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, I'm Shelley
Quinn, and I am very blessed
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to be the wife of this young man
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next to me, JD Quinn.
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Young man, I like that.
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Now, we are so glad
that you are joining us
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again today for
the 3ABN Today program
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and we have a program
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that I believe will inspire you.
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It's exciting to me
because in Isaiah 60:1,
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The Lord says, "Arise,
shine for your light has come
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and the glory of the
Lord has risen upon you."
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And I was thinking
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after meeting these
wonderful gentlemen,
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what scripture we should use?
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And that's what came to my mind
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because they are
really arising and shining.
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But I think that their stories
are really going to excite you.
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So without any further ado,
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let me introduce
our special guest.
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First we have
Pastor Ric Swaningson.
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I'm good. And you live where?
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Smithfield, North Carolina.
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You're the North Carolinian?
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Yeah, Carolinian, I guess, yeah.
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Okay. And Jud Wickwire.
Jud, where do you live?
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I live in
Kelowna, British Columbia.
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In British Columbia. You...
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I'll tell who you
are in just a minute.
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Then we have Bruce Wilkerson.
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Bruce, where do you live?
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Mabaruma, Guyana. Guyana, okay.
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So you are here representing
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the Adventist World Aviation,
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AWA, Adventist World Aviation.
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And you know, it's
not that they're just
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flying through the skies
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and taxiing
people back and forth.
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They have some
exciting projects going on.
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Rick, you are the
president for AWA.
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Jed, you're the
vice president. Right.
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And over, kind of
the head over projects?
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We are the moving
parts of the ministry
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like, so and so, yeah.
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Okay.
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And then,
Bruce, you are actually
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a project
manager living in Guyana.
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Yes, ma'am. Well...
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It was obvious that
it's a global ministry.
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Right. Yes.
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I mean, here, we're
just all over the place.
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Yes.
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And in the United
States and Guyana is in Africa?
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South America,
next to Venezuela.
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Thank you. He's pretentious.
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My geography teacher would be...
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Honey, why don't
you introduce our music,
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and then we'll
come back, and we will,
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we'll get these personal stories
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of these gentlemen.
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How they got
involved in ministry?
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When Christ became real to them?
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And then we're going to tell
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about some really
exciting projects.
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And our music
today will be coming
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from Scott Michael Bennett
and the name is "Thankful."
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Amen. Thankful.
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Amen.
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Some days, we forget
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To look around us
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Some days, we can't see the joy
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That surrounds us
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We're so caught
up inside ourselves
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We take when we should give
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So for tonight we pray for
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What we know can be
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And on this day we hope for
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What we still can't see
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It's up to us, to be the change
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And even though we
all can still do more
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We're so much to be thankful for
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Look beyond ourselves
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There's so much sorrow
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And it's way too late to say
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I'll cry tomorrow
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Each of us must find the truth
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It's so long overdue
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So for tonight we pray for
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What we know can be
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And every day, we hope for
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What we still can't see
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It's up to us, to be the change
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And even though we
all can still do more
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There's so much
to be thankful for
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Even with our differences
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There is a place
we're all connected
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Each of us can
find each other's light
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So for tonight
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We pray for
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What we know can be
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And every day, we hope for
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What we still can't see
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It's up to us, to be the change
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And even though we
all can still do more
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There's so much
to be thankful for
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Oh, that was beautiful.
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I love Scott
Michael Bennett. Yeah.
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He's a great singer.
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Well, if you're joining
us, just a little late today,
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our special guests
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are from a
dedicated aviation ministry
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and they are supporting ministry
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of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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But before we talk about
AWA, Adventist World Aviation,
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we want to get to know you.
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So Pastor Ric, tell us,
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just give us a
little reader's digest
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of how you became a Christian?
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Yeah. When it
became real for you?
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Yeah. I grew up
in a bifurcated home.
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My mom was an
Adventist-Protestant,
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my father was kind
of a pseudo-Catholic
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and Lutheran mix.
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CE, you know, Christmas
and Easter's kind of a thing.
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And we...
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When he accepted Christ,
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he accepted Christ
in a passionate way.
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And it drew me in
for a little while
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but then it got weird.
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And I ended up leaving home.
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I went to school, went,
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I worked for Corporate
America for many years.
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So I was crawling up the chain
of Corporate America looking
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at a vice presidency.
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I worked for an oil
company, major oil company,
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and it hit me between the eyes,
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if a man gains the
world but loses his soul.
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And that nailed
me between the eyes.
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I got on my hands and knees out
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in the middle of
the Florida turnpike.
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My wife and I are
kind of from Florida.
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We finished
raising our children there
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and she finished
raising me there.
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And I gave my heart
to the Lord in my mid 20s
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and went back to school
and study for the ministry.
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And... Praise God!
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Been here in the Samson
Aviation fit in there as well
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because when I was young
man, I wanted to be an aviator.
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My mom encouraged me to do that,
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like most young mothers would.
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And so that fit
into the program as well.
00:10:28.92\00:10:31.83
So I gave my heart to the Lord,
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studied for the ministry
and then went right into it
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in full blast, and here I am.
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Wonderful.
00:10:36.87\00:10:38.20
I know, we love to hear stories
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of when God
actually reaches someone,
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and they're not always dramatic.
00:10:43.27\00:10:44.91
Jud, tell us your story
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of how Jesus became real to you?
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Well, we became
Adventist Christians
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when I was about nine years old.
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And so I do remember,
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you know, our life
before becoming Christians.
00:10:55.28\00:10:57.49
And we came into
the church quite gently,
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I guess, and it's kind of
a slow progression meeting,
00:11:01.62\00:11:04.16
you know, different
families who just had an impact
00:11:04.23\00:11:07.96
on my parents.
00:11:08.00\00:11:09.33
And we eventually
00:11:09.36\00:11:11.07
started attending
church as one of the members.
00:11:11.10\00:11:12.43
Can't wait.
00:11:12.47\00:11:13.84
You've got to tell the story,
you told me in the greenroom
00:11:13.87\00:11:15.37
about the
shrimp, because please,
00:11:15.40\00:11:18.37
if you're in a
church, listen to this story,
00:11:18.41\00:11:21.04
it's beautiful.
00:11:21.08\00:11:22.44
So one of the first potlucks
that our family attended...
00:11:22.48\00:11:24.81
We lived on the
ocean and my mother brought
00:11:24.85\00:11:27.95
a bucket of
shrimp to the potluck.
00:11:27.98\00:11:30.09
So thankfully,
00:11:30.12\00:11:32.29
our host family that handled
it very kindly and gently
00:11:32.32\00:11:36.36
and we move forward
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and continue to
grow in the church.
00:11:38.33\00:11:39.66
And so, you know,
one of those things that,
00:11:39.69\00:11:41.70
you know, could
have easily been,
00:11:41.73\00:11:43.06
have a different outcome
but praise the Lord, it didn't.
00:11:43.10\00:11:45.97
Praise God because
as Adventist Christians,
00:11:46.00\00:11:48.60
we do not believe
in eating unclean meat.
00:11:48.64\00:11:52.21
And we feel like the Bible...
00:11:52.24\00:11:54.21
Even in the New Testament,
it's very clear about that.
00:11:54.28\00:11:57.15
But sometimes you hear stories,
00:11:57.18\00:11:59.75
where somebody
goes into the church
00:11:59.78\00:12:01.38
and they are not trained
up in the ways of the Bible
00:12:01.42\00:12:04.72
or the ways of the Christianity.
00:12:04.75\00:12:06.69
And they do something
00:12:06.76\00:12:08.09
and somebody comes down on them,
00:12:08.12\00:12:09.46
just shaking their finger
00:12:09.49\00:12:11.33
and they walk out the back door.
00:12:11.36\00:12:12.83
I love the word gently. Yes.
00:12:12.86\00:12:15.10
That's a key word
right there, just gently.
00:12:15.13\00:12:19.67
So your parents
became Adventist.
00:12:19.70\00:12:21.37
When did it
really connect for you?
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.91
Well, I mean,
00:12:23.94\00:12:25.27
growing up I didn't
attend Christian schools,
00:12:25.31\00:12:26.98
so I went to public schools.
00:12:27.01\00:12:28.34
And I think that helped me to,
00:12:28.38\00:12:30.78
had to make a
choice in my faith.
00:12:30.85\00:12:32.71
And, but I
think really in my 20s
00:12:32.75\00:12:35.42
I started doing
some mission trips,
00:12:35.45\00:12:37.09
and I think that's
where my faith started
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.55
to have purpose,
00:12:39.59\00:12:41.32
to see whether I
impact on other people.
00:12:41.36\00:12:44.03
But I think really
where my faith came to life,
00:12:44.06\00:12:47.43
was when I started service
with Adventist World Aviation.
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.17
We actually went and
lived in a foreign country
00:12:50.20\00:12:53.13
and we're able to
serve and my faith was able
00:12:53.17\00:12:56.54
to impact other
people in a significant way.
00:12:56.57\00:12:58.54
And I think that's
really where it's solidified
00:12:58.57\00:13:01.71
to where we've come today.
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.08
And so you started
flying when you were young?
00:13:03.11\00:13:05.41
I started flying when I was 20.
00:13:05.45\00:13:06.92
Okay. Okay.
00:13:06.95\00:13:08.78
Now, Bruce, Mr. Smiley.
00:13:08.82\00:13:13.19
I told him be sure
and smile on this program.
00:13:13.22\00:13:15.26
He said, "I've got a
military background."
00:13:15.29\00:13:19.36
Bruce, tell us how you came
to know the Lord personally?
00:13:19.39\00:13:23.47
Well I was raised Protestant,
normal Protestant Christian.
00:13:23.50\00:13:27.64
And 1998 my mother
passed away from cancer.
00:13:27.67\00:13:31.37
And I started searching
for more meaning about,
00:13:31.41\00:13:34.08
where Jesus was?
00:13:34.11\00:13:36.14
How He was going
to impact my life?
00:13:36.18\00:13:39.31
And I was invited to
an evangelistic series
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.82
on NET '98.
00:13:41.85\00:13:43.59
And through that I
began studying and learning
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.02
about the
Adventist Christian message,
00:13:46.05\00:13:48.76
and it became more meaningful
to me as I went along.
00:13:48.79\00:13:51.03
But shortly after
that NET '98 series,
00:13:51.06\00:13:53.60
I was introduced to a
couple of missionaries
00:13:53.63\00:13:55.36
with Adventist
World Aviation in 1998,
00:13:55.40\00:13:58.03
and I became a
supporter and a prayer partner
00:13:58.07\00:14:00.44
for AWA in 1998.
00:14:00.47\00:14:02.47
So I've been connected to
AWA now, just over 20 years.
00:14:02.50\00:14:05.87
And two years before,
00:14:05.91\00:14:07.28
I became a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
00:14:07.31\00:14:10.28
And so, and I
was baptized in 2000.
00:14:10.35\00:14:13.21
And from there, I
started my progression.
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.58
But Jesus became real
to me, sort of like Jud,
00:14:14.62\00:14:17.62
when I finally deployed
to a third world environment,
00:14:17.65\00:14:20.86
and I saw him moving
not in just people's lives,
00:14:20.89\00:14:23.86
but in my life.
00:14:23.93\00:14:25.26
Amen. Amen.
00:14:25.29\00:14:27.10
Well, we're
going to get some more,
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.46
I know you've got some
wonderful stories to tell.
00:14:28.50\00:14:33.10
You know, you kind
of gave me chill bumps,
00:14:33.13\00:14:34.77
I don't know why, but I'm just
00:14:34.80\00:14:36.17
thinking about how...
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.31
We've heard a
couple of his stories,
00:14:38.34\00:14:39.77
so maybe that's it.
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.14
But, Ric, if you
will, please if I...
00:14:41.18\00:14:44.05
Should I call you Pastor
Ric or may I call you Ric?
00:14:44.08\00:14:45.91
Ric is fine. Ric is fine.
00:14:45.95\00:14:48.02
Tell us a little
of the history of AWA
00:14:48.05\00:14:52.42
and the mission
statement, if you will?
00:14:52.45\00:14:53.99
So we were actually started
by the church back in 1993,
00:14:54.06\00:14:58.03
our GC President met
together with his officers
00:14:58.06\00:15:00.23
to formulate an
aviation institution
00:15:00.30\00:15:02.06
to help...
00:15:02.10\00:15:03.57
It was kind of a dying industry,
00:15:03.60\00:15:05.50
through a lot of
different reasons.
00:15:05.53\00:15:06.87
But he wanted to do
something to make sure
00:15:06.94\00:15:09.84
that aviation was going
to thrive into the future.
00:15:09.87\00:15:12.91
Why do you think
that was important to him?
00:15:12.94\00:15:15.11
Well, he wasn't...
00:15:15.14\00:15:16.48
Elder Folkenberg was
our conference president
00:15:16.51\00:15:17.85
at the time.
00:15:17.88\00:15:19.21
In fact, we have a
show that's aired that shows
00:15:19.25\00:15:21.75
that whole story on 3ABN...
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.55
We should, did we
mentioned your story?
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.55
Off the Grid, isn't it?
It's called Off the Grid.
00:15:26.59\00:15:28.49
That's right, and I'm
not sure what season it is,
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.23
we have seven seasons but
that tells the whole story.
00:15:31.26\00:15:34.43
So I would encourage
everybody to watch that,
00:15:34.46\00:15:37.10
you know, they're Off
the Grid and you can see
00:15:37.17\00:15:38.50
the entire story
of Elder Folkenberg
00:15:38.53\00:15:40.44
tells the story how
Adventist World Aviation
00:15:40.47\00:15:42.00
got started, but he...
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.41
Many people don't know this,
00:15:43.44\00:15:44.77
but Mark Folkenberg
was a very qualified pilot,
00:15:44.81\00:15:46.88
in fact, he served
in the mission field
00:15:46.91\00:15:49.21
as a mission
pilot for many years.
00:15:49.24\00:15:51.28
And so missionary piloting
to him and being a missionary
00:15:51.31\00:15:54.15
and a pilot is, of
course, always was,
00:15:54.22\00:15:57.62
you know, very important to him.
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.52
All right.
00:15:59.55\00:16:00.89
But here's what I'm asking is,
00:16:00.96\00:16:02.72
why are pilots necessary
for the missionary work?
00:16:02.76\00:16:06.73
Good question.
00:16:06.80\00:16:08.56
There, as you know
00:16:08.60\00:16:09.93
there's between six
and seven billion people
00:16:09.96\00:16:11.57
who live on planet earth.
00:16:11.60\00:16:13.10
Of those six and
seven billion people,
00:16:13.13\00:16:14.87
there's two billion of them
who have never heard of Jesus.
00:16:14.90\00:16:19.34
We do a good job as
Christian Protestant,
00:16:19.37\00:16:22.04
Adventist Christians,
00:16:22.08\00:16:23.45
we go out and we share
the gospel as Jesus said
00:16:23.48\00:16:25.75
in Matthew 28:19-20.
00:16:25.78\00:16:27.62
But there's a certain
portion of that population
00:16:27.65\00:16:29.58
that can't be
reached by normal means.
00:16:29.62\00:16:32.39
And so there, of
that two billion,
00:16:32.42\00:16:35.76
there's 800 million people
00:16:35.79\00:16:37.13
that live beyond
geographic barriers
00:16:37.16\00:16:39.19
that can only be
reached by aviation.
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.26
Now you can ride
there on a donkey,
00:16:41.30\00:16:42.63
but it's going to take
you two weeks, three weeks,
00:16:42.66\00:16:44.70
or you can maybe
take a river boat ride,
00:16:44.73\00:16:46.50
where in Bruce's case,
00:16:46.53\00:16:48.57
it takes two to three days
00:16:48.60\00:16:49.94
sometimes to get
inside the interior.
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.84
Well, most
evangelists and pastors
00:16:51.87\00:16:54.08
aren't going to go to
those interior of the country.
00:16:54.11\00:16:55.91
We go to the interior
00:16:55.94\00:16:58.25
where normally can't be reached.
00:16:58.28\00:17:00.52
So that's where we shine. Amen.
00:17:00.55\00:17:03.12
And you are a
supporting ministry?
00:17:03.15\00:17:04.99
We're supporting ministry
00:17:05.02\00:17:06.35
to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:17:06.39\00:17:07.72
We're not an independent,
00:17:07.76\00:17:09.09
which means that
we support the church.
00:17:09.12\00:17:10.53
Now we do have to independently
raise our funds obviously,
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.89
but we were supporting ministry.
00:17:12.93\00:17:14.30
We understand that very well.
00:17:14.33\00:17:15.83
Right. Exactly, exactly.
00:17:15.86\00:17:17.67
But you are a
501(c)(3), right? Right.
00:17:17.70\00:17:20.04
We're a bonafide 501(c)(3)
that was established in 1995.
00:17:20.07\00:17:24.11
Here, just in a little while,
we're going to be celebrating
00:17:24.14\00:17:25.87
our 25th anniversary.
00:17:25.91\00:17:27.28
So we're excited
about that. Praise God!
00:17:27.31\00:17:28.74
And for those of you
at home that may not,
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.75
won't know what a
501(c)(3) is, that just means,
00:17:30.78\00:17:34.52
they are a
nonprofit organization.
00:17:34.55\00:17:37.39
They have brought a short video.
00:17:37.42\00:17:39.52
Yeah.
00:17:39.55\00:17:40.89
And if you have
ever seen Off the Grid,
00:17:40.96\00:17:42.49
it airs Monday at
1 PM Central Time?
00:17:42.52\00:17:45.36
1 PM Central Time.
00:17:45.39\00:17:46.73
Which is there, they
have an amazing videographer
00:17:46.80\00:17:50.37
and they've put
together a little clip for us
00:17:50.40\00:17:53.74
to help us understand
the breath of their ministry.
00:17:53.77\00:18:00.68
Adventist World Aviation
has mission outpost stationed
00:18:00.71\00:18:04.31
all around the world,
00:18:04.35\00:18:05.81
with the mission of
bringing humanitarian aid
00:18:05.85\00:18:08.95
and the love of Jesus to
difficult to reach areas.
00:18:08.98\00:18:12.15
Often, the mission
projects keep very busy
00:18:12.19\00:18:15.56
by flying Medevac flights,
00:18:15.59\00:18:17.63
delivering
critically ill patients
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.76
from remote jungles, to a place
00:18:19.79\00:18:22.23
where they can receive
a higher level of care.
00:18:22.26\00:18:25.43
These flights are
not only lifesaving,
00:18:25.47\00:18:28.10
but they share the love of Jesus
00:18:28.14\00:18:30.21
and bring hope to the hopeless.
00:18:30.24\00:18:32.61
Adventist World Aviation
is a supporting ministry
00:18:32.64\00:18:35.61
of the General Conference
of Seventh-day Adventist.
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.75
The mission of
each of AWA's projects
00:18:38.78\00:18:41.68
very slightly
dependent on the region
00:18:41.72\00:18:44.52
and the needs
00:18:44.55\00:18:45.89
the missionary see
present in the area.
00:18:45.92\00:18:47.96
In the United States,
AWA pilots fly Angel flights
00:18:47.99\00:18:52.26
to ill patients that need
to access treatment facilities
00:18:52.29\00:18:56.13
too far for them
to travel by ground.
00:18:56.16\00:18:58.90
Often, these
patients are too weak to drive
00:18:58.93\00:19:01.87
for extended periods of time.
00:19:01.90\00:19:04.04
So Adventist World
Aviation offers flights
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.88
to quickly transport them,
00:19:06.91\00:19:08.74
to and from medical
treatment facilities.
00:19:08.78\00:19:12.05
In Alaska, AWA
has a mission outpost
00:19:12.08\00:19:15.75
where they serve remote villages
00:19:15.78\00:19:17.79
above the Arctic Circle.
00:19:17.82\00:19:19.82
Many of these villages
do not have road access
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.82
and AWA transports
pastors to isolated churches.
00:19:22.86\00:19:27.50
Also, Adventist
World Aviation pilots serve
00:19:27.53\00:19:30.70
the North American division
00:19:30.77\00:19:32.80
in efforts to plant new churches
00:19:32.83\00:19:35.30
in this region,
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.71
to fly church
leaders on survey trips,
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.11
to see where
there is the most need
00:19:39.14\00:19:41.34
for a new church plant.
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.18
Once established, AWA
will also be supporting
00:19:43.21\00:19:46.95
these remote
churches with aviation.
00:19:47.02\00:19:50.29
In Canada, AWA is focused
00:19:50.32\00:19:52.95
on addressing the
social and spiritual challenges
00:19:52.99\00:19:56.39
that these distant villages face
00:19:56.42\00:19:58.96
including drug
and alcohol dependency
00:19:58.99\00:20:01.93
and the disproportion
of high rate of suicide.
00:20:01.96\00:20:06.20
AWA is currently
placing two missionary families
00:20:06.23\00:20:09.90
in strategic villages to
combat these social problems
00:20:09.94\00:20:13.88
and also
placing an aircraft here
00:20:13.91\00:20:16.34
to accomplish the
work of ministering
00:20:16.38\00:20:18.65
to these hurting people.
00:20:18.68\00:20:20.92
In Guyana, AWA remains very busy
00:20:20.95\00:20:23.99
with two Cessna 182s
00:20:24.02\00:20:26.29
flying emergent Medevac patients
00:20:26.32\00:20:28.82
from jungle
interiors to a location
00:20:28.86\00:20:32.26
where patients can
receive lifesaving aid.
00:20:32.29\00:20:35.23
In this country, AWA has
placed two missionary families
00:20:35.26\00:20:39.43
to live amongst
the Amerindian people,
00:20:39.47\00:20:42.07
and spiritually mentor them
00:20:42.10\00:20:43.81
while teaching them
lifestyle betterment skills.
00:20:43.84\00:20:47.51
In Nicaragua, AWA
operations are focused
00:20:47.58\00:20:51.08
on helping the Miskito people,
00:20:51.11\00:20:53.21
flights are made to
deliver the injured,
00:20:53.25\00:20:55.48
the sick or the dying
patients from the jungles.
00:20:55.52\00:20:58.59
Aside from aviation,
this mission outpost ministers
00:20:58.62\00:21:02.49
to native people
with social programs
00:21:02.52\00:21:05.09
and Bible education
00:21:05.13\00:21:06.90
to help them create a
better life for themselves.
00:21:06.93\00:21:10.40
The Philippines
project is located
00:21:10.47\00:21:12.37
on the island of Palawan.
00:21:12.40\00:21:14.24
It is strategically placed
here in order to best serve
00:21:14.27\00:21:17.31
the outline
island surrounding it.
00:21:17.34\00:21:19.87
Here, AWA missionary serve
the local church conference
00:21:19.91\00:21:24.05
by providing
transportation to pastors
00:21:24.08\00:21:26.58
and church officials
00:21:26.61\00:21:27.95
to remote church locations
that are hard to reach.
00:21:27.98\00:21:31.95
This operation also
focuses on healthcare
00:21:31.99\00:21:35.29
by conducting
local medical clinics
00:21:35.32\00:21:37.46
and health education.
00:21:37.53\00:21:39.46
Spiritual growth is a
key focus on this project,
00:21:39.49\00:21:42.56
as missionaries
conduct evangelism series
00:21:42.60\00:21:45.47
and Bible studies in
towns all throughout the island.
00:21:45.50\00:21:49.07
One upcoming project for AWA
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.54
is located on the
Amazon River, in Brazil.
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.88
ADRA Brazil and AWA are working
diligently to partner together
00:21:54.91\00:21:59.81
and offer aviation
services to ADRA missionaries
00:21:59.85\00:22:04.19
working deep in
the Amazon rainforest.
00:22:04.22\00:22:07.26
The Brazil aircraft
is an amphibious plane
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.53
that will be able to
land on both land and water.
00:22:10.56\00:22:13.60
This creates enormous potential,
00:22:13.63\00:22:15.96
as the entire Amazon
region will be accessible
00:22:16.00\00:22:19.30
to missionaries with
this specialized aircraft.
00:22:19.33\00:22:22.97
Another upcoming project
00:22:23.00\00:22:24.51
that has also
partnered with ADRA
00:22:24.54\00:22:26.68
is supporting
missionaries in Uganda.
00:22:26.71\00:22:29.48
ADRA personnel are hindered
00:22:29.51\00:22:31.28
by the
transportation limitations.
00:22:31.31\00:22:33.55
Bringing aircraft to this region
00:22:33.62\00:22:35.55
will expand the
reach of missionaries
00:22:35.58\00:22:37.62
and allow them to
serve hurting refugees
00:22:37.65\00:22:40.29
more expediently.
00:22:40.36\00:22:42.06
AWA's ongoing mission is
to go into all the world,
00:22:42.09\00:22:46.39
the final frontiers to reach out
00:22:46.43\00:22:49.26
and save the lives of
the lost and the suffering
00:22:49.30\00:22:53.10
to seek out
primitive civilizations
00:22:53.13\00:22:55.67
with the love of Jesus
and to help those in need.
00:22:55.70\00:22:59.11
Adventist World Aviation
00:22:59.14\00:23:00.81
is reaching the
seemingly unreachable
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.48
to seek out new life in Christ,
00:23:03.55\00:23:05.95
and to boldly go
00:23:05.98\00:23:07.62
where most missionaries do
not have the means to reach.
00:23:07.65\00:23:10.99
That's amazing.
00:23:17.76\00:23:19.09
That is amazing
how they just made,
00:23:19.13\00:23:20.50
how beautiful it is.
00:23:20.53\00:23:21.86
And just to thank
y'all in your mission trips,
00:23:21.90\00:23:24.63
get to enjoy
these types of sites.
00:23:24.67\00:23:26.97
But there's a very, very
serious side to this too.
00:23:27.04\00:23:30.01
And that is being
there to assist people
00:23:30.04\00:23:33.48
for a better life,
00:23:33.51\00:23:34.94
but ultimately to
know who Jesus is.
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.54
That's right.
00:23:36.58\00:23:37.91
Tell us a little bit more now?
00:23:37.95\00:23:39.28
Well, that's what we do.
00:23:39.31\00:23:40.65
We say physical, you know,
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.05
we're doing the
work that Jesus did.
00:23:42.08\00:23:43.42
Jesus 90% of what
He did on this earth
00:23:43.45\00:23:44.85
was healing the sick
and helping the poor,
00:23:44.89\00:23:46.62
and the suffering
and the depressed.
00:23:46.65\00:23:48.82
And we go into these areas
00:23:48.86\00:23:51.29
and we meet
their physical needs.
00:23:51.33\00:23:52.69
And with that we
have now an opportunity
00:23:52.73\00:23:54.90
to share the love of Christ
00:23:54.93\00:23:56.26
because they'll
ask us all the time.
00:23:56.30\00:23:57.63
Well, why are you
doing this, right?
00:23:57.67\00:23:59.00
Because we don't do this.
00:23:59.03\00:24:00.37
There's no charge.
They can't afford it.
00:24:00.44\00:24:01.77
And that, why do
you do this for us?
00:24:01.80\00:24:03.14
And it's because,
well, we love you.
00:24:03.17\00:24:04.51
You're humans, you
know, Jesus loved you.
00:24:04.54\00:24:06.98
And so then they
want to know more.
00:24:07.01\00:24:08.78
And it gives us an
opportunity to study with them.
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.88
And, and, you know,
00:24:10.95\00:24:12.48
we go from there
and lives are saved.
00:24:12.51\00:24:14.85
And as you said,
just as Jesus did,
00:24:14.88\00:24:16.99
meet their physical needs first
and then their spiritual needs.
00:24:17.02\00:24:19.92
So give us just
a little nutshell
00:24:19.95\00:24:22.56
of your operation.
00:24:22.59\00:24:23.93
How many
pilots, how many planes?
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.36
Well, Jud and I were
just talking about that.
00:24:25.39\00:24:27.10
We have about 40 missionary
family members in staff
00:24:27.13\00:24:31.70
that works inside
of our institution.
00:24:31.73\00:24:33.97
Probably, you know,
there's at least one
00:24:34.04\00:24:35.77
in every family
member, that's a pilot.
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.74
So we probably have
at least around 15 pilots
00:24:37.77\00:24:39.81
that work in our institution.
00:24:39.84\00:24:41.18
We have about
20, 25, we fluctuate
00:24:41.21\00:24:43.24
because we use rented aircraft
as well and sometimes...
00:24:43.28\00:24:45.61
So we've had as high as many
as 30 aircraft in operation.
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.55
We have about 22 to 25 right now
00:24:48.58\00:24:50.39
that are in operation
flying throughout the world.
00:24:50.42\00:24:52.62
We have about
seven operating projects
00:24:52.65\00:24:54.69
in other countries.
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.06
We have 11 total
including North America
00:24:56.09\00:24:58.46
that we operate
00:24:58.49\00:24:59.83
and, of course, the
video kind of went into that.
00:24:59.86\00:25:01.20
And so, yeah, that's kind
of a quick global overview
00:25:01.23\00:25:04.73
of what we do.
00:25:04.77\00:25:06.10
Well Jud, you are
the project director,
00:25:06.13\00:25:08.37
so tell us a little
bit about the projects?
00:25:08.40\00:25:10.41
Yeah, Jud is our Vice
President of Operations?
00:25:10.44\00:25:12.31
Yeah. Amen. Yeah.
00:25:12.34\00:25:13.88
So basically I said
before, kind of the moving parts
00:25:13.91\00:25:16.01
and so that involves
coordinating the airplanes,
00:25:16.04\00:25:19.08
and the pilots,
and the programs.
00:25:19.11\00:25:23.18
One of the things that comes
up a lot in aviation is safety.
00:25:23.22\00:25:27.06
And, you know,
sometimes a perceived thought
00:25:27.09\00:25:31.16
that aviation is
inherently dangerous.
00:25:31.19\00:25:33.29
Of course,
there's a lot of things
00:25:33.33\00:25:34.66
that are inherently
dangerous but as a ministry
00:25:34.70\00:25:38.50
we're dedicated
to aviation support
00:25:38.53\00:25:40.94
and part of our commitment
and our privilege in doing that
00:25:40.97\00:25:46.01
is to be able to do that safely.
00:25:46.04\00:25:47.48
And so, that is something
we do very, very deliberately.
00:25:47.51\00:25:50.85
All of our pilots and mechanics
00:25:50.88\00:25:53.01
and all our
missionaries are dedicated.
00:25:53.05\00:25:55.22
Everyone is
involved very significantly
00:25:55.25\00:25:58.49
in mission projects
in a wide variety of ways
00:25:58.52\00:26:00.76
in the places that they
serve but most importantly,
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.63
they are professional
pilots and mechanics first.
00:26:03.66\00:26:06.43
Isn't there a shortage
of professional pilots?
00:26:06.46\00:26:08.83
Oh my. There is.
00:26:08.86\00:26:10.27
And that creates,
it's kind of a good
00:26:10.30\00:26:12.93
and a bad for us at this point
00:26:12.97\00:26:14.30
because it does make it
harder to recruit pilots
00:26:14.34\00:26:16.27
from an industry
00:26:16.30\00:26:17.64
that is hiring
pilots like crazy.
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.68
However the good
thing about it is though
00:26:20.71\00:26:23.11
is when we do find the ones
00:26:23.14\00:26:24.48
that are committed to
serving in mission aviation,
00:26:24.51\00:26:26.51
they really do mean it
00:26:26.55\00:26:27.88
and they're
committed to the service.
00:26:27.92\00:26:29.25
So that's really important.
00:26:29.28\00:26:30.62
How many pilots did you
say were in the United States?
00:26:30.69\00:26:33.49
There's only a
couple of hundred thousand
00:26:33.56\00:26:34.99
to choose from to begin with.
00:26:35.02\00:26:36.36
So the pool is kind of
small and that's ready to go,
00:26:36.39\00:26:38.96
I mean that would be...
00:26:38.99\00:26:40.33
And then you've
got to narrow that down
00:26:40.40\00:26:41.73
to how many are missionaries.
00:26:41.76\00:26:43.10
Then we go to boil it down
to, you know, we're looking at,
00:26:43.13\00:26:44.70
we're really looking
for Christian pilots.
00:26:44.73\00:26:46.07
I mean, the secular pilots are,
00:26:46.10\00:26:47.44
you know, wanting to serve
but you know a lot of times
00:26:47.47\00:26:49.07
their interest is
corporate America and they're,
00:26:49.10\00:26:51.57
you know, their
interest are elsewhere.
00:26:51.61\00:26:53.68
They don't have
the same desires that,
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.21
you know, maybe a
missionary mindset has.
00:26:55.24\00:26:58.28
And so it becomes very
rare thing to find a pilot
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.72
that's got a
mission mindset as well.
00:27:00.75\00:27:02.28
So it's a small, you know,
00:27:02.32\00:27:03.79
it's a small
pool of professional.
00:27:03.82\00:27:05.15
But, Jud, haven't you seen
just as your own experience
00:27:05.19\00:27:08.79
when you go somewhere
on a missionary project
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.66
where it really becomes real?
00:27:11.69\00:27:13.03
Have you seen
some of your pilots
00:27:13.06\00:27:14.76
have life changing experience
because they became involved?
00:27:14.80\00:27:18.70
I think it's life
saving for everyone
00:27:18.73\00:27:20.97
that serves
changing for everyone
00:27:21.00\00:27:22.44
that serves with us.
00:27:22.47\00:27:23.81
You get to see, I mean,
00:27:23.84\00:27:26.44
it's what we do is
really, it's visceral.
00:27:26.47\00:27:28.98
I mean, you're
very, very connected
00:27:29.01\00:27:30.58
with the frontline missionaries,
00:27:30.65\00:27:32.51
you're seeing people
00:27:32.55\00:27:33.92
in the most difficult
situations in their lives.
00:27:33.95\00:27:36.99
You know, you're in the airplane
00:27:37.02\00:27:39.49
with patients who are near death
00:27:39.52\00:27:42.49
and it's quite traumatic,
00:27:42.52\00:27:44.99
and I think
00:27:45.03\00:27:47.60
we have the opportunity,
00:27:47.63\00:27:48.96
we get in the airplane
00:27:49.00\00:27:50.37
and we have
these patients there,
00:27:50.40\00:27:51.73
and we pray with them
00:27:51.77\00:27:53.10
and then we fly them out to the,
00:27:53.13\00:27:54.60
you know, and it means
a lot, it's just great.
00:27:54.64\00:27:59.31
And when you know
you save someone's life.
00:27:59.34\00:28:01.04
And especially, you
know, you get these children
00:28:01.08\00:28:02.44
that are sick.
00:28:02.48\00:28:04.38
And one little
boy, I flew in one time
00:28:04.41\00:28:06.38
and he wasn't dying but he was,
00:28:06.41\00:28:08.62
he injured his
ankle on his bicycle
00:28:08.65\00:28:11.05
and his ankle
was bent 90 degrees
00:28:11.09\00:28:13.59
and I was able to fly him out.
00:28:13.66\00:28:16.06
And, you know, in
these environments
00:28:16.09\00:28:17.46
we see these kids,
adults with these deformities
00:28:17.53\00:28:21.13
that are the result of
never getting proper treatment.
00:28:21.16\00:28:24.27
And so this little boy,
00:28:24.30\00:28:25.63
his ankle wasn't actually broken
00:28:25.67\00:28:27.00
but it was dislocated so badly,
it was sitting at 90 degrees.
00:28:27.04\00:28:30.21
We got him to
the hospital in time
00:28:30.24\00:28:31.94
that he was able to
get that straightened out.
00:28:31.97\00:28:33.41
It was actually
within a few days
00:28:33.48\00:28:34.81
he was recovered enough to walk
00:28:34.84\00:28:36.58
but he could have
just as easily spent
00:28:36.61\00:28:38.95
the rest of his life with
his foot turned 90 degrees
00:28:38.98\00:28:42.18
and we saw people like that
and so that means a lot to me.
00:28:42.22\00:28:45.22
And it's and our pilots
experience that all the time.
00:28:45.25\00:28:47.79
Yeah.
00:28:47.82\00:28:49.16
And have you as Vice
President of Operations,
00:28:49.19\00:28:51.83
have you visited
all of the 11 projects?
00:28:51.86\00:28:54.30
We all have, yeah.
00:28:54.33\00:28:55.66
While I was a mission
pilot in Guyana for five years,
00:28:55.70\00:28:58.00
myself with my family,
00:28:58.03\00:28:59.37
so we have that
first-hand experience.
00:28:59.40\00:29:01.24
And that's what led to
the position that I'm in now.
00:29:01.27\00:29:03.07
Sure.
00:29:03.10\00:29:04.44
I came home from
that and realized
00:29:04.47\00:29:05.81
that I couldn't just walk
away from Mission Aviation.
00:29:05.84\00:29:07.58
So I stayed on
and now help to grow
00:29:07.61\00:29:10.28
and develop other projects,
00:29:10.35\00:29:11.68
and hopefully support our
teams that are out there now,
00:29:11.71\00:29:14.82
and helping them do the most
00:29:14.85\00:29:16.18
that they possibly
can with the resources
00:29:16.22\00:29:17.99
that they have.
00:29:18.02\00:29:19.35
So if someone is watching
and they're Christian pilot,
00:29:19.39\00:29:22.79
you want them to
get in touch with you,
00:29:22.82\00:29:25.29
if they're interested.
00:29:25.33\00:29:26.70
Yes. Yeah.
00:29:26.73\00:29:28.06
But what if someone is
watching who is saying,
00:29:28.10\00:29:30.37
you know, I'm a young person,
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.33
I've just
graduated from high school
00:29:32.37\00:29:34.24
or college or whatever,
00:29:34.27\00:29:35.60
but I think I would
like to become a pilot.
00:29:35.64\00:29:37.84
Do you have a program
00:29:37.87\00:29:39.21
that does any
training for pilots?
00:29:39.24\00:29:41.01
We have a limited
ability to train pilots.
00:29:41.04\00:29:44.58
And honestly, it's a
journey, it's not an easy one.
00:29:44.61\00:29:47.78
But it's, you have
to look at it as...
00:29:47.82\00:29:50.09
It's education.
00:29:50.12\00:29:51.45
If you want to be a professional
00:29:51.49\00:29:52.82
in any of the fields,
00:29:52.85\00:29:54.19
you have to dedicate the
time and to get that education
00:29:54.26\00:29:58.43
and it's costly
as well, of course.
00:29:58.46\00:30:00.20
And so, being a professional
pilot is no different.
00:30:00.23\00:30:03.57
And you do have to be committed
and dedicated to doing that
00:30:03.60\00:30:07.47
and be prepared to work for it.
00:30:07.54\00:30:09.07
That's the part
that there's no free ride
00:30:09.10\00:30:13.38
in becoming a
doctor or a lawyer.
00:30:13.41\00:30:15.01
There's no free
ride in becoming a pilot.
00:30:15.04\00:30:16.61
You have to work
really hard at it.
00:30:16.64\00:30:18.45
And so, it is a journey,
00:30:18.48\00:30:19.85
we do everything
we can to encourage
00:30:19.88\00:30:21.85
and support
people coming up from,
00:30:21.88\00:30:23.99
you know, from the ground up
00:30:24.02\00:30:25.35
that really
want to learn to fly,
00:30:25.39\00:30:28.06
but it is a journey
00:30:28.09\00:30:29.59
and you have to
work at it for sure.
00:30:29.62\00:30:32.06
But it pays off in the end,
00:30:32.09\00:30:33.50
and that's where the
determination pays off.
00:30:33.53\00:30:35.10
Yeah.
00:30:35.13\00:30:36.46
And I like what
they were saying earlier.
00:30:36.50\00:30:40.37
In some ways you serve
as an air taxi service,
00:30:40.44\00:30:44.54
taking in supplies,
taking in evangelists
00:30:44.57\00:30:48.18
and different people
00:30:48.21\00:30:49.54
who are visiting
or church officials.
00:30:49.58\00:30:51.65
But what I like is
you're not just a taxi service
00:30:51.68\00:30:56.28
because each one of you,
00:30:56.32\00:30:58.12
I mean, you've
got these missionaries
00:30:58.15\00:31:00.26
who are living with the people.
00:31:00.29\00:31:01.76
You're really,
really touching hearts
00:31:01.79\00:31:04.96
and making connections
00:31:04.99\00:31:06.90
and you're supporting the work
00:31:06.93\00:31:09.16
in all these
different locations.
00:31:09.20\00:31:11.57
Bruce, you're living in Guyana.
00:31:11.60\00:31:14.70
I know you've got
some stories to tell us.
00:31:14.74\00:31:17.87
You said that you saw
that God became real to you
00:31:17.91\00:31:22.41
because you've seen
Him working in your life
00:31:22.44\00:31:24.51
as well as in the
lives of these needy people.
00:31:24.55\00:31:28.55
Yes ma'am.
00:31:28.58\00:31:29.92
In Guyana,
00:31:29.95\00:31:31.29
particularly in the
environment that we're in.
00:31:31.32\00:31:32.65
We're in an isolated jungle
community pretty much about,
00:31:32.69\00:31:36.16
an air traffic is about an hour,
00:31:36.19\00:31:38.43
15 hour and 20 minutes
00:31:38.46\00:31:39.79
from Georgetown the big capital.
00:31:39.83\00:31:41.43
It's a location
00:31:41.46\00:31:42.80
in the Northwest
region of Guyana.
00:31:42.83\00:31:44.17
Not many people
that are Guyanese
00:31:44.20\00:31:46.07
want to go to live out
because you don't have power...
00:31:46.10\00:31:47.97
And how did you
talk your wife into it?
00:31:48.00\00:31:50.74
Yeah, that was a journey too.
00:31:50.81\00:31:54.31
But she is actually at times
00:31:54.34\00:31:56.41
has been very,
very committed to it
00:31:56.44\00:31:58.55
and she, in fact,
she's not here today
00:31:58.58\00:32:00.65
because we're so
busy that she didn't feel
00:32:00.72\00:32:03.52
that she could leave the project
00:32:03.59\00:32:05.22
to come back for this interview.
00:32:05.25\00:32:07.39
So she volunteered to
stay and keep up the project,
00:32:07.46\00:32:11.16
manage everything,
work with the Warao people,
00:32:11.19\00:32:13.23
work with the people
that were doing reading
00:32:13.26\00:32:15.93
and other kinds
of education with.
00:32:15.96\00:32:17.90
So she is there doing
that now while I'm here.
00:32:17.93\00:32:20.64
So I'm blessed to
have the best partner
00:32:20.67\00:32:22.54
I could ever ask for.
00:32:22.57\00:32:23.91
Amen.
00:32:23.94\00:32:25.27
But you've actually
seen a miraculous healing
00:32:25.31\00:32:27.28
in your own life.
00:32:27.31\00:32:28.64
Tell us about that? Yes, ma'am.
00:32:28.68\00:32:30.65
In 2016, my
father had passed away
00:32:30.68\00:32:32.98
from congestive heart failure.
00:32:33.01\00:32:34.62
And we went home
to, you know, to funeral
00:32:34.65\00:32:37.02
and to bury him and everything.
00:32:37.09\00:32:38.95
We came back to Guyana,
and I was bitten by mosquitoes,
00:32:38.99\00:32:43.76
we have tons of mosquitoes
and everything, from Zika,
00:32:43.83\00:32:46.73
chikungunya, dengue, malaria,
the whole gamut is there,
00:32:46.80\00:32:51.03
and you don't really know
that you've gotten a disease
00:32:51.07\00:32:53.84
until, you know,
five to ten days later.
00:32:53.87\00:32:56.40
So I found out
that I had chikungunya
00:32:56.44\00:32:59.17
which is another
mosquito borne illness
00:32:59.21\00:33:02.41
has started developing
00:33:02.44\00:33:03.78
all kinds of red
measles like bumps all over me.
00:33:03.85\00:33:05.88
I had cramps and
swelling in my joints
00:33:05.91\00:33:09.98
and I was unable to have
00:33:10.02\00:33:13.09
any
anti-inflammatory medications,
00:33:13.12\00:33:18.36
aspirin or anything like
that, or going to take Tylenol.
00:33:18.39\00:33:20.80
And it's very painful.
00:33:20.83\00:33:23.10
It's like arthritis times three.
00:33:23.13\00:33:25.27
So your joints
cramp up and everything.
00:33:25.30\00:33:27.27
And I have a
picture of it at home.
00:33:27.34\00:33:29.37
I didn't bring it
with me, unfortunately.
00:33:29.40\00:33:30.74
But I had red dots all
over my face, my chest,
00:33:30.81\00:33:33.98
my feet, my
hands and everything.
00:33:34.01\00:33:36.18
So it's kind of painful
00:33:36.21\00:33:37.65
and we couldn't
do anything about it.
00:33:37.68\00:33:39.01
So my wife and I are sitting
in a mosquito net one night
00:33:39.05\00:33:41.78
and just, you know,
my joints are aching.
00:33:41.82\00:33:44.09
We don't know what to do.
00:33:44.12\00:33:45.45
They gave me some
hydrocortisone for the itching
00:33:45.49\00:33:47.36
but nothing else
for the swelling.
00:33:47.39\00:33:50.03
So we said, let's pray.
00:33:50.06\00:33:51.39
And so we underneath
mosquito net at night,
00:33:51.43\00:33:53.70
you know, there's no
power and we started praying
00:33:53.73\00:33:56.40
and we asked the Lord if,
00:33:56.43\00:33:58.43
you know, if it
says, well please help me
00:33:58.47\00:34:00.97
deal with this
pain and take it away
00:34:01.00\00:34:02.90
if it's in
within Your will, Lord.
00:34:02.94\00:34:05.04
And we said amen.
00:34:05.07\00:34:06.41
And we opened our eyes
00:34:06.44\00:34:07.78
and we had to
turn our flashlight on.
00:34:07.81\00:34:09.14
And before our
very eyes we watch my...
00:34:09.18\00:34:10.55
God just
touched you right there.
00:34:15.55\00:34:17.49
Watch my hands shrink.
00:34:17.52\00:34:18.85
And watch the
red dots go away so.
00:34:18.89\00:34:20.26
Praise God.
00:34:20.29\00:34:22.72
So in your mind, you
know, that you know that,
00:34:22.76\00:34:24.79
you know that God hears.
00:34:24.83\00:34:26.29
He sees, He cares and He does.
00:34:26.33\00:34:29.33
At that point we
were like also wondering,
00:34:29.36\00:34:31.77
you know, my father passed away,
00:34:31.80\00:34:33.54
should we continue to stay here
00:34:33.57\00:34:34.90
or should we go back home
00:34:34.94\00:34:36.64
and it was kind of
a hallmark decision
00:34:36.71\00:34:39.41
for us to continue to work.
00:34:39.44\00:34:40.78
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:34:40.81\00:34:43.95
That is a marvelous story.
00:34:43.98\00:34:45.98
You know what I was thinking.
00:34:46.01\00:34:47.65
I certainly believe
in divine appointments.
00:34:47.68\00:34:50.09
I mean, I just think
00:34:50.12\00:34:51.72
that the harvest fields are ripe
00:34:51.75\00:34:54.19
and he's looking for laborers.
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.26
And so to answer
to your question,
00:34:56.29\00:34:57.73
you know what at
least came to my mind
00:34:57.76\00:34:59.66
is that God for
those that are searching
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.93
and may not know
exactly what they want to go,
00:35:01.96\00:35:04.33
if the Lord puts
it on their heart
00:35:04.37\00:35:06.07
to step out in faith,
00:35:06.10\00:35:07.67
He's going to
arrange all of this stuff.
00:35:07.70\00:35:10.44
He will take down the barriers.
00:35:10.51\00:35:11.84
Yes, He will.
00:35:11.87\00:35:13.21
And I mean, I just,
I'm so blessed by that.
00:35:13.24\00:35:15.61
And, Lord, increase my faith.
00:35:15.64\00:35:17.65
I want to do what
You've called me to do.
00:35:17.68\00:35:19.61
And be careful when you
ask for that prayer because...
00:35:19.65\00:35:21.32
You bet. He will.
00:35:21.35\00:35:22.68
You bet,
00:35:22.72\00:35:24.09
because it brought some reality.
00:35:24.12\00:35:26.39
Mosquito net?
00:35:26.42\00:35:27.92
Wow!
00:35:27.96\00:35:29.29
Oh, that's a part of life.
00:35:29.32\00:35:30.66
I mean, yes.
00:35:30.73\00:35:32.06
I mean, there's a
whole different side of,
00:35:32.09\00:35:33.43
whenever he was
looking at the video,
00:35:33.46\00:35:35.06
how beautiful it
is, how beautiful.
00:35:35.10\00:35:37.70
I mean, there's places that
I've never seen that pretty,
00:35:37.73\00:35:40.87
but on the other hand,
00:35:40.94\00:35:42.90
I don't know I'd have
to really pray earnestly
00:35:42.94\00:35:46.41
to live under mosquito net.
00:35:46.44\00:35:48.21
But if that's where
God wanted me to go...
00:35:48.24\00:35:50.35
Yeah. That's what important.
00:35:50.38\00:35:51.81
You bet.
00:35:51.85\00:35:53.18
Where would God wants you,
that's where you need to be.
00:35:53.21\00:35:54.55
Amen.
00:35:54.58\00:35:55.92
And you've seen other miracles
that have shored up your faith.
00:35:55.95\00:35:58.32
Tell us about
the Christmas story?
00:35:58.35\00:36:00.06
Is that the flour and oil story?
00:36:00.09\00:36:01.72
Yes, that's it.
00:36:01.76\00:36:03.09
That's a great story.
00:36:03.12\00:36:04.46
My wife actually
tells it better than I.
00:36:04.49\00:36:05.89
I'll try to do her
justice with her story.
00:36:05.93\00:36:08.70
Bruce does a good job of it.
00:36:08.73\00:36:10.07
But well, every year,
00:36:10.10\00:36:12.67
the missionaries before
us, Jud and families before us
00:36:12.70\00:36:15.70
would during Christmas
time they would share out
00:36:15.74\00:36:17.97
provisions to the needy people
00:36:18.01\00:36:20.08
in our
communities where we live.
00:36:20.11\00:36:21.81
One of the great
things about what we deal,
00:36:21.84\00:36:23.75
if I may do a
tangent real quick is that
00:36:23.78\00:36:27.12
we're embedded in the
communities where we're at.
00:36:27.15\00:36:28.92
We become a part of communities,
00:36:28.95\00:36:30.99
we become friends, neighbors,
00:36:31.02\00:36:32.85
just like you would
back in the States or Canada.
00:36:32.89\00:36:35.02
We live there, we develop
relationships with people
00:36:35.06\00:36:37.79
so they actually know us
very well and we know them
00:36:37.83\00:36:41.23
and having those
relationships helps us
00:36:41.26\00:36:43.10
to connect with
them at a deeper level
00:36:43.13\00:36:44.90
and to be able to
share our faith with them.
00:36:44.93\00:36:46.84
Yes.
00:36:46.87\00:36:48.20
To share the
most important thing
00:36:48.24\00:36:49.57
which is a
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:36:49.60\00:36:52.17
So every Christmas
00:36:52.21\00:36:54.01
we share our
provisions to people.
00:36:54.08\00:36:56.04
We go to their homes,
00:36:56.08\00:36:57.55
we give them a little
bit of food supplements,
00:36:57.58\00:36:59.15
flour, oil, sugar, salt,
00:36:59.18\00:37:01.25
other kinds of necessities
00:37:01.28\00:37:02.85
that helps
supplement their meals,
00:37:02.88\00:37:04.42
and we sing Christmas
carols, and we pray with them.
00:37:04.45\00:37:07.26
And it's a great thing.
00:37:07.29\00:37:08.66
It's meaningful for us,
it's meaningful for them.
00:37:08.69\00:37:10.56
It's a blessing all around.
00:37:10.63\00:37:11.96
The people in the States,
00:37:11.99\00:37:13.33
our faithful partners in
the States to support us.
00:37:13.36\00:37:16.70
It's meaningful for them too
00:37:16.77\00:37:18.10
because without them
supporting us with prayer
00:37:18.13\00:37:20.74
and financial support,
00:37:20.77\00:37:22.10
we're not able to do this stuff.
00:37:22.14\00:37:23.47
Yeah.
00:37:23.51\00:37:24.84
And so the
missionaries before us
00:37:24.87\00:37:26.54
had really good funds
00:37:26.57\00:37:29.71
to support
purchasing the provisions.
00:37:29.74\00:37:32.41
When we started doing it,
00:37:32.45\00:37:33.82
we didn't have as
much funds at that time.
00:37:33.85\00:37:36.28
And so we had enough and
we warned the people that,
00:37:36.32\00:37:38.82
okay, this is our
first year doing this,
00:37:38.85\00:37:40.99
we won't have quite a bit,
00:37:41.02\00:37:42.96
a quite enough
provision to share out
00:37:42.99\00:37:44.63
as we had in previous
years, so before we warned.
00:37:44.66\00:37:48.13
So we took what we had
00:37:48.16\00:37:49.50
and we went to the
neediest of people,
00:37:49.53\00:37:50.87
we shared our provisions...
00:37:50.90\00:37:52.23
But you're giving to
the neediest people always.
00:37:52.27\00:37:54.24
So this is the
neediest of the needy.
00:37:54.27\00:37:56.71
Yes, exactly.
00:37:56.74\00:37:58.07
And we shared out the
flour, the oil, the sugar,
00:37:58.11\00:38:01.38
the salt and everything.
00:38:01.41\00:38:02.91
And we kept on coming
back to find more needy people
00:38:02.94\00:38:07.02
would get more bags
of salt and flour and oil
00:38:07.05\00:38:11.95
and take it to the people.
00:38:11.99\00:38:13.46
And we keep coming
back to the same bags
00:38:13.49\00:38:15.62
or the same as in
Elijah, the same jars.
00:38:15.66\00:38:18.26
And they would not go empty.
00:38:18.29\00:38:20.50
It was just amazing
00:38:20.53\00:38:22.20
when he would come
back and get more flour,
00:38:22.23\00:38:24.27
sugar, and salt and oil
and keep sharing it out,
00:38:24.30\00:38:28.57
he kept sharing out sharing out.
00:38:28.60\00:38:29.94
This is into the February now,
00:38:30.01\00:38:31.34
because what's
happened during Christmas...
00:38:31.37\00:38:32.71
They didn't realize
that until it was at the end.
00:38:32.74\00:38:34.38
They didn't realize this
was going out this whole time.
00:38:34.41\00:38:35.84
Exactly.
00:38:35.88\00:38:37.25
And then a friend of ours,
00:38:37.28\00:38:38.61
Brother Wong,
who's down in Blackwater,
00:38:38.65\00:38:40.32
a river community came
and we had the last bit
00:38:40.35\00:38:42.82
and when he was
tired of this stuff
00:38:42.85\00:38:44.42
laying around the house
00:38:44.45\00:38:45.79
because he thought it
was going to attract rodents
00:38:45.82\00:38:47.26
and bugs and everything.
00:38:47.29\00:38:48.62
So he said, let's just get rid
of this stuff once and for all
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.63
while not knowing the
blessing was happening,
00:38:50.66\00:38:52.13
that's how
blessings happens sometimes.
00:38:52.16\00:38:54.20
It's happening, you know,
it's happening from afterwards.
00:38:54.23\00:38:56.43
Oh, that's good. Amen.
00:38:56.46\00:38:57.80
And so we shared it
out with Brother Wong,
00:38:57.83\00:38:59.73
and she tells the story much
better than I do but as a boat,
00:38:59.77\00:39:02.87
as he's driving
away down the river
00:39:02.90\00:39:04.24
with the last bit of
flour and oil, his boat,
00:39:04.31\00:39:07.78
it hit her like a ton of bricks.
00:39:07.81\00:39:09.48
You know, the story of
Elijah and she was thinking,
00:39:09.51\00:39:12.68
"Oh no, there
goes the last jar."
00:39:12.71\00:39:15.15
You know because as long
as you were filling the jars
00:39:15.18\00:39:17.95
they would always produce
00:39:17.99\00:39:19.42
and when she was,
00:39:19.45\00:39:20.79
you know, concerned
that the flour and oil,
00:39:20.86\00:39:22.66
just gone out the last one
00:39:22.69\00:39:24.23
but you know what
God continues to bless.
00:39:24.26\00:39:25.76
He continues to
bless every year,
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.13
the following year
we had a church in Texas
00:39:27.20\00:39:30.90
that continued
in Fairview, Texas,
00:39:30.97\00:39:32.30
it continued to support us.
00:39:32.33\00:39:34.14
We have a church
in North Carolina,
00:39:34.17\00:39:35.67
Wilson, North
Carolina, that's supporting us
00:39:35.70\00:39:38.37
to be able to help us
00:39:38.41\00:39:41.28
share our provisions every year.
00:39:41.31\00:39:42.88
It's such a blessing
00:39:42.91\00:39:44.25
and it's great how God
provides for your needs.
00:39:44.28\00:39:46.92
You know, as we see Him
working in so many areas,
00:39:46.95\00:39:49.85
and this is just one
area where He's working at.
00:39:49.88\00:39:51.42
Amen.
00:39:51.45\00:39:52.79
So, Jud, the video took
us through the projects.
00:39:52.82\00:39:57.26
Could you kind
of recap that again
00:39:57.33\00:39:59.13
and I'm particularly interested
in hearing about Venezuela
00:39:59.16\00:40:04.07
because we all have seen on TV,
what is going on in Venezuela?
00:40:04.10\00:40:09.20
How many refugees there are
00:40:09.24\00:40:10.94
and this is becoming a
very serious situation.
00:40:10.97\00:40:13.41
It is.
00:40:13.48\00:40:14.81
And that's, that's
kind of a new thing,
00:40:14.84\00:40:16.18
of course, for us,
00:40:16.21\00:40:17.55
our base in Mabaruma
where Bruce lives is,
00:40:17.58\00:40:20.35
is about five miles
from the Venezuelan border.
00:40:20.42\00:40:23.25
But it's not an open border.
This is a frontier border.
00:40:23.28\00:40:27.36
There's no roads
or anything like that.
00:40:27.39\00:40:29.66
But as Bruce mentioned,
these people live on the river.
00:40:29.69\00:40:32.49
And so the Orinoco Delta,
00:40:32.53\00:40:35.03
which is in
Venezuela is close to Guyana,
00:40:35.06\00:40:38.30
so they're not able to
buy food, they're just,
00:40:38.33\00:40:40.84
their money is
worthless, and whatever,
00:40:40.87\00:40:43.71
even though they
do have the money,
00:40:43.74\00:40:45.17
the food isn't available,
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.54
and you've seen the
crisis happening is unfolding.
00:40:46.57\00:40:49.94
You see it in
much larger numbers
00:40:49.98\00:40:51.58
in other border areas,
00:40:51.61\00:40:53.25
but this is, these
are the Warao people
00:40:53.28\00:40:55.98
who are the
indigenous tribal people
00:40:56.02\00:40:58.29
that live in that area.
00:40:58.32\00:40:59.65
They also live in Guyana,
00:40:59.69\00:41:01.02
the Warao people
cross that border,
00:41:01.06\00:41:02.92
of course, so
they cover both sides.
00:41:02.96\00:41:04.83
And so these Warao
people from Venezuela
00:41:04.86\00:41:06.80
are coming over into Guyana
00:41:06.83\00:41:08.16
to try and find a
better life and food
00:41:08.20\00:41:10.40
and hopefully, you know,
00:41:10.47\00:41:13.13
will be able to take
care of themselves better.
00:41:13.17\00:41:15.54
And so we're seeing that
right in at Bruce's backyard.
00:41:15.57\00:41:18.94
And Bruce,
Monique, and Velize there,
00:41:18.97\00:41:23.14
other pilot there.
00:41:23.18\00:41:24.51
They have been really
reaching into that community
00:41:24.55\00:41:27.02
and finding ways to help them.
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.98
You know, the
circumstances in Guyana
00:41:30.02\00:41:31.55
are better than
they are in Venezuela
00:41:31.59\00:41:33.69
but it's not a wealthy country.
00:41:33.76\00:41:35.09
So it's not as, you know,
00:41:35.12\00:41:36.46
there's not a lot of
resources for them there,
00:41:36.49\00:41:38.09
and so we are looking at
ways that we can enhance that.
00:41:38.13\00:41:41.03
We're working with
some other agencies
00:41:41.06\00:41:42.40
including ADRA to find
some ways to deliver that,
00:41:42.43\00:41:44.33
but that's one of the things
00:41:44.37\00:41:45.70
about our
missionaries being right there
00:41:45.73\00:41:48.04
in that isolated area that
they can identify the problem
00:41:48.07\00:41:50.97
and be able to
work on some solutions.
00:41:51.01\00:41:53.91
Bruce and Monique
had been helping them
00:41:53.98\00:41:55.31
learn some English words
00:41:55.34\00:41:56.68
because Guyana
is English speaking
00:41:56.71\00:41:58.48
and they speak
Creole and so they,
00:41:58.51\00:42:00.45
in order for
them to find any work,
00:42:00.52\00:42:01.85
they need to be
able to speak English,
00:42:01.88\00:42:03.22
they're doing that.
00:42:03.25\00:42:04.59
They're teaching them songs,
00:42:04.62\00:42:05.95
they're helping them
with water and food situation
00:42:05.99\00:42:07.59
and clothing as
much as they can.
00:42:07.66\00:42:09.19
Although it's far
beyond our capacity,
00:42:09.22\00:42:10.73
this is where we
are looking beyond.
00:42:10.76\00:42:15.03
You know, we have
the resources there
00:42:15.06\00:42:16.40
to provide transportation,
but some other agencies,
00:42:16.43\00:42:19.60
we can support
that and deliver it
00:42:19.63\00:42:21.64
and make that
happen effectively.
00:42:21.67\00:42:23.00
So that's we're
really looking forward
00:42:23.04\00:42:24.37
to making a difference
for these Venezuelan people,
00:42:24.41\00:42:27.31
even in the smaller
numbers that are there,
00:42:27.38\00:42:28.98
but it's no
less of an emergency,
00:42:29.01\00:42:30.35
even though it's
the smaller number.
00:42:30.38\00:42:31.95
One thing that I
really appreciate
00:42:31.98\00:42:33.35
hearing you speaking earlier,
00:42:33.42\00:42:35.38
is that you're really
looking to this at long term
00:42:35.42\00:42:38.72
versus, you know,
hey, this is a need
00:42:38.75\00:42:41.09
that we need to
help supply right now.
00:42:41.12\00:42:44.23
That's right.
00:42:44.26\00:42:45.59
How are you looking
at this more long term?
00:42:45.63\00:42:47.00
Well, some communities,
we've noticed, it takes,
00:42:47.03\00:42:49.66
it's a generational thing.
00:42:49.70\00:42:51.13
For instance, up in
Alaska, we're going, you know,
00:42:51.17\00:42:53.34
in Alaska and in parts
of working within Canada,
00:42:53.37\00:43:00.01
working with the native,
indigenous native peoples,
00:43:00.08\00:43:02.91
as well as here in the US,
00:43:02.94\00:43:05.05
there's the suicide rate
that's just unbelievable.
00:43:05.08\00:43:06.95
It's 500 times more likely.
00:43:07.02\00:43:08.35
But it's
sometimes it takes 10 years
00:43:08.38\00:43:10.89
to change the thought process.
00:43:10.92\00:43:12.25
And so Elder Jim Kincaid is
our project manager in Alaska
00:43:12.29\00:43:15.76
and he's been working with
that and he was talking about,
00:43:15.79\00:43:17.53
you know, it takes a generation
00:43:17.56\00:43:18.93
and, you know,
biblical generation is 40 years,
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.73
but, you know, you
have to start with,
00:43:20.80\00:43:22.56
you know, and it takes 10 years
to change the mindset of people
00:43:22.60\00:43:25.47
that are just so many things,
00:43:25.50\00:43:27.84
whether it's drugs and alcohol,
00:43:27.87\00:43:29.30
or even entitlements
that end up happening.
00:43:29.34\00:43:31.91
You know, sometimes,
00:43:31.94\00:43:33.27
we are so busy
trying to help a person
00:43:33.31\00:43:35.88
instead of teaching a
person to do some work,
00:43:35.91\00:43:38.61
we busy get in,
and they get handouts.
00:43:38.65\00:43:40.65
Well then they revert to drink,
00:43:40.72\00:43:42.05
if you take a
man's ability to produce,
00:43:42.08\00:43:44.59
well, then they, you
know, all they do is they drink
00:43:44.62\00:43:47.56
and you know,
00:43:47.59\00:43:48.92
and then other
things come in, and it's so,
00:43:48.96\00:43:50.29
it's just, you have to
change a whole community.
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.83
If they change
the whole paradigm,
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.76
it becomes very challenging.
00:43:54.80\00:43:56.13
Yeah.
00:43:56.16\00:43:57.50
And so we, we
worked generationally,
00:43:57.57\00:43:58.90
and we're constantly,
00:43:58.93\00:44:00.87
I was going to say that,
00:44:00.94\00:44:02.90
you know, the needs are endless,
00:44:02.94\00:44:05.44
unfortunately,
the resources or not.
00:44:05.47\00:44:07.11
And that's, you know,
00:44:07.18\00:44:08.51
whether it's
pilots, human resources,
00:44:08.54\00:44:09.88
prayer partners,
all of those things
00:44:09.91\00:44:11.28
so the needs are constant.
00:44:11.31\00:44:13.42
You know, Bruce just
shed a tear here a minute ago,
00:44:13.45\00:44:15.72
and I'm sitting here
weeping about some of the things
00:44:15.75\00:44:17.52
that he was going
through there personally,
00:44:17.59\00:44:19.59
and I just, I get
these calls at my desk
00:44:19.62\00:44:21.22
all the time and Jud does too.
00:44:21.26\00:44:22.59
Can you help us?
00:44:22.62\00:44:23.96
And it's just like, we want to,
00:44:24.03\00:44:26.93
but it becomes very challenging
00:44:27.00\00:44:28.43
and so it just, it
drives us to our knees.
00:44:28.46\00:44:31.73
Well, and you know,
it just occurred to me
00:44:31.77\00:44:33.87
sometimes as you're
listening to someone story,
00:44:33.94\00:44:36.40
it doesn't always solidify.
00:44:36.44\00:44:38.17
A lot of times I
walk off the set and go,
00:44:38.21\00:44:40.58
oh, wow, I get this.
00:44:40.61\00:44:42.31
But if it weren't for
ministries like yours,
00:44:42.34\00:44:48.78
these indigenous people,
00:44:48.82\00:44:50.52
I mean, wouldn't be
reached, period, the end.
00:44:50.59\00:44:53.96
And that is who you are
ministering in most cases,
00:44:53.99\00:44:57.53
it's the indigenous peoples.
00:44:57.56\00:44:58.96
It's almost
always indigenous groups.
00:44:58.99\00:45:02.63
And we've been
really privileged,
00:45:02.66\00:45:05.33
we've been working in
Alaska for quite some time.
00:45:05.37\00:45:07.14
But we're really
privileged to be able to working
00:45:07.17\00:45:08.77
in Canada as well.
00:45:08.80\00:45:10.44
I have to say that
00:45:10.51\00:45:11.84
the Ontario Conference
of the Seventh-day Adventist
00:45:11.87\00:45:13.81
has been very, very supportive
of reaching those communities
00:45:13.88\00:45:16.28
even though it's
hard and expensive.
00:45:16.31\00:45:18.41
They've been very
supportive of helping us
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.35
place an airplane there
00:45:20.42\00:45:21.75
to be able to reach
communities in Northern Ontario,
00:45:21.78\00:45:24.39
whereas Ric talked about
the suicide rates are so high,
00:45:24.42\00:45:27.82
there are just, their
social world is upside down,
00:45:27.86\00:45:30.53
and some outside
influence that they trust
00:45:30.56\00:45:34.66
is where that can
really make a difference
00:45:34.70\00:45:36.23
over the long term.
00:45:36.26\00:45:37.60
And again, you mentioned
00:45:37.63\00:45:39.30
it's a long game to
try and make a difference.
00:45:39.33\00:45:40.84
That's why our
missionaries live there.
00:45:40.87\00:45:42.34
It's relations sort of mix.
00:45:42.37\00:45:43.71
It's all about building
those relationships and trust.
00:45:43.74\00:45:45.24
And in Guyana also we work
00:45:45.27\00:45:46.88
closely with Pastor
James, and Avert James
00:45:46.91\00:45:49.28
who's the president
for Guyana Conference.
00:45:49.31\00:45:51.28
We work with him and
his staff all the time
00:45:51.31\00:45:53.92
and we partner with them,
00:45:53.95\00:45:55.88
so our job is to
work alongside the church
00:45:55.92\00:45:58.62
and their lay workers
00:45:58.65\00:46:00.39
to make sure that the
message is being spread.
00:46:00.46\00:46:02.72
And you talked about
in the beginning how,
00:46:02.76\00:46:04.56
what was, Jesus was real to us
00:46:04.59\00:46:06.33
when we went to
the mission field.
00:46:06.36\00:46:07.80
Well, we're trying to make
the Jesus real to the people
00:46:07.83\00:46:09.96
that we're engaging
00:46:10.00\00:46:11.33
within the local
environments that we live
00:46:11.37\00:46:13.23
because a lot of times,
00:46:13.27\00:46:14.60
you know, just
like for us back here
00:46:14.64\00:46:16.34
Jesus is maybe not as
real as He needs to be
00:46:16.37\00:46:19.54
in people's lives.
00:46:19.57\00:46:21.04
And we want to try to
impart that message best we can
00:46:21.08\00:46:24.61
that Jesus is a
real living person
00:46:24.65\00:46:26.51
that needs to be
present in our lives
00:46:26.55\00:46:28.15
every single
moment, every single day.
00:46:28.18\00:46:30.42
And still in the
miracle working business.
00:46:30.49\00:46:32.72
You know, when you
see a miraculous healing
00:46:32.75\00:46:35.29
or you see the flour
and the oil like the story
00:46:35.32\00:46:39.26
with Elijah and the widow,
00:46:39.29\00:46:40.96
not running out, all
of sudden you realize
00:46:41.00\00:46:43.80
that when God said that,
I am the Lord, I change not.
00:46:43.87\00:46:47.77
Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever.
00:46:47.80\00:46:51.21
You realize that,
00:46:51.24\00:46:52.57
sometimes, I think here
00:46:52.61\00:46:53.98
we have so many conveniences,
00:46:54.01\00:46:56.21
so many benefits and blessings
00:46:56.24\00:46:59.58
that we don't
have to call on Him
00:46:59.61\00:47:02.85
for that type of thing.
00:47:02.88\00:47:04.59
I mean, I was sitting
here while you were talking,
00:47:04.62\00:47:06.45
Bruce, thinking
if you're the pilot
00:47:06.49\00:47:09.36
what would have
happened if you got sick enough,
00:47:09.39\00:47:11.93
who would have flown you out?
00:47:11.96\00:47:13.33
Would you call
for another pilot?
00:47:13.40\00:47:16.16
We've had to do
that. We've had to do that.
00:47:16.20\00:47:17.73
We've been stranded in
some of the perimeters,
00:47:17.77\00:47:19.97
a really isolated community
00:47:20.04\00:47:21.37
within our communities
00:47:21.40\00:47:22.87
and it's a gold mining town
00:47:22.90\00:47:24.24
and there's a lot
of violence, suicide
00:47:24.31\00:47:26.11
you know, murders
and everything else
00:47:26.14\00:47:27.48
that happened there.
00:47:27.51\00:47:28.84
We get stranded at one time
00:47:28.88\00:47:30.25
and we had to call another
sister ministry to come out
00:47:30.28\00:47:32.58
and pick us up
00:47:32.61\00:47:33.95
because our
airplane's starter went out
00:47:34.02\00:47:35.58
and when that happens
it's not like you can,
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.59
you know, "Hello, excuse me,
00:47:37.62\00:47:38.95
can you come over
and fix our starter."
00:47:38.99\00:47:40.89
No, this doesn't happen.
00:47:40.96\00:47:42.29
We have to get our
starters from the States.
00:47:42.32\00:47:44.03
You're stuck
unless you get somebody
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.66
to come and pick you up.
00:47:45.69\00:47:47.03
Another plane.
00:47:47.10\00:47:48.43
All three of you are pilots.
00:47:48.46\00:47:50.07
All the three of you
00:47:50.10\00:47:51.43
have a strong personal
relationship with the Lord.
00:47:51.47\00:47:54.24
Amen.
00:47:54.27\00:47:55.60
And all three of
you have been changed
00:47:55.64\00:47:57.84
by ministering to
these needy people.
00:47:57.87\00:48:00.01
Absolutely.
00:48:00.08\00:48:01.41
What do you feel
00:48:01.44\00:48:03.28
has been the
greatest change in your life
00:48:03.35\00:48:06.58
by becoming
involved with a mirac...
00:48:06.61\00:48:10.09
Let me say it again,
Adventist World Aviation.
00:48:10.12\00:48:13.02
Well, you know,
you were talking about
00:48:13.05\00:48:15.26
one of the things
that I became keenly aware,
00:48:15.29\00:48:17.36
of course, I've
traveled this world many times,
00:48:17.43\00:48:19.66
I visited about 32
different countries,
00:48:19.69\00:48:21.60
before I was involved and
ministered in the field of,
00:48:21.63\00:48:25.00
you know,
spreading this gospel message
00:48:25.03\00:48:26.87
and bringing this gospel message
00:48:26.94\00:48:28.70
and I was preaching in
Russia when the wall just fell,
00:48:28.74\00:48:33.41
you know, and I was
00:48:33.48\00:48:34.81
just leading souls
to Christ in Siberia,
00:48:34.84\00:48:36.95
India and all over the place.
00:48:36.98\00:48:38.31
But one of the
things that you realize
00:48:38.35\00:48:39.68
when you travel
and you would say it,
00:48:39.71\00:48:41.52
here in the United
States, here in North America,
00:48:41.55\00:48:44.35
we have so much stuff
00:48:44.39\00:48:45.95
you know, and we,
00:48:45.99\00:48:47.79
the same miracles are happening.
00:48:47.82\00:48:50.66
We just, because we
have all this layers of stuff
00:48:50.73\00:48:53.40
in front of us, we don't see it,
00:48:53.43\00:48:54.76
if we can sweep away
00:48:54.80\00:48:56.16
the dross of wealth in some ways
00:48:56.20\00:48:58.47
and, you know, there's
nothing wrong with that.
00:48:58.50\00:48:59.97
But if we could see that
we would see the miracles,
00:49:00.04\00:49:04.04
because those things...
because He is the same God.
00:49:04.11\00:49:06.68
He's the same
yesterday and we all have seen,
00:49:06.71\00:49:09.61
we can all tell you miracles,
piloting story miracles.
00:49:09.64\00:49:12.75
We can tell you Medevac miracles
00:49:12.78\00:49:14.78
just, you know,
that one Angel flight
00:49:14.82\00:49:16.58
that you just saw there
00:49:16.62\00:49:17.95
just to witness a man
and that's on Off the Grid,
00:49:17.99\00:49:20.86
you'll see that on the special,
we did the Angel flight.
00:49:20.89\00:49:23.22
This man decided
not to have children
00:49:23.26\00:49:24.89
so he wouldn't pass on
his disease to his children.
00:49:24.93\00:49:27.50
And I'm just
like, what a sacrifice
00:49:27.53\00:49:29.03
and this guy was
a living testimony
00:49:29.06\00:49:31.90
of a courageous
and kindness of God.
00:49:31.93\00:49:34.30
And he couldn't believe that
somebody would give that back
00:49:34.34\00:49:35.94
and...
00:49:35.97\00:49:37.31
When I delivered him to his wife
00:49:37.34\00:49:38.67
after that cancer treatment,
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.18
he was crying,
his wife was crying,
00:49:40.21\00:49:43.21
and I just, I thought to myself,
00:49:43.24\00:49:44.88
I just witnessed a
real living miracle here
00:49:44.91\00:49:47.65
where somebody saw
the kindness of Christ
00:49:47.68\00:49:51.05
in the milk of human kindness.
00:49:51.09\00:49:52.45
And we saw that
00:49:52.49\00:49:53.86
and so those kind of
things happen all the time
00:49:53.89\00:49:55.39
and you know, I've
been to the field as well
00:49:55.42\00:49:57.69
and it just, these
guys do an amazing work.
00:49:57.73\00:50:01.33
You know, every,
00:50:01.36\00:50:02.86
the worst among us are
really godly in our ministry.
00:50:02.90\00:50:06.50
And it's just,
they're just wonderful people.
00:50:06.53\00:50:08.87
On my staff and my,
you know, my president,
00:50:08.90\00:50:11.11
my vice president
here of operations
00:50:11.14\00:50:13.98
and Bruce and, you
know, our project management,
00:50:14.01\00:50:15.34
we have the best of
the best of the best.
00:50:15.38\00:50:16.71
Amen.
00:50:16.75\00:50:18.08
And we're going to
have to take a break.
00:50:18.11\00:50:19.45
Before we do, we
have their address.
00:50:19.48\00:50:23.15
And here's what I
would like to say.
00:50:23.18\00:50:27.86
I know that prayer is
very important to them
00:50:27.89\00:50:31.19
and prayer of
support is very important.
00:50:31.23\00:50:33.29
Amen.
00:50:33.33\00:50:34.66
I want to encourage everyone
00:50:34.70\00:50:37.07
who's listening to
my voice right now.
00:50:37.10\00:50:39.40
This is an important ministry
00:50:39.43\00:50:41.90
and they need
your prayer support.
00:50:41.94\00:50:44.67
So please write it down,
Adventist World Aviation,
00:50:44.71\00:50:50.95
put that on your prayer list
00:50:50.98\00:50:52.61
and pray for
these wonderful people,
00:50:52.65\00:50:55.08
and the people
that they are reaching.
00:50:55.12\00:50:57.59
They also need
financial support.
00:50:57.62\00:50:59.39
Absolutely.
00:50:59.42\00:51:00.76
You're looking,
if so, if the Lord,
00:51:00.79\00:51:02.42
if the Holy
Spirit is impressing you
00:51:02.46\00:51:04.73
to support this ministry.
00:51:04.76\00:51:08.50
If you're saying,
you know, I can't go
00:51:08.53\00:51:10.30
but yes, I see why
this is so important.
00:51:10.37\00:51:13.84
They also are
looking for pilots.
00:51:13.87\00:51:16.04
So maybe you know someone,
maybe you are a trained pilot
00:51:16.07\00:51:21.01
and you say, "Yes,
I'd like to do this
00:51:21.04\00:51:25.18
and become a missionary."
00:51:25.21\00:51:27.52
And I realized
00:51:27.55\00:51:28.88
that this could be life changing
00:51:28.92\00:51:30.29
for me and my family.
00:51:30.32\00:51:31.95
Well, if you would
like to get in touch
00:51:31.99\00:51:34.92
with Adventist World Aviation,
00:51:34.96\00:51:38.06
here is their address,
00:51:38.09\00:51:39.93
their phone
number, and their website.
00:51:40.00\00:51:41.83
Amen.
00:51:41.86\00:51:43.20
Adventist World Aviation
supports isolated communities
00:51:43.23\00:51:46.57
and indigenous people
with medical evacuations,
00:51:46.60\00:51:49.77
clinics, dental
outreach and lifestyle programs
00:51:49.80\00:51:53.11
as well as church
planting and Bible studies.
00:51:53.14\00:51:56.34
They are always in
need of more planes,
00:51:56.38\00:51:58.71
medical supplies
and trained pilots.
00:51:58.75\00:52:01.58
If you would
like to support them,
00:52:01.62\00:52:02.95
please visit FlyAWA.org.
00:52:02.98\00:52:06.69
That's FlyAWA.org.
00:52:06.76\00:52:09.79