As you're well aware,
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we're living in
unprecedented times.
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Join us now for
today's special program.
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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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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello and welcome to
another 3ABN Today program.
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I'm Jason Bradley,
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and I'm so glad that you decided
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to take the time
to spend with us today
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because we're
going to be talking
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about an exciting topic,
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getting a wonderful
update, but before we do,
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and before I introduce
my guests to you today,
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I wanna share a
Bible verse with you.
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This is Matthew 28:19,
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and we'll read verse 20,
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"Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
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baptizing them in
the name of the Father
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and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to
observe all things
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that I have commanded you,
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and lo, I am with you always,
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even to the end of the age."
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Amen.
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Here with us today,
we have Jason Sliger
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and we have his
wife Midori Sliger
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and they are missionaries
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with Adventist Frontier Mission.
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That's correct. Yes. Yes.
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I wanna get like
all into your background
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and get the update on,
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you know, what's been
going on in your life.
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I know that we had a chance
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to sit down and
talk a little bit
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before this program,
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and it's just amazing
to hear what God is doing.
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And I know we're not gonna keep
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that to ourselves.
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We're gonna share
it with the world.
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We'll do our
best, yes All right.
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But before we do, we're
gonna be blessed in song
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by Pastor John
Lomacang, who will be singing,
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"I Will Go."
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Give me ears to hear your spirit
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Give me feet to follow through
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Give me hands to
touch the hurting
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And the faith to follow you
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Give me grace to be your servant
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Give me mercy for the lost
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Give me passion for your glory
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Give me passion for the cross
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And I will go where
there are no easy roads
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Leave the comfort that I know
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I will go and let
this journey be my own
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I will go
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I will go
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I'll let go of my ambition
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Cut the roots that run so deep
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I will learn to give away
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What I cannot really keep
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What I cannot
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Really keep
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Help me see
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With eyes of faith
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Give me strength
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To run this race
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And I will go where
there are no easy roads
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Leave the comfort that I know
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I will go and let
this journey be my own
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I will go, I will go
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I will go where,
Lord Your glory is unknown
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I will live for You alone
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I will go because
my life is not my own
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I will go
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I will go
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I will go
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Wow.
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What a beautiful
song and so appropriate
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for what we're
talking about today.
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And, Jason, you know,
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I want to pitch
this question to you,
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but, Midori, this
is also for you too.
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Have you always been in church?
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Yeah, so I pretty much
grew up in the Adventist Church.
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My mom became an Adventist
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when I was about five years old,
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through a proxy seminar
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that was done in our local town.
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She was a Baptist before that
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and a backslidden Adventist
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invited her to go to
the proxy seminars with her.
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And both of
them were re-baptized
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at the end of the meetings.
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And, you know, I was raised
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in the Adventist
Church from there.
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Nice.
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And I was blessed to
have grown up in the church.
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I have the prayers
of my grandparents.
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In fact, I think my
grandmother's prayers
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are what brought us to missions.
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Wow.
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And that was my
next question, like,
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have you always had a
desire for missionary work?
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I have.
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I always wanted
to be a missionary?
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I wanted to be,
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I was going to be
a single missionary.
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That was my plan.
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Just go out and live
and die with the people.
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And then God clearly,
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made it really clear
that I needed to marry Jason.
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And that was not
in his plans. Yeah.
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I'm sure Jason's happy
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that you didn't get
your single missionary dream.
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What about you?
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You know, I grew up reading
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all the great
Adventist mission stories,
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you know, the Eric
B. Hare and all of that,
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and was very blessed by them.
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But the thought of
ever becoming a missionary
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never really
entered into my mind
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until probably
about 12 or 15 years ago
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when I started talking
with a good friend of mine
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who went to serve as a
missionary in Thailand.
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He's actually still there now.
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And sharing with me his journey
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and just the vast
need in the mission field.
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You know, there's like,
there's over 3 billion people
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who don't even
know that Jesus exists.
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And at that time I was doing
evangelism with Amazing Facts.
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And, you know,
if you wanna appeal
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to the heart of an evangelist,
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tell them that
there's 3 billion people
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who don't even
know that Jesus exists.
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And I remember my eyes
just kind of welling up with,
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you know, these hot tears.
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And I was like, Lord,
you know, what can I do?
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There's this
huge amount of people
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that don't know
about the goodness of God.
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And I think that was
kind of the beginnings
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of God planting those seeds
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for foreign
missions in my heart.
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Because at that time he's still,
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Jason still did
not make the connection
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that the need could be...
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We could be connected
to fulfilling that need.
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Yes.
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Which is huge, you
know, when you think about,
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you said 3 billion
people still don't?
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And we have all
of this technology,
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we have all of these things now
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where we can spread the gospel
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in incredible ways
and 3 billion people.
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That's right. Wow!
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It's a large amount
of people out there.
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Absolutely. So we need laborers?
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Yeah.
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We need boots on the ground
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where the people that
are actually interacting
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and discipling
and ministering to,
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and talking to
them and taking them
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under their wing
and eating with them
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and dressing with like they do
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and talking like they do,
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and just really
ministering to them
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on a heart to heart level.
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Because that's what Jesus did.
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You know, He lived
in a beautiful world.
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He had everything He needed,
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but we were in such a bad state.
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He came down and He
became exactly like us,
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like so much that
nobody even noticed
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that God was
living there in that town
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because He talked like them,
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He looked like them,
everything was the same,
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but He did that so
that He could relate to us.
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And so, that's our
goal as missionaries
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to be able to
relate to the people,
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so they can see
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what God looks
like in human flesh.
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I love that,
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so you're
implementing Christ method?
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That's correct.
Yeah. That's beautiful.
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Well, that's the only
means for true success.
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Absolutely.
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So what led you to
Adventist Frontier Missions?
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Well, you know, maybe
Midori can answer this question
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a little bit better than I can,
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but she's always
been an avid reader
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of the Frontier's magazine.
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Every month she would read
through those mission stories
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and we would talk
about them together
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and just were really
impressed by the ministry
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that they do among the
unreached people groups.
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Yeah.
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We had certain missionaries
that we supported every month
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and we were so
blessed to just feel like
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we had a piece of that,
the work that they were doing.
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So we faithfully supported them.
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We would invite them to visit us
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when they came back on furlough.
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They would speak at our churches
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'cause Jason's a pastor.
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And, but we still
did not, both of us,
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we had not made that
transition to actually thinking
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that we could be part of that.
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Wow! And let's talk about that.
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Let's talk about that transition
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because you were
in one mission field,
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both of you were
in one mission field
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in pastoral ministry.
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So what was that transition like
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and how did you
recognize the call?
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Good question.
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So as she
mentioned, as Midori mentioned,
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we had the missionary friends
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that were working with
Adventist Frontier Missions
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and on their furloughs,
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they would come and
speak in our districts
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and, you know, tell our churches
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about what they've been up to.
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And then offline in
our house when they're,
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you know, staying with us
and talking about mission work
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and, you know,
one of them was like,
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you should be a missionary.
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You should be, you got
to make good missionaries.
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And we're just
like, "Yeah, okay."
00:11:58.35\00:11:59.75
You know, I'm
like, I'm not a doctor,
00:11:59.78\00:12:01.88
I'm not a nurse,
I'm not a teacher.
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I'm not, you
know, that in my mind
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that was kind of like
the typical missionary,
00:12:05.29\00:12:07.69
you know, I felt
like God had given me
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the gift of communication
to be able to preach
00:12:09.59\00:12:11.59
and that kind of thing.
00:12:11.63\00:12:12.96
And so I didn't, I
guess I just didn't see
00:12:12.99\00:12:15.06
how the gifts
that God had given me
00:12:15.10\00:12:16.77
could mesh with mission work.
00:12:16.80\00:12:19.23
And so a little over a year ago
00:12:19.27\00:12:22.60
some of our missionary
friends were on furlough,
00:12:22.64\00:12:24.77
talking with us
about this again,
00:12:24.81\00:12:26.44
and they've been
chipping away at us over years.
00:12:26.47\00:12:29.71
And I was having my
devotions one morning
00:12:29.74\00:12:32.51
after they had visited.
00:12:32.55\00:12:34.02
And I was just kind of
reading through the gospels
00:12:34.05\00:12:36.28
where I had left
off the day before.
00:12:36.32\00:12:39.15
And asking the Lord,
00:12:39.19\00:12:40.69
you know, what do
you want me to take
00:12:40.72\00:12:42.06
out of this passage?
00:12:42.09\00:12:43.43
And the Lord just
brought to my mind,
00:12:43.46\00:12:44.79
the ask, seek, knock, you know,
00:12:44.83\00:12:46.80
and then the Lord was like,
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.36
you know, now is a time for you
00:12:48.40\00:12:49.93
to start knocking on
the doors of missions.
00:12:49.96\00:12:52.30
It was just, it was a
very clear impression,
00:12:52.33\00:12:54.17
you know, that
happens to you sometimes.
00:12:54.20\00:12:55.94
It's just very
clear the Lord is saying,
00:12:55.97\00:12:57.51
this is what I want you to do.
00:12:57.54\00:12:59.54
And so at that point, I'm like,
00:12:59.57\00:13:01.21
okay, Lord, do you know
00:13:01.24\00:13:02.58
if you want us to start knocking
00:13:02.61\00:13:03.95
on the door of missions
00:13:03.98\00:13:05.31
and not just
support financially,
00:13:05.35\00:13:06.68
but actually support
with our hands and our lives,
00:13:06.72\00:13:09.55
then, you know, we want to
be in the center of Your will.
00:13:09.58\00:13:12.75
And so from there
we sent out an email
00:13:12.79\00:13:15.66
to Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:13:15.69\00:13:17.16
and it was just kind of a
fast rolling ball from there.
00:13:17.19\00:13:19.63
Wow! Now what had to take place?
00:13:19.66\00:13:23.73
Weren't there a few
things that had to take place
00:13:23.77\00:13:25.93
in order for that, I
guess, to come into fruition?
00:13:25.97\00:13:29.87
Didn't you have a few things
that you needed to be done
00:13:29.90\00:13:32.94
that you prayed for?
00:13:32.97\00:13:34.34
Yeah.
00:13:34.38\00:13:36.11
The first thing
that we prayed for,
00:13:36.14\00:13:38.18
I prayed that Jason
would be open to missions.
00:13:38.21\00:13:42.32
And God, I didn't tell him that,
00:13:42.35\00:13:44.92
but God answered
that prayer with his,
00:13:44.95\00:13:48.62
this thought of
knocking on doors.
00:13:48.66\00:13:51.36
But then once we
committed to being missionaries,
00:13:51.39\00:13:56.16
they took us into their office
00:13:56.20\00:13:57.53
and there was a
week of orientation
00:13:57.57\00:14:00.07
and they were
kind of sharing with us
00:14:00.10\00:14:01.60
what's involved in mission work.
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.54
And we had to decide
where we were going to go.
00:14:03.57\00:14:08.04
And initially our
thought was Scotland
00:14:08.08\00:14:11.31
because Jason had
British citizenship.
00:14:11.35\00:14:14.92
So he could get into Scotland
00:14:14.95\00:14:16.82
where most
people can't get a visa
00:14:16.85\00:14:20.12
for like religious workers.
00:14:20.16\00:14:21.72
Anyway, so God had
to change our minds
00:14:21.76\00:14:27.46
from thinking that
00:14:27.50\00:14:28.83
we were gonna go
to the civilized,
00:14:28.86\00:14:30.37
nice place to Papua New Guinea,
00:14:30.40\00:14:34.24
where we're going
to go in the jungle.
00:14:34.27\00:14:36.67
And Jason had to kind
of open his mind to that.
00:14:36.71\00:14:41.21
Yeah, the Lord, actually,
00:14:41.24\00:14:43.14
while we were
there doing orientation
00:14:43.18\00:14:44.58
and the Lord
actually gave me a dream
00:14:44.61\00:14:46.95
that we were going to
go to Papua New Guinea.
00:14:46.98\00:14:49.68
I remember in the
dream I had landed,
00:14:49.72\00:14:51.82
we had landed in the
airport in Port Moresby,
00:14:51.85\00:14:53.76
which is the
capital of Papua New Guinea.
00:14:53.79\00:14:55.79
And we were walking down
to the baggage claim area
00:14:55.82\00:14:58.09
to get our bags
00:14:58.13\00:14:59.46
and the missionaries
who were over there,
00:14:59.49\00:15:01.26
Stephen, Laurie, they
were there to welcome us.
00:15:01.30\00:15:03.30
And just Laurie
gave Midori a huge hug
00:15:03.33\00:15:05.90
to welcome us into the country.
00:15:05.93\00:15:07.37
And, you know, I'm not a prophet
00:15:07.40\00:15:09.20
and I have really
crazy dreams at night,
00:15:09.24\00:15:12.07
but this was very
clear that the Lord was like,
00:15:12.11\00:15:14.34
this is the direction that,
you know, I want you to go.
00:15:14.38\00:15:17.91
And so once we
took that step of faith,
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.75
you know, that
the Lord wanted us
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.12
to go to Papua New Guinea,
00:15:21.15\00:15:22.48
we started
asking for confirmation
00:15:22.52\00:15:24.25
that the Lord
would confirm that call
00:15:24.29\00:15:25.95
that we're going in
the right direction.
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.36
You know, I didn't want
to just put a map on the wall
00:15:28.39\00:15:30.26
and throw a dart on it and say,
that's where we're going to go.
00:15:30.29\00:15:33.19
'Cause I knew it was
going to be difficult,
00:15:33.23\00:15:34.56
you know,
making that transition.
00:15:34.60\00:15:36.40
And so, when we got there
00:15:36.43\00:15:37.77
and we hit
those difficult times,
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.13
I wanted to be
able to reflect and say,
00:15:39.17\00:15:40.54
the Lord clearly led us here.
00:15:40.57\00:15:42.80
And the Lord just gave us
00:15:42.84\00:15:44.17
confirmation after confirmation.
00:15:44.21\00:15:46.21
I think I was
telling you earlier about,
00:15:46.24\00:15:48.08
some of it and what happened,
00:15:48.11\00:15:50.35
you know, pastoring
and support raising,
00:15:50.38\00:15:52.61
you know,
'cause we have to raise
00:15:52.65\00:15:54.05
a support team to support us
00:15:54.08\00:15:55.42
while we're over there.
00:15:55.45\00:15:56.95
The pastoring and
support raising just,
00:15:56.99\00:15:58.32
they don't go together
00:15:58.35\00:15:59.69
'cause you pastor on the weekend
00:15:59.72\00:16:01.06
and you usually
support raise on the weekend,
00:16:01.09\00:16:02.42
visiting different churches.
00:16:02.46\00:16:03.86
So we had decided, you know,
00:16:03.89\00:16:05.23
we wanted to go
sooner rather than later.
00:16:05.26\00:16:06.86
We didn't wanna take three years
00:16:06.90\00:16:08.33
to try to raise a support team.
00:16:08.36\00:16:10.03
We wanted to go right away.
00:16:10.07\00:16:11.40
When we told our kids,
00:16:11.43\00:16:12.77
we were gonna go
to the mission field.
00:16:12.80\00:16:14.14
They're like, "Can we go now?"
00:16:14.17\00:16:15.50
You know, and they want to
go right away kind of thing.
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.27
So we decided that we would,
00:16:17.31\00:16:19.87
that we would
quit my job as a pastor
00:16:19.91\00:16:22.34
in the Michigan Conference
00:16:22.38\00:16:23.78
and just throw ourselves
into full-time support raising.
00:16:23.81\00:16:26.11
Wow.
00:16:26.15\00:16:27.48
And once we made that
decision we prayed specifically.
00:16:27.52\00:16:30.59
We're like, all right,
Lord, we still have to survive.
00:16:30.62\00:16:32.95
You know what I mean?
00:16:32.99\00:16:34.32
We still have to, you
know, provide for our family
00:16:34.36\00:16:36.16
and what have you.
00:16:36.19\00:16:37.53
And so we had a specific prayer.
00:16:37.56\00:16:38.89
We prayed and said,
00:16:38.93\00:16:40.26
Lord, would you
please sell my pastor car?
00:16:40.30\00:16:41.90
'Cause we didn't need
two cars at that point.
00:16:41.93\00:16:44.10
Would you sell our trailer?
00:16:44.13\00:16:45.50
We had a little travel trailer
that we used for camp meeting
00:16:45.53\00:16:47.90
and sell our house
00:16:47.94\00:16:49.67
because you
can't pay your mortgage
00:16:49.70\00:16:51.04
when you don't have a salary.
00:16:51.07\00:16:53.04
Could be
difficult. Could be difficult.
00:16:53.07\00:16:55.54
So we specifically
prayed for those three things,
00:16:55.58\00:16:57.75
Lord, please, we wanna
generate a little bit of income
00:16:57.78\00:17:00.32
to support us until we
launched to the mission field.
00:17:00.35\00:17:03.79
And so we started praying
this prayer and one Sabbath,
00:17:03.82\00:17:05.92
I told my congregation
that we were going to be going
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.66
to the mission field.
00:17:07.69\00:17:09.02
We hadn't quite
finished there yet,
00:17:09.06\00:17:11.33
but one Sabbath I was talking
with one of my church members
00:17:11.36\00:17:13.53
after the church service,
00:17:13.56\00:17:14.90
we had potluck and she said,
00:17:14.93\00:17:17.13
"You know, pastor, you
should have a yard sale.
00:17:17.17\00:17:21.00
And sell all of your stuff
00:17:21.04\00:17:22.57
and have the
church members come over
00:17:22.60\00:17:23.94
and they can buy your things
and you can raise some money."
00:17:23.97\00:17:26.14
Obviously you can't
take all your stuff with you
00:17:26.17\00:17:27.58
to the mission field.
00:17:27.61\00:17:29.28
And I was like,
that's a great idea.
00:17:29.31\00:17:30.65
I've got tons of
stuff we need to get rid of,
00:17:30.68\00:17:32.01
you know and I
mentioned a few things
00:17:32.05\00:17:33.45
and I mentioned our car
00:17:33.48\00:17:34.82
that we needed
to get rid of that.
00:17:34.85\00:17:36.38
And there was a church member
standing right next to her
00:17:36.42\00:17:38.12
and she said,
"I'll buy your car."
00:17:38.15\00:17:40.62
Wow! And I said,
"You buy my car?"
00:17:40.66\00:17:42.89
She said, "Yeah,
I'll buy your car."
00:17:42.92\00:17:44.53
So I went over and I
stood right next to her.
00:17:44.56\00:17:46.09
I said, "Look,
let me get this clear.
00:17:46.13\00:17:47.46
You want to buy my car?"
00:17:47.50\00:17:48.86
She said, "Yeah,
I've been praying about
00:17:48.90\00:17:50.23
buying your car."
00:17:50.27\00:17:51.60
Wow!
00:17:51.63\00:17:52.97
And I'm like, wait a second.
00:17:53.00\00:17:54.34
You've been praying
about buying my car.
00:17:54.37\00:17:55.70
I've been praying
about selling my car.
00:17:55.74\00:17:57.81
And she's just
like, I felt awkward,
00:17:57.84\00:17:59.84
you know, saying, hey
pastor, can I buy your car?
00:17:59.87\00:18:02.31
So she said, I prayed.
00:18:02.34\00:18:03.68
And I said, Lord,
if you want me to have
00:18:03.71\00:18:05.25
the pastor's car
open up an opportunity.
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.82
And so there it
happened right there,
00:18:07.85\00:18:09.48
and she said, you know what?
00:18:09.52\00:18:10.92
Keep the car as
long as you need it.
00:18:10.95\00:18:12.62
And when you're
done with it, let me know
00:18:12.65\00:18:14.26
and I'll buy it off of you.
00:18:14.29\00:18:15.62
Wow!
00:18:15.66\00:18:16.99
And it was just like, boom,
00:18:17.03\00:18:18.36
there's the
first prayer request.
00:18:18.39\00:18:19.73
The car is sold.
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.10
And it's like on our timetable,
00:18:21.13\00:18:22.66
we can get rid of
it when we want to.
00:18:22.70\00:18:24.57
And then, and then we
put the trailer up for sale
00:18:24.60\00:18:27.14
and it sells for
the exact same amount
00:18:27.17\00:18:29.30
that we bought it for
five years prior to that.
00:18:29.34\00:18:32.17
That doesn't happen, you
know, they always depreciate.
00:18:32.21\00:18:35.01
And so the trailer goes
00:18:35.04\00:18:36.75
and then we get the house ready
00:18:36.78\00:18:38.41
and we put it on the
market and it ends up selling
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.48
for more than what we
thought it was gonna sell for.
00:18:40.52\00:18:42.98
And so we just,
boom, boom, boom,
00:18:43.02\00:18:44.59
God answers those three things.
00:18:44.62\00:18:46.22
And we're like,
clearly the Lord is leading
00:18:46.25\00:18:48.92
and we're following in His...
00:18:48.96\00:18:50.29
And that's just
so comforting to know
00:18:50.33\00:18:52.39
that you're in the
center of God's will
00:18:52.43\00:18:54.03
and that He's
taking care of you.
00:18:54.06\00:18:56.06
And when we throw
ourselves helplessly on the Lord
00:18:56.10\00:18:59.30
and we don't have any way
of providing for ourselves,
00:18:59.33\00:19:02.24
God just comes
through in amazing ways.
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.11
I know that's been the
experience here at 3ABN.
00:19:04.14\00:19:06.07
Oh, absolutely.
00:19:06.11\00:19:07.44
You know where He
leads, He provides.
00:19:07.48\00:19:08.81
Amen.
00:19:08.84\00:19:10.18
He made that so
evident to you guys as well.
00:19:10.21\00:19:13.62
Midori, what was
going on in your mind
00:19:13.65\00:19:16.28
as you were
watching all of this unfold?
00:19:16.32\00:19:19.35
Oh, man.
00:19:19.39\00:19:20.72
Well, this has been
a wonderful experience
00:19:20.76\00:19:23.19
because we have
learned to seek God,
00:19:23.22\00:19:25.89
not only for guidance,
00:19:25.93\00:19:27.83
you know, we often, like,
00:19:27.86\00:19:29.20
we wanna know
what God's will is,
00:19:29.23\00:19:31.13
just show me your
will, but He wants to,
00:19:31.17\00:19:33.57
He wants us to seek Him.
00:19:33.60\00:19:35.60
And so we've had like
00:19:35.64\00:19:37.04
a totally new
experience with God
00:19:37.07\00:19:39.34
since this has
happened because in the US,
00:19:39.37\00:19:42.34
we have everything
we need, you have a job,
00:19:42.38\00:19:45.01
you can take care of yourself.
00:19:45.05\00:19:46.72
But at this point we
are stepping out in faith,
00:19:46.75\00:19:50.35
like into the
abyss it seems like,
00:19:50.39\00:19:54.29
and there's
nothing that we can see
00:19:54.32\00:19:57.93
that will catch us.
00:19:57.96\00:19:59.29
But God came through
every time and it was like,
00:19:59.33\00:20:03.87
our devotions
became more exciting.
00:20:03.90\00:20:06.57
There's always something new
00:20:06.60\00:20:08.50
that God is doing that
we could testify about.
00:20:08.54\00:20:11.74
Sometimes I would go to
testimony times at church
00:20:11.77\00:20:16.11
and I would feel
like I have nothing to say
00:20:16.14\00:20:18.38
because things
just kind of tick over,
00:20:18.41\00:20:21.18
nothing new,
00:20:21.22\00:20:22.55
but now we have
something to say for the Lord.
00:20:22.58\00:20:25.32
Yes.
00:20:25.35\00:20:26.69
Well, we'll have to see
you guys at, at our church.
00:20:26.72\00:20:30.69
You'll be one
of the missionaries
00:20:30.73\00:20:32.06
that come back and share
what's going on over there.
00:20:32.09\00:20:34.96
Yeah.
00:20:35.00\00:20:36.33
And right around that
time I've been preaching
00:20:36.36\00:20:38.63
a lot in my
churches during that time
00:20:38.67\00:20:40.07
about missions and
encouraging our church
00:20:40.10\00:20:42.94
to support missions.
00:20:42.97\00:20:44.31
And one Sabbath morning,
00:20:44.34\00:20:45.67
I was preaching about
George Mueller and just,
00:20:45.71\00:20:47.41
you know, the deep
prayer life that he had
00:20:47.44\00:20:49.34
and how God
would just come through
00:20:49.38\00:20:50.91
and answer all of
these prayers for him.
00:20:50.95\00:20:52.31
You know, I think they
have like 50,000 prayer requests
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.42
that he prayed for
00:20:54.45\00:20:55.78
and 30,000 of them were answered
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.15
within the same
hour, the same day.
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.49
And I was just like,
this is unbelievable.
00:20:59.52\00:21:01.82
And I told my
church congregation,
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.32
I said, you know,
I'm so sick and tired
00:21:03.36\00:21:04.99
of reading these
types of stories.
00:21:05.03\00:21:07.03
You know, it's
inspiring to read them,
00:21:07.06\00:21:08.56
but it's like a
whole different level
00:21:08.60\00:21:09.93
to experience it.
00:21:09.96\00:21:11.30
Absolutely.
00:21:11.33\00:21:12.67
And that's what
we've been experiencing
00:21:12.70\00:21:14.04
over the last year.
00:21:14.07\00:21:15.40
Absolutely. Yeah.
00:21:15.44\00:21:16.77
So let me ask you this question,
00:21:16.81\00:21:18.17
because it sounds like
you guys are getting ready
00:21:18.21\00:21:20.38
to be super busy.
00:21:20.41\00:21:23.68
Who does AFM serve?
00:21:23.71\00:21:26.08
Yeah, that's a great question.
00:21:26.11\00:21:27.45
So AFM is a ministry that is,
00:21:27.48\00:21:31.59
the focus is to reach
00:21:31.62\00:21:32.95
the unreached
people groups of the world.
00:21:32.99\00:21:36.02
So they're kind of
frontier mission ministry,
00:21:36.06\00:21:39.89
going into territories
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.26
where Adventism
is not established.
00:21:41.30\00:21:44.00
And even Christianity.
00:21:44.03\00:21:45.43
Or Christianity
in some cases, yeah.
00:21:45.47\00:21:48.17
Because sometimes we
put out a map and we say,
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.31
oh, we have, there's a
church in every like most,
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.38
almost all of the
countries of the world,
00:21:53.41\00:21:55.64
so we're done.
00:21:55.68\00:21:57.01
But actually when
you kind of zoom in
00:21:57.05\00:22:00.75
within that country,
00:22:00.78\00:22:02.12
there are different tribes
00:22:02.15\00:22:03.55
or different
kinds of people groups,
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.76
and you have to,
00:22:06.79\00:22:08.12
we have to reach
every people group.
00:22:08.16\00:22:09.86
In the Bible it says,
every nation, kindred,
00:22:09.89\00:22:12.49
tongue and people,
00:22:12.53\00:22:13.86
like there are different tribes
00:22:13.90\00:22:15.93
that have to be
reached before Jesus can come.
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.93
And unless someone,
00:22:18.97\00:22:20.70
sometimes from
outside can do that,
00:22:20.74\00:22:23.61
those people
will never be reached.
00:22:23.64\00:22:25.31
So Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:22:25.34\00:22:27.78
AFM is all about
going to those places
00:22:27.81\00:22:31.71
that are not already reached.
00:22:31.75\00:22:33.85
And often those
are the hardest places
00:22:33.88\00:22:36.45
to be missionaries.
00:22:36.48\00:22:38.02
Yeah.
00:22:38.05\00:22:39.65
What can one expect on
like a missionary trip,
00:22:39.69\00:22:42.96
for example?
00:22:42.99\00:22:45.03
So AFM has always done well,
00:22:45.06\00:22:49.16
their focus is on
long-term missions
00:22:49.20\00:22:51.27
rather than the
short-term mission trip
00:22:51.30\00:22:53.03
that you might think
of the two, three week
00:22:53.07\00:22:54.60
kind of thing.
00:22:54.64\00:22:56.10
And as I mentioned before,
00:22:56.14\00:22:57.47
you know, they're
missionaries that,
00:22:57.51\00:22:58.84
you know, they're in
it for the long haul.
00:22:58.87\00:23:00.21
So they're learning the culture,
00:23:00.24\00:23:01.58
they're learning the language,
they're learning how to eat
00:23:01.61\00:23:04.11
and adapt in the same manner
00:23:04.15\00:23:06.21
as the people to
really just be able
00:23:06.25\00:23:07.72
to identify with them.
00:23:07.75\00:23:09.62
And, you know, we appreciate,
00:23:09.65\00:23:11.35
you know, when missionaries
come over for short-term
00:23:11.39\00:23:13.25
to do evangelism
and things like that,
00:23:13.29\00:23:15.72
but long-term
discipleship can only happen
00:23:15.76\00:23:19.49
when we can communicate
00:23:19.53\00:23:20.96
the way they commute
in their heart language
00:23:21.00\00:23:23.30
and really try to distill
those principles of the gospel
00:23:23.33\00:23:25.97
in a manner that
they can understand it
00:23:26.00\00:23:27.67
to adapt it
00:23:27.70\00:23:29.04
to their cultural understandings
00:23:29.07\00:23:30.47
like Jesus did in the gospels
00:23:30.51\00:23:31.97
and use the things that
are familiar around them
00:23:32.01\00:23:35.98
to explain the gospel
and the plan of salvation.
00:23:36.01\00:23:39.31
And so that's
really been the focus
00:23:39.35\00:23:41.28
is for long-term missions
00:23:41.32\00:23:42.65
with Adventist Frontier Missions
00:23:42.68\00:23:44.65
and then ultimately to,
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.26
once the church and
an Adventist presence
00:23:47.29\00:23:49.26
is established to pass that
over to the local conference
00:23:49.29\00:23:52.93
or mission or union as a
part of the world church.
00:23:52.96\00:23:56.87
So Adventist Frontiers,
00:23:56.90\00:23:59.20
they have positions
for student missionaries,
00:23:59.23\00:24:02.27
they send out a lot
of student missionaries
00:24:02.30\00:24:04.01
and that's an amazing program.
00:24:04.04\00:24:06.74
And also they do some short term
00:24:06.78\00:24:09.54
two or three year terms
00:24:09.58\00:24:11.58
in certain
places that's the need,
00:24:11.61\00:24:13.62
but most of the calls
00:24:13.65\00:24:15.35
are for a
long-term missionary family
00:24:15.38\00:24:18.65
or individual.
00:24:18.69\00:24:20.46
What they call
career missionaries.
00:24:20.49\00:24:21.82
Okay.
00:24:21.86\00:24:23.19
'Cause I was, I
was about to say,
00:24:23.22\00:24:24.56
so you said short
term two to three years.
00:24:24.59\00:24:26.26
So that long term would be...
They're career missionaries.
00:24:26.29\00:24:28.80
Six to eight years
and many go longer.
00:24:28.83\00:24:33.44
Wow. That's beautiful.
00:24:33.47\00:24:37.41
What happened
over the past year?
00:24:37.44\00:24:40.61
Yeah. Good question.
00:24:40.64\00:24:41.98
So I think we were here
a little over a year ago
00:24:42.01\00:24:44.68
and had a great
time talking about
00:24:44.71\00:24:47.38
what we're going to be doing.
00:24:47.42\00:24:49.55
We had just stepped
out on this faith journey
00:24:49.58\00:24:52.32
and we're getting ready
to do our support raising.
00:24:52.35\00:24:55.99
And, in the last year,
00:24:56.02\00:24:57.36
the Lord has just showed Himself
00:24:57.39\00:24:59.56
in miraculous ways.
00:24:59.59\00:25:00.93
As people have shown
their generosity through 3ABN
00:25:00.96\00:25:03.87
through speaking
00:25:03.90\00:25:05.23
at different
churches through AFM,
00:25:05.27\00:25:07.97
it's just become
very clear in our mind
00:25:08.00\00:25:09.70
that we are part of a church
that believes in missions.
00:25:09.74\00:25:13.91
So we've been
doing a lot of traveling
00:25:13.94\00:25:15.68
around from church to church
00:25:15.71\00:25:17.11
and meeting people
and talking with them
00:25:17.15\00:25:18.91
about our project and
what we're gonna be doing
00:25:18.95\00:25:20.65
with the Gogodala people
00:25:20.68\00:25:23.72
and in developing a support team
00:25:23.75\00:25:25.49
to support us while we're over.
00:25:25.52\00:25:26.86
Yeah, because we
desperately need prayers
00:25:26.89\00:25:31.16
of these wonderful people,
00:25:31.19\00:25:34.36
because we're
going into the places
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.70
where the devil has been
in control for a long time.
00:25:36.73\00:25:40.60
And he doesn't
like it when we come in
00:25:40.64\00:25:44.17
and we start shaking things up.
00:25:44.21\00:25:46.84
And so we need prayers
00:25:46.88\00:25:48.21
and support and encouragement
from people over here.
00:25:48.24\00:25:51.78
Amen.
00:25:51.81\00:25:53.15
Well, I'll definitely
keep you in my prayers as well.
00:25:53.18\00:25:56.12
And I hope that, you
know, our viewers at home
00:25:56.15\00:25:58.12
they'll be praying for you.
00:25:58.15\00:25:59.49
So you'll have a
whole bunch of prayers
00:25:59.52\00:26:01.19
going up.
00:26:01.22\00:26:02.56
Tell us more about
the Gogodala Project?
00:26:02.59\00:26:05.66
Yeah. Very good question.
00:26:05.69\00:26:07.03
Okay. Thank you.
00:26:07.06\00:26:08.46
I've been working on that one.
00:26:08.50\00:26:11.07
That's a great question.
00:26:11.10\00:26:12.43
Let me tell you a little
bit about the Gogodala people.
00:26:12.47\00:26:14.20
So that project
started back in the 1990s,
00:26:14.24\00:26:18.21
late 1990s but the Gogodala are,
00:26:18.24\00:26:20.71
they are river going people.
00:26:20.74\00:26:22.34
Okay.
00:26:22.38\00:26:23.71
So that's their
primary means of transportation
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.05
is the Aramia River,
00:26:26.08\00:26:28.58
and there are approximately
30,000 Gogodala people
00:26:28.62\00:26:32.15
in about 30 different
villages along the river there.
00:26:32.19\00:26:36.09
So we won't have any,
00:26:36.12\00:26:37.79
you know, car or
roads or anything like that.
00:26:37.83\00:26:42.13
We're gonna trade our car,
our truck for outboard motor.
00:26:42.16\00:26:46.37
Okay.
00:26:46.40\00:26:48.57
So we'll be
traveling up and down the river
00:26:48.60\00:26:50.24
doing ministry there,
00:26:50.27\00:26:51.61
but they are subsistence livers.
00:26:51.64\00:26:54.21
They live off the land and...
00:26:54.24\00:26:56.98
Yeah.
00:26:57.01\00:26:58.35
Which is super cool
00:26:58.38\00:26:59.71
because they don't
need to go to the store.
00:26:59.75\00:27:01.68
They just get everything
they need from the land,
00:27:01.72\00:27:04.85
from the water.
00:27:04.89\00:27:06.39
And so they eat
fish and they eat sago,
00:27:06.42\00:27:09.19
which is the starch
from the inside of a tree,
00:27:09.22\00:27:11.99
it's pretty cool.
00:27:12.03\00:27:13.66
I've heard, we've heard
that it doesn't taste very good
00:27:13.70\00:27:16.10
or it doesn't taste much.
00:27:16.13\00:27:17.63
We're looking
forward to trying it.
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.03
Will find out.
00:27:19.07\00:27:21.04
You'll have to let
us know about that.
00:27:21.07\00:27:23.17
In the next update.
00:27:23.20\00:27:24.61
For sure. Yes.
00:27:24.64\00:27:26.61
But this project has
been going for quite a while
00:27:26.64\00:27:29.28
and at this point the
church has been established.
00:27:29.31\00:27:33.18
There's a presence
there, an Adventist presence.
00:27:33.21\00:27:35.58
And we want to come in
00:27:35.62\00:27:38.42
and help grow the
church and disciple people.
00:27:38.45\00:27:43.32
Nice.
00:27:43.36\00:27:45.39
What are some
other miracle stories
00:27:45.43\00:27:47.60
that you can share?
00:27:47.63\00:27:48.96
I say other,
because there was a miracle
00:27:49.00\00:27:50.77
that sold the
car, sold the house.
00:27:50.80\00:27:53.87
Yes. Yeah.
00:27:53.90\00:27:55.24
So I meant all of
these things that took place.
00:27:55.27\00:27:57.34
So what are some
other miracle stories
00:27:57.37\00:27:58.71
that you can share?
00:27:58.74\00:28:00.08
Yeah.
00:28:00.11\00:28:01.44
You know, I'd
like to tell people
00:28:01.48\00:28:02.81
there's nothing like
living on the edge with God.
00:28:02.84\00:28:04.18
Yes.
00:28:04.21\00:28:05.55
You know, there's people
00:28:05.58\00:28:06.92
that just thrill
seek to thrill seek,
00:28:06.95\00:28:08.28
but when you're
actually on the edge with God
00:28:08.32\00:28:09.65
walking by faith,
00:28:09.68\00:28:11.02
it's such an
incredible experience,
00:28:11.05\00:28:13.46
but I'll share
another story with you.
00:28:13.49\00:28:16.32
Right after about
two and a half months
00:28:16.36\00:28:18.59
after we quit our job,
00:28:18.63\00:28:21.10
we were trying to
get our house ready
00:28:21.13\00:28:22.53
to put on the market.
00:28:22.56\00:28:24.33
And I was just kind of suffering
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.33
from mental fatigue.
00:28:26.37\00:28:27.70
I had been making
a lot of decisions,
00:28:27.74\00:28:29.77
you know, trying to
transition a family of five.
00:28:29.80\00:28:32.11
And, so I was kind of feeling
a little discouraged, I guess.
00:28:32.14\00:28:36.21
And I came in from outside
and I came into our kitchen
00:28:36.24\00:28:39.71
and our kitchen table was gone
00:28:39.75\00:28:41.52
and we had a folding
card table and folding chairs,
00:28:41.55\00:28:43.65
and there are boxes everywhere
00:28:43.69\00:28:45.32
and dust bunnies
all over the place.
00:28:45.35\00:28:46.92
And it was just kind
of one of those moments
00:28:46.96\00:28:48.36
where you're just
like, what am I doing?
00:28:48.39\00:28:49.72
Yeah.
00:28:49.76\00:28:51.09
And I sat down in the chair,
00:28:51.13\00:28:52.46
kind of having my
little self-pity party
00:28:52.49\00:28:53.96
and my phone rung,
00:28:54.00\00:28:55.33
my phone rings and I pick it up.
00:28:55.36\00:28:57.77
And it was the
conference president there
00:28:57.80\00:28:59.83
in the Michigan
Conference, Jim Micheff calling.
00:28:59.87\00:29:02.07
And, you know, whenever,
00:29:02.10\00:29:03.44
no matter what's
going on in your day,
00:29:03.47\00:29:04.81
you answer that
phone call, you know,
00:29:04.84\00:29:06.74
and he's a good friend of ours.
00:29:06.78\00:29:08.34
So, you know, I
picked up the phone
00:29:08.38\00:29:09.88
and he's like, "Hey,
Jason, how are you doing?
00:29:09.91\00:29:11.35
Oh, we're doing
fine. You know whatever.
00:29:11.38\00:29:12.78
And he's like, "Hey,
00:29:12.81\00:29:14.18
I got the
conference treasurer here.
00:29:14.22\00:29:15.55
We want to talk to
you about something.
00:29:15.58\00:29:16.92
I'm like, "All right.
00:29:16.95\00:29:18.29
That sounds good, you know."
00:29:18.32\00:29:19.65
So he says, "You know,
it's come to our attention
00:29:19.69\00:29:22.66
that for the past
three and a half years,
00:29:22.69\00:29:25.73
we haven't paid you the
correct amount of money."
00:29:25.76\00:29:28.13
Wow.
00:29:28.16\00:29:29.50
And I'm like,
"Okay, that's interesting."
00:29:29.53\00:29:32.30
Yeah.
00:29:32.33\00:29:33.67
And he said,
well, what happened was
00:29:33.70\00:29:35.34
when you moved from
your previous district
00:29:35.37\00:29:36.94
to your new district,
00:29:36.97\00:29:38.31
we didn't adjust the
cost of living and he said,
00:29:38.34\00:29:41.71
"We want to make that right."
00:29:41.74\00:29:43.28
And I'm like,
"Okay, that sounds good."
00:29:43.31\00:29:44.65
And he's like,
00:29:44.68\00:29:46.01
"So we're gonna be sending
you a check for $18,000."
00:29:46.05\00:29:49.78
Wow!
00:29:49.82\00:29:51.15
And I just
about dropped my phone
00:29:51.19\00:29:52.52
on the ground and it,
00:29:52.55\00:29:53.89
you know, like, what do you say
00:29:53.92\00:29:55.26
when you're in
that kind of situation?
00:29:55.29\00:29:57.03
I didn't, I'm like, thanks.
00:29:57.06\00:29:59.06
You know, do you have any idea
00:29:59.09\00:30:00.43
how much this is
going to help us,
00:30:00.46\00:30:01.80
you know, right now.
00:30:01.83\00:30:03.16
And he's like,
"We're just so grateful
00:30:03.20\00:30:04.53
to do that."
00:30:04.57\00:30:05.90
And so, I came in
from that phone call
00:30:05.93\00:30:07.27
and I told Midori about it.
00:30:07.30\00:30:09.27
And she just started
crying and I stood there
00:30:09.30\00:30:12.51
and I thought to myself,
00:30:12.54\00:30:13.88
you know, three
and a half years ago,
00:30:13.91\00:30:16.68
the Lord started a
savings account for us
00:30:16.71\00:30:19.61
that we didn't
know anything about
00:30:19.65\00:30:21.82
because, you know, the
people in the conference office,
00:30:21.85\00:30:23.52
they're competent people,
00:30:23.55\00:30:24.89
you know, they
know what they're doing.
00:30:24.92\00:30:26.25
There's no reason
00:30:26.29\00:30:27.62
why they should
have missed that,
00:30:27.66\00:30:28.99
except that God
blinded their eyes.
00:30:29.02\00:30:30.36
And then just at the time
00:30:30.39\00:30:31.73
that we needed
some encouragement.
00:30:31.76\00:30:33.90
And to know that we're
still in our Father's hand,
00:30:33.93\00:30:37.17
God opened their
eyes to see the mistake
00:30:37.20\00:30:40.50
and gave them the heart
to make that thing right.
00:30:40.54\00:30:42.44
Yeah.
00:30:42.47\00:30:43.81
And it was just
00:30:43.84\00:30:45.17
such an incredible
faith building experience
00:30:45.21\00:30:46.94
just to move forward and say,
00:30:46.98\00:30:48.31
you know, God has us,
He's gonna take care of us
00:30:48.34\00:30:50.81
and He's gonna
continue to provide for us.
00:30:50.85\00:30:53.05
And we've just had
situation after situation,
00:30:53.08\00:30:55.08
some large, some small
00:30:55.12\00:30:56.85
where God has just come through
00:30:56.89\00:30:58.25
and He's just given
us that confirmation,
00:30:58.29\00:30:59.95
you are moving in
the right direction.
00:30:59.99\00:31:01.52
Keep going.
00:31:01.56\00:31:02.92
Amen. Yeah.
00:31:02.96\00:31:04.29
I mean, it's incredible.
00:31:04.33\00:31:05.66
Praise the Lord
for their honesty too.
00:31:05.69\00:31:07.03
Yes. They're good people.
00:31:07.06\00:31:08.40
Yeah.
00:31:08.43\00:31:09.76
I think after this,
I'll have to go search
00:31:09.80\00:31:11.13
through every checks
that I ever received,
00:31:11.17\00:31:14.30
I'll make it with an accountant.
00:31:14.34\00:31:15.97
Yeah, yeah. Check some stuff.
00:31:16.00\00:31:18.71
But no, that is incredible.
00:31:18.74\00:31:20.58
It's just another example of God
00:31:20.61\00:31:23.31
providing where He's called you.
00:31:23.35\00:31:25.58
Amen. Yes.
00:31:25.61\00:31:26.95
Yes. Yeah. It's
been one wonderful.
00:31:26.98\00:31:28.35
So I want to get to
the discipleship vision
00:31:28.38\00:31:31.72
for the project,
00:31:31.75\00:31:33.09
but you also
mentioned that a family of five,
00:31:33.12\00:31:36.09
like you have
teammates in this thing.
00:31:36.12\00:31:37.46
Yes.
00:31:37.49\00:31:38.83
So we have pictures
that we want to show.
00:31:38.86\00:31:40.23
Yeah. Absolutely.
00:31:40.26\00:31:41.60
And maybe you can just tell us
00:31:41.63\00:31:42.96
what's going on in each of them.
00:31:43.00\00:31:44.33
Sure.
00:31:44.37\00:31:45.70
So we have,
obviously, like you said,
00:31:45.73\00:31:47.07
we have a family of five.
00:31:47.10\00:31:48.44
I think we have a
picture of our family there.
00:31:48.47\00:31:49.80
We have our oldest
daughter, Evangeline.
00:31:49.84\00:31:52.27
She just turned nine and
we have our son Christian.
00:31:52.31\00:31:55.64
He just turned seven,
00:31:55.68\00:31:57.41
and Verity is our
little powerhouse.
00:31:57.45\00:32:00.38
She's our
youngest, four years old.
00:32:00.42\00:32:02.48
And the five of us are
gonna be going to serve
00:32:02.52\00:32:05.32
the Gogodala people
in Papua New Guinea.
00:32:05.35\00:32:08.09
The kids are super excited.
00:32:08.12\00:32:09.59
The kids are really excited.
00:32:09.62\00:32:11.69
When we first told them
00:32:11.73\00:32:13.06
that we were
planning on going there,
00:32:13.09\00:32:14.43
that the Lord
was calling us there,
00:32:14.46\00:32:15.80
like I said, they were like,
"Can we go tomorrow, you know?
00:32:15.83\00:32:17.47
Can we go right now?"
00:32:17.50\00:32:18.97
So they're
looking forward to it.
00:32:19.00\00:32:20.34
That's another
miracle too right there.
00:32:20.37\00:32:22.14
I mean, because the
kids can either be on board
00:32:22.17\00:32:25.21
or they could just say,
why do we have to do this?
00:32:25.24\00:32:28.01
But everybody is
on board with this.
00:32:28.04\00:32:29.64
Yeah.
00:32:29.68\00:32:31.01
They know that
they're going to have
00:32:31.05\00:32:32.38
to leave behind
some of their toys,
00:32:32.41\00:32:34.68
most of their toys
and all of their friends,
00:32:34.72\00:32:38.95
but they're also kind of excited
00:32:38.99\00:32:41.29
that they will be
able to talk to the kids,
00:32:41.32\00:32:44.43
you know, who are their age
00:32:44.46\00:32:45.89
and kind of share about Jesus.
00:32:45.93\00:32:48.06
And there'll be part
of this big mission trip
00:32:48.10\00:32:51.23
that we're going to go on.
00:32:51.27\00:32:53.64
I think God will really use them
00:32:53.67\00:32:56.20
to open doors
00:32:56.24\00:32:57.57
because there's something
about kids that open doors
00:32:57.61\00:33:00.84
and hearts to people's minds.
00:33:00.88\00:33:05.71
For sure. Yeah.
00:33:05.75\00:33:07.08
For sure. Yeah,
that childlike innocence.
00:33:07.12\00:33:09.98
Yes. Yes.
00:33:10.02\00:33:11.35
And I think we have a
picture of our teammates
00:33:11.39\00:33:12.72
that we're gonna be working
with as well, Steve and Laurie,
00:33:12.75\00:33:15.66
and they they've
raised their daughters
00:33:15.69\00:33:17.56
in Papua New Guinea.
00:33:17.59\00:33:19.66
And they're just gonna
be great auntie and uncle,
00:33:19.69\00:33:22.23
grandma, and grandpa to
help, you know, with the kids.
00:33:22.26\00:33:24.93
And they've just been
really precious people so far
00:33:24.97\00:33:28.17
that we've been
able to work with.
00:33:28.20\00:33:29.54
And we're looking
forward to getting over there
00:33:29.57\00:33:31.17
and being able to put
shoulder to shoulder together
00:33:31.21\00:33:32.61
with them in ministry.
00:33:32.64\00:33:33.98
Nice.
00:33:34.01\00:33:35.34
Now, where are you
going to be living?
00:33:35.38\00:33:36.71
I think we have a
picture of that too.
00:33:36.75\00:33:38.08
Yes.
00:33:38.11\00:33:39.45
You can see our house. Yeah.
00:33:39.48\00:33:40.82
Well, we still have
yet to build our house.
00:33:40.85\00:33:42.18
We'll do that
when we get over there,
00:33:42.22\00:33:43.55
but there is a building
and we have a picture of it
00:33:43.59\00:33:44.92
that we're going to
be living in initially.
00:33:44.95\00:33:46.29
It's a small place,
but it's self-contained,
00:33:46.32\00:33:47.79
it has everything
we're gonna need to survive
00:33:47.82\00:33:49.66
for the first several months.
00:33:49.69\00:33:51.33
Once we get over there,
bathroom, shower, laundry.
00:33:51.36\00:33:54.83
It's about 300 square feet.
00:33:54.86\00:33:56.97
So my people will
be a little tight,
00:33:57.00\00:33:59.53
but we'll get
to know each other.
00:33:59.57\00:34:01.00
I think we'll do most
of our living outside.
00:34:01.04\00:34:03.91
You'll be a close knit family.
00:34:03.94\00:34:05.41
Yes, we will. That's right.
00:34:05.44\00:34:08.04
We'll sleep in there
and everything else out.
00:34:08.08\00:34:09.88
That's right.
00:34:09.91\00:34:11.48
So what's the disciples,
00:34:11.51\00:34:13.52
discipleship
vision for the project?
00:34:13.55\00:34:15.95
Yeah. That's a great question.
00:34:15.98\00:34:17.35
We also have a picture
for, of the training center
00:34:17.39\00:34:19.59
that we're gonna be
going over the purpose,
00:34:19.62\00:34:21.86
why we're going over there
00:34:21.89\00:34:23.22
and it's still not
quite finished yet,
00:34:23.26\00:34:24.59
but it's entering
into its final stages.
00:34:24.63\00:34:27.16
Steve and Laurie had this vision
00:34:27.20\00:34:29.96
several years ago
00:34:30.00\00:34:31.33
to have an
outpost training center
00:34:31.37\00:34:34.44
where people could come.
00:34:34.47\00:34:36.14
Now you have to understand
this is like out in the jungle.
00:34:36.17\00:34:38.11
I mean, this is... In the bush.
00:34:38.14\00:34:39.84
In the bush where, you know,
we'll fly into Port Moresby,
00:34:39.87\00:34:42.94
which is the
capital of Papua Guinea
00:34:42.98\00:34:45.31
on commercial plane.
00:34:45.35\00:34:46.68
And then it's like a
bush plane ride from there
00:34:46.72\00:34:49.78
to a little town called Balimo
00:34:49.82\00:34:51.85
in the Western
Province of Papua New Guinea.
00:34:51.89\00:34:54.22
And then it's a
small dinghy canoe ride
00:34:54.26\00:34:57.13
up the river from
there about an hour,
00:34:57.16\00:34:58.59
hour or two to
the mission property,
00:34:58.63\00:35:01.23
which is right on the river.
00:35:01.26\00:35:02.86
So when we
talked to PNGers about
00:35:02.90\00:35:05.33
where we're gonna be
serving in the Western Province,
00:35:05.37\00:35:07.24
they're like, "Wow,
that's way out there."
00:35:07.27\00:35:10.41
Just to kind of give the viewers
00:35:10.44\00:35:11.77
a perspective of where we...
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.14
We're not going
to be in the city.
00:35:13.17\00:35:14.51
You know, this
building's being built out
00:35:14.54\00:35:15.88
in the bush.
00:35:15.91\00:35:17.25
Nowhere, yeah.
00:35:17.28\00:35:18.61
And so they had this
vision of wanting to train
00:35:18.65\00:35:20.28
the local Gogodala
00:35:20.32\00:35:22.38
to reproduce themselves
00:35:22.42\00:35:24.42
because ultimately,
you know, the missionary,
00:35:24.45\00:35:26.52
our job is to work
ourselves out of a job
00:35:26.55\00:35:29.29
where we can get to the point
00:35:29.32\00:35:30.83
where we've given all
of that, all that we can.
00:35:30.86\00:35:33.80
And now it's a local people
that are gonna grab the vision
00:35:33.83\00:35:38.03
and the mission and
keep moving it forward.
00:35:38.07\00:35:40.70
And that's really where
the real power comes from
00:35:40.74\00:35:43.44
is when all of those people see
00:35:43.47\00:35:45.61
that vision of discipleship
00:35:45.64\00:35:47.78
and move it forward to
build up God's kingdom.
00:35:47.81\00:35:50.18
Yes. Yeah.
00:35:50.21\00:35:51.55
Because sometimes we think,
00:35:51.58\00:35:53.88
why are we
paying these Americans
00:35:53.92\00:35:55.98
to go over to the mission field?
00:35:56.02\00:35:59.62
It takes more money
00:35:59.65\00:36:00.99
and why not just pay
00:36:01.02\00:36:02.86
the local people
to do the evangelism?
00:36:02.89\00:36:05.89
Well, sometimes
there are no local people
00:36:05.93\00:36:08.66
who know about Jesus.
00:36:08.70\00:36:10.47
So in our
situation, they have started,
00:36:10.50\00:36:15.14
you know, they know about Jesus,
00:36:15.17\00:36:16.84
but they have not
learned how to share it yet.
00:36:16.87\00:36:21.08
So what we want to do
is to be able to share it
00:36:21.11\00:36:24.35
with them in a
way that they know,
00:36:24.38\00:36:27.25
and they are equipped
00:36:27.28\00:36:28.95
to share it with their neighbors
00:36:28.98\00:36:31.89
and their friends
and their families
00:36:31.92\00:36:33.56
and then help make
their family members,
00:36:33.59\00:36:37.76
their friends,
the next evangelist,
00:36:37.79\00:36:40.43
and then just replicate it
and continue to let it spread,
00:36:40.46\00:36:45.70
because there are
way too many people
00:36:45.73\00:36:47.90
in the world
00:36:47.94\00:36:49.27
who don't know about
Jesus for us to tell them.
00:36:49.30\00:36:53.04
We have to tell
someone who will tell someone
00:36:53.07\00:36:54.78
who will tell someone.
00:36:54.81\00:36:56.14
Oh, yeah.
00:36:56.18\00:36:57.51
And we all have different people
00:36:57.55\00:36:58.88
that we can reach to,
00:36:58.91\00:37:00.52
you know, due to
different experiences
00:37:00.55\00:37:02.18
and all of that.
00:37:02.22\00:37:03.59
So that's powerful.
00:37:03.62\00:37:04.95
I love that discipleship model.
00:37:04.99\00:37:06.32
So our vision for
the Gogodala Project
00:37:06.35\00:37:09.46
is to create a
church planting movement
00:37:09.49\00:37:12.49
among the Gogodala,
00:37:12.53\00:37:14.30
that will spread to
the surrounding area.
00:37:14.33\00:37:17.87
There's a lot of other tribes
00:37:17.90\00:37:20.17
and Papua New Guinea
is a very diverse place.
00:37:20.20\00:37:23.57
And there's more
than just the Gogodala
00:37:23.61\00:37:24.97
in the Western Province
00:37:25.01\00:37:26.34
that we wanna to be
able to reach ultimately.
00:37:26.37\00:37:27.94
So many souls.
00:37:27.98\00:37:29.31
And so, when we get to
the end of our term there
00:37:29.34\00:37:31.98
for however long
the Lord keeps us there.
00:37:32.01\00:37:33.55
We wanna be able
to see missionaries
00:37:33.58\00:37:35.18
going from the training center,
00:37:35.22\00:37:37.95
local national missionaries
00:37:37.99\00:37:39.75
that are going
to different tribes
00:37:39.79\00:37:41.39
and different groups of people
00:37:41.42\00:37:43.06
and instilling that DNA
00:37:43.09\00:37:44.76
that Midori was talking
about of multiplication,
00:37:44.79\00:37:47.86
not just adding to the church.
00:37:47.90\00:37:49.23
You know, when you look
at the gospel commission,
00:37:49.26\00:37:51.03
when you look at
Revelation Chapter 14,
00:37:51.07\00:37:53.20
there's no way that
we're gonna fulfill that
00:37:53.23\00:37:54.87
by just adding
people to our church,
00:37:54.90\00:37:57.01
one person at a time, you know.
00:37:57.04\00:37:59.24
There has to be
multiplication that happens.
00:37:59.27\00:38:01.24
And when you
look at in the Bible,
00:38:01.28\00:38:02.94
God has created us as
humans, as multipliers,
00:38:02.98\00:38:05.95
you know, God in
Genesis Chapter 1,
00:38:05.98\00:38:08.02
He said, "Be
fruitful and multiply."
00:38:08.05\00:38:09.38
Right?
00:38:09.42\00:38:10.75
You know, and if the
church is going to finish
00:38:10.79\00:38:12.95
the gospel commission
which I believe that will.
00:38:12.99\00:38:15.52
We have to begin to think
in a multiplication mindset
00:38:15.56\00:38:19.03
where we're
reproducing ourselves,
00:38:19.06\00:38:20.73
rather than just
adding people to the church,
00:38:20.76\00:38:23.10
we're creating disciples.
00:38:23.13\00:38:24.47
And that's really what
the gospel commission is,
00:38:24.50\00:38:26.37
to go make disciples
00:38:26.40\00:38:29.14
that will make disciples
that will make disciples
00:38:29.17\00:38:31.27
and continue that
multiplication process.
00:38:31.31\00:38:33.11
Right.
00:38:33.14\00:38:34.48
Our goal is not
just to, for us to tell,
00:38:34.51\00:38:38.11
but our goal is
to make disciples
00:38:38.15\00:38:41.28
that will make more disciples.
00:38:41.32\00:38:43.49
And it's, some people
say it's like a sneeze,
00:38:43.52\00:38:46.76
it's kind of relevant right now
00:38:46.79\00:38:50.03
because we need
to pay it forward.
00:38:50.06\00:38:52.03
Don't talk to the people
who already know about Jesus,
00:38:52.06\00:38:56.03
talk to people
who are new people,
00:38:56.06\00:38:58.17
and then they
continue to spread it.
00:38:58.20\00:39:00.70
And it'll, that will
reach the world multiplication,
00:39:00.74\00:39:04.77
like going viral.
00:39:04.81\00:39:06.61
Yes. Yes.
00:39:06.64\00:39:08.04
And we want to
cast this vision of,
00:39:08.08\00:39:10.21
you know, if we
just think about it,
00:39:10.25\00:39:11.58
like, if I just
make the commitment
00:39:11.61\00:39:14.18
to win two people to God
00:39:14.22\00:39:17.29
and not just bring
them bodily into the church,
00:39:17.32\00:39:19.89
but disciple them
to do the same thing
00:39:19.92\00:39:22.12
that I've just
done to win two people.
00:39:22.16\00:39:25.13
Right, so I win two people
00:39:25.16\00:39:26.49
and then those two
people win two people.
00:39:26.53\00:39:27.86
And then those two
people win two people.
00:39:27.90\00:39:29.23
Yes.
00:39:29.26\00:39:30.60
If we just all in the
church made that commitment,
00:39:30.63\00:39:32.83
that pay it forward mentality
00:39:32.87\00:39:34.77
instead of just
kind of sitting there,
00:39:34.80\00:39:36.64
but actually paying
it forward the blessing,
00:39:36.67\00:39:39.41
I think we would
see the work be done
00:39:39.44\00:39:41.18
in a very rapid manner.
00:39:41.21\00:39:42.91
That's what happened in
the New Testament Church,
00:39:42.94\00:39:44.28
I believe.
00:39:44.31\00:39:45.65
Absolutely.
00:39:45.68\00:39:47.02
And I think it's important too,
00:39:47.05\00:39:48.38
that we, you know,
as you're multiplying,
00:39:48.42\00:39:50.99
that people are helping
with that member retention,
00:39:51.02\00:39:53.49
you know, helping
them stay in the church
00:39:53.52\00:39:55.79
and helping them
foster that growth.
00:39:55.82\00:39:57.46
Yes.
00:39:57.49\00:39:58.83
And the thing that
helps us connect with God
00:39:58.86\00:40:02.00
more than anything
else is when we're working.
00:40:02.03\00:40:03.87
That's right.
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.23
So workers, if
we're connected with God
00:40:05.27\00:40:09.40
and God is answering our prayers
00:40:09.44\00:40:10.97
and we have faith
and we're stepping out
00:40:11.01\00:40:13.31
to reach more people,
00:40:13.34\00:40:14.68
that is the thing
00:40:14.71\00:40:16.04
that will really connect us more
00:40:16.08\00:40:17.65
with our church
family and with the Lord.
00:40:17.68\00:40:20.25
Yes.
00:40:20.28\00:40:21.62
What would you say
00:40:21.65\00:40:22.98
is gonna be
like the first thing,
00:40:23.02\00:40:24.45
as soon as you
get over there, like,
00:40:24.49\00:40:26.25
what are you
gonna have to learn?
00:40:26.29\00:40:28.52
That's a great question.
00:40:28.56\00:40:29.89
Oh, man. Yeah.
00:40:29.92\00:40:31.26
I think the first thing
we're going to have to learn
00:40:31.29\00:40:32.63
is just how to survive.
00:40:32.66\00:40:34.00
Yes.
00:40:34.03\00:40:35.36
You know, we're used to
the American way of living.
00:40:35.40\00:40:36.73
We've lived here our whole lives
00:40:36.77\00:40:38.10
and to live out in
the middle of nowhere,
00:40:38.13\00:40:41.94
learning the language,
00:40:41.97\00:40:43.81
learning their culture,
00:40:43.84\00:40:45.17
those, these are gonna
be kind of the first things,
00:40:45.21\00:40:46.64
we wanna be curious learners
00:40:46.68\00:40:49.54
when we first come,
rather than just saying,
00:40:49.58\00:40:51.51
hey, you know, I'm
the paid missionary.
00:40:51.55\00:40:53.21
I can tell you
what you need to know,
00:40:53.25\00:40:55.32
but we wanna come with
that curious mindset of,
00:40:55.35\00:40:57.75
you know, I
wanna learn from you.
00:40:57.79\00:40:59.12
Yes.
00:40:59.15\00:41:00.49
Because we actually don't
know what they need to know.
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.76
You know, we
understand the gospel,
00:41:03.79\00:41:05.76
but when you look at
the ministry of Jesus,
00:41:05.79\00:41:07.80
He packaged the gospel in
a culturally relevant way.
00:41:07.83\00:41:11.27
When you look at how
he shared the parables
00:41:11.30\00:41:14.37
and things of that nature,
00:41:14.40\00:41:15.74
He packaged it in a way
00:41:15.77\00:41:17.11
with like the seed sower
and what have you, you know.
00:41:17.14\00:41:18.91
Shepherd.
00:41:18.94\00:41:20.28
And we wanna be able to do
the same thing and to do that,
00:41:20.31\00:41:21.94
we have to have that curiosity
of how do you live your life?
00:41:21.98\00:41:24.91
You know what makes you think,
why do you think like that?
00:41:24.95\00:41:27.22
Why do you do
this? Why do you do that?
00:41:27.25\00:41:28.58
You know, and just
really asking these questions
00:41:28.62\00:41:30.15
to try to get an understanding
00:41:30.19\00:41:32.09
so that we can
package that gospel
00:41:32.12\00:41:34.06
in a relevant way for them.
00:41:34.09\00:41:35.42
All the time, staying
faithful to what the Bible says,
00:41:35.46\00:41:39.09
just like Jesus did it.
00:41:39.13\00:41:40.46
Yeah.
00:41:40.50\00:41:41.83
So going over there with
that Christ-like humility.
00:41:41.86\00:41:43.40
Yeah. Yes.
00:41:43.43\00:41:44.77
Yeah. We've
really been impressed.
00:41:44.80\00:41:46.60
We've been, we've just come back
00:41:46.63\00:41:48.30
from three months of training.
00:41:48.34\00:41:50.01
AFM, Adventist Frontier Missions
00:41:50.04\00:41:52.27
does a training
course for missionaries
00:41:52.31\00:41:55.14
to teach us all the things
00:41:55.18\00:41:57.65
we need to know as missionaries,
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.38
maybe not all 'cause
there is a lot there.
00:41:59.41\00:42:01.52
But one of the things
00:42:01.55\00:42:02.88
that we've
really started to grasp
00:42:02.92\00:42:06.35
is that we are
coming in as humble learners
00:42:06.39\00:42:11.79
and people don't like it
00:42:11.83\00:42:15.13
when someone comes
in with this pride of,
00:42:15.16\00:42:18.63
I know everything
and you know nothing.
00:42:18.67\00:42:20.80
So I'm gonna tell you,
00:42:20.84\00:42:22.20
they're not going
to listen to that.
00:42:22.24\00:42:23.84
That's right.
00:42:23.87\00:42:25.21
So we need to
come in and, at their,
00:42:25.24\00:42:29.14
not at their level lower,
00:42:29.18\00:42:30.55
we're like
children compared to them
00:42:30.58\00:42:32.78
so with this childlike humility,
00:42:32.81\00:42:35.52
say, teach us
these words that you...
00:42:35.55\00:42:38.29
What is this thing that you use?
00:42:38.32\00:42:40.32
How do you cook? How do you...
00:42:40.36\00:42:42.66
Where do you get this food?
00:42:42.69\00:42:44.03
How can I...
00:42:44.06\00:42:45.39
Can you teach me
00:42:45.43\00:42:46.76
how to weave a
basket or whatever?
00:42:46.80\00:42:49.33
And that is
more winsome to them.
00:42:49.36\00:42:52.10
And we can become,
00:42:52.13\00:42:54.00
we can learn to
belong to their community.
00:42:54.04\00:42:57.51
Yes.
00:42:57.54\00:42:58.94
And that's going
to be our first goal,
00:42:58.97\00:43:01.98
also learning how to shop,
00:43:02.01\00:43:03.81
because we, you
know, we're used to
00:43:03.85\00:43:06.85
just running to the store,
00:43:06.88\00:43:08.78
but there we
actually going to go to buy
00:43:08.82\00:43:11.69
supplies once every six months.
00:43:11.72\00:43:14.42
So it's gonna be
00:43:14.46\00:43:16.12
a completely
different lifestyle.
00:43:16.16\00:43:18.56
I think we're gonna
learn to live with less.
00:43:18.59\00:43:20.43
That's gonna be important.
00:43:20.46\00:43:22.23
Yeah.
00:43:22.26\00:43:24.00
It will be good for us.
That'll be a good thing.
00:43:24.03\00:43:25.63
So what do you think
the kids will be doing
00:43:25.67\00:43:29.27
when they first get there?
00:43:29.30\00:43:30.64
And then I kind
of wanna transition
00:43:30.67\00:43:32.17
a little bit into
what training looks like?
00:43:32.21\00:43:36.28
What would the kids be doing?
00:43:36.31\00:43:37.65
I think my son's
gonna be enjoying
00:43:37.68\00:43:41.05
not having to wear
socks and shoes as it were.
00:43:41.08\00:43:45.59
But I think there,
00:43:45.62\00:43:47.42
we want our kids to be involved
00:43:47.46\00:43:49.39
in our ministry
as much as possible.
00:43:49.42\00:43:50.99
And so when we're
having that reverent curiosity,
00:43:51.03\00:43:53.29
and we're, you know,
going shoulder to shoulder
00:43:53.33\00:43:56.20
with the Gogodala people
and just trying to learn,
00:43:56.23\00:43:57.87
we want them to
be there with us.
00:43:57.90\00:44:00.37
Kids have, you
know, sponge minds,
00:44:00.40\00:44:02.60
you know, they pick
up things very quickly.
00:44:02.64\00:44:04.54
And we're hoping that
they'll learn the language
00:44:04.57\00:44:07.01
and be able to
think like the locals do,
00:44:07.04\00:44:10.55
playing with the kids
and learning the culture
00:44:10.58\00:44:12.98
even from there as well.
00:44:13.01\00:44:14.92
And that will
give us kind of a view
00:44:14.95\00:44:16.89
into the culture that,
00:44:16.92\00:44:18.25
you know, we won't
be able to get ourselves
00:44:18.29\00:44:19.75
as adults, you know.
00:44:19.79\00:44:21.76
So I think the
kids are gonna be doing
00:44:21.79\00:44:24.03
a lot of that.
00:44:24.06\00:44:25.86
Winning hearts and minds.
00:44:25.89\00:44:27.23
Also just, yeah,
learning how to live as well.
00:44:27.26\00:44:29.23
Our kids are
great kids and we just,
00:44:29.26\00:44:31.43
we couldn't think of
doing ministry without them.
00:44:31.47\00:44:33.34
Yeah. Yeah. That's beautiful.
00:44:33.37\00:44:36.50
What did you get in
the area of training?
00:44:36.54\00:44:39.31
Because you
touched on it briefly,
00:44:39.34\00:44:41.34
but what are some other things?
00:44:41.38\00:44:42.71
Yeah.
00:44:42.74\00:44:44.08
It has really
rocked our world actually
00:44:44.11\00:44:45.75
because Jason and I have
been involved in ministry
00:44:45.78\00:44:49.35
for quite a while.
00:44:49.38\00:44:51.05
And we kind of felt like
we knew what was going on,
00:44:51.09\00:44:56.02
but we have learned so much,
00:44:56.06\00:44:59.33
just even going to a new place,
00:44:59.36\00:45:02.36
the upheaval that
happens in a family.
00:45:02.40\00:45:05.97
And just even in your
own mind, because you are,
00:45:06.00\00:45:11.07
it's like your
supports have been knocked out
00:45:11.11\00:45:13.58
from under you.
00:45:13.61\00:45:14.94
You're learning, you
don't know how to talk.
00:45:14.98\00:45:16.91
You can't communicate,
00:45:16.95\00:45:18.95
you can't ask for what you need
00:45:18.98\00:45:21.08
and your friends
and family are far away.
00:45:21.12\00:45:23.45
So there's not that support.
00:45:23.49\00:45:25.85
So that was the first thing
that we started learning about.
00:45:25.89\00:45:31.16
I think probably the best
way to describe the training
00:45:31.19\00:45:35.90
that we've gone through
00:45:35.93\00:45:37.40
is if you've ever
learned a second language,
00:45:37.43\00:45:40.57
you know, just, you know
when you go to another country
00:45:40.60\00:45:43.27
and everybody's
speaking another language,
00:45:43.30\00:45:44.91
and you're like,
what are they saying?
00:45:44.94\00:45:47.18
What's going on here?
00:45:47.21\00:45:48.54
And then you pick up a few words
00:45:48.58\00:45:49.91
and you're like,
okay, that word means this
00:45:49.94\00:45:51.28
and this word means that.
00:45:51.31\00:45:52.65
And you're just kind of,
00:45:52.68\00:45:54.02
you really feel out
of your, you know, depth.
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.42
And so training's
kind of been like that
00:45:57.45\00:45:59.22
for us a little bit.
00:45:59.25\00:46:00.59
You know, we've
always ministered
00:46:00.62\00:46:01.96
within the context
of an American culture,
00:46:01.99\00:46:03.89
but to try to take our minds
out of the American culture
00:46:03.93\00:46:06.19
and put it into another culture,
00:46:06.23\00:46:08.06
it's been like
learning a new language
00:46:08.10\00:46:10.23
and kind of not
knowing all the lingo
00:46:10.27\00:46:13.03
and trying to figure
it out as you go along.
00:46:13.07\00:46:15.84
It's been quite an
eye-opening experience
00:46:15.87\00:46:18.24
for us.
00:46:18.27\00:46:19.61
Yeah. I believe it.
00:46:19.64\00:46:20.98
We've talked about
all the different diseases
00:46:21.01\00:46:22.98
that we'll be exposed to there,
00:46:23.01\00:46:26.61
you know, tropical diseases
00:46:26.65\00:46:28.35
and like what we
might need to learn to,
00:46:28.38\00:46:32.25
so that we can take
care of our own family.
00:46:32.29\00:46:34.56
If our kids get
malaria or whatever,
00:46:34.59\00:46:37.86
that's gonna be, or
if they cut their finger,
00:46:37.89\00:46:40.66
we're not going to
have medical help there.
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.26
I think it's
like. That's close by.
00:46:43.30\00:46:44.63
That's close by.
00:46:44.67\00:46:46.00
It's like, you
know, it'd be like
00:46:46.03\00:46:47.37
two hours to the clinic.
00:46:47.40\00:46:49.00
Hospital. Okay. Okay.
00:46:49.04\00:46:50.37
So we gotta learn to do
a lot of things ourselves
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.21
and take care of ourselves.
00:46:52.24\00:46:53.58
So there's no quick
way to get to the hospital.
00:46:53.61\00:46:55.94
Yeah, no.
00:46:55.98\00:46:57.51
Boat ride. Boat ride.
00:46:57.55\00:46:59.21
Yeah, and
depending on what's wrong,
00:46:59.25\00:47:00.58
that could be pretty rough.
00:47:00.62\00:47:01.95
It's true. Yeah.
00:47:01.98\00:47:03.32
Yes.
00:47:03.35\00:47:04.69
And there are
actually a lot of snakes there,
00:47:04.72\00:47:06.52
but we're trusting the Lord.
00:47:06.55\00:47:09.12
He knows He'll take
care of our kids and...
00:47:09.16\00:47:13.46
You know, when God gave
00:47:13.50\00:47:15.93
us the gospel commission,
00:47:15.96\00:47:17.30
He didn't take all the risk out.
00:47:17.33\00:47:18.67
No.
00:47:18.70\00:47:20.04
You know, there's risk
involved in taking the gospel
00:47:20.07\00:47:22.50
to the end of the world.
00:47:22.54\00:47:24.11
And if we're just
constantly risk aversed
00:47:24.14\00:47:26.24
as God's people,
00:47:26.27\00:47:27.61
we're never gonna
finish the gospel commission.
00:47:27.64\00:47:28.98
That's right.
00:47:29.01\00:47:30.35
You know, the gospel is
never gonna go to the world
00:47:30.38\00:47:31.71
if we're risk averse.
00:47:31.75\00:47:33.08
But the good news and yeah,
00:47:33.11\00:47:34.45
Jesus took a risk
when He came here.
00:47:34.48\00:47:35.82
But the good news is
00:47:35.85\00:47:37.19
we're taking
that risk with Christ
00:47:37.22\00:47:38.99
and He's going with us
into the mission field.
00:47:39.02\00:47:40.96
And He's been working
there even before we get there.
00:47:40.99\00:47:44.16
He's been working on hearts.
00:47:44.19\00:47:45.53
The Holy Spirit is there
working with the Gogodala
00:47:45.56\00:47:48.13
and preparing a way for us.
00:47:48.16\00:47:49.93
And we're going
with him as a partner.
00:47:49.96\00:47:52.63
Amen.
00:47:52.67\00:47:54.00
He loves our
kids more than we do.
00:47:54.04\00:47:55.37
Yes.
00:47:55.40\00:47:56.74
He wants to see their safety
00:47:56.77\00:47:58.11
and their
prosperity more than we do.
00:47:58.14\00:48:00.18
And so, we just trust
them into our Father's hands
00:48:00.21\00:48:03.01
and we try to
make as wiser decisions
00:48:03.04\00:48:04.71
as we possibly can,
00:48:04.75\00:48:06.25
but we're duty bound to follow
God's leading in our lives
00:48:06.28\00:48:09.88
and trust that
He's gonna take care
00:48:09.92\00:48:11.35
of the rest for us.
00:48:11.39\00:48:12.72
Amen. And He certainly has been.
00:48:12.75\00:48:14.09
Yes.
00:48:14.12\00:48:15.46
He certainly has
taken care of you.
00:48:15.49\00:48:16.83
He's given us so many
faith building experiences
00:48:16.86\00:48:18.79
to tell us He's
gonna, He's got this for us.
00:48:18.83\00:48:20.53
Yes.
00:48:20.56\00:48:21.90
Well, I
definitely feel inspired.
00:48:21.93\00:48:23.26
And I know our viewers
must feel inspired as well
00:48:23.30\00:48:26.30
because the things
that you've shared so far
00:48:26.33\00:48:29.97
have truly been an inspiration.
00:48:30.01\00:48:31.91
The fact that
God provided on time,
00:48:31.94\00:48:34.51
we serve an on-time God.
00:48:34.54\00:48:35.88
So, you know, you
needed it, He provided it.
00:48:35.91\00:48:39.11
And He continues to
confirm the direction
00:48:39.15\00:48:41.95
that you're going in.
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.32
What are some of the
needs of the organization?
00:48:43.35\00:48:46.92
Well, AFM is, as
I mentioned before
00:48:46.96\00:48:49.49
they're
committed to sending people
00:48:49.52\00:48:50.86
to unreached territories.
00:48:50.89\00:48:52.79
And so if you, if
viewers want to check out
00:48:52.83\00:48:55.43
afmonline.org,
00:48:55.46\00:48:57.87
and there's a whole list
of all of the missionaries
00:48:57.90\00:49:00.64
and what they're doing
and what their projects are
00:49:00.67\00:49:02.74
and what they're
doing to reach those people.
00:49:02.77\00:49:05.57
And there's lots
of inspiring stories
00:49:05.61\00:49:07.71
that are there.
00:49:07.74\00:49:09.18
They can sign up for
the Frontier's magazine
00:49:09.21\00:49:12.01
and get a physical copy of it
00:49:12.05\00:49:13.68
in the mail to be able
to read month after month.
00:49:13.72\00:49:16.32
And, you know, if
God impresses you,
00:49:16.35\00:49:20.39
He impresses the
viewers to support a missionary.
00:49:20.42\00:49:23.83
I can tell you personally
as one who's done it myself,
00:49:23.86\00:49:26.86
that it's such an
incredible experience
00:49:26.90\00:49:28.63
to know that $16,
00:49:28.66\00:49:31.93
that $25, that
$50, that $100 a month,
00:49:31.97\00:49:35.30
whatever it is that
you're giving to support
00:49:35.34\00:49:37.37
a local missionary,
00:49:37.41\00:49:39.14
that when you
pick up that magazine
00:49:39.17\00:49:40.54
and you read the story
00:49:40.58\00:49:42.31
that you have helped
them with that situation,
00:49:42.34\00:49:45.58
that story to
minister to that person,
00:49:45.61\00:49:47.45
to reach that
person's heart with Jesus,
00:49:47.48\00:49:49.58
you know, with
Jesus and the good news.
00:49:49.62\00:49:52.15
So there's always needs
00:49:52.19\00:49:54.12
and there's no
better organization,
00:49:54.16\00:49:56.76
in my opinion,
00:49:56.79\00:49:58.13
that is supporting
foreign missionaries than AFM.
00:49:58.16\00:50:00.90
There's lots of
good organizations
00:50:00.93\00:50:02.26
out there, but AFM,
00:50:02.30\00:50:03.63
we just feel like the
Lord is really blessing them
00:50:03.67\00:50:05.07
in a tremendous way
00:50:05.10\00:50:06.43
as they support
their missionaries
00:50:06.47\00:50:07.80
in the mission field.
00:50:07.84\00:50:09.17
And also, I'd like
to put in a plug for,
00:50:09.20\00:50:11.21
people enclosed
access countries.
00:50:11.24\00:50:14.01
There are many
missionaries with AFM
00:50:14.04\00:50:17.48
who are going
into places where it's,
00:50:17.51\00:50:19.71
you're not allowed
technically to be a missionary.
00:50:19.75\00:50:23.28
And so they're
going kind of undercover
00:50:23.32\00:50:26.32
with different, you know,
00:50:26.35\00:50:27.99
they can't use their real names.
00:50:28.02\00:50:29.46
They can't tell
you where they are,
00:50:29.49\00:50:31.26
but there is an incredible
going on around the world.
00:50:31.29\00:50:35.10
God is giving dreams to
people. God is preparing people.
00:50:35.13\00:50:38.90
And so don't
overlook those missionaries
00:50:38.93\00:50:42.77
that can't show their face,
00:50:42.80\00:50:44.41
that don't have
a picture in there,
00:50:44.44\00:50:46.04
those are also
doing an amazing work.
00:50:46.07\00:50:48.64
And there's student missionaries
00:50:48.68\00:50:50.15
that are fundraising
for their nine month stint
00:50:50.18\00:50:53.92
in mission field,
00:50:53.95\00:50:55.28
and sometimes it ends up
being a year or two years
00:50:55.32\00:50:57.15
that they stay in
the mission field.
00:50:57.19\00:50:58.52
Transforms their lives.
00:50:58.55\00:50:59.92
And some of them end up
transforming or transitioning
00:50:59.95\00:51:02.69
over into career mission.
00:51:02.72\00:51:04.49
So, you know, even
that's an investment
00:51:04.53\00:51:06.26
that I think is really
worthwhile investment to me.
00:51:06.29\00:51:07.70
Yeah.
00:51:07.73\00:51:09.06
And you need
prayer too for sure.
00:51:09.10\00:51:10.53
Amen.
00:51:10.57\00:51:12.27
You know, over the last year
00:51:12.30\00:51:13.64
I should have
mentioned this first, Jason,
00:51:13.67\00:51:15.40
but over the last year
00:51:15.44\00:51:16.77
we've felt the
prayers of people.
00:51:16.81\00:51:19.57
We know that there's
00:51:19.61\00:51:20.94
a great amount
of people out there
00:51:20.98\00:51:22.31
that are just
lifting up our project
00:51:22.34\00:51:24.35
and our family
and praying for us.
00:51:24.38\00:51:25.88
And we just
really want to extend
00:51:25.91\00:51:27.62
a heartfelt thanks
to the viewers of 3ABN
00:51:27.65\00:51:30.59
and others who have been praying
00:51:30.62\00:51:32.42
for our project and
praying for our family.
00:51:32.45\00:51:34.82
The Lord has just
done amazing things
00:51:34.86\00:51:36.19
to their prayers.
00:51:36.22\00:51:37.56
Amen. Well, praise the Lord.
00:51:37.59\00:51:38.93
And thankful for
what you guys are doing.
00:51:38.96\00:51:41.83
Just right now we
want to get ready to go
00:51:41.86\00:51:44.17
the address roll
00:51:44.20\00:51:45.67
and then a brief news break,
and then we'll be right back.
00:51:45.70\00:51:49.50
For more information about
Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:51:49.54\00:51:52.77
please contact
them at afmonline.org.
00:51:52.81\00:51:56.64
That's afmonline.org.
00:51:56.68\00:52:00.72
Their email address
is afm@afmonline.org
00:52:00.75\00:52:05.79
That's afm@afmonline.org
00:52:05.82\00:52:10.36
Their mailing
address is PO Box 286,
00:52:10.39\00:52:13.66
Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103.
00:52:13.70\00:52:18.23
That's PO Box 286,
00:52:18.27\00:52:21.04
Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103.
00:52:21.07\00:52:24.94