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, friends,
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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I'm John Lomacang,
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and to my left
is a beautiful lady.
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Oh, well, I
don't know about that.
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Yes, I do.
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My name is Angela Lomacang,
and we're so glad to be here.
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We're so glad that
you've tuned in today.
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That's right.
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You're gonna be blessed
today, aren't they, honey?
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That's right.
It's about missions.
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You know, when we
think about missions,
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we often ask
ourselves a question,
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has God called me
to be a missionary.
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And today our guests are
going to talk about missions
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in the sense where
God has called them.
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But missionary work is something
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that the entire world
has been called to benefit
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from the Lord has
sent us as missionaries.
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He sent His
disciples as missionaries.
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And today, I believe that
the Lord would touch your life
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in one way or the other
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to participate in the
mission of getting people
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ready for the
coming of the Lord.
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And if you're tuning in
here for the first time,
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this is your first
time watching 3ABN,
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we like to welcome you.
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And make particularly
note of this network
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because we believe
that God ordained it.
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Don't you believe that
honey? Yes, absolutely.
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Not only television but
radio which my wife works for.
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God has ordained this
network to carry the gospel
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around the world.
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And so this is
an exciting program.
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So sit back and
invite your family
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or if you're by yourself,
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this is gonna be
a very informative
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and blessed program.
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And so thank
you for your prayers
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and your financial
support of this network
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as we continue
going and growing,
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getting people ready
for the coming of the Lord.
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But, honey before
we go to the program
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and before we
introduce our guests,
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we have some music today.
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Tell us what we're
gonna have and what it is?
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Okay, we have Pam Lister
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who's gonna share a
song called "Written in Red."
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In letters of crimson
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God wrote His love
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On the hillside so long
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Long ago
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For you and for me
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Jesus died
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And love's greatest story
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Was told
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I love you
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That's what
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Calvary said
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I love you
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Written
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In red
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Down through the ages
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God wrote His love
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With the same hands
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That suffered
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And bled
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Giving all
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that he had to give
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A message
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so easily read
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I love you
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That's
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What Calvary said
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I love you
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Oh, Precious
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is the flow
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That makes me
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White as snow
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No other fount
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I know
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Nothing but the blood
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The blood of Jesus
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I love you
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That's
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What Calvary said
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I love you
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Written
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In red
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Thank you so much for
that song "Written in Red."
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Amen. Pam did a wonderful job.
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You know, the whole
foundation on which we stand
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is the blood of Jesus.
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And what He has done, the
doors He has opened for us
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really gives us
encouragement every day.
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Absolutely.
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Which is what makes
this program special.
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Oh, I'm excited
about the program.
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The Lord is
continually opening doors.
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So let's not take
any much more time
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and introduce to
you our guests today.
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I'll stop to my right
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Christopher
White, I call you Chris.
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But good to
have you here, Chris.
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It is me.
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Yes, for the audience
that's tuning in today,
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somebody might
say, "Hey, that's Chris.
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I know exactly who that is,"
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but somebody
might not know you are.
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So briefly tell us who
you are, where you're from,
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and what you do right now?
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Well, my name is
Christopher White.
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I go by Chris.
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Currently, I am at
Indian Creek Youth Camp.
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It's the church camp
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for the
Kentucky-Tennessee Conference.
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I'm the assistant manager
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and I've been back
for the last six years.
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My family moved there in 1985.
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My father, Herb White,
and my mom is Darlene White.
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They've been there
this whole time since '85
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and dad's getting
ready to retire this year.
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Oh, wow! Yeah.
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Okay, and I'm gonna wait
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till I introduce
the person to your right
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and tell us who you are?
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And same thing,
where you're from
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and what you do right now?
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My name is Erin White.
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Okay.
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And I work as
the emotional support
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for my husband at Indian Creek.
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I like that.
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No, I'm your
emotional support, honey.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, camp life can be a
little bit stressful so...
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But I'm also a full
time mom to our foster son
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and I do some contract work
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as a licensed clinical
social worker on the side
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but primarily I'm
living there at camp, so.
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Okay, licensed
clinical social worker.
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Yeah.
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Wow, that does help
when it comes to camp,
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doesn't it?
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Yes.
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To keep you balanced
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and also give the
kids some direction there.
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Yeah. Erin is.
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I was gonna say... Go ahead.
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No, no. Tell
them, what are the...
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How do you know Erin?
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Oh, Erin is a
wonderful young lady.
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We've known her
for quite a few years
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through her parents.
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That's right.
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April and Will Wharf,
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they're the
members at our church.
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Tell us about Will.
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What does Will do
here? What does Will not do?
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Will works with production.
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He works with graphics
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whenever we do
any kind of series.
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I'm always glad that
Will is on the other end,
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he makes sure that
if I design a graphic,
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if it's a
mistake, he'll find it,
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if there're no mistakes,
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he'll make sure that
it comes up on the screen.
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I call it,
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Will is in the trenches with me.
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So if you ever see me preaching
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and if there's
graphics involved,
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Will is making it
happen on the screen.
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I always appreciate that,
because I could rely on him.
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That's right.
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But if there's something
that's broken on the truck,
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Will's probably fixing it.
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If there's wires
that need to be soldered,
00:10:00.83\00:10:02.16
Will's probably doing that.
00:10:02.20\00:10:03.53
If there's
something on the stage
00:10:03.57\00:10:04.90
and need to be put in,
Will is involved in that.
00:10:04.93\00:10:06.87
Floor directing right now.
00:10:06.94\00:10:08.27
He's is floor
directing right now.
00:10:08.30\00:10:10.01
He's got his
hand in so many things
00:10:10.04\00:10:12.91
and, you know, 3ABN is
blessed to have people like Will
00:10:12.94\00:10:16.28
to know that any particular area
00:10:16.31\00:10:19.48
that needs to be covered,
00:10:19.51\00:10:20.85
he has the rounded
experience to help the new guys
00:10:20.92\00:10:23.69
and the new young ladies
00:10:23.72\00:10:25.05
that come on staff to
know what they're doing.
00:10:25.09\00:10:26.42
So we appreciate
your parents very much.
00:10:26.45\00:10:29.26
And we used to think
that she looked like her mom
00:10:29.29\00:10:31.06
but now what do we say?
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Look exactly like her dad.
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You do have a wonderful mother.
00:10:34.30\00:10:35.63
She's a prayer
warrior, woman of God.
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Yes.
00:10:38.07\00:10:39.40
We appreciate her
00:10:39.43\00:10:40.77
at Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:10:40.84\00:10:42.27
Lot of... And you
have a brother also.
00:10:42.30\00:10:44.21
I do. Yeah.
00:10:44.24\00:10:45.57
And he's a pastor now.
00:10:45.61\00:10:46.98
He's currently intern pastoring,
00:10:47.01\00:10:48.34
but he's about to finish that.
00:10:48.38\00:10:49.71
So he's about to find out
00:10:49.74\00:10:51.08
where his
district is going to be.
00:10:51.11\00:10:53.11
So it's an
exciting time in our family.
00:10:53.15\00:10:55.62
That's right. Yeah.
00:10:55.65\00:10:56.99
And we're here today,
00:10:57.02\00:10:58.35
we're gonna talk
about your journey
00:10:58.39\00:11:00.39
because right now,
you both are preparing,
00:11:00.46\00:11:03.63
and I'll let you go
ahead and introduce that.
00:11:03.66\00:11:05.83
What's the great preparation
00:11:05.86\00:11:07.30
that you are
now both involved in
00:11:07.33\00:11:10.57
for that which is ahead of you?
00:11:10.60\00:11:12.90
Well, we have accepted a call
00:11:12.93\00:11:15.60
with Adventist Frontier Missions
00:11:15.64\00:11:17.31
to go to West Africa,
and to Benin, West Africa,
00:11:17.34\00:11:21.61
in the Pendjari region,
00:11:21.64\00:11:22.98
which is in the
northern section of the Benin.
00:11:23.01\00:11:26.21
Wow.
00:11:26.25\00:11:27.62
You excited?
00:11:27.65\00:11:28.98
Yes. Yes.
00:11:29.02\00:11:30.35
Very, it's a long term,
00:11:30.39\00:11:31.72
what we call it a
career missionary call.
00:11:31.75\00:11:33.09
It's a long term call.
00:11:33.12\00:11:34.76
So they're expecting
00:11:34.79\00:11:37.13
that the project will
take between 8-10 years.
00:11:37.16\00:11:39.46
Wow. Yeah.
00:11:39.49\00:11:40.83
Wow. So we're moving to Africa.
00:11:40.90\00:11:42.73
You're moving.
00:11:42.76\00:11:44.10
So... Yeah.
00:11:44.17\00:11:45.50
Wow, 8-10 years.
00:11:45.53\00:11:46.87
We're gonna really pray for them
00:11:46.90\00:11:48.44
because first of all,
00:11:48.47\00:11:49.80
our prayer is that
the Lord comes back
00:11:49.84\00:11:51.17
in less than 10 years.
00:11:51.21\00:11:52.54
Yes. Amen.
00:11:52.57\00:11:53.91
That's our prayer.
00:11:53.98\00:11:55.31
But if He doesn't,
we pray for every day
00:11:55.34\00:11:56.68
that God has sent you
out there to be a blessing.
00:11:56.71\00:11:59.05
Let's dive into your story.
00:11:59.08\00:12:00.42
There's another
part of the story
00:12:00.45\00:12:01.78
that I could identify with.
00:12:01.82\00:12:03.15
Oh, yes.
00:12:03.18\00:12:04.52
You know, which is
very... which I think?
00:12:04.55\00:12:05.89
The foster son.
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.89
Let's let you
open your story up.
00:12:07.92\00:12:09.26
And I'll give you both
an opportunity to begin
00:12:09.29\00:12:11.79
where you feel
comfortable beginning.
00:12:11.83\00:12:13.90
Okay,
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.70
I think for me, it
started when I was a child,
00:12:15.73\00:12:20.84
my parents
knowingly or unknowingly
00:12:20.87\00:12:24.37
always had some sort
of missionary literature
00:12:24.41\00:12:27.01
around the house.
00:12:27.08\00:12:28.41
I grew up listening
00:12:28.44\00:12:29.78
to Eric B. Hare's
stories of missionaries
00:12:29.81\00:12:32.08
and read all kinds
of different books.
00:12:32.11\00:12:35.32
And so I think that was always
just kind of part of my makeup.
00:12:35.35\00:12:39.59
And then when I went to academy,
00:12:39.62\00:12:42.12
the academy I
ended up graduating
00:12:42.16\00:12:43.96
from was Oklahoma Academy.
00:12:44.03\00:12:45.86
And my senior
year instead of doing
00:12:45.89\00:12:48.83
a class trip to
Florida or something like that,
00:12:48.86\00:12:51.37
they always
coordinated a mission trip
00:12:51.40\00:12:53.03
for the seniors to go on.
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.40
Nice.
00:12:54.44\00:12:55.77
And our mission
trip was to Romania.
00:12:55.80\00:12:57.41
And we were
focused on orphanages.
00:12:57.44\00:12:59.91
There was an
orphanage in one particular town
00:12:59.94\00:13:02.11
that we spent all of our time
00:13:02.14\00:13:03.58
ministering to
all of these orphans.
00:13:03.65\00:13:05.88
And just realizing
the needs of the children,
00:13:05.91\00:13:09.72
it was just something.
00:13:09.75\00:13:11.09
I remember calling
home and telling my mom
00:13:11.12\00:13:13.02
about these two little
boys and just telling her,
00:13:13.05\00:13:16.46
"Is there any way
that you could take them?
00:13:16.49\00:13:18.23
Is there any way that you
could bring these boys home?"
00:13:18.26\00:13:20.50
Because there was
just something about them
00:13:20.53\00:13:22.00
that was just so
very, very special.
00:13:22.03\00:13:25.17
And so going from that,
and into my college career as,
00:13:25.20\00:13:31.71
you know, going to
Atlantic Union College,
00:13:31.74\00:13:33.78
we ended up going to India.
00:13:33.81\00:13:36.41
And I ended up being in
India, we were helping...
00:13:36.44\00:13:39.78
It was a Maranatha trip.
00:13:39.81\00:13:41.15
So we were enjoying
being able to build churches
00:13:41.18\00:13:44.09
and doing that sort of stuff.
00:13:44.12\00:13:46.05
But the thing
that always connected
00:13:46.09\00:13:47.79
with me was these children.
00:13:47.82\00:13:50.63
And just, I mean,
they were just so simple.
00:13:50.66\00:13:53.80
That's right.
00:13:53.83\00:13:55.16
They had so many needs,
00:13:55.20\00:13:56.53
but there was
something about them
00:13:56.56\00:13:57.90
that they were at peace
with whatever they were at,
00:13:57.93\00:14:00.47
because they didn't
know anything different.
00:14:00.54\00:14:02.94
And so...
00:14:02.97\00:14:04.54
And then after I
graduated from college,
00:14:04.57\00:14:08.11
ended up going overseas
and living in South Korea
00:14:08.14\00:14:10.45
for a year as a
missionary teaching English.
00:14:10.48\00:14:15.25
And so looking
back, the Lord was doing
00:14:15.28\00:14:17.82
all of these things
to kind of put seeds
00:14:17.85\00:14:20.86
in my mind of something a
little bit more long term,
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.66
you know, but when I
came back from South Korea,
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.50
there were some other things
00:14:27.53\00:14:28.86
that the Lord needed to
put in place like a husband.
00:14:28.90\00:14:32.70
Partly that's
where you come in, Chris.
00:14:32.73\00:14:36.84
Excuse me.
00:14:36.91\00:14:38.24
Okay.
00:14:38.27\00:14:39.61
Well, unlike Erin,
00:14:39.64\00:14:41.64
I actually did not have
the opportunity to do very much
00:14:41.68\00:14:45.98
overseas to begin with.
00:14:46.01\00:14:47.95
Like I said, we
moved to camp when I was...
00:14:47.98\00:14:50.49
back in 1985.
00:14:50.52\00:14:52.65
And so I was very young
00:14:52.69\00:14:54.59
and I got the
amazing opportunity to learn
00:14:54.62\00:14:58.46
what youth ministries
is like here in the States.
00:14:58.49\00:15:03.20
Growing up in the church camp,
00:15:03.23\00:15:05.43
I was able to see all
kinds of children coming in,
00:15:05.47\00:15:10.51
coming in from good homes,
00:15:10.54\00:15:12.71
ones that were coming in
from bad homes, or foster homes
00:15:12.74\00:15:16.21
and, just all of
these different backgrounds.
00:15:16.24\00:15:20.52
It really opened
my eyes to something
00:15:20.55\00:15:23.25
different than the
stable home that I was in.
00:15:23.28\00:15:27.89
And as I grew, as I got older,
00:15:27.92\00:15:31.69
God led me into
working at the camp
00:15:31.73\00:15:35.20
and learning how
to just fix things.
00:15:35.23\00:15:37.90
And
00:15:37.93\00:15:40.07
so a while back I actually
was able to go with the GC
00:15:40.14\00:15:44.44
and went to New Zealand
as...and did mission work down
00:15:44.47\00:15:48.34
in New Zealand and help
to run a Mobile Ropes Course,
00:15:48.38\00:15:51.15
and worked with
the youth down there.
00:15:51.18\00:15:52.75
A Mobile what?
00:15:52.78\00:15:54.12
A Mobile Ropes Course, it's a...
00:15:54.15\00:15:55.98
It was actually a trailer
that a guy designed down there
00:15:56.02\00:15:58.65
that we hauled around
and then we would open it up
00:15:58.69\00:16:01.02
and it turns
into a climbing wall.
00:16:01.06\00:16:04.79
Okay.
00:16:04.83\00:16:06.16
A repelling wall, over
there they call abseiling.
00:16:06.19\00:16:09.33
We had a trapeze
jump, and then a high wire
00:16:09.36\00:16:12.10
that you would walk across
while you were strapped in.
00:16:12.13\00:16:14.40
And so that was
kind of the fun side.
00:16:14.44\00:16:17.94
We had a classroom setting.
00:16:17.97\00:16:19.97
The kids got to learn
00:16:20.01\00:16:21.51
that they didn't have
to rely on themselves.
00:16:21.54\00:16:24.05
We gave them
opportunities to learn
00:16:24.08\00:16:26.05
that they had
somebody that they could trust.
00:16:26.08\00:16:28.32
Right.
00:16:28.35\00:16:29.68
And it was just
opening their eyes
00:16:29.72\00:16:31.19
to being able to
rely on somebody else.
00:16:31.22\00:16:35.29
And so that was that.
00:16:35.32\00:16:37.96
And...
00:16:37.99\00:16:39.83
But God has always led
me to being able to work
00:16:39.86\00:16:43.23
with my hands
everywhere that I went,
00:16:43.26\00:16:46.84
and which leads us up to
when Erin and I got together
00:16:46.87\00:16:52.87
and we got married
00:16:52.91\00:16:54.28
and had a passion to
go on short term missions.
00:16:54.31\00:16:57.71
Few years ago, God
opened up the doors
00:16:57.75\00:16:59.68
to go to Panama and Costa Rica.
00:16:59.71\00:17:01.82
Okay.
00:17:01.85\00:17:03.18
And so we went down there,
and my parents went with us.
00:17:03.22\00:17:07.36
And so it was a
really good time, very hot,
00:17:07.39\00:17:12.13
but we went with Maranatha.
00:17:12.16\00:17:14.30
And so I got to help lead
out in remodeling a church
00:17:14.33\00:17:20.24
and doing the
painting, fixing things,
00:17:20.27\00:17:22.47
and was in charge
00:17:22.50\00:17:23.84
of one of the
church's projects down there.
00:17:23.91\00:17:25.51
Wow.
00:17:25.54\00:17:26.88
And so that kind of
leads us up to where we're at,
00:17:26.91\00:17:32.45
now all that Erin
kind of talk about.
00:17:32.48\00:17:35.52
Yeah, getting ready for Benin.
00:17:35.55\00:17:36.89
You mentioned about
00:17:36.92\00:17:40.06
the affection
you had in your life,
00:17:40.09\00:17:42.42
seeing the needs of children,
00:17:42.46\00:17:44.16
and I think part of
your passion for missions
00:17:44.23\00:17:48.50
has something to do with that.
00:17:48.53\00:17:50.17
I want you to
kind of open that door
00:17:50.20\00:17:51.53
and walk us through that.
00:17:51.57\00:17:52.90
Yeah.
00:17:52.93\00:17:54.27
It's very, a
special part of your story.
00:17:54.30\00:17:55.64
Yes,
00:17:55.67\00:17:57.51
we had,
00:17:57.54\00:18:00.21
we've always had a
very close relationship
00:18:00.28\00:18:02.18
with each other.
00:18:02.21\00:18:03.55
But the one thing that was
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.45
a little bit of a
tension in our marriage
00:18:05.48\00:18:07.25
was that I've
always wanted children
00:18:07.32\00:18:08.92
from the time I was little
and he never wanted children.
00:18:08.95\00:18:12.25
Uh-oh!
00:18:12.29\00:18:13.66
Camp kind of
burned that out I think.
00:18:13.69\00:18:15.02
Yeah.
00:18:15.06\00:18:16.39
Always around little kids. Yes.
00:18:16.42\00:18:17.76
And so we spent some time
studying and reading the Bible
00:18:17.79\00:18:22.06
and just praying
together, just asking the Lord
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.90
what is Your call for us
00:18:24.93\00:18:27.04
as far as caring for
the needs of children
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.90
that are not our own.
00:18:29.94\00:18:31.27
And both of us
felt strongly convicted
00:18:31.31\00:18:33.31
that,
00:18:33.38\00:18:35.58
that we had a responsibility
as Christians to provide a home
00:18:35.61\00:18:39.48
if one was needed.
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.02
And so we became foster parents.
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.59
We had a couple of
children come into our home.
00:18:43.62\00:18:47.46
And then we had the little
boy that we've had in our home
00:18:47.49\00:18:51.69
for a while now.
00:18:51.73\00:18:53.06
He came into our home
when he was five months old.
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.13
Yeah. Wow.
00:18:55.16\00:18:56.50
Five months?
00:18:56.53\00:18:57.87
And at the time, the
way the case was going,
00:18:57.90\00:18:59.27
we were told that he was ours,
that we would be adopting him.
00:18:59.30\00:19:03.41
And so we have
loved him ever since then,
00:19:03.44\00:19:06.61
as if he was our own.
00:19:06.68\00:19:09.01
But the case has never been
what they thought it should be.
00:19:09.04\00:19:12.41
And so we've been
hearing over and over again
00:19:12.45\00:19:14.65
for several years now.
00:19:14.68\00:19:17.02
We don't know what's going on,
00:19:17.09\00:19:18.72
this case isn't the way
that it usually should be.
00:19:18.75\00:19:21.26
And, you know,
00:19:21.29\00:19:22.62
and so there's
been a lot of unknowns.
00:19:22.66\00:19:24.76
So I think the biggest
part that has kind of led us
00:19:24.79\00:19:28.96
to where we're at today
as far as mission work goes,
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.13
is the faith journey
00:19:32.17\00:19:33.84
that this
experience has taken us on.
00:19:33.87\00:19:35.37
Because he's the
biggest piece of us, you know,
00:19:35.40\00:19:38.57
we've always
loved him as our own.
00:19:38.61\00:19:40.51
So he's our
child. Of course he is.
00:19:40.58\00:19:42.28
And so the faith
building that has occurred
00:19:42.31\00:19:46.61
through just falling
on our knees repeatedly
00:19:46.65\00:19:49.42
asking the Lord,
00:19:49.45\00:19:50.82
"What are we supposed
to do in this situation,
00:19:50.89\00:19:53.02
please give us this
child, but Your will be done
00:19:53.05\00:19:56.26
even if that means we lose him,"
00:19:56.29\00:19:57.63
and all that sort of stuff.
00:19:57.66\00:19:59.53
I think the Lord has
been able to use that in a way
00:19:59.56\00:20:02.93
that nothing else
could have been used
00:20:02.96\00:20:05.60
to open our hearts
to allowing ourselves
00:20:05.63\00:20:08.14
to hear His voice guiding us.
00:20:08.17\00:20:11.51
And because we
were in a position
00:20:11.54\00:20:13.58
to hear His voice,
00:20:13.61\00:20:14.94
we were able to
hear Him call us to go.
00:20:14.98\00:20:17.25
Amen. Wow!
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.61
Yeah.
00:20:18.65\00:20:19.98
And with what she was saying...
00:20:20.02\00:20:21.52
Yes.
00:20:21.55\00:20:23.52
Yeah, when I said yes
to being a foster parent.
00:20:23.59\00:20:29.26
Yeah, how was that for you?
00:20:29.29\00:20:30.63
I said, "Yes, we could do this."
00:20:30.66\00:20:33.80
Honestly, I
decided to do it for Erin.
00:20:33.83\00:20:37.93
It's like, I really love Erin.
00:20:37.97\00:20:40.57
And I know that God is
going to work things out.
00:20:40.64\00:20:44.11
And I always felt
00:20:47.11\00:20:48.44
that if the
child was not my own,
00:20:48.48\00:20:51.25
that I wouldn't be able
to love the child as my own.
00:20:51.28\00:20:54.65
And
00:20:54.68\00:20:57.09
God has shown me
that is not the case.
00:20:57.12\00:21:00.76
God has shown me
that when He is leading,
00:21:00.79\00:21:03.32
He can give us that love.
00:21:03.36\00:21:04.69
Yeah. That's right.
00:21:04.73\00:21:06.59
And I opened up,
00:21:06.63\00:21:07.96
I allowed myself to love
this little boy as our own.
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.57
Praise the Lord.
00:21:10.60\00:21:11.93
And through the transition
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.04
and accepting the
call to be a missionary,
00:21:14.07\00:21:16.50
God showed me,
00:21:16.54\00:21:17.87
"Chris, I allowed you to learn
00:21:17.91\00:21:21.04
how to love this
boy just as your own.
00:21:21.08\00:21:23.11
That means those people
00:21:23.14\00:21:24.98
that I am going
to be taking you to,
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.42
you can love them
just as your family."
00:21:27.45\00:21:30.59
And so there have been so many,
00:21:30.62\00:21:34.16
so many instances that
we look back wondering,
00:21:34.19\00:21:37.89
"Why? Why God?
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.26
Why are You
allowing this to happen?"
00:21:39.29\00:21:43.06
And now that we have a
focus of where we're going.
00:21:43.10\00:21:46.53
Yes.
00:21:46.57\00:21:47.90
We're able to see the picture
unfolding and it's amazing,
00:21:47.94\00:21:54.34
painful but amazing.
00:21:54.38\00:21:55.71
That's right, that's right.
00:21:55.74\00:21:57.08
Any questions, honey?
00:21:57.15\00:21:58.48
No, this is
beautiful, but your little son,
00:21:58.51\00:21:59.85
he totally changed
your life, didn't it?
00:21:59.88\00:22:02.35
Yes.
00:22:02.38\00:22:03.72
And that is a
catalyst to your mission.
00:22:03.79\00:22:07.09
Share with us, how
little your little son.
00:22:07.16\00:22:09.86
I don't want to say his name.
00:22:09.89\00:22:11.23
How your wonderful
little son changed your life
00:22:11.26\00:22:13.80
in such a beautiful way?
00:22:13.83\00:22:16.30
Well.
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.57
There might be some tears.
00:22:18.60\00:22:19.93
Yeah, there might be some tears,
00:22:19.97\00:22:21.30
I mean, it's real this was...
00:22:21.34\00:22:24.21
For a long time,
Erin, she opened up.
00:22:24.24\00:22:28.18
She's opened herself up. Yes.
00:22:28.21\00:22:30.45
And I was
afraid of getting hurt.
00:22:30.48\00:22:33.01
And so it was
probably a couple months
00:22:33.05\00:22:37.12
before I finally
decided to allow myself
00:22:37.19\00:22:40.26
to open up to him.
00:22:40.29\00:22:42.99
But when I did, I
just there was one morning
00:22:43.02\00:22:46.70
I was still in bed and
Erin brought him downstairs
00:22:46.73\00:22:49.53
and
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.20
he just crawled across
00:22:51.23\00:22:52.57
and curled up next
to me and everything.
00:22:52.60\00:22:54.27
And I'm like, I
don't know about this,
00:22:54.30\00:22:57.84
and he snuggled
his head into my neck.
00:22:57.87\00:23:02.14
And it was, yeah,
00:23:02.18\00:23:05.88
I couldn't say no
anymore after that.
00:23:05.91\00:23:07.52
No, no.
00:23:07.55\00:23:08.88
And so that started
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.12
the process of
create in me a new heart.
00:23:11.15\00:23:14.69
God started
creating a new heart in me.
00:23:14.72\00:23:17.46
Wow.
00:23:17.53\00:23:18.86
Through that little boy
00:23:18.89\00:23:20.23
and started getting
my eyes off of myself
00:23:20.26\00:23:23.10
and focusing on somebody else,
00:23:23.13\00:23:24.63
and a little child
coming into the home.
00:23:24.67\00:23:28.17
I don't know
00:23:28.20\00:23:29.54
if there's
anything greater than that,
00:23:29.57\00:23:32.14
that God can use to
get through to somebody.
00:23:32.17\00:23:35.21
Wow!
00:23:35.24\00:23:36.58
You know, my good
friend Doug Batchelor,
00:23:36.61\00:23:38.18
he said, he told me
that years ago, he said,
00:23:38.21\00:23:41.82
"If you wanna kill
selfishness in your own heart,
00:23:41.85\00:23:46.22
have a child
come into your life."
00:23:46.25\00:23:48.79
He says, it's a real...
00:23:48.82\00:23:50.43
And I think you
didn't allude to that,
00:23:50.46\00:23:53.43
you actually pointed it out
00:23:53.50\00:23:54.83
because, I don't
wanna have children,
00:23:54.86\00:23:56.43
but you all of a sudden,
what do you do with this life
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.53
that this little boy
just crawls up next to you
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.64
and nestles himself, it's like,
00:24:00.67\00:24:02.44
"Either I embrace
him or repel him."
00:24:02.47\00:24:04.37
And now when you
look at what God was,
00:24:04.41\00:24:06.68
God is saying now,
Chris, this is just one child,
00:24:06.71\00:24:10.35
I'm about to send
you on a 10 year journey.
00:24:10.38\00:24:14.02
Your life is about to
be turned upside down.
00:24:14.05\00:24:16.62
And they're gonna be children
that are gonna be swarming you
00:24:16.69\00:24:19.55
that you've never touched,
you've never talked about,
00:24:19.59\00:24:22.72
you've never met before.
00:24:22.76\00:24:24.46
And your reaction
to them will determine
00:24:24.49\00:24:27.30
whether or not their
parents are here anything
00:24:27.33\00:24:28.70
you have to say.
00:24:28.73\00:24:30.17
Now I think
that's a big part of it.
00:24:30.20\00:24:31.73
So when you think
about missions now,
00:24:31.77\00:24:33.54
so this
catalyst, do you believe,
00:24:33.57\00:24:36.30
it prepared you
to be a better person
00:24:36.34\00:24:38.71
when you go forward and how?
00:24:38.74\00:24:40.28
Absolutely, absolutely because
00:24:40.31\00:24:44.68
just like Chris was saying,
00:24:44.71\00:24:46.61
when he came into our home,
00:24:46.65\00:24:47.98
we have been
married for seven years.
00:24:48.02\00:24:49.45
Wow.
00:24:49.48\00:24:50.82
And so we had had
seven years of just us.
00:24:50.89\00:24:54.16
Right.
00:24:54.19\00:24:55.52
We had a routine, I went to
bed at the same time every night
00:24:55.56\00:24:58.66
and he would follow.
00:24:58.69\00:25:00.80
She couldn't
sleep if I wasn't there,
00:25:00.83\00:25:02.40
so I had to go to bed,
00:25:02.43\00:25:03.77
whether I was tired or not.
00:25:03.80\00:25:05.13
That sounds like that. Okay.
00:25:05.17\00:25:06.50
I know what you mean.
00:25:06.53\00:25:07.87
Exactly, exactly.
00:25:07.90\00:25:09.24
Yeah.
00:25:09.27\00:25:10.71
Yeah, so there was
just all these routines
00:25:10.74\00:25:12.44
that were in place.
00:25:12.47\00:25:13.81
And then
suddenly a five month old
00:25:13.88\00:25:15.21
comes in to the picture.
00:25:15.24\00:25:16.95
And I was telling
Chris, just recently,
00:25:16.98\00:25:20.62
I haven't gotten more
than six hours of sleep
00:25:20.65\00:25:23.42
in several years now.
00:25:23.49\00:25:26.65
And now, I mean,
00:25:26.69\00:25:28.02
my life had been
00:25:28.06\00:25:29.39
so structured
up until that point
00:25:29.42\00:25:30.76
and structure
went out the window
00:25:30.83\00:25:32.16
when this infant
came into our home
00:25:32.19\00:25:33.90
and all these routines.
00:25:33.93\00:25:36.60
My house suddenly was a mess.
00:25:36.67\00:25:38.67
And... It was okay.
00:25:38.70\00:25:40.17
Yeah, it was okay.
00:25:40.24\00:25:41.57
It had to be, I
didn't have a choice.
00:25:41.60\00:25:42.94
Yeah. Yes.
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.31
'Cause I had a
dirty diaper to change.
00:25:44.34\00:25:45.67
Yes.
00:25:45.71\00:25:47.04
So there was just
this shift in focus
00:25:47.08\00:25:48.44
that had so much to do
with somebody outside of us.
00:25:48.48\00:25:52.18
And I really believe
00:25:52.21\00:25:53.55
that that shifted
focus was God saying,
00:25:53.62\00:25:56.62
"Okay, now, now,
00:25:56.69\00:25:58.72
now that you aren't
looking at yourselves anymore,
00:25:58.75\00:26:01.02
you can see a
much bigger picture.
00:26:01.06\00:26:03.19
And you can see that
00:26:03.22\00:26:05.06
the needs are so
much bigger than this.
00:26:05.09\00:26:09.56
Right.
00:26:09.60\00:26:10.97
And because he's
opened our eyes to that,
00:26:11.00\00:26:12.80
we have a much better focus
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.24
and a much bigger
realization of a world in need.
00:26:14.27\00:26:19.41
A child is a
perfect cure for OCD.
00:26:19.44\00:26:23.35
You know, he said...
00:26:23.38\00:26:24.71
I'd sense being,
you know, structured,
00:26:24.75\00:26:26.75
going to bed the
same time everyday
00:26:26.82\00:26:28.15
and maybe in
the house everything
00:26:28.18\00:26:29.52
is where it's supposed to be.
00:26:29.55\00:26:30.89
I don't know if
that's the reality,
00:26:30.92\00:26:32.25
but then all off a
sudden, a child comes in
00:26:32.29\00:26:33.62
and changes you, changes Erin.
00:26:33.66\00:26:35.89
And then at the same
time the Lord is saying,
00:26:35.92\00:26:37.53
"Okay, you gonna
go to a community now
00:26:37.56\00:26:40.00
that you have to reach them,
00:26:40.03\00:26:41.83
you have to
learn their structure,
00:26:41.86\00:26:44.17
so it's really amazing.
00:26:44.20\00:26:45.53
Benin. Benin, yes.
00:26:45.57\00:26:47.27
Is it...? You said North Africa?
00:26:47.34\00:26:49.70
Yeah, it's West Africa.
00:26:49.74\00:26:51.07
North-west.
00:26:51.11\00:26:52.44
Yeah, it's on, when you look
at the map of Africa and guess,
00:26:52.47\00:26:57.35
looking at from your perspective
00:26:57.38\00:26:58.81
it kind of comes
up and goes this way.
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.52
Benin is on the coast...
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.48
Okay.
00:27:02.52\00:27:03.89
Down in West Africa,
00:27:03.92\00:27:05.25
but it is a long narrow
country that goes up and so...
00:27:05.29\00:27:09.09
Coastal, mostly coastal.
00:27:09.12\00:27:10.73
Just the bottom of it.
00:27:10.76\00:27:12.09
Yeah, just the bottom of it,
00:27:12.13\00:27:13.50
and so northern Benin
is the Pendjari region
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.56
which is where we'll be
going so we won't be near water.
00:27:15.60\00:27:19.73
Have you visited there yet?
00:27:19.77\00:27:21.10
No, we have not. Okay.
00:27:21.14\00:27:22.57
Its class is sub-Saharan.
00:27:22.60\00:27:24.64
So it's hot? Yeah, very hot.
00:27:24.67\00:27:27.28
Okay, so much for that.
00:27:27.31\00:27:29.88
You don't have to worry
about taking coats with you?
00:27:29.91\00:27:31.91
Yay!
00:27:31.95\00:27:33.28
You said yay. You
like warm weather?
00:27:33.31\00:27:34.75
Oh, I hate the cold... Okay.
00:27:34.78\00:27:36.99
So I'll take the warm anytime.
00:27:37.02\00:27:38.35
How about you Chris?
00:27:38.39\00:27:40.86
God is gracious,
00:27:40.89\00:27:42.46
and He will help
me transition to heat,
00:27:42.49\00:27:45.69
so...
00:27:45.73\00:27:47.90
And now, you're gonna be going
00:27:47.93\00:27:49.26
with what organization?
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.87
With Adventist
Frontier Missions,
00:27:51.90\00:27:53.84
and that was very interesting,
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.20
because one day, Erin and I,
00:27:56.24\00:27:58.54
we went for a walk one evening
00:27:58.57\00:28:00.68
and we're going along
and she said, you know,
00:28:00.71\00:28:03.01
I really feel that God
is about ready to change,
00:28:03.04\00:28:06.41
make do a change in our lives.
00:28:06.45\00:28:08.28
I've been thinking
the same thing, like,
00:28:08.32\00:28:09.92
"Well, maybe if there's gonna be
00:28:09.95\00:28:11.29
a different job
opportunity come along,
00:28:11.32\00:28:13.29
and she says, "Well, you know,
00:28:13.36\00:28:15.59
I think God's calling
us into the mission field,"
00:28:15.62\00:28:18.56
and that stopped me.
00:28:18.59\00:28:19.93
And like, "Well, okay,
let's pray about that."
00:28:20.00\00:28:24.90
And so we
started praying about it
00:28:24.93\00:28:26.63
and I called
Adventist Frontier Missions
00:28:26.67\00:28:28.84
about two or three
days later and said,
00:28:28.87\00:28:31.17
here are all of our road blocks,
00:28:31.21\00:28:32.81
we have all these mountains
00:28:32.84\00:28:34.41
that we can't get rid of.
00:28:34.44\00:28:37.58
And so tell me yes or no,
00:28:37.65\00:28:40.92
can we do this or can we not,
00:28:40.95\00:28:42.38
expecting them to say no,
you've got too much going on.
00:28:42.42\00:28:46.05
So he could come and say to me,
00:28:46.09\00:28:47.46
no, he can't do it.
00:28:47.49\00:28:48.82
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:28:48.86\00:28:50.19
Exactly.
00:28:50.23\00:28:51.56
I just needed the
authoritative excuse.
00:28:51.59\00:28:53.70
Exactly, so fully
expecting to be able to do that,
00:28:53.73\00:28:56.70
and they said,
"Oh, that's no problem,
00:28:56.77\00:28:58.80
we can work with that,
00:28:58.83\00:29:00.64
and then I said, "Okay.
00:29:00.67\00:29:03.04
Now what do I do?"
00:29:03.07\00:29:04.54
And so I got
back and I told Erin
00:29:04.57\00:29:08.11
that I had called AFM,
00:29:08.14\00:29:10.55
and what was your response?
00:29:10.58\00:29:11.91
I was completely shocked,
I was not ready for that.
00:29:11.95\00:29:14.95
Were you happy? Oh, yes.
00:29:14.98\00:29:18.99
I had brought the subject,
00:29:19.02\00:29:20.66
I wasn't expecting
00:29:20.69\00:29:22.32
that kind of a
rapid response to it,
00:29:22.36\00:29:24.33
so I wasn't prepared for,
00:29:24.36\00:29:25.69
"Hey, I've actually
taken a step towards that."
00:29:25.73\00:29:28.56
Wow! Yeah.
00:29:28.60\00:29:29.93
And I think it's just
kind of God showing us
00:29:29.96\00:29:31.67
that this is His will,
00:29:31.70\00:29:33.47
because it has
happened so quick,
00:29:33.54\00:29:37.91
and every single door
that we thought was locked,
00:29:37.94\00:29:42.81
God was saying "I've
got the key to that door,"
00:29:42.84\00:29:45.18
because the doors have just
opened and opened and opened
00:29:45.21\00:29:48.15
all the way through.
00:29:48.18\00:29:50.19
Wow!
00:29:50.22\00:29:51.55
What's coming to your
mind when you think about this?
00:29:51.59\00:29:54.06
What's coming to my mind?
00:29:54.09\00:29:56.22
I'm just happy for them.
00:29:56.26\00:29:57.63
I'm just happy to see the way
00:29:57.66\00:29:58.99
the Lord is leading both of you,
00:29:59.03\00:30:01.53
and the doors He's opening.
00:30:01.56\00:30:03.13
And I wanna know
more about Benin.
00:30:03.16\00:30:07.67
I want to know how do
you pay for this trip?
00:30:07.70\00:30:10.81
How does all that work?
00:30:10.84\00:30:12.21
I mean, do you look at the area?
00:30:12.24\00:30:15.64
Does AFM show
you what to expect?
00:30:15.68\00:30:19.15
The food and housing
and things like that?
00:30:19.18\00:30:21.55
Do you get training?
00:30:21.58\00:30:23.22
Share with us?
00:30:23.25\00:30:24.59
Yes.
00:30:24.62\00:30:27.46
We will go to a training
00:30:27.49\00:30:30.96
after a certain portion
of our funds are raised.
00:30:30.99\00:30:34.80
They have a training that
only happens in the summer.
00:30:34.83\00:30:37.47
And so it, we will
go to that training.
00:30:37.50\00:30:40.14
It's three months
of intensive training,
00:30:40.17\00:30:43.41
and it covers everything
00:30:43.44\00:30:44.77
from evangelism to an
unreached people group,
00:30:44.81\00:30:48.58
to bush medicine, to
cultural assimilation and,
00:30:48.61\00:30:52.51
you know, dealing
with all of the things
00:30:52.55\00:30:54.02
that have to occur
00:30:54.05\00:30:56.52
when you're going from living
in a traditional American house
00:30:56.55\00:31:01.52
to mud hut with a thatched roof.
00:31:01.56\00:31:05.13
So there's a lot of
changes that have to occur.
00:31:05.16\00:31:08.60
So yes, we will
get extensive training
00:31:08.63\00:31:11.67
and Adventist Frontier Missions
is completely donor based.
00:31:11.70\00:31:15.80
Okay. Yeah.
00:31:15.84\00:31:17.61
So we are busy going and
sharing with our friends,
00:31:17.64\00:31:22.01
sharing with church families
00:31:22.04\00:31:23.45
about the needs for
reaching the unreached,
00:31:23.48\00:31:26.92
and part of that
is seeking people
00:31:26.95\00:31:28.78
that are willing to
partner with us financially.
00:31:28.82\00:31:32.22
And how long is
this mission for?
00:31:32.25\00:31:34.39
I think you mentioned that,
00:31:34.42\00:31:35.76
but reiterate that
just in case somebody...
00:31:35.79\00:31:37.13
Eight to ten years.
00:31:37.16\00:31:38.49
Eight to ten years?
00:31:38.53\00:31:39.86
So that means you're
going to be giving up
00:31:39.89\00:31:41.23
all the accoutrements,
00:31:41.26\00:31:43.06
all the conveniences of society
00:31:43.10\00:31:46.00
that has been your
structure all along.
00:31:46.03\00:31:49.00
You're giving up,
00:31:49.04\00:31:50.41
let's talk about that, I
think you mentioned here,
00:31:50.44\00:31:52.34
giving up the world
and its comforts here,
00:31:52.37\00:31:57.85
and its entertainment here.
00:31:57.88\00:32:00.32
You won't be able to
00:32:00.35\00:32:01.68
just wake up in the
morning and tune in.
00:32:01.72\00:32:03.69
Right.
00:32:03.72\00:32:05.05
Because,
00:32:05.09\00:32:06.42
did you find out about
the culture in the sense that,
00:32:06.45\00:32:09.22
is it very archaic,
00:32:09.26\00:32:13.90
is it very developed,
is it a structured city,
00:32:13.93\00:32:16.43
is it more countryside?
00:32:16.46\00:32:18.07
Some of those things,
00:32:18.10\00:32:19.43
'cause when you
think about going away,
00:32:19.47\00:32:21.17
you don't want to,
you know, so to speak,
00:32:21.20\00:32:23.34
be lowered out of the
helicopter and say well
00:32:23.41\00:32:25.91
"Hey, find some
sticks and start a fire."
00:32:25.94\00:32:28.64
What kind of
environment is it gonna be?
00:32:28.68\00:32:30.18
Right.
00:32:30.25\00:32:31.58
What kind of environments
is it gonna be for you?
00:32:31.61\00:32:32.95
Well, it's going to be
out in the middle of nowhere,
00:32:32.98\00:32:37.49
like I said, we
haven't had a chance to go yet.
00:32:37.52\00:32:41.02
There's six tribes
in the Pendjari region,
00:32:41.06\00:32:43.73
and we're gonna be going
00:32:43.76\00:32:45.19
and helping another
family that's already there.
00:32:45.23\00:32:49.13
Susie and Fidel.
00:32:49.16\00:32:50.77
And so we get to be
part of the project with them
00:32:50.80\00:32:54.24
and learn from them,
00:32:54.27\00:32:56.17
which is wonderful to be able
to have somebody to help us,
00:32:56.20\00:33:00.08
along the way,
learn how to do things.
00:33:00.11\00:33:03.18
But, you know,
there's no electrical wires
00:33:03.21\00:33:06.85
which is gonna be beautiful.
00:33:06.92\00:33:08.25
I mean right now
00:33:08.28\00:33:09.62
we walk outside and
you have a beautiful sunset
00:33:09.65\00:33:11.99
and here's some power
lines that go right across.
00:33:12.02\00:33:14.62
That's true.
00:33:14.66\00:33:15.99
There there's is no power lines
because there's no electricity.
00:33:16.02\00:33:20.90
We won't be able to
get up in the morning
00:33:20.93\00:33:22.26
and go and take
our shower to wake up
00:33:22.30\00:33:24.43
because first you have
to go to the community well,
00:33:24.47\00:33:28.50
and fill up your water jugs,
so you have water for the day.
00:33:28.54\00:33:34.48
So...
00:33:34.51\00:33:35.84
And then if Erin decides,
00:33:35.88\00:33:37.25
well, let's have a
hot meal for breakfast,
00:33:37.28\00:33:39.48
she's got to,
we've got to build a fire
00:33:39.51\00:33:42.72
and cook over the fire.
00:33:42.75\00:33:45.32
Wow.
00:33:45.35\00:33:46.69
You ready for this?
00:33:46.76\00:33:48.09
Most people don't
have refrigerators.
00:33:48.12\00:33:49.59
That's the part that
has just blown my mind.
00:33:49.62\00:33:51.79
I have no idea
how to process that.
00:33:51.83\00:33:55.20
I know because
when you think about it,
00:33:55.23\00:33:57.20
it's almost
like a daily regimen.
00:33:57.27\00:33:59.83
Eat for today, what's gonna...
00:33:59.87\00:34:01.60
It's kind of like
being in the wilderness,
00:34:01.64\00:34:03.17
don't lay it over till
tomorrow because it might rot.
00:34:03.20\00:34:06.34
Right.
00:34:06.37\00:34:07.71
But it's an arid place,
00:34:07.74\00:34:11.18
when you start thinking
00:34:11.21\00:34:12.71
about how long
you're going to be there.
00:34:12.75\00:34:14.62
Have you gotten to the place yet
00:34:14.65\00:34:15.98
where you decide, "Okay,
00:34:16.02\00:34:17.42
we're not gonna need this,
00:34:17.49\00:34:18.82
not gonna need
that, are you purging?
00:34:18.85\00:34:20.19
Yes. Oh, yeah.
00:34:20.22\00:34:21.56
Yeah.
00:34:21.59\00:34:22.92
We really don't have
much left that we own,
00:34:22.96\00:34:25.06
which has
actually been really nice.
00:34:25.09\00:34:26.63
You mentioned the whole
entertainment thing before,
00:34:26.70\00:34:29.56
honestly it's
actually refreshing
00:34:29.60\00:34:32.97
to know that we're
not gonna be bombarded
00:34:33.00\00:34:36.91
by the secular entertainment
that you see everywhere now.
00:34:36.94\00:34:42.01
And so,
00:34:42.04\00:34:44.05
so that's gonna be
kind of refreshing.
00:34:44.08\00:34:46.31
It's gonna be different
not to just get on the phone
00:34:46.35\00:34:48.48
and call family and friends.
00:34:48.52\00:34:51.45
Or get in the car
and go visit them.
00:34:51.49\00:34:53.59
Right, yeah.
00:34:53.66\00:34:55.09
How will you get around?
00:34:55.12\00:34:57.96
Motorcycle.
00:34:57.99\00:34:59.33
And buffalo. A lot of people...
00:34:59.36\00:35:02.56
There is some wild game there,
but I don't know about buffalo.
00:35:02.60\00:35:06.30
There wouldn't
be buffalo, I guess.
00:35:06.33\00:35:07.67
Yes, more like
elephants and lions and...
00:35:07.70\00:35:10.71
Wow! Yeah.
00:35:10.74\00:35:12.07
And, but go ahead and continue,
00:35:12.11\00:35:16.61
way to get around.
00:35:16.64\00:35:17.98
Oh, okay, okay.
00:35:18.01\00:35:19.35
Yeah, motorcycles
00:35:19.38\00:35:20.72
is the primary
mode of transportation
00:35:20.75\00:35:22.88
if they have it
00:35:22.92\00:35:24.29
so we'll probably
start with a motorcycle.
00:35:24.32\00:35:25.82
I don't know.
00:35:25.85\00:35:27.19
We'll see what
the Lord provides.
00:35:27.26\00:35:28.59
Have you ever ridden one?
00:35:28.62\00:35:29.96
Have you ever controlled
a motorcycle before, Erin?
00:35:30.03\00:35:32.13
No. No?
00:35:32.16\00:35:33.70
Chris? I have.
00:35:33.73\00:35:35.53
Most guys have. It is true.
00:35:35.56\00:35:37.70
For the most
part, I mean, I have,
00:35:37.73\00:35:39.70
I guess when you have,
00:35:39.73\00:35:41.54
we think most guys have,
00:35:41.57\00:35:42.90
but maybe there's
some guys that never have.
00:35:42.94\00:35:44.64
But then, you'll have to
learn how to do that too.
00:35:44.67\00:35:47.18
Yeah.
00:35:47.21\00:35:48.54
Get yourself a little helmet,
00:35:48.58\00:35:49.91
get you some, you
know, lion repellent
00:35:49.94\00:35:52.85
because we've been to
Africa couple of times,
00:35:52.88\00:35:55.02
couple, three
times, or four times,
00:35:55.05\00:35:56.79
and it's really a
very beautiful continent.
00:35:56.82\00:35:59.49
Very rich culturally.
00:35:59.52\00:36:01.46
But this...
00:36:01.49\00:36:02.82
You go from
country, somebody once said,
00:36:02.86\00:36:04.79
I'm from the country of Africa.
00:36:04.83\00:36:07.30
It's like saying, I'm
from the country of Europe.
00:36:07.33\00:36:09.33
Right.
00:36:09.36\00:36:10.70
It's so segmented and
life changes drastically
00:36:10.77\00:36:12.73
from one country to the other.
00:36:12.77\00:36:15.14
So Benin is on the west coast,
00:36:15.17\00:36:18.31
not as close as
a coastal country,
00:36:18.34\00:36:22.24
but you're gonna
be far from the coast.
00:36:22.28\00:36:23.85
Right. Yeah.
00:36:23.88\00:36:25.21
Now when it comes to...
00:36:25.25\00:36:27.82
You asked the question, I
don't think we answered that.
00:36:27.85\00:36:29.82
Is there a church near there,
00:36:29.85\00:36:32.12
Is there a functioning
Adventist church out there?
00:36:32.15\00:36:34.89
Susie and Fidel are our partners
00:36:34.92\00:36:37.33
and they have
been there for about...
00:36:37.36\00:36:39.39
Three years.
00:36:39.43\00:36:40.80
Well, they've been
there for several years now.
00:36:40.83\00:36:42.23
Yeah, they have been working
00:36:42.26\00:36:45.30
and the Holy Spirit
has been moving amazingly.
00:36:45.33\00:36:48.70
They have had 130 baptisms.
00:36:48.74\00:36:51.57
A little bit more than that now.
00:36:51.61\00:36:54.41
So they have church
groups that are meeting,
00:36:54.44\00:36:57.55
they meet under trees.
00:36:57.58\00:37:00.22
They have one of
the church groups
00:37:00.25\00:37:01.58
that does have a
one room structure
00:37:01.62\00:37:03.25
that they're meeting in,
00:37:03.28\00:37:04.62
and it's the
size of a small house.
00:37:04.65\00:37:07.66
So they do have churches,
00:37:07.69\00:37:10.43
but they're baby
babies in the faith.
00:37:10.46\00:37:13.80
You know, we were
talking about some of the things
00:37:13.83\00:37:15.60
that we're looking
forward to not having here,
00:37:15.63\00:37:18.30
like the secular entertainment
and stuff like that.
00:37:18.33\00:37:20.24
But when you consider that
00:37:20.27\00:37:21.67
Benin is the
birthplace of voodoo,
00:37:21.70\00:37:23.54
there are some other challenges
00:37:23.61\00:37:24.94
that we're gonna be
dealing with on a daily basis
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.88
that we might not
have to deal with here
00:37:26.91\00:37:28.98
that we're gonna have to pray
for Holy Spirit guidance on.
00:37:29.01\00:37:32.38
Wow.
00:37:32.41\00:37:33.75
So the people that
are in these churches
00:37:33.82\00:37:36.05
are dealing with centuries
and centuries and centuries
00:37:36.08\00:37:38.72
of demonic oppression.
00:37:38.75\00:37:41.59
And it's part of their culture.
00:37:41.62\00:37:43.19
So they are
Seventh Day Adventists,
00:37:43.22\00:37:46.43
they have embraced the truths
that they have been learning,
00:37:46.46\00:37:50.57
but now the challenge
of separating themselves
00:37:50.60\00:37:53.10
from all of the things
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.27
that go along with their
culture of animism and voodoo
00:37:55.30\00:37:59.27
and all the things that...
00:37:59.31\00:38:00.68
I mean it impacts
every area of their life.
00:38:00.71\00:38:02.11
Well.
00:38:02.14\00:38:03.48
Now the people that are there,
00:38:03.55\00:38:04.88
that have been there
for three years or so,
00:38:04.91\00:38:08.72
have they
talked about the impact
00:38:08.75\00:38:11.05
of their voodoo culture,
00:38:11.09\00:38:13.56
on their grasp of Christianity?
00:38:13.59\00:38:16.96
It's been a challenge?
00:38:17.03\00:38:18.36
Because I know there's
some people here, honey,
00:38:18.39\00:38:19.73
we have people in our church,
not in our church locally here,
00:38:19.76\00:38:21.83
but we've had a church before
00:38:21.86\00:38:23.77
where people will from
a more structured society
00:38:23.80\00:38:26.03
and more
contemporary modern society.
00:38:26.07\00:38:28.70
And I asked the
question, matter of fact,
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.61
not too long ago,
00:38:30.64\00:38:31.97
we were in Colombia in a
very contemporary church.
00:38:32.01\00:38:35.24
And I asked,
00:38:35.28\00:38:36.61
"How many of you would
spend the night in a cemetery."
00:38:36.64\00:38:37.98
And nobody would
raise their hand.
00:38:38.01\00:38:39.35
And I thought,
00:38:39.38\00:38:40.72
"Well, don't you believe
that the dead are really dead?"
00:38:40.75\00:38:42.15
And they said,
looking at each other
00:38:42.18\00:38:43.52
and laughing, they say,
00:38:43.59\00:38:44.92
"We're not spending
the night at the cemetery."
00:38:44.95\00:38:46.29
Oh, yeah.
00:38:46.32\00:38:47.66
And I thought,
00:38:47.69\00:38:49.02
and that's in a
structured society,
00:38:49.06\00:38:50.39
but imagine going to one
where voodoo is practiced.
00:38:50.43\00:38:51.83
Yeah, and I used to think,
00:38:51.86\00:38:54.36
Haiti was where
voodoo came from,
00:38:54.40\00:38:58.17
but it's not the country,
00:38:58.20\00:39:00.34
I always think oh,
'cause Haiti is so full voodoo.
00:39:00.37\00:39:02.97
Right.
00:39:03.00\00:39:04.34
Yeah, it began in Benin
00:39:04.37\00:39:06.11
and then it went
from Benin to Haiti.
00:39:06.14\00:39:10.55
So big difference is that here
00:39:10.58\00:39:14.32
the devil just really,
00:39:14.35\00:39:17.42
he hides himself
in so much stuff.
00:39:17.49\00:39:21.66
It's so easy to
get involved in stuff,
00:39:21.69\00:39:25.43
but over there, he
doesn't have to hide.
00:39:25.46\00:39:28.73
'Cause he's embraced. Right.
00:39:28.76\00:39:30.57
So it's just
part of who they are.
00:39:30.60\00:39:33.37
And so it'll be very common
00:39:33.44\00:39:36.17
to just see
things out in the open.
00:39:36.20\00:39:40.71
The witch doctors,
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.18
the fetishes they tell
you that you have to buy
00:39:42.21\00:39:45.98
because your family member
is sick and it's your fault
00:39:46.01\00:39:48.62
because they made a
dead ancestor upset,
00:39:48.65\00:39:53.29
and so you need to come
00:39:53.36\00:39:54.79
and spend your
money on this fetish
00:39:54.82\00:39:57.13
instead of buying
food for your family.
00:39:57.16\00:39:58.96
That's terrible.
00:39:58.99\00:40:00.33
And if your family
member gets better,
00:40:00.40\00:40:03.16
then you bought a good fetish,
00:40:03.20\00:40:04.53
if your family member dies,
00:40:04.57\00:40:05.90
you didn't give me enough money.
00:40:05.93\00:40:07.27
Wow.
00:40:07.34\00:40:08.67
And so that is what
they're struggling with,
00:40:08.70\00:40:11.74
and with Susie and
Fidel, with us going over,
00:40:11.77\00:40:15.44
we have the amazing opportunity
to show them something else.
00:40:15.48\00:40:20.22
And to show if somebody
has malaria, they have malaria
00:40:20.25\00:40:23.99
'cause they got
bit by a mosquito
00:40:24.02\00:40:25.42
and not because they
upset the dead ancestor,
00:40:25.45\00:40:28.52
and as we have the opportunity
00:40:28.56\00:40:30.53
to give them help
to get over the malaria
00:40:30.56\00:40:32.96
and they didn't have to
go and spend all their money,
00:40:32.99\00:40:36.26
it opens up
opportunities for them to see,
00:40:36.30\00:40:39.47
there is something
different about them.
00:40:39.50\00:40:41.00
Exactly.
00:40:41.04\00:40:42.37
And it opens up
where we can say,
00:40:42.40\00:40:44.34
"Well, let us tell
you about Jesus Christ."
00:40:44.37\00:40:46.07
Amen.
00:40:46.11\00:40:47.68
And so let's get back to
the financial side of it,
00:40:47.71\00:40:50.05
because you know, there're
those watching the program
00:40:50.08\00:40:52.05
and listening to the program,
00:40:52.08\00:40:53.72
and they're probably
thinking, there are some people,
00:40:53.75\00:40:55.42
there could be a
gambit of reactions.
00:40:55.45\00:40:57.89
"I'm gonna pray
for those young people,
00:40:57.92\00:40:59.25
I don't think they have a
clue what they're up against."
00:40:59.29\00:41:02.19
And then are
those that are saying,
00:41:02.22\00:41:03.56
"Boy, I love to
just partner with them
00:41:03.63\00:41:05.96
and be a part of this venture."
00:41:05.99\00:41:07.96
And here we are in
modern times like we're today,
00:41:08.00\00:41:11.17
there are still many
unreached places in the world,
00:41:11.20\00:41:14.74
we take them for
granted in America.
00:41:14.77\00:41:16.30
You did something at
our church not too long ago
00:41:16.34\00:41:17.97
and I'll like you
to kind of do that
00:41:18.01\00:41:19.61
because lots of people
say, okay, so missionaries.
00:41:19.64\00:41:22.81
What percentage of
missionaries are sent to places
00:41:22.84\00:41:25.25
where Christ is already known,
00:41:25.28\00:41:26.92
and then what
percentage of missionaries
00:41:26.95\00:41:29.12
are sent to where
Christ is not known?
00:41:29.15\00:41:31.12
That impacted me, I
thought I knew a whole lot,
00:41:31.15\00:41:33.46
but that Sabbath,
00:41:33.49\00:41:34.82
the vespers program
caught me off guard.
00:41:34.86\00:41:36.29
Yeah.
00:41:36.32\00:41:37.66
Let's talk about
that for a moment
00:41:37.69\00:41:39.03
because that's a big
part of why you are going.
00:41:39.06\00:41:42.73
The people groups are classified
00:41:42.76\00:41:44.43
into two different
areas in the world,
00:41:44.47\00:41:46.23
so you've got your
unreached people group
00:41:46.27\00:41:48.67
is what you're talking about
and where we're going in Benin.
00:41:48.70\00:41:51.57
The reached
people groups are those
00:41:51.61\00:41:52.94
that have access to the
gospel in some sort of way
00:41:52.97\00:41:55.41
and most places
where we go to visit,
00:41:55.44\00:41:57.15
we pass numerous
churches on the roads going to
00:41:57.18\00:42:00.72
at where we're
gonna be presenting.
00:42:00.75\00:42:02.58
Well, in Benin,
they don't have that,
00:42:02.62\00:42:05.12
they don't have an
overarching Christian influence
00:42:05.15\00:42:07.79
where they can go
to a Christian neighbor
00:42:07.82\00:42:10.23
and say, hey, I noticed that
00:42:10.26\00:42:11.86
you don't
sacrifice to the ancestors,
00:42:11.89\00:42:16.03
and you're not
fearful of oppression,
00:42:16.06\00:42:19.47
demonic oppression
and that sort of thing.
00:42:19.50\00:42:21.40
They don't have neighbors
that can share that with them,
00:42:21.44\00:42:23.71
they are considered unreached.
00:42:23.74\00:42:26.54
And so what we've learnt
00:42:26.57\00:42:29.21
is that the statistics
of missionaries going out,
00:42:29.24\00:42:32.28
you've got 10 missionaries.
00:42:32.31\00:42:33.92
For every 10 missionaries
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.28
that are going out
into the field today,
00:42:35.32\00:42:37.72
only one of those is going
to unreached people groups,
00:42:37.75\00:42:41.42
and unreached
people groups make up over
00:42:41.46\00:42:43.83
third of the
world's 7.6 billion people.
00:42:43.86\00:42:46.43
Wow.
00:42:46.46\00:42:47.80
About a third unreached...
00:42:47.83\00:42:50.17
And the scary part that
we've just been learning
00:42:50.20\00:42:53.34
is that the
unreached people are growing,
00:42:53.37\00:42:57.04
they're multiplying faster
than the reached people are.
00:42:57.11\00:43:00.41
So that number,
00:43:00.48\00:43:01.81
that one-third of
the world population
00:43:01.84\00:43:03.55
is not going down.
00:43:03.58\00:43:04.95
It's going up. It's going up.
00:43:04.98\00:43:07.05
So I'll like to
think of it this way, hon,
00:43:07.12\00:43:10.42
and I always
thought about it this way,
00:43:10.49\00:43:12.15
the Lord is planting
seeds around the world.
00:43:12.19\00:43:16.29
You know, when you
drive down the highway here
00:43:16.32\00:43:18.16
in Thompsonville
00:43:18.19\00:43:19.53
or in any place
this side of the country,
00:43:19.56\00:43:21.56
you see brush all
along the side of the road,
00:43:21.60\00:43:24.27
you see brush around the
lakes, and you ask yourself,
00:43:24.30\00:43:27.04
did somebody
plant all those seeds?
00:43:27.07\00:43:29.10
And in fact no,
00:43:29.14\00:43:30.61
there is an
illustration in the Bible
00:43:30.64\00:43:32.01
which I think fits in your life.
00:43:32.04\00:43:33.38
You know the wind blows,
00:43:33.41\00:43:34.74
we don't know
where it comes from,
00:43:34.78\00:43:36.11
where it goes,
00:43:36.14\00:43:37.48
and that's how
the Holy Spirit works.
00:43:37.55\00:43:38.88
You see all these
trees and you see forests
00:43:38.91\00:43:40.25
that are tremendously populated,
00:43:40.28\00:43:42.02
and sometimes, the
wind takes the seeds
00:43:42.05\00:43:44.52
where we didn't go and
intentionally plant those.
00:43:44.55\00:43:47.72
So the Holy
Spirit is taking you both
00:43:47.76\00:43:50.03
like seeds of the gospel,
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.13
planting you in a people group
00:43:52.16\00:43:55.03
that have no idea
what you're bringing with,
00:43:55.06\00:43:58.07
I mean, they may
have some shallow idea,
00:43:58.10\00:43:59.87
but you're bringing the
gospel that is so multifaceted,
00:43:59.90\00:44:02.64
that you first have
to build relationships.
00:44:02.67\00:44:04.94
Let's walk, what do you
anticipate you have to do
00:44:04.97\00:44:07.64
before you start
sharing the gospel?
00:44:07.68\00:44:09.81
I'll let you
walk us through that
00:44:09.84\00:44:11.18
because you're going to people
00:44:11.21\00:44:12.55
that don't even
know who you are.
00:44:12.58\00:44:13.92
That's right. Right.
00:44:13.95\00:44:15.28
Well, one of the things
00:44:15.32\00:44:16.82
as we're giving
them job opportunities
00:44:16.89\00:44:21.29
and so to help meet their needs,
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.53
building tanks for fish farms,
00:44:23.56\00:44:26.16
helping them with
animal husbandries,
00:44:26.19\00:44:27.80
there's a lot of
goat herding there,
00:44:27.83\00:44:29.83
and so we're giving them
00:44:29.86\00:44:32.47
something that fulfilling a need
00:44:32.50\00:44:35.17
as Christ went
from place to place,
00:44:35.20\00:44:38.57
He knew what their needs were
00:44:38.61\00:44:40.81
and He was
fulfilling their needs,
00:44:40.88\00:44:42.94
and so we're
following that example
00:44:42.98\00:44:45.81
by going and
getting to know them,
00:44:45.85\00:44:47.75
living among them,
00:44:47.78\00:44:49.12
we're learning their language.
00:44:49.15\00:44:52.09
Just becoming part of
them, and as we're doing that,
00:44:52.12\00:44:56.96
it gives us opportunities
to get to know them,
00:44:57.03\00:44:59.59
see what their need is.
00:44:59.63\00:45:02.86
As Erin said, we'll be
learning bush medicine,
00:45:02.90\00:45:05.67
we've gone through a medical
missionary training course,
00:45:05.70\00:45:09.50
so be able to help
with medical needs.
00:45:09.54\00:45:13.88
And so just really being
able to connect with them
00:45:13.91\00:45:18.48
person to person,
00:45:18.51\00:45:20.32
and as we do that,
00:45:20.35\00:45:22.68
they're gonna
look at us be like,
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.12
why aren't you afraid of this,
00:45:24.19\00:45:27.16
you're sick,
00:45:27.19\00:45:28.52
but you're not going over here,
00:45:28.56\00:45:31.46
what's different?
00:45:31.49\00:45:33.29
And it's really opening up
00:45:33.33\00:45:35.76
conversations.
00:45:35.80\00:45:37.17
Yeah.
00:45:37.20\00:45:38.53
Being the hands
and feet of Christ.
00:45:38.57\00:45:40.24
That's right.
00:45:40.27\00:45:41.60
You know Christ,
00:45:41.64\00:45:42.97
much of his
ministry was very hands on,
00:45:43.00\00:45:44.91
He didn't...
00:45:44.94\00:45:46.27
Very rarely did
He go into a place
00:45:46.31\00:45:48.18
and start with some
sort of a gospel message,
00:45:48.21\00:45:52.21
He went in and the
sick were brought to Him,
00:45:52.25\00:45:54.65
those that had needs came to Him
00:45:54.68\00:45:56.82
and He ministered to those needs
00:45:56.89\00:45:58.82
and as He
ministered to those needs,
00:45:58.85\00:46:00.66
Chris was just
reading a quote this afternoon
00:46:00.69\00:46:03.66
that was talking
about how He met them
00:46:03.73\00:46:06.16
where they were at, He
ministered to their needs
00:46:06.19\00:46:07.96
and because He
ministered to their needs,
00:46:08.00\00:46:09.93
they were open
to hear the truth.
00:46:09.96\00:46:12.40
Yeah, didn't they say,
00:46:12.43\00:46:13.77
Jesus hang out with
winebibbers and all that.
00:46:13.84\00:46:16.81
He went to where they were
00:46:16.84\00:46:19.61
to show them who He is.
00:46:19.64\00:46:21.61
You know, one of the things
00:46:21.64\00:46:23.01
that we've
learnt in our studying
00:46:23.04\00:46:25.28
in asking the Lord,
00:46:25.31\00:46:26.72
what would You have us to do,
00:46:26.75\00:46:28.25
are You really
calling us to do this.
00:46:28.28\00:46:30.22
One of the things
that came across very clear
00:46:30.29\00:46:32.52
from the scripture
is that as a Christian,
00:46:32.55\00:46:35.42
it's not a matter of
should I be a missionary
00:46:35.46\00:46:39.19
or maybe this is
something that I could do,
00:46:39.23\00:46:43.26
you know the gospel commission,
00:46:43.30\00:46:45.73
The great commission
00:46:45.77\00:46:47.24
in Matthew 28,
00:46:47.27\00:46:54.08
is to go into all the world.
00:46:54.11\00:46:56.41
It is not an option,
00:46:56.44\00:46:59.05
and that's the one
thing that we have learnt
00:46:59.08\00:47:00.92
in our walk with the Lord
00:47:00.95\00:47:02.28
as we've drawn
closer to Him is that,
00:47:02.32\00:47:03.89
this is a
commission, it is a command,
00:47:03.92\00:47:06.49
everyone is called
to be a missionary.
00:47:06.52\00:47:08.69
Everyone is
called to have a part
00:47:08.72\00:47:11.06
in the body of Christ.
00:47:11.09\00:47:12.93
We just happen to
be the hands and feet.
00:47:12.96\00:47:15.56
In this particular
adventure to Benin,
00:47:15.60\00:47:18.13
the Lord has called us
to be the body on the ground
00:47:18.17\00:47:21.80
but everyone has a part to play.
00:47:21.84\00:47:24.47
That's right,
everybody has a part to play
00:47:24.51\00:47:26.71
and the part are not,
00:47:26.78\00:47:28.11
each person is
also gifted differently,
00:47:28.14\00:47:30.75
you know some people are more...
00:47:30.78\00:47:32.35
The Lord saw,
00:47:32.38\00:47:33.72
He was
developing the both of you,
00:47:33.75\00:47:35.28
isn't it humbling
to think that okay,
00:47:35.32\00:47:37.49
your life experiences,
Chris' life experiences.
00:47:37.52\00:47:40.86
You strike me as a
very hands on type of guy
00:47:40.89\00:47:43.26
that knows how to do things,
00:47:43.29\00:47:45.03
knows how to use a
hammer and a saw and all that.
00:47:45.06\00:47:47.30
Is very outdoorsy, athletic,
00:47:47.33\00:47:49.40
so those are the
things are gonna...
00:47:49.43\00:47:50.87
You're not the kind of
guy that if the light blows,
00:47:50.90\00:47:52.37
you have to call
another guy to replace the bulb,
00:47:52.40\00:47:54.97
you know, you're
not that kind of guy,
00:47:55.00\00:47:56.47
which is gonna be a blessing
00:47:56.50\00:47:57.84
because you
worked at youth camps,
00:47:57.87\00:47:59.21
you saw the pent, you
saw chaos at its height,
00:47:59.24\00:48:02.34
but then you're also
part of the solution,
00:48:02.38\00:48:04.41
so you're going
amongst the people
00:48:04.45\00:48:05.85
where your skills
that God developed in you,
00:48:05.88\00:48:08.12
and your caring skills
that God developed in you
00:48:08.15\00:48:10.32
are gonna just come into play.
00:48:10.39\00:48:11.82
And you gonna be in situations
where you're gonna say, okay,
00:48:11.85\00:48:14.06
we can't call
anybody, we can't ask anybody,
00:48:14.09\00:48:16.76
what are we gonna do
to help the situation,
00:48:16.83\00:48:18.49
and there're gonna be those days
00:48:18.53\00:48:19.86
when you're
stretched to the hilt
00:48:19.89\00:48:21.46
and then you gonna find out,
00:48:21.50\00:48:24.00
God answers prayer.
00:48:24.07\00:48:25.77
So we're really praying for you
00:48:25.80\00:48:27.14
but we want our
audience to know...
00:48:27.17\00:48:28.50
Let's get to some
real figures here.
00:48:28.54\00:48:30.01
What does
something like this cost
00:48:30.04\00:48:31.81
when you send a missionary out?
00:48:31.84\00:48:33.17
Because somebody
is probably saying,
00:48:33.21\00:48:34.54
"I got my check book right now.
00:48:34.58\00:48:35.91
I want to partner
with this young people
00:48:35.94\00:48:37.45
to go with them."
00:48:37.48\00:48:38.81
What would something,
what adventure like this,
00:48:38.85\00:48:40.42
because you're
talking about ten years
00:48:40.45\00:48:42.58
and most of the
financing is coming from...
00:48:42.62\00:48:44.62
Let us know how
that's coming to you.
00:48:44.65\00:48:47.26
How do you get finance
over this type of thing?
00:48:47.29\00:48:49.29
Well, we go around,
we visit with churches,
00:48:49.32\00:48:52.46
we get a hold of
the church members
00:48:52.49\00:48:55.03
and ask if we can
come and share with them,
00:48:55.06\00:48:56.87
we've done home visits
00:48:56.90\00:48:59.37
and God has
opened up opportunities.
00:48:59.40\00:49:01.64
I'm, very thankful for
the Thompsonville Church
00:49:01.67\00:49:04.57
by adopting us,
00:49:04.61\00:49:06.31
and we're very excited
to be part of this church,
00:49:06.34\00:49:09.08
and so the finances,
00:49:09.11\00:49:13.42
the total launching,
00:49:13.45\00:49:15.82
well, before we get
to the total amounts,
00:49:15.85\00:49:17.89
we have to get to
a certain percentage
00:49:17.92\00:49:20.09
for our launching goal,
we have a launching goal
00:49:20.16\00:49:22.26
and we have monthly pledge.
00:49:22.29\00:49:25.13
And the monthly pledge
is what keeps us in Africa
00:49:25.16\00:49:28.80
for those 8-10 years.
00:49:28.83\00:49:30.17
The launching covers everything
00:49:30.20\00:49:31.53
from the time of
orientation last year
00:49:31.57\00:49:34.14
to the time
that we land in Benin
00:49:34.17\00:49:36.07
and get settled.
00:49:36.10\00:49:37.54
And so we have to get to
at least 60% of our launching
00:49:37.61\00:49:41.64
and be within $1500
of our monthly pledges
00:49:41.68\00:49:45.38
to be able to go to training.
00:49:45.41\00:49:47.62
And as of this last week,
00:49:47.65\00:49:50.29
we're at 63% of our launching,
00:49:50.32\00:49:53.86
but we are about 1200
shy of our monthly pledges.
00:49:53.89\00:49:59.06
So what would that launching be,
00:49:59.09\00:50:00.50
let's say the figure?
00:50:00.53\00:50:01.86
$77,875.
00:50:01.90\00:50:03.97
Okay, that's very specific,
00:50:04.00\00:50:06.07
which is what we're asking for,
00:50:06.10\00:50:07.44
because for some people
that's not even an issue,
00:50:07.47\00:50:09.37
for others, they might say hey,
00:50:09.40\00:50:11.01
I wanna be a part of that,
you know the monthly giving.
00:50:11.04\00:50:16.31
And where they
have been specific is
00:50:16.34\00:50:18.65
because AFM has
everything allocated out,
00:50:18.68\00:50:23.08
there's a
purpose for every penny.
00:50:23.12\00:50:26.15
And so they don't
want it to be something
00:50:26.19\00:50:28.96
where there's a whole
bunch of money in the bank
00:50:28.99\00:50:31.06
just in case or whatever,
00:50:31.09\00:50:32.43
because we don't
want to waste God's money.
00:50:32.46\00:50:35.76
And we're not the
only missionaries.
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.47
I mean, there is missionaries
that are all around the world,
00:50:37.50\00:50:40.67
and our hope and our desire
00:50:40.74\00:50:42.77
is that more people
will accept the call.
00:50:42.80\00:50:47.21
And so
everything is allocated out.
00:50:47.28\00:50:50.95
You know what I
want to do right now is,
00:50:50.98\00:50:52.31
I want to talk to those
who're watching the program,
00:50:52.35\00:50:54.38
we're gonna take a
news break in just a moment
00:50:54.42\00:50:55.82
and we're gonna give
you the address information
00:50:55.85\00:50:58.09
where these
donations can be sent
00:50:58.12\00:50:59.82
and how you can get in
touch with Chris and Erin White.
00:50:59.85\00:51:02.59
But there's
probably somebody watching
00:51:02.62\00:51:04.53
or listening in their
car or wherever you may be
00:51:04.56\00:51:06.90
that says, that's
not an issue for me
00:51:06.93\00:51:09.60
but you may be a person
00:51:09.63\00:51:11.03
who wants to be on a
continual donation basis,
00:51:11.07\00:51:13.84
we're talking about
ten years of real life,
00:51:13.87\00:51:16.47
real challenges, real actions,
that's right, touching hearts,
00:51:16.50\00:51:19.94
transforming people.
00:51:19.97\00:51:21.31
Literally, in baby steps
00:51:21.34\00:51:23.55
and the culture that
they're coming up against
00:51:23.58\00:51:25.18
is not one that's
native to Christianity.
00:51:25.21\00:51:28.32
So we're really praying for them
00:51:28.35\00:51:29.72
and want to partner with them.
00:51:29.75\00:51:31.15
And right now,
00:51:31.19\00:51:32.52
we're gonna give you
the address information,
00:51:32.55\00:51:34.09
but we want you to pray
when you get this information
00:51:34.16\00:51:36.46
on what the Lord
will have you to do
00:51:36.49\00:51:38.66
to partner with
Chris and Erin White,
00:51:38.69\00:51:40.73
to transform the
world and get people ready
00:51:40.80\00:51:43.67
for the coming of the Lord.
00:51:43.70\00:51:45.10
Here is the
information that you need.
00:51:45.13\00:51:49.10
If you would like to
invite Christopher and Erin
00:51:49.14\00:51:52.14
to share their
mission field experiences
00:51:52.17\00:51:55.11
or if you would
like to support the work
00:51:55.14\00:51:57.15
of Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:51:57.18\00:51:59.28
volunteer missionary candidates,
00:51:59.31\00:52:02.15
then please visit their website,
00:52:02.18\00:52:04.42