand,
00:22:29.58\00:22:32.48
and he said,
"Can I pray for you?"
00:22:32.51\00:22:34.02
I went there to pray for him,
and he wanted to pray for me.
00:22:34.05\00:22:36.62
And he is quoting scriptures.
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.12
And, you know, I think
he's the richest man too,
00:22:39.15\00:22:43.66
the richest spiritually.
00:22:43.73\00:22:45.99
And I learned so much from him.
00:22:46.03\00:22:48.20
It doesn't matter
what's going on in my life.
00:22:48.23\00:22:51.07
If I have Jesus and
I really know His love,
00:22:51.10\00:22:54.74
nothing else matters.
00:22:54.77\00:22:57.71
That's right.
00:22:57.74\00:22:59.07
That's Right.
00:22:59.11\00:23:00.48
And it's amazing how,
00:23:00.51\00:23:01.84
you know,
00:23:01.88\00:23:03.21
it was a tragic
event or circumstance
00:23:03.24\00:23:07.52
that led him to be
the happiest man alive
00:23:07.55\00:23:12.09
pretty much in his time.
00:23:12.12\00:23:14.82
I mean, you know, sometimes,
00:23:14.86\00:23:16.96
we're allowed to go
through certain things
00:23:17.03\00:23:20.13
so that we can
recognize our need for Christ.
00:23:20.20\00:23:22.83
Exactly. And that's beautiful.
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.17
Yeah.
00:23:25.20\00:23:26.53
Gem, you're the
prayer coordinator.
00:23:26.57\00:23:30.04
So where does prayer come
into play with all of this?
00:23:30.11\00:23:33.88
Actually, I think
prayer has a lot of...
00:23:33.91\00:23:39.65
What I say is a very
important role in ASAP
00:23:39.68\00:23:43.12
because all of us
recognize that without God
00:23:43.15\00:23:46.35
we can do nothing.
00:23:46.39\00:23:47.72
And even Judy, Julia's
mom who organized this,
00:23:47.76\00:23:51.43
whenever you ask her
"So who started ASAP?"
00:23:51.46\00:23:54.43
She will always
say, "God started ASAP."
00:23:54.46\00:23:57.40
And I got really
interested with joining ASAP
00:23:57.47\00:24:01.80
and in the
previous mission trips
00:24:01.84\00:24:04.94
because prayer is
an integral part of it.
00:24:04.97\00:24:07.41
We have a wonderful
way of starting the day
00:24:07.48\00:24:11.91
coming together,
praying together unitedly.
00:24:11.95\00:24:14.48
And that made an impact,
00:24:14.52\00:24:17.22
actually, in the
ministry that I'm at right now
00:24:17.29\00:24:19.79
because I've seen
the power of prayer
00:24:19.82\00:24:22.09
in that situation,
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.86
and I've seen
people who have survived
00:24:23.93\00:24:26.70
through
difficulties through prayer.
00:24:26.73\00:24:29.60
And as our name right now,
00:24:29.63\00:24:32.80
Advocate for
the Southeast Asians
00:24:32.83\00:24:34.34
and the Persecuted,
00:24:34.37\00:24:36.07
and when you are in
the midst of persecution,
00:24:36.10\00:24:39.01
prayer becomes sweeter.
00:24:39.04\00:24:41.48
And I remember during one time
00:24:41.51\00:24:42.91
when we were in
a closed country,
00:24:42.94\00:24:45.05
where I could not
mention, we had this convention.
00:24:45.08\00:24:47.92
And the
convention got shut down.
00:24:47.95\00:24:50.02
It was an Adventist convention.
00:24:50.09\00:24:52.05
It got shut down in
the middle of it all.
00:24:52.09\00:24:54.16
And they were not the lenient
on asking us to continue,
00:24:54.19\00:24:58.86
even meeting for election,
the officers were not allowed.
00:24:58.89\00:25:02.46
This is an
international convention
00:25:02.50\00:25:04.40
so just imagine being stopped.
00:25:04.43\00:25:06.57
So I was leading
prayer during the time.
00:25:06.60\00:25:09.40
And my friends
came to me and said,
00:25:09.44\00:25:12.27
"So, Gem, what should we do?
00:25:12.31\00:25:14.21
What should we do? Can
we still come together?
00:25:14.28\00:25:15.98
Because when we come together,
00:25:16.01\00:25:17.65
there was a threat that
we will be put in prison.
00:25:17.68\00:25:21.32
We will lose our freedom."
00:25:21.35\00:25:22.92
So I said, "We
could not let this thing
00:25:22.95\00:25:25.22
continue without prayer."
00:25:25.25\00:25:26.79
So we decided to be praying
00:25:26.86\00:25:28.56
in different rooms every day.
00:25:28.59\00:25:33.13
And we will have like...
00:25:33.16\00:25:34.80
We will inform people
who would want to join in,
00:25:34.83\00:25:37.07
"Do not come in groups,
00:25:37.10\00:25:38.60
come individually, or
come with two or three people
00:25:38.63\00:25:42.54
that do not do something
that will attract attention."
00:25:42.57\00:25:45.27
And you will have like
secret knocks, Jason, like...
00:25:45.31\00:25:48.81
Wow!
00:25:48.84\00:25:50.18
And then people
will come in to room.
00:25:50.25\00:25:51.68
And you know what,
this is one amazing thing
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.62
because during
those prayer sessions,
00:25:53.65\00:25:57.29
knowing that your
life is on the line,
00:25:57.32\00:25:59.85
knowing that your
freedom is on the line,
00:25:59.89\00:26:01.79
I've not heard prayers
00:26:01.82\00:26:04.33
that were uttered
with the most passionate,
00:26:04.36\00:26:07.13
sincere,
desperation to call upon God.
00:26:07.20\00:26:10.27
There's never a
dry eye in that prayer.
00:26:10.30\00:26:13.54
And then
something spoke to my heart,
00:26:13.57\00:26:17.31
God is giving us a preview
00:26:17.34\00:26:18.74
of what
persecution would be like.
00:26:18.77\00:26:21.21
And sometimes,
00:26:21.24\00:26:22.58
we were so afraid to
talk about persecution
00:26:22.61\00:26:24.15
because we will be
losing our freedom,
00:26:24.18\00:26:25.78
we'll be losing our comfort.
00:26:25.81\00:26:27.42
But one thing
that we don't see is
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.85
we'll be gaining
something really beautiful.
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.69
Something...
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.06
Which is what?
00:26:34.09\00:26:35.42
Which is a very
intimate walk with God.
00:26:35.46\00:26:37.56
Amen.
00:26:37.63\00:26:38.96
And I guess Julia could tell you
00:26:38.99\00:26:40.33
about these
people that we have met
00:26:40.36\00:26:43.50
when we had a
training session there.
00:26:43.57\00:26:46.63
And as Julia just
said, a while ago,
00:26:46.67\00:26:48.64
in ministering
to the leper colony,
00:26:48.67\00:26:51.11
she's thinking that
00:26:51.14\00:26:52.74
she will give a
blessing to them.
00:26:52.77\00:26:54.11
But in the end, we are the ones
who are blessed exponentially
00:26:54.18\00:26:58.68
by seeing the
faces of these people
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.98
really
experiencing God to the utmost.
00:27:01.02\00:27:04.22
Yes.
00:27:04.29\00:27:05.62
Julia, you know, we've
been talking about persecution
00:27:05.65\00:27:08.36
and being persecuted.
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.03
And I think it
would be a good time
00:27:10.06\00:27:11.73
to discuss the
definition of persecution
00:27:11.76\00:27:16.50
and take a look at why
some people are persecuted.
00:27:16.53\00:27:21.20
Yeah.
00:27:21.24\00:27:22.57
So persecution is defined
as hostility and ill treatment,
00:27:22.60\00:27:26.68
especially because of race,
00:27:26.71\00:27:28.61
political, or religious beliefs.
00:27:28.64\00:27:31.18
And, you know, us in the
West, we think, persecution,
00:27:31.21\00:27:35.88
that doesn't
really happen anymore.
00:27:35.92\00:27:37.32
We don't really see
it on a day-to-day basis.
00:27:37.39\00:27:40.16
But persecution is
at its highest ever
00:27:40.19\00:27:44.26
in Earth's
history right now today.
00:27:44.33\00:27:48.16
Wow! Yeah.
00:27:48.20\00:27:49.60
And then I would have
no idea that was going on
00:27:49.63\00:27:52.60
if you didn't share that.
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.14
Yeah.
00:27:54.17\00:27:55.50
And so we have
to think about why
00:27:55.54\00:27:58.87
and we also have to think about
00:27:58.91\00:28:00.78
our persecuted brothers
and sisters around the world.
00:28:00.81\00:28:03.88
And we with ASAP are connected
00:28:03.95\00:28:07.25
to a large amount of believers
00:28:07.32\00:28:10.42
that are in
these close countries.
00:28:10.49\00:28:12.22
And like what Gem
said, when we meet them,
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.86
we think we're going to end up
00:28:15.89\00:28:17.83
blessing them
in these trainings.
00:28:17.86\00:28:19.46
But just hearing
from them year after year
00:28:19.49\00:28:22.43
and learning their stories
and what they've been through,
00:28:22.46\00:28:26.10
we learned so many lessons.
00:28:26.13\00:28:28.27
And it's actually
good because in a way,
00:28:28.30\00:28:32.91
we don't want
persecution to come on to us,
00:28:32.94\00:28:35.21
but we want that
type of relationship
00:28:35.24\00:28:36.68
that they have.
00:28:36.75\00:28:38.08
Yes.
00:28:38.11\00:28:39.45
You know? Yes.
00:28:39.48\00:28:40.82
But by learning, then
it helps me in my life
00:28:40.85\00:28:42.82
to realize,
00:28:42.85\00:28:44.19
"Hey, when hardships do come,"
which they come to all of us,
00:28:44.22\00:28:47.29
maybe not in the form
of government persecution
00:28:47.36\00:28:49.82
or family persecution
but maybe in other forms,
00:28:49.86\00:28:52.96
like with illness or
difficulties on the job
00:28:52.99\00:28:57.00
or this or that,
00:28:57.07\00:28:58.70
then we know how to approach it.
00:28:58.73\00:29:00.74
Yes.
00:29:00.77\00:29:02.10
We have a different mindset
00:29:02.14\00:29:03.51
in how to approach it, you know?
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.44
So would you say that
00:29:05.47\00:29:07.38
being a part of
ASAP Ministry says
00:29:07.41\00:29:09.81
strengthens your walk with God?
00:29:09.84\00:29:11.45
Oh, definitely, definitely.
00:29:11.48\00:29:14.32
It is such a
blessing and such a joy,
00:29:14.35\00:29:17.29
you know, to meet
these people who will say,
00:29:17.32\00:29:21.62
"You know, I
will die for Christ,"
00:29:21.66\00:29:23.63
and then we see
it in their lives.
00:29:23.66\00:29:25.99
And, you know, it's
not just one or two,
00:29:26.03\00:29:28.40
it's a wide gamut
that are persecuted,
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.40
even children,
00:29:31.43\00:29:32.80
like we see children
00:29:32.83\00:29:34.24
who won't go to
school on Sabbath.
00:29:34.27\00:29:37.21
And they have to stand for hours
00:29:37.24\00:29:39.87
on the skin of a durian,
00:29:39.91\00:29:43.68
and those are
really sharp needles.
00:29:43.75\00:29:46.85
And that's their punishment.
00:29:46.92\00:29:48.48
And they're happy
to do that for Christ.
00:29:48.52\00:29:51.65
Wow! Yeah.
00:29:51.69\00:29:53.02
And then we see like this
one young man, this past year,
00:29:53.05\00:29:57.96
who is in prison
for seven months.
00:29:57.99\00:30:03.20
And he thought in such an honor.
00:30:03.23\00:30:07.44
His cell, no
electricity, completely dark,
00:30:07.47\00:30:11.24
and he would only get a
little bit of crusty rice
00:30:11.27\00:30:15.98
that they would
feed to the pigs,
00:30:16.01\00:30:17.35
that's what he ate.
00:30:17.38\00:30:18.71
And they would make him go out
00:30:18.75\00:30:20.12
and work in the
fields for 12 hours a day.
00:30:20.15\00:30:23.79
And while he was out there,
00:30:23.82\00:30:26.76
while he was in jail,
00:30:26.79\00:30:28.69
his baby was born
00:30:28.72\00:30:30.83
and because he wasn't
at home in the village,
00:30:30.86\00:30:32.96
and they live so
remote church planting,
00:30:32.99\00:30:37.00
his wife
couldn't get to a clinic
00:30:37.07\00:30:39.30
and so his little baby died.
00:30:39.33\00:30:41.74
And
00:30:41.77\00:30:43.54
while he was in
jail, he witnessed to two.
00:30:43.61\00:30:47.74
He shared Jesus with as
many but two accepted the Lord
00:30:47.78\00:30:51.95
and were converted.
00:30:51.98\00:30:53.31
And so he says
it was all worth it.
00:30:53.35\00:30:55.55
So while he was in
jail, he was still witnessing.
00:30:55.58\00:30:57.85
He was witnessing. Yeah.
00:30:57.89\00:30:59.22
And he went two to
Christ during that time.
00:30:59.25\00:31:01.92
Nice. Yeah.
00:31:01.96\00:31:03.46
Nice. Man!
00:31:03.53\00:31:04.86
It really makes you think about
00:31:04.89\00:31:06.46
the things that
we take for granted,
00:31:06.49\00:31:08.33
the freedoms that we
have that we take for granted.
00:31:08.36\00:31:11.00
You know, we've been
talking about persecution,
00:31:11.03\00:31:14.67
and we actually
have some pictures
00:31:14.70\00:31:16.50
that are related to the topic.
00:31:16.54\00:31:19.94
Let's take a look at those.
00:31:19.97\00:31:21.31
And then why don't you describe
00:31:21.34\00:31:22.68
what's going on
in each of those?
00:31:22.71\00:31:25.08
Well, this one actually
has to do with the leper colony
00:31:25.11\00:31:28.62
and so if we can
backtrack just briefly on that,
00:31:28.65\00:31:33.02
one of the lepers was
gardening right outside there
00:31:33.05\00:31:38.46
and he accidentally fell
00:31:38.49\00:31:42.03
into that dry well,
00:31:42.06\00:31:45.00
and he couldn't get out
00:31:45.03\00:31:46.37
and none of the
other lepers around.
00:31:46.40\00:31:47.74
He called, called,
nobody could get him out.
00:31:47.77\00:31:50.11
And so he
didn't know what to do.
00:31:50.14\00:31:52.84
And then one of
the volunteers came
00:31:52.87\00:31:55.21
and
00:31:55.24\00:31:56.68
jumped down in that well,
00:31:56.75\00:32:00.02
put him on his shoulders,
somehow scrambled out,
00:32:00.05\00:32:03.05
took him to the hospital,
he was there day and night,
00:32:03.08\00:32:05.85
he had broken his arm.
00:32:05.89\00:32:07.82
And this leper said,
00:32:07.86\00:32:10.13
"Nobody has ever
treated me that way."
00:32:10.16\00:32:12.96
And he said he was so touched,
00:32:12.99\00:32:15.00
he told me
personally when we were there.
00:32:15.03\00:32:17.37
And it was really neat to
see how that impacted his life
00:32:17.40\00:32:22.84
in such a way that he decided
to give his whole heart to God.
00:32:22.87\00:32:26.31
Yes. Yeah.
00:32:26.34\00:32:27.68
And the other one
00:32:27.71\00:32:29.04
that we just
came up on the screen.
00:32:29.08\00:32:31.08
This gentleman, he was an addict
00:32:31.11\00:32:33.82
because a lot of times
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.18
when people
experience loss and trauma,
00:32:35.22\00:32:38.65
they go to drugs, alcohol,
smoking, things like that.
00:32:38.69\00:32:42.76
So he would
smoke four packs a day
00:32:42.79\00:32:44.56
and drink gallons of alcohol,
and he was an insomniac.
00:32:44.59\00:32:47.83
He couldn't sleep at night.
00:32:47.86\00:32:49.20
Okay.
00:32:49.23\00:32:50.57
And then he found Jesus.
00:32:50.60\00:32:51.93
He's one of the lepers.
00:32:51.97\00:32:53.64
And now you always see
him with his Great Controversy
00:32:53.67\00:32:58.24
and his Bible,
and he's witnessing.
00:32:58.27\00:33:01.34
It's just really beautiful.
00:33:01.38\00:33:03.01
Wow! Yeah.
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.38
These workers
just touch my heart
00:33:04.41\00:33:07.42
because their little sacrifice
00:33:07.45\00:33:11.05
in a way has much reward.
00:33:11.09\00:33:14.42
But the workers
lives are changed too.
00:33:14.46\00:33:17.33
I don't have pictures
'cause it wasn't safe to show
00:33:17.36\00:33:19.66
but some of the
workers that went there
00:33:19.69\00:33:22.43
were not committed, they
weren't fully surrendered.
00:33:22.46\00:33:25.57
But through the act of
giving to the oppressed,
00:33:25.60\00:33:30.34
God changed them.
00:33:30.41\00:33:32.01
One that I met
was a 16-year-old boy
00:33:32.04\00:33:34.74
and his mom became
Adventist four years before.
00:33:34.78\00:33:38.21
And she was so
worried about her son
00:33:38.25\00:33:40.52
because he was
doing all kinds of things
00:33:40.55\00:33:42.98
that he shouldn't be doing.
00:33:43.02\00:33:44.65
And she had preached him
and nothing seemed to work.
00:33:44.69\00:33:47.66
And when I met him there,
00:33:47.69\00:33:49.56
I realized he was
always on his cell phone.
00:33:49.59\00:33:51.73
He wouldn't speak
to the lepers, nothing.
00:33:51.76\00:33:54.73
And I asked the head person,
I said, "Why is he here?"
00:33:54.76\00:33:59.83
You know, real,
little old faith.
00:33:59.87\00:34:02.44
But four months later,
00:34:02.47\00:34:04.04
they sent me a
testimony of this young man,
00:34:04.11\00:34:07.28
and they said that the
act of serving the lepers,
00:34:07.31\00:34:11.88
caring for him changed his life.
00:34:11.91\00:34:14.35
And he said that now
he looks at the lepers
00:34:14.38\00:34:16.55
and he just loves them.
00:34:16.58\00:34:18.32
He said he'll
never be the same person
00:34:18.35\00:34:20.06
he found what true happiness
is at the leper colony.
00:34:20.09\00:34:22.06
What a blessing.
00:34:22.09\00:34:23.76
Yeah. What a blessing.
00:34:23.83\00:34:25.16
And another lady if I can
share one more story, Jason?
00:34:25.19\00:34:27.70
Yeah, please do. We have time.
00:34:27.73\00:34:29.43
We have time.
00:34:29.46\00:34:31.13
This other lady was so sick
00:34:31.17\00:34:32.80
with some
gastro strange illness,
00:34:32.83\00:34:36.20
and she was going
to all sorts of doctors
00:34:36.24\00:34:38.41
and nothing was curing her.
00:34:38.44\00:34:40.98
And then somebody told
her about the leper colony.
00:34:41.01\00:34:44.45
And she decided
that she would go
00:34:44.48\00:34:48.18
and when she went
there and started serving,
00:34:48.22\00:34:50.49
even though she
was sick herself,
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.76
Isaiah 58:7-8 was
fulfilled in her life.
00:34:53.79\00:34:58.19
Can I read it? Please do.
00:34:58.23\00:34:59.79
Okay.
00:34:59.83\00:35:01.16
Isaiah 58:7-8, says,
00:35:01.20\00:35:03.87
"Is it not to share
your bread with the hungry,
00:35:03.90\00:35:07.34
and that you bring to your house
00:35:07.37\00:35:09.37
the poor who are cast out.
00:35:09.40\00:35:11.91
When you see the
naked, that you cover him,
00:35:11.94\00:35:16.51
and not hide
yourself from your own flesh?
00:35:16.54\00:35:21.02
Then your light shall
break forth like the morning,
00:35:21.05\00:35:23.82
your healing shall
spring forth speedily,
00:35:23.89\00:35:27.09
and your righteousness shall
go before the glory of the Lord.
00:35:27.16\00:35:30.63
The glory of the Lord
shall be your rear guard."
00:35:30.66\00:35:33.63
And so she...
00:35:33.70\00:35:35.03
God healed her
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.40
through the process
of loving the lepers.
00:35:36.43\00:35:39.93
And pretty soon she
was just healed physically
00:35:39.97\00:35:43.51
and also spiritually
and actively involved.
00:35:43.54\00:35:46.44
It was really beautiful. Wow!
00:35:46.47\00:35:47.98
That is beautiful.
00:35:48.01\00:35:49.34
Hey, you know, I don't
remember where I heard this,
00:35:49.38\00:35:51.25
but I heard somewhere that
00:35:51.28\00:35:53.21
the fastest way to
get over depression
00:35:53.25\00:35:55.62
is by helping somebody else.
00:35:55.65\00:35:57.12
I belie that.
00:35:57.19\00:35:58.52
Then it takes the
attention off of yourself
00:35:58.55\00:36:00.96
and you're
helping somebody else.
00:36:00.99\00:36:02.86
And basically, you go in,
and you go to be a blessing
00:36:02.89\00:36:08.40
but then you end
up being blessed.
00:36:08.43\00:36:10.27
And that's what you
guys have been saying,
00:36:10.30\00:36:11.77
you know, what
you've been talking about.
00:36:11.80\00:36:14.14
Discuss some of the dangers
00:36:14.17\00:36:15.80
of going into
these closed countries
00:36:15.84\00:36:18.64
and witnessing to
the leper colonies.
00:36:18.67\00:36:24.18
Well, there's a lot of
danger in these closed countries
00:36:24.25\00:36:27.35
because their governments,
00:36:27.42\00:36:30.79
most of them are communists
00:36:30.82\00:36:32.25
and don't want
evangelism to be spread.
00:36:32.29\00:36:36.36
And so oftentimes, people,
00:36:36.39\00:36:38.86
believers in
these closed countries
00:36:38.89\00:36:41.23
experience
persecution from the government.
00:36:41.26\00:36:44.27
And so if they
share their faith,
00:36:44.30\00:36:46.63
they can be brought
into the police station
00:36:46.67\00:36:49.20
and interrogated by the police,
00:36:49.24\00:36:51.77
fined for that,
00:36:51.81\00:36:54.01
a lot of times they have
their motorcycles taken away
00:36:54.08\00:36:56.85
if they're caught
going to another province,
00:36:56.88\00:36:59.05
another area.
00:36:59.08\00:37:01.28
In difficult
areas, like rural areas,
00:37:01.32\00:37:04.95
oftentimes,
they're physically abused,
00:37:04.99\00:37:07.66
like hit, put in prison,
00:37:07.69\00:37:11.53
just all manner of
evil spoken against them.
00:37:11.56\00:37:15.16
And in these countries,
00:37:15.20\00:37:18.67
if they become Christian,
00:37:18.70\00:37:20.97
oftentimes, their family
and community will reject them
00:37:21.00\00:37:25.87
because they say
you're not being faithful
00:37:25.91\00:37:27.81
to your tradition or culture.
00:37:27.84\00:37:30.18
And so a lot of the
ones that we've met,
00:37:30.25\00:37:33.45
you know,
00:37:33.52\00:37:34.85
have lost their
family, lost their community,
00:37:34.88\00:37:39.25
but they've gained Christ.
00:37:39.29\00:37:40.66
Yes. Yeah.
00:37:40.69\00:37:42.02
Yes. That's the worth it.
00:37:42.06\00:37:43.39
The best thing that
you could gain ever.
00:37:43.43\00:37:44.76
That's worth it all. Ever.
00:37:44.79\00:37:46.13
Yeah.
00:37:46.16\00:37:47.93
It's crazy to me that
people would be persecuted
00:37:47.96\00:37:52.77
or people would persecute others
00:37:52.80\00:37:54.97
for a message of love.
00:37:55.00\00:37:56.54
Like, you know, Christianity,
it's a message of love.
00:37:56.57\00:38:00.78
God is love.
00:38:00.81\00:38:02.21
And so for people to
persecute other human beings
00:38:02.24\00:38:05.85
because they wanna
share a message of love
00:38:05.88\00:38:07.65
and embrace a message of love,
00:38:07.68\00:38:09.75
just blows my mind.
00:38:09.78\00:38:11.42
Jason, it doesn't make
common logical sense at all.
00:38:11.45\00:38:15.09
And so you have to
know that it's Satan,
00:38:15.12\00:38:19.36
it's evil that's causing that.
00:38:19.39\00:38:21.90
And we have workers that
go into the police station
00:38:21.93\00:38:24.30
and are persecuted.
00:38:24.33\00:38:26.00
And they tell the
police look at this DVD
00:38:26.03\00:38:30.97
because they share these DVDs
00:38:31.01\00:38:33.11
just like the
leaves of autumn all over.
00:38:33.14\00:38:35.51
It's amazing in their
sermons of God's truth
00:38:35.54\00:38:38.95
about the three
angels' message about,
00:38:38.98\00:38:41.42
you know, the end time,
00:38:41.45\00:38:43.25
you know, on health,
everything, all topics.
00:38:43.28\00:38:45.99
And so they
share these messages.
00:38:46.02\00:38:47.79
And they say, "Watch it."
00:38:47.82\00:38:49.72
You know, there
was a couple recently
00:38:49.76\00:38:52.33
that went into a new area.
00:38:52.36\00:38:54.90
And they were
caught by the police
00:38:54.93\00:38:56.60
and the police had
never heard of this ministry.
00:38:56.67\00:39:00.24
And so it was an
unreached, un-entered territory.
00:39:00.27\00:39:05.81
And so they said, you
know, "What are you doing?
00:39:05.84\00:39:09.58
Who are you?" And everything.
00:39:09.61\00:39:10.95
And there was a big crowd,
00:39:10.98\00:39:12.31
like, all the workers
00:39:12.35\00:39:13.72
in the police
station came around
00:39:13.75\00:39:15.08
'cause this was something
they've never seen before.
00:39:15.12\00:39:17.75
You know, and
they were so happy.
00:39:17.79\00:39:20.66
These workers
were rejoicing with me.
00:39:20.69\00:39:22.89
And they said, "We
were so happy, Julia,
00:39:22.92\00:39:25.33
because they took the DVDs
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.90
and they put them in
five different computers
00:39:27.93\00:39:31.07
in the station because
we told them watch this.
00:39:31.10\00:39:36.30
This is not going to
hurt you." Propaganda.
00:39:36.34\00:39:38.41
It's not propaganda.
00:39:38.44\00:39:39.91
It's not against the government.
00:39:39.94\00:39:41.28
It's a message of
love, like you said.
00:39:41.31\00:39:42.81
Yes, yes.
00:39:42.84\00:39:44.18
And so when they heard
00:39:44.25\00:39:45.58
all five computers
playing the message
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.35
and people crowded around it.
00:39:47.42\00:39:48.88
It was so worth it.
00:39:48.92\00:39:50.29
They were rejoicing.
00:39:50.32\00:39:51.65
That is beautiful.
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.02
Now I can't help,
00:39:53.05\00:39:54.39
but thank that
some of these officers
00:39:54.42\00:39:58.16
came to know the
Lord as a result of that.
00:39:58.19\00:40:00.83
Yes, they pray
for their persecutors,
00:40:00.90\00:40:03.30
and we do have stories
00:40:03.37\00:40:04.97
of officers who have
given their lives to God.
00:40:05.00\00:40:08.10
And some of them
lost their position
00:40:08.14\00:40:10.44
in the communist party.
00:40:10.51\00:40:12.57
And they lost a lot
but they gained everything
00:40:12.61\00:40:16.01
and they joined the work.
00:40:16.04\00:40:18.31
And they are really helpful
because they know the system.
00:40:18.35\00:40:24.19
And so we can use
that for God's glory
00:40:24.22\00:40:27.26
and to spread the
gospel even further.
00:40:27.29\00:40:29.39
Amen, amen.
00:40:29.42\00:40:30.76
What other stories do you have
00:40:30.83\00:40:34.03
that you've experienced
with ASAP Ministries?
00:40:34.10\00:40:37.47
Oh, we have so many.
00:40:37.50\00:40:38.83
I'm talking too much.
00:40:38.87\00:40:40.20
Gem, do you wanna share one?
00:40:40.24\00:40:41.57
I love hearing it.
00:40:41.60\00:40:44.44
And I guess when
you're talking about love,
00:40:44.47\00:40:48.24
and I guess this is the reason
00:40:48.28\00:40:49.61
why these workers are doing this
00:40:49.64\00:40:51.48
for the sake of love
00:40:51.51\00:40:52.98
because you could not
be risking your freedom,
00:40:53.01\00:40:56.15
risking your comfort,
00:40:56.18\00:40:57.52
and even
compromising your comfort
00:40:57.59\00:40:59.29
if you don't love
what you're doing.
00:40:59.32\00:41:01.69
And a couple of months ago,
00:41:01.72\00:41:03.63
I was able to witness
Julia interviewing one girl,
00:41:03.66\00:41:07.43
a 22-year-old girl,
who's a church planter.
00:41:07.50\00:41:11.00
And she drives
to go to one contact
00:41:11.03\00:41:14.80
five to six
hours on her motorbike.
00:41:14.84\00:41:18.27
Five to six
hours on her motor...
00:41:18.31\00:41:20.58
On her motorbike. Wow!
00:41:20.61\00:41:21.94
And she experienced oppression
from the village officials,
00:41:21.98\00:41:26.01
so she couldn't go
there in the mornings.
00:41:26.05\00:41:28.15
So she has to go in
the cover of the night.
00:41:28.18\00:41:31.35
And come to think of it,
00:41:31.39\00:41:33.86
this girl, I think 22 years old,
00:41:33.89\00:41:35.92
she's just wasting
her life but she's not.
00:41:35.96\00:41:39.09
When you see her,
00:41:39.13\00:41:40.50
you can see the joy on her face.
00:41:40.53\00:41:41.96
And take note,
00:41:42.00\00:41:43.37
I'm not the one
interviewing her,
00:41:43.40\00:41:44.73
I was the one
00:41:44.77\00:41:46.10
like taking
pictures in the background
00:41:46.13\00:41:48.44
and seeing the face
00:41:48.47\00:41:50.21
that is shining with
joy coming from on high,
00:41:50.24\00:41:52.87
and thinking, "I envy that joy."
00:41:52.91\00:41:55.41
Yes.
00:41:55.44\00:41:56.78
And then I begin to
realize that joy could only come
00:41:56.85\00:41:59.61
from being in
the presence of God.
00:41:59.65\00:42:01.42
And experiencing
those difficult times
00:42:01.45\00:42:04.09
makes them even more
closer in the presence of God.
00:42:04.12\00:42:08.09
And you know why she's so happy
00:42:08.12\00:42:10.33
because at the end of that week,
00:42:10.36\00:42:12.13
she has 12 souls
waiting for baptism.
00:42:12.16\00:42:15.10
Wow!
00:42:15.13\00:42:16.46
Twelve souls.
00:42:16.50\00:42:17.83
And I remember
when Julia was sharing
00:42:17.87\00:42:19.50
about those DVD stories.
00:42:19.53\00:42:22.04
And one story, it
inspired me as well in ASAP.
00:42:22.07\00:42:25.94
There's two young
men, 18- and 20-year-old,
00:42:25.97\00:42:28.51
distributing DVDs,
00:42:28.54\00:42:29.88
and they got
caught by the police.
00:42:29.91\00:42:31.25
That's the trend.
00:42:31.28\00:42:33.35
You know that you'll be
caught, you will get caught.
00:42:33.42\00:42:37.59
If not now, in the future,
00:42:37.62\00:42:39.35
but they're still doing it
for the love of the ministry,
00:42:39.39\00:42:42.69
for the love of the lost souls.
00:42:42.72\00:42:44.49
So while they were caught,
00:42:44.53\00:42:46.93
they were brought into
like the village center
00:42:47.00\00:42:49.10
or the city center,
00:42:49.13\00:42:50.57
and the police
somehow interrogated
00:42:50.60\00:42:52.70
and people surrounded because,
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.90
you know, Asians would
want to see what is happening.
00:42:55.94\00:43:00.88
So they are being interviewed.
00:43:00.91\00:43:03.98
This policeman
wanted to pin them down.
00:43:04.05\00:43:08.05
And they were
trying to say that,
00:43:08.08\00:43:10.19
"You are not loyal
to your government,
00:43:10.22\00:43:11.72
the government gave you a lot.
00:43:11.75\00:43:13.29
You are not
thankful to your government."
00:43:13.36\00:43:15.39
And you know what they
said, they were tactful,
00:43:15.42\00:43:17.63
and they were
prayerful in their approach.
00:43:17.66\00:43:19.29
Said, you know what,
00:43:19.33\00:43:20.70
"We are thankful
to the Lord first
00:43:20.73\00:43:22.90
because the
government did not give us rain,
00:43:22.93\00:43:26.40
God gave us rain, and
God made the rice to grow.
00:43:26.43\00:43:30.81
And the rice that
government gives us,
00:43:30.84\00:43:32.94
the Lord gives them first."
00:43:32.97\00:43:35.78
And the police
officials are somehow like
00:43:35.81\00:43:39.11
put to shame by that answer.
00:43:39.15\00:43:40.75
And they grab this two,
bring them to the headquarters.
00:43:40.82\00:43:45.19
They don't want to
expose their foolishness
00:43:45.22\00:43:47.36
in front of village.
00:43:47.39\00:43:48.99
And this is one thing
that came to my mind is verse
00:43:49.02\00:43:51.46
that was in Luke 21:15.
00:43:51.49\00:43:55.36
It says, "I will give
you a mouth and wisdom,
00:43:55.40\00:43:57.97
which all your
adversaries shall not be able
00:43:58.00\00:44:01.80
to gainsay or resist."
00:44:01.84\00:44:04.47
This is why
00:44:04.51\00:44:05.94
prayer is very
important in the ministry.
00:44:05.97\00:44:07.31
Amen.
00:44:07.38\00:44:08.71
You could not just
say your own words,
00:44:08.74\00:44:10.08
you could not say your own,
you want to vindicate yourself,
00:44:10.11\00:44:13.92
you want to save face,
00:44:13.95\00:44:15.35
everything should be led
and guided by the Holy Spirit.
00:44:15.38\00:44:18.52
And as a result of that arrest,
their friends were notified.
00:44:18.55\00:44:23.53
And they all gathered
together to do united prayer
00:44:23.56\00:44:25.99
for their friends who are
going through the interrogation
00:44:26.03\00:44:28.93
in the headquarters.
00:44:28.96\00:44:31.80
Make long story short,
00:44:31.83\00:44:33.17
they were released because
00:44:33.20\00:44:34.54
they could not find
anything against them.
00:44:34.57\00:44:37.11
And when they were released,
00:44:37.14\00:44:38.47
this is funny
because one of the leaders
00:44:38.51\00:44:40.48
who pick them up saw
that they were smiling,
00:44:40.51\00:44:43.55
getting out of the prison.
00:44:43.58\00:44:45.81
Thinking this two
young people here,
00:44:45.85\00:44:49.82
this is their first
time to go to the prison
00:44:49.85\00:44:52.99
to somehow face those things,
but they were not terrified.
00:44:53.02\00:44:56.02
They were smiling.
00:44:56.06\00:44:57.43
And you know why
they were smiling?
00:44:57.46\00:44:59.56
Later on they told their
supervisor, their leader,
00:44:59.59\00:45:03.37
"We experienced a glimpse
of what Christ has gone through
00:45:03.40\00:45:07.67
and to share that suffering,
00:45:07.70\00:45:10.01
it's just like
gives us so much peace,
00:45:10.04\00:45:12.27
gives us so much joy."
00:45:12.31\00:45:13.88
And that brings me to
one of my favorite quotes
00:45:13.91\00:45:19.51
in one of my favorite
books, Desire of Ages.
00:45:19.55\00:45:21.82
It says,
00:45:21.85\00:45:23.18
"Of all the gifts
00:45:23.22\00:45:24.55
that heaven can bestow upon men,
00:45:24.59\00:45:26.62
fellowship with
Christ in His suffering
00:45:26.65\00:45:28.72
is the most weighty
trust and highest honor."
00:45:28.76\00:45:32.23
Amen. Wow!
00:45:32.26\00:45:33.60
And come to think of it,
00:45:33.63\00:45:35.03
most of the time we cower down
when it comes to persecution,
00:45:35.06\00:45:40.34
when you talk about this
things but think about this
00:45:40.37\00:45:44.04
when we suffer this
things for the name of Christ
00:45:44.11\00:45:47.38
that is the weightiest
trust and highest honor.
00:45:47.41\00:45:50.05
Yes.
00:45:50.08\00:45:51.41
That's why it
brings so much joy.
00:45:51.45\00:45:52.78
Yes.
00:45:52.81\00:45:54.15
You know, that's powerful.
00:45:54.18\00:45:55.52
You know, the Bible also says,
00:45:55.55\00:45:57.02
"A soft answer
turns away wrath."
00:45:57.09\00:46:00.26
And praise the Lord
that He spoke through
00:46:00.29\00:46:03.73
those young men,
00:46:03.76\00:46:05.09
you know, to have an
impact on the police officers.
00:46:05.13\00:46:08.30
I mean, you would have thought
that they were selling drugs.
00:46:08.33\00:46:11.20
But they were just
distributing the gospel,
00:46:11.23\00:46:15.00
helping people to
come to know Christ.
00:46:15.04\00:46:20.28
It blows my mind.
00:46:20.31\00:46:21.64
I'm amazed
00:46:21.68\00:46:23.01
at all that's
going on over there.
00:46:23.04\00:46:24.71
And all that ASAP
Ministries is doing
00:46:24.75\00:46:28.68
that God's using you
guys to accomplish over there
00:46:28.72\00:46:32.22
in these closed countries.
00:46:32.25\00:46:35.76
Really is God's work.
00:46:35.79\00:46:37.79
And we see Him working.
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.53
And I think it's because
He really loves His people,
00:46:39.56\00:46:44.17
the persecuted, the
poor, the unreached.
00:46:44.20\00:46:47.24
You know, when
Saul was persecuting
00:46:47.27\00:46:51.67
the early church,
00:46:51.71\00:46:53.27
and Jesus came to
him, and Jesus said,
00:46:53.31\00:46:56.54
"Saul, Saul, why
do you persecute Me?"
00:46:56.58\00:46:59.91
So He closely identifies Himself
00:46:59.95\00:47:02.75
to the persecuted
because He loves them so much.
00:47:02.78\00:47:05.72
So what we're doing is nothing
00:47:05.75\00:47:07.86
but what Jesus is
doing is everything
00:47:07.89\00:47:10.16
because He's
defending His people,
00:47:10.23\00:47:12.09
He's the biggest
advocate for His people.
00:47:12.13\00:47:13.80
Yes. Yes.
00:47:13.83\00:47:15.16
Yeah.
00:47:15.20\00:47:16.53
You know, we have a
couple more pictures
00:47:16.56\00:47:17.90
that we'd like
to take a look at.
00:47:17.93\00:47:20.17
And then if you
would tell us briefly
00:47:20.24\00:47:21.67
what's going on
in each one of those
00:47:21.70\00:47:23.34
as they come up.
00:47:23.41\00:47:24.74
Okay.
00:47:24.77\00:47:26.11
Well, I shared with you a
lot of persecution stories.
00:47:26.14\00:47:29.24
And so this
picture just symbolizes
00:47:29.28\00:47:32.98
what is
happening around the world.
00:47:33.01\00:47:34.98
And so I wanna urge
you to do what God asks us
00:47:35.02\00:47:39.39
in Hebrews 13:3.
00:47:39.42\00:47:41.26
And in Hebrews
13:3, it says here,
00:47:41.29\00:47:44.59
I wanna read it
for you if that's okay.
00:47:44.63\00:47:48.33
"Remember the prisoners
as if chained with them,
00:47:48.36\00:47:52.33
those who are mistreated
00:47:52.37\00:47:53.94
since you yourselves
are in the body also."
00:47:53.97\00:47:56.71
And so in remembering
the prisoners by prayer
00:47:56.74\00:48:02.31
and by supporting,
00:48:02.34\00:48:04.38
this can be
life changing for you
00:48:04.41\00:48:06.38
'cause I know
it has been for me.
00:48:06.41\00:48:07.75
Yes.
00:48:07.78\00:48:09.12
And so little
later, if we have time,
00:48:09.15\00:48:10.49
I'll share with you some
ways that we can get people
00:48:10.52\00:48:14.19
more involved in the
believers of the persecuted.
00:48:14.26\00:48:17.63
Amen. Yeah.
00:48:17.66\00:48:18.99
What are some of the
needs of ASAP Ministries?
00:48:19.03\00:48:22.13
What do you need?
00:48:22.16\00:48:23.50
Jason, I think our biggest
need is for more prayer warriors
00:48:23.57\00:48:26.97
to support the
persecuted believers
00:48:27.04\00:48:29.04
around the world
00:48:29.07\00:48:30.41
and really lift
them up in prayer,
00:48:30.44\00:48:31.87
claiming promises for them.
00:48:31.91\00:48:33.58
And on our website,
00:48:33.61\00:48:34.94
we have promises
for the persecuted
00:48:34.98\00:48:37.25
that people can
download and claim daily.
00:48:37.28\00:48:40.15
Okay, okay. Yeah.
00:48:40.22\00:48:41.55
And another thing we're
starting is GWIDOP team.
00:48:41.58\00:48:44.65
GWIDOP stands for God's Work
in Dangerous Oppressive Places.
00:48:44.69\00:48:48.42
And if people
wanna join that team,
00:48:48.46\00:48:50.63
they can donate $100 a month,
00:48:50.66\00:48:53.06
which goes to help
with the secret trainings,
00:48:53.09\00:48:55.83
the workers'
small stipends, DVDs,
00:48:55.86\00:48:58.80
and then they'll
be receive an update,
00:48:58.83\00:49:01.27
a special update once a month
00:49:01.30\00:49:03.41
about the work
in these countries.
00:49:03.44\00:49:05.77
And in addition to that,
00:49:05.81\00:49:09.11
while we have
different financial needs,
00:49:09.14\00:49:11.28
God always provides,
00:49:11.31\00:49:12.65
but we want to work
together in making that happen.
00:49:12.68\00:49:15.82
Yes. Yeah.
00:49:15.85\00:49:17.19
Now do you need
missionaries as well?
00:49:17.22\00:49:18.85
Do you need
people to go overseas?
00:49:18.89\00:49:21.99
Well, we have
short-term mission trips
00:49:22.02\00:49:24.39
that people can
go to safe countries.
00:49:24.43\00:49:26.56
Okay.
00:49:26.59\00:49:27.93
And that's always a need.
00:49:27.96\00:49:29.30
And they can
find out about those
00:49:29.33\00:49:30.90
on our website as well.
00:49:30.97\00:49:32.63
And we always need ambassadors
00:49:32.67\00:49:35.10
to spread the word to be an
advocate for the persecuted.
00:49:35.14\00:49:38.64
So if people
have been really moved
00:49:38.67\00:49:41.71
by what they're
hearing is happening,
00:49:41.74\00:49:43.48
they can go out,
00:49:43.55\00:49:44.88
and they can spread
the word in their churches
00:49:44.91\00:49:46.72
in different places.
00:49:46.75\00:49:48.08
Yes, yes. Yeah.
00:49:48.12\00:49:49.45
And you have materials
that they can distribute.
00:49:49.48\00:49:51.55
Yes, we do. On your behalf.
00:49:51.59\00:49:52.92
Yes. Wow.
00:49:52.95\00:49:54.29
So many powerful stories.
00:49:54.32\00:49:55.79
Praise the Lord. Yes.
00:49:55.82\00:49:57.36
So do you have...
00:49:57.43\00:49:58.76
We have a short
amount of time left
00:49:58.79\00:50:00.53
before we go to
the address roll.
00:50:00.60\00:50:03.87
And I just wanna know
if you have any other story
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.20
that you can
share with me briefly.
00:50:06.23\00:50:08.54
Oh, we have a lot of stories.
00:50:08.57\00:50:10.51
Do you wanna share
the one, Gem, about...
00:50:10.54\00:50:14.18
The group? The gold mine one?
00:50:14.21\00:50:15.81
Oh, sure. Okay.
00:50:15.84\00:50:17.18
Yeah, there was this group,
00:50:17.25\00:50:19.18
who are somehow disheartened
because of the persecution,
00:50:19.21\00:50:22.65
and they stopped evangelizing.
00:50:22.68\00:50:26.59
Somehow one of the
leaders visited them
00:50:26.62\00:50:28.29
and encouraged them to
pray for the burden for souls,
00:50:28.32\00:50:31.33
for the love for souls.
00:50:31.36\00:50:33.33
They prayed for a month,
00:50:33.40\00:50:34.73
and the love for
souls begin to grow.
00:50:34.76\00:50:36.43
So somehow,
00:50:36.46\00:50:37.80
one of the members was
led to a lady in the market,
00:50:37.83\00:50:41.84
and this lady gave
her prayer request.
00:50:41.87\00:50:45.11
And this lady just broke
down in front of her and said,
00:50:45.14\00:50:48.21
"My son has been
missing for two years.
00:50:48.24\00:50:50.55
He joined the army and
we could not find him."
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.42
And she has a
suspicion that the black mafia
00:50:53.45\00:50:56.48
somehow kidnapped his son
and put him to be slave workers
00:50:56.52\00:51:00.56
in the gold mine.
00:51:00.59\00:51:01.92
So she promised, "I
will pray for your son."
00:51:01.96\00:51:04.49
She gathered
her members, prayed,
00:51:04.53\00:51:06.09
and at the end of seventh
day of praying, perfect number.
00:51:06.13\00:51:09.60
Yes.
00:51:09.63\00:51:10.97
The Lord sent an
angel to bring that son
00:51:11.00\00:51:14.24
out of the gold mine
00:51:14.27\00:51:16.71
and lead him to freedom.
00:51:16.74\00:51:18.74
Because of that,
she got converted,
00:51:18.77\00:51:23.08
neighbors saw that miracle.
00:51:23.11\00:51:24.85
So that's one powerful.
00:51:24.88\00:51:26.21
What a powerful story.
00:51:26.25\00:51:27.62
Well, let's show people
00:51:27.65\00:51:28.98
how they can get
in touch with you.
00:51:29.02\00:51:30.35
Okay.
00:51:30.39\00:51:32.42
Advocates for Southeast
Asians and the Persecuted
00:51:32.45\00:51:35.96
or ASAP for short
is in need of those
00:51:35.99\00:51:39.29
who will pray for
their missionaries
00:51:39.33\00:51:41.23
and support them
financially as they work
00:51:41.26\00:51:43.57
in some of the most
difficult mission fields
00:51:43.60\00:51:45.83
in the world.
00:51:45.87\00:51:47.24
If the Holy
Spirit impresses you,
00:51:47.27\00:51:49.27
you can find out
much more information
00:51:49.30\00:51:51.51
on their website
ASAPMinistries.org.
00:51:51.54\00:51:55.21