¤ ¤
00:00:01.96\00:00:04.80
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
00:00:04.83\00:00:15.61
¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
00:00:15.64\00:00:26.39
¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
00:00:26.42\00:00:36.16
¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
00:00:36.20\00:00:57.72
¤ ¤
00:00:57.75\00:01:07.33
Hello friends and welcome to
3ABN Today. My name is Ryan Day
00:01:07.36\00:01:11.93
and as always we're so blessed
to have you joining us here
00:01:11.97\00:01:15.94
today for the special, special
program and we always say, we
00:01:15.97\00:01:20.38
thank you for your love, your
continued prayer and support for
00:01:20.41\00:01:24.01
this ministry. I mean this
is the Three Angels Broadcasting
00:01:24.05\00:01:27.42
Network and so we're all
about the truth, we're all about
00:01:27.45\00:01:30.29
declaring the everlasting gospel
as we see right there in the
00:01:30.32\00:01:33.82
book of Revelation chapter 14
that's being delivered by these
00:01:33.86\00:01:37.16
three angels, these messengers
of the Lord. It's going to all
00:01:37.19\00:01:40.46
the world and that's what this
network is about and we wouldn't
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exist if it weren't for you
if God hadn't placed upon your
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heart to support, to watch, to
pray for and of course to just
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send your love all this way. We
thank you so much for our 3ABN
00:01:54.24\00:01:58.45
family. We are excited about
what's happening today here on
00:01:58.48\00:02:01.42
3ABN Today because we have Chris
and Erin White with us from
00:02:01.45\00:02:06.59
Adventist Frontier Missions. How
are you wonderful people doing?
00:02:06.62\00:02:08.79
Very well, thank you very much.
00:02:08.82\00:02:10.99
Amen, amen. And you know what
I found out a few minutes ago
00:02:11.03\00:02:13.80
that today as we're recording
this in the studio, today's your
00:02:13.83\00:02:18.70
anniversary. So
happy anniversary.
00:02:18.73\00:02:20.07
Thank you. Thank you.
00:02:20.10\00:02:21.44
Happy wedding anniversary. And
I'm excited because you guys are
00:02:21.47\00:02:24.01
going to be sharing with us
all kinds of special stories and
00:02:24.04\00:02:27.71
experiences that you guys have
had in your missionary journeys.
00:02:27.74\00:02:30.91
Chris and Erin are missionaries
for the Adventist Frontier
00:02:30.95\00:02:34.85
Missions and this hour is going
to be power packed with some
00:02:34.88\00:02:39.12
incredible stories. You're
not going to want to go away, so
00:02:39.15\00:02:42.26
don't change the channel, don't
turn this off. In fact, get your
00:02:42.29\00:02:45.69
friends, your family, your
enemies, everybody around the
00:02:45.73\00:02:48.53
table, everybody around to watch
this because you're going to be
00:02:48.56\00:02:51.73
blessed, there's no doubt.
Before we get right into our
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interview though we want to
be blessed by a special musical
00:02:53.94\00:02:57.17
number that's going to be
brought to us by Mrs. Vonda
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Boerman. She's going to
be singing a song entitled
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I Choose to Believe.
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¤ ¤
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¤ Into each life
some rain must fall ¤
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¤ But lately it
seems I've had it all¤
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¤ Just when I
thought the storm was over ¤
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¤ Out of the blue
there came a squall ¤
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¤ But you never promised
that life would be easy ¤
00:03:45.15\00:03:50.99
¤ And I am starting to see ¤
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¤ Sometimes it
takes the worst in life ¤
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¤ To bring out the best in me ¤
00:04:04.21\00:04:10.15
¤ So I will choose to
believe though I cannot see ¤
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¤ how you're working
all things for my good ¤
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¤ And I hold your hand
though I don't understand ¤
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¤ Still I'll trust
and choose to believe ¤
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¤ ¤
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¤ Though you may
know just what I mean ¤
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¤ It's hard to let
go and trust your lead ¤
00:04:53.89\00:05:01.06
¤ Just when I
thought I've lost control ¤
00:05:01.10\00:05:05.93
¤ You're always there
You're always pleading ¤
00:05:05.97\00:05:14.18
¤ So for today, Lord
help me to trust you ¤
00:05:14.21\00:05:19.91
¤ I need your
strength like my own ¤
00:05:19.95\00:05:26.22
¤ And when I need
a friend to turn to ¤
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¤ You will be
faithful and true ¤
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¤ So I will choose to
believe, though I cannot see ¤
00:05:38.17\00:05:45.67
¤ how you're working
all things for my good ¤
00:05:45.71\00:05:50.68
¤ And I hold your hand
though I don't understand ¤
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¤ Still I'll trust
and choose to believe ¤
00:05:58.99\00:06:07.10
¤ Walking by
faith not by sight ¤
00:06:07.13\00:06:11.37
¤ Is so very hard to do ¤
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¤ But as I grow I come to know ¤
00:06:18.24\00:06:24.78
¤ That your love
will see me through ¤
00:06:24.81\00:06:31.82
¤ So I will choose to
believe, though I cannot see ¤
00:06:31.85\00:06:38.36
¤ how you're working
all things for my good ¤
00:06:38.39\00:06:45.87
¤ And I'll hold your hand
though I don't understand ¤
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¤ Still I'll trust
and choose to believe ¤
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¤ Lord help me to trust
you and choose to believe ¤
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Amen. Thank you so much,
Vonda for that beautiful song,
00:07:15.03\00:07:17.97
I Choose to Believe. That's
certainly, a message that each
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and every one of us needs to
reflect on. And I know that that
00:07:21.70\00:07:24.91
message of that song, choosing
to believe, to believe in Christ
00:07:24.94\00:07:28.54
is basically what Chris and
Erin White, you guys' live your
00:07:28.58\00:07:33.18
life sharing the gospel, being
missionaries for Christ abroad
00:07:33.21\00:07:37.32
in many different countries and
we're just grateful to have you
00:07:37.35\00:07:41.19
here today and thank you so much
for joining us to be able to
00:07:41.22\00:07:43.86
share with us your missionary
journeys that the Lord has taken
00:07:43.89\00:07:46.49
you on. Before we get into that
though I would like to have a
00:07:46.53\00:07:49.10
prayer if that's okay and just
allow the Holy Spirit to lead
00:07:49.13\00:07:52.03
and guide our conversation.
Let us pray together.
00:07:52.07\00:07:54.04
Our Father in heaven, Lord, we
just thank you so much for this
00:07:54.07\00:07:57.64
opportunity that we have to be
able to sit at this table today
00:07:57.67\00:08:01.01
right here on the Three Angels
Broadcasting Network and to be
00:08:01.04\00:08:04.15
able to project the gospel, the
good news, testimonies of your
00:08:04.18\00:08:08.75
goodness, testimonies of your
powerful work all around the
00:08:08.78\00:08:12.29
world. So right now I pray Lord
that you will lead and guide our
00:08:12.32\00:08:15.19
conversation, that you take over
this hour, this moment together,
00:08:15.22\00:08:18.83
and that whatever message is
shared may it be to your glory
00:08:18.86\00:08:21.76
and your honor. We thank you for
bringing Chris and Erin here to
00:08:21.80\00:08:25.00
us and we ask that you pour out
your Spirit upon all of us as we
00:08:25.03\00:08:28.67
give this hour to you and we ask
this is Jesus' holy name, Amen.
00:08:28.70\00:08:32.04
Amen, amen. Chris and Erin White
It's a blessing to have you guys
00:08:32.07\00:08:36.61
here. Tell us a little bit about
yourselves. I think you were
00:08:36.64\00:08:40.12
here maybe three or four years
ago. It's been a little while
00:08:40.15\00:08:43.32
since you've been here with us.
And so we have new viewers all
00:08:43.35\00:08:47.16
the time and they would probably
like to know who Chris and Erin
00:08:47.19\00:08:49.32
are. So tell us a little bit
about yourself, your background,
00:08:49.36\00:08:52.13
and where you're from and how
you came to be what you are now.
00:08:52.16\00:08:55.96
So go ahead.
00:08:56.00\00:08:57.33
Okay, I'm Chris White. I was
raised Adventist. My father was
00:08:57.37\00:09:03.94
called to be a camp ranger/
manager at one of our church
00:09:03.97\00:09:07.68
camps and so I grew up in that
kind of a setting. I was the
00:09:07.71\00:09:13.01
little camp brat running around
camp. Grew up learning all the
00:09:13.05\00:09:17.99
ins and outs of a church camp.
And as I got older, went away to
00:09:18.02\00:09:23.43
school came back, and ended up
being the assistant manager for
00:09:23.46\00:09:27.50
_youth camp for a number
of years. And so worked in the
00:09:27.53\00:09:32.03
ministry, local ministry working
with youth and with families,
00:09:32.07\00:09:36.17
different church school groups,
all that kind of stuff. It's
00:09:36.20\00:09:40.68
kind of my background, so I've
been involved with ministry for
00:09:40.71\00:09:44.35
most of my life.
00:09:44.38\00:09:45.71
Amen, amen. And Erin, I have
to say I've met you a couple of
00:09:45.75\00:09:49.42
times in the past and every time
I saw your face I'd feel like I
00:09:49.45\00:09:54.16
had seen that face before and
that's because you are Will and
00:09:54.19\00:09:57.63
April Worf's daughter. And I
just want to just say thank you
00:09:57.66\00:10:01.46
for being here and tell us a
little bit about your background
00:10:01.50\00:10:03.57
because you're parents work
here, I know, I see them often
00:10:03.60\00:10:06.94
but I don't see you as much
because obviously you guys have
00:10:06.97\00:10:10.81
been missionaries but tell us a
little bit about your background
00:10:10.84\00:10:13.48
and where you come from and
where you were raised and all
00:10:13.51\00:10:14.84
that.
00:10:14.88\00:10:16.21
(Erin White) Yes well my parents
are originally from Washington
00:10:16.24\00:10:18.71
State but we moved to Kentucky
when I was a very little girl.
00:10:18.75\00:10:21.48
So I claim Western Kentucky as
my childhood home and grew up in
00:10:21.52\00:10:26.42
a little coal mining town in the
middle of Western Kentucky which
00:10:26.45\00:10:30.83
is like living in another
country in and of itself in a
00:10:30.86\00:10:33.86
lot of ways. But I grew up in an
Adventist home and learned about
00:10:33.90\00:10:39.20
Jesus and heard mission stories.
Grew up in family that was very
00:10:39.23\00:10:43.54
actively involved in the
community trying to help any way
00:10:43.57\00:10:45.77
that they could. So by the time
Chris and I met and got together
00:10:45.81\00:10:52.51
mission work was just kind
of built-in and yeah, so. We got
00:10:52.55\00:10:58.95
married and then I guess we'd
been married for a couple of
00:10:58.99\00:11:02.32
years before we ended up moving
out to camp (Uh-huh) and then
00:11:02.36\00:11:05.13
we were both involved with camp
life. It was kind of our work.
00:11:05.16\00:11:10.07
Wow, that's amazing, amazing.
So you guys now...we're going to
00:11:10.10\00:11:12.63
talk a little bit about this
more as we get deeper into our
00:11:12.67\00:11:15.17
interview today our conversation
But you are now with Adventist
00:11:15.20\00:11:19.57
Frontier Missions and so
Chris what is it that you do for
00:11:19.61\00:11:23.14
Adventist Frontier Missions?
00:11:23.18\00:11:24.95
I'm currently a field director
with Adventist Frontier Missions
00:11:24.98\00:11:28.58
which means I supervise workers
in different areas around the
00:11:28.62\00:11:33.49
world, supervise, mentor, coach,
serve them. I help them in
00:11:33.52\00:11:41.00
whatever they need to
succeed where they're at.
00:11:41.03\00:11:44.33
Right, right. Wow, that's
awesome and Erin what is it that
00:11:44.37\00:11:47.70
you do for
Adventist Frontier Missions?
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.14
I'm the director of development
and I just feel like my job is
00:11:50.17\00:11:55.64
probably the best job that you
could have. I love it. I have
00:11:55.68\00:11:59.85
the opportunity of being able to
connect with people who want to
00:11:59.88\00:12:03.92
support, who want to get
involved in missions but who
00:12:03.95\00:12:07.82
cannot necessarily go themselves
and so I have the privilege of
00:12:07.86\00:12:11.23
being able to share with them
all of the opportunities that
00:12:11.26\00:12:13.63
they have to provide financial
backing for all of the different
00:12:13.66\00:12:17.03
projects that are going on
around the world. And it's just
00:12:17.07\00:12:20.20
such a blessing. There are so
many hearts that long to be able
00:12:20.24\00:12:24.77
to be involved in some way. And
a lot of times people feel like
00:12:24.81\00:12:28.08
they cannot because they can't
physically go. But to be able to
00:12:28.11\00:12:32.28
say, no, you can be part of this
work in so many different ways.
00:12:32.31\00:12:35.65
It's just such a
blessing and a privilege.
00:12:35.68\00:12:37.95
That's awesome, that's awesome.
So we're going to talk a little
00:12:37.99\00:12:40.06
bit more about Adventist
Frontier Missions in a few
00:12:40.09\00:12:43.22
minutes but I just, sitting
here talking to you guys, having
00:12:43.26\00:12:47.96
spent time with you behind the
scenes you guys are missionaries
00:12:48.00\00:12:51.60
in the truest sense. And you
know often times people have a
00:12:51.63\00:12:55.64
different idea of what a
missionary is and so I just have
00:12:55.67\00:12:59.57
to ask you guys from
your own perspective you could
00:12:59.61\00:13:01.91
just share with
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.28
us you know what is a missionary
What does it mean to be a
00:13:03.31\00:13:06.05
missionary? Just give us kind
of an idea from your personal
00:13:06.08\00:13:10.05
perspective, having been in
the field and experienced it
00:13:10.09\00:13:13.12
and lived it.
00:13:13.15\00:13:14.49
Yeah, you know, thinking about
being a missionary, there were
00:13:14.52\00:13:19.43
all these different ideas that
came to my mind and I was like
00:13:19.46\00:13:23.83
what does it mean, I asked that
same question myself. And one of
00:13:23.87\00:13:28.84
the first things was learning
that we had to count the costs.
00:13:28.87\00:13:32.87
By accepting the call to
be a missionary away from home
00:13:32.91\00:13:37.75
because you can be a missionary
in your home town in your
00:13:37.78\00:13:40.25
community. But accepting the
call to be a missionary overseas
00:13:40.28\00:13:43.82
when we realized that we were
saying goodbye to family, when
00:13:43.85\00:13:48.86
we realized we were saying
goodbye to friends, we were
00:13:48.89\00:13:52.33
saying goodbye to a culture
that we grew up in, food that we
00:13:52.36\00:13:56.97
understood, we knew what was
in the ingredients, all of that
00:13:57.00\00:13:59.57
kind of stuff. These are kind of
the things that I did not think
00:13:59.60\00:14:03.07
about being a missionary was
letting go of life as we knew it
00:14:03.10\00:14:08.34
and so that's one aspect of it.
But to be a missionary is being
00:14:08.38\00:14:13.72
a hands and feet and being the
ambassadors for Christ to the
00:14:13.75\00:14:18.45
world around you wherever
you are placed. The calling of a
00:14:18.49\00:14:22.72
missionary is to be willing to
be that mouth piece and to help
00:14:22.76\00:14:28.43
those that need help, to seek
the lost, to comfort those that
00:14:28.46\00:14:34.04
are hurting. And my eyes
have been opened that we do that
00:14:34.07\00:14:40.18
absolutely
anywhere that we are at.
00:14:40.21\00:14:42.34
Sure, wow. Erin you want to
add anything to that from your
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.81
personal experience?
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.52
Yeah. For the longest time I had
this view of missionary, when I
00:14:47.55\00:14:52.79
heard the word missionary I
automatically thought mud huts
00:14:52.82\00:14:55.86
in Africa. You know, strange
food, different languages and
00:14:55.89\00:14:59.09
everything. But like Chris was
saying the more I thought about
00:14:59.13\00:15:01.56
it the more I've realized when
the Bible says we are the body
00:15:01.60\00:15:04.50
of Christ, the hands and feet
are a part of the body but if
00:15:04.53\00:15:09.00
they were disconnected from the
rest of the body they would have
00:15:09.04\00:15:11.51
no function whatsoever. So to be
a missionary is to be an active
00:15:11.54\00:15:16.04
member of the body of Christ.
We all play a part in reaching
00:15:16.08\00:15:19.61
the lost with the gospel.
And so whether it's the physical
00:15:19.65\00:15:24.19
presence of being overseas or
whether it's all of those that
00:15:24.22\00:15:26.96
are making that physical
presence possible each one of
00:15:26.99\00:15:30.03
us is a missionary.
00:15:30.06\00:15:32.96
Wow, that's amazing, wow, praise
the Lord. I remember...you know
00:15:32.99\00:15:35.96
I've only been here now in
the Thompsonville area here with
00:15:36.00\00:15:38.73
3ABN for about four years but I
remember from the beginning just
00:15:38.77\00:15:43.14
being here from Sabbath
after Sabbath here at the
00:15:43.17\00:15:45.91
Thompsonville Seventy-day
Adventist Church and hearing
00:15:45.94\00:15:47.28
them often talk about our
missionaries, our missionaries
00:15:47.31\00:15:50.11
you know, pray for our
missionaries and I'm thinking
00:15:50.15\00:15:52.51
who are these missionaries?
And sometimes they would use
00:15:52.55\00:15:55.48
different names for reasons,
particular reasons, you guys
00:15:55.52\00:16:00.42
might share that, we'll share
that in just a few minutes as to
00:16:00.46\00:16:03.63
why sometimes you have to use
different names you know, but I
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.19
just remember ever so many
months, you know, pray for our
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.00
missionaries who are here, who
are there and they'd say some
00:16:09.03\00:16:12.20
names. I'm like man we got a lot
of missionaries in this church.
00:16:12.23\00:16:14.97
Come to find out it was you guys
God has sent you guys everywhere
00:16:15.00\00:16:19.34
You've had an opportunity to be
in multiple countries. God has
00:16:19.37\00:16:22.54
taken you in many different
areas. Maybe if you could just
00:16:22.58\00:16:25.48
share with us because I know
from my perspective, you know
00:16:25.51\00:16:30.29
I'm interested to know like
where you've been and what it's
00:16:30.32\00:16:32.72
like because I've never broken
away from this western American
00:16:32.75\00:16:37.59
culture to go somewhere else,
maybe in a third-world country
00:16:37.63\00:16:40.13
and live there and actually you
know uprooted my life from here
00:16:40.16\00:16:44.43
and been there. You guys have
and I find that interesting and
00:16:44.47\00:16:47.17
just have to know where are some
of the places that God has led
00:16:47.20\00:16:49.94
you guys and maybe just talk
about some of the experiences
00:16:49.97\00:16:52.84
and some of the things that you
have seen and experienced while
00:16:52.87\00:16:55.81
you have been in these different
countries that the Lord has led
00:16:55.84\00:16:58.71
you to.
00:16:58.75\00:17:00.08
Yeah my first experience of
overseas missions was in Romania
00:17:00.12\00:17:03.32
and it was actually when I was
in high school. And the academy
00:17:03.35\00:17:06.59
that I went to and decided
to start doing mission trips
00:17:06.62\00:17:10.09
instead of senior trips. (Oh
okay) And so we did an extended
00:17:10.13\00:17:14.23
trip to Romania and we were
solely focused on two orphanages
00:17:14.26\00:17:17.93
in two different villages in
Romania. It was just 10 years
00:17:17.97\00:17:21.04
after communism had fallen and
it was a very broken country.
00:17:21.07\00:17:26.44
And I just remember driving
down these little back roads and
00:17:26.47\00:17:30.95
looking over on the side of the
road and there was this man with
00:17:30.98\00:17:34.02
a horse cart. And it was raining
profusely. The horse cart had
00:17:34.05\00:17:37.72
gotten stuck on the side of the
road and I remember looking out
00:17:37.75\00:17:41.36
and I was just horrified because
he was just beating this horse
00:17:41.39\00:17:44.83
just brutally beating this horse
trying to get it out. And for me
00:17:44.86\00:17:48.66
who has always been tender
towards animals I just was
00:17:48.70\00:17:52.13
devastated by that. And so we
go into this village and there's
00:17:52.17\00:17:57.77
little, the old style outhouses
with just the hole in the ground
00:17:57.81\00:18:01.44
and a magazine full of paper.
And that was the source for the
00:18:01.48\00:18:07.88
restrooms and it was just a very
rustic, old experience. And then
00:18:07.92\00:18:13.36
in the village in the orphanage
that we were at was just young
00:18:13.39\00:18:17.93
people, lots and lots of these
kids and we lived with them. We
00:18:17.96\00:18:21.36
ate their food, we did life
with them. And I remember at one
00:18:21.40\00:18:24.97
point, two brothers, they were
probably five and six, they were
00:18:25.00\00:18:29.84
just so sweet, so adorable and
in my heart, my thought was if I
00:18:29.87\00:18:35.31
could just get them out of here
and take them home then they'd
00:18:35.34\00:18:38.71
be good, they'd be safe. So I
called my mom from Romania and
00:18:38.75\00:18:43.15
like please can you find a way
to adopt these two little boys
00:18:43.18\00:18:46.55
please, please, just save
these little boys, I was just
00:18:46.59\00:18:50.96
disparate to save them and
rescue them. Yeah, I guess my
00:18:50.99\00:18:58.50
heart was if I could just be
present with them long enough
00:18:58.53\00:19:01.77
and maybe would take care of the
situation and they'd be okay.
00:19:01.80\00:19:03.74
Mmm, wow. How about you Chris?
00:19:03.77\00:19:06.21
I had the opportunity to work
with ADRA and went down to New
00:19:06.24\00:19:11.31
Zealand to work with troubled
youth. When I got there, you
00:19:11.35\00:19:17.09
think of New Zealand as
beautiful. And being behind the
00:19:17.12\00:19:20.69
scenes and seeing what is going
on that tourists don't get to
00:19:20.72\00:19:24.99
see and realizing that the
youth are really struggling and
00:19:25.03\00:19:31.57
they're taught to just fend for
themselves. Don't trust anyone.
00:19:31.60\00:19:34.60
And so we were given the
opportunity to build them up, to
00:19:34.64\00:19:38.64
teach them how to work together
as a team and there was an
00:19:38.67\00:19:43.45
experience where we were at a
camp and we were on a hike and
00:19:43.48\00:19:47.32
all of a sudden a kid just
disappeared, like he just took
00:19:47.35\00:19:49.58
off and ran. And he was going
through a lot of stuff and so we
00:19:49.62\00:19:54.92
spread out, we found him,
we brought him back and come to
00:19:54.96\00:19:57.89
find out that he was
really hurting at home and home
00:19:57.93\00:20:03.00
doesn't teach you to turn to
somebody to try to find help,
00:20:03.03\00:20:06.27
you just suppress it. And during
that week that this group was at
00:20:06.30\00:20:11.41
the camp he was getting what he
had never experienced before. He
00:20:11.44\00:20:17.58
was receiving love from people
that he didn't know and by the
00:20:17.61\00:20:21.32
end of the week, on that weekend
they had this big end-of-week
00:20:21.35\00:20:26.02
function and it was just
bringing everybody together and
00:20:26.05\00:20:30.53
this boy was right there in the
middle of it, just smiling and
00:20:30.56\00:20:33.90
happy and just so thankful to be
a part of something he had never
00:20:33.93\00:20:38.57
experienced. And that was one of
my first opportunities to work
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.94
with youth outside of our
society and just to really see
00:20:41.97\00:20:47.71
the needs outside
of our own sphere.
00:20:47.74\00:20:50.68
That's amazing. So Romania
and New Zealand. What are some
00:20:50.71\00:20:54.52
other places that God might
have led you in your journey?
00:20:54.55\00:20:58.89
I spent a little bit of time in
India and then an extended stay
00:20:58.92\00:21:03.73
in South Korea. (That's amazing)
Yeah. South Korea was probably
00:21:03.76\00:21:09.66
the most eye-opening experience
for me because I was there
00:21:09.70\00:21:13.03
longer and just realized right
away the limitations of being in
00:21:13.07\00:21:18.14
a country for just a short
period of time. I was teaching
00:21:18.17\00:21:21.11
English all day long and so
I never had an opportunity to
00:21:21.14\00:21:24.61
learn Korean even though I
was surrounded by it, I was like
00:21:24.65\00:21:27.62
insulated from it in this little
bubble of an English school.
00:21:27.65\00:21:31.52
And I just remember going
down...there was a little old
00:21:31.55\00:21:36.99
lady that had a second hand
clothing store and I went in
00:21:37.03\00:21:40.30
there one time and she loved me.
She couldn't understand a word I
00:21:40.33\00:21:44.50
said and I couldn't understand
a word she said but somehow we
00:21:44.53\00:21:48.60
communicated with each other and
I loved her. I mean it was just
00:21:48.64\00:21:52.47
an instant connection and so
I would go back to the shop and
00:21:52.51\00:21:55.44
just visit multiple times. And
one time I went and she had a
00:21:55.48\00:21:59.61
friend with her and she was
telling her something about me
00:21:59.65\00:22:02.78
and the whole time she's talking
she loving on me and just
00:22:02.82\00:22:05.72
rubbing my back No understanding
whatsoever lingually but just
00:22:05.75\00:22:12.46
being able to communicate with
our hearts. In Korea they have
00:22:12.49\00:22:16.20
these weird ice cream
flavors and my least favorite I
00:22:16.23\00:22:22.17
disliked it with a passion was
sweet beans in a popsicle form
00:22:22.20\00:22:26.84
so it was ice cream with chunks
of beans mixed into it. (wow)
00:22:26.88\00:22:32.58
Texture-wise, flavor-wise it
was absolutely horrendous in my
00:22:32.61\00:22:36.85
mouth. And I just remember when
I went into the shop this day
00:22:36.89\00:22:41.36
she's just loving and she's like
oh wait, wait, wait and she goes
00:22:41.39\00:22:45.16
into the back room and she comes
out and I see it coming. She
00:22:45.19\00:22:48.76
hands me this sweet bean
popsicle and she's just looking
00:22:48.80\00:22:51.40
at me just waiting for me
to open this thing up and I was
00:22:51.43\00:22:55.27
like I cannot do this but she's
sitting here looking at me and
00:22:55.30\00:22:58.87
her look and the connection that
we had developed gave me the
00:22:58.91\00:23:03.81
strength to choke down this
entire popsicle, smiling the
00:23:03.85\00:23:08.35
whole time saying thank you
while I'm gagging on the inside.
00:23:08.38\00:23:11.62
But just realizing that love for
another individual can motivate
00:23:11.65\00:23:16.56
you to do things that you
wouldn't typically enjoy doing
00:23:16.59\00:23:19.96
but you do it
for the sake of love.
00:23:20.00\00:23:22.20
Give you that strength to get
through that popsicle. Oh, man.
00:23:22.23\00:23:25.23
That's amazing.
00:23:25.27\00:23:26.80
We were given the opportunity to
go to Panama and Costa Rica on a
00:23:26.84\00:23:31.94
Maranatha trip and that was
an amazing blessing because you
00:23:31.97\00:23:38.41
know that was more closer
to home, just a little further
00:23:38.45\00:23:42.35
south. But during that
opportunity being able to reach
00:23:42.38\00:23:47.46
out to minister through the
medical side, through remodeling
00:23:47.49\00:23:51.76
all of these different things,
VBS and that kind of thing
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.83
Yeah because as missionaries you
know I think some people think
00:23:55.86\00:23:59.43
when they think of a missionary
they think oh these people are
00:23:59.47\00:24:02.17
just going into these countries
and they're just going from
00:24:02.20\00:24:05.21
village to village, from hut
to hut and they're just you know
00:24:05.24\00:24:07.64
preaching the gospel. Hey I've
got the Bible here and I want to
00:24:07.68\00:24:11.01
show you. But often times
missionary work is much more
00:24:11.05\00:24:13.18
than just primarily sharing
the word. You know you're doing
00:24:13.21\00:24:17.72
things for people as well.
(Yeah) Yeah, that's amazing.
00:24:17.75\00:24:21.26
(Right) So I have to ask a
question though because I've
00:24:21.29\00:24:24.46
heard this, haven't experienced
it per se, but I've heard that
00:24:24.49\00:24:27.30
there's a difference in sharing
the gospel here in America with
00:24:27.33\00:24:33.23
people in regards to the
response than it is overseas.
00:24:33.27\00:24:37.77
For instance, I have a friend, a
missionary, a friend of mine who
00:24:37.81\00:24:42.28
spent six years in India and
he would come back to the states
00:24:42.31\00:24:45.81
and visit every once in a while
and he would tell me, he'd say,
00:24:45.85\00:24:48.12
man, you have no clue. Like over
here in America, it can be very
00:24:48.15\00:24:51.02
challenging to get people
to awaken to the gospel and to
00:24:51.05\00:24:55.32
sense their need
00:24:55.36\00:24:56.69
of Christ. But he would say
these people in India are like
00:24:56.73\00:24:59.39
hungering and thirsting for this
stuff. So he was talking about
00:24:59.43\00:25:04.13
if there were evangelistic
campaigns and their meetings
00:25:04.17\00:25:05.50
how they would have thousands
and thousands of people who
00:25:05.53\00:25:08.74
just were thirsting for the love
that Jesus offered. So I'm just
00:25:08.77\00:25:14.14
curious, from your perspective
being in these different
00:25:14.18\00:25:16.91
countries and obviously having
been raised here in America, do
00:25:16.95\00:25:20.28
you also sense that difference
that maybe there's a greater, a
00:25:20.32\00:25:26.96
greater sense of need of Christ
and the gospel perhaps in these
00:25:26.99\00:25:31.43
other countries that you've
visited versus here in America
00:25:31.46\00:25:34.20
in your home town
in your home area?
00:25:34.23\00:25:36.50
Yeah I believe that we've
experienced that. You know every
00:25:36.53\00:25:41.17
area you've got those that are
yearning and then those that are
00:25:41.20\00:25:44.77
not. But honestly, those that
are yearning for that, the Holy
00:25:44.81\00:25:48.31
Spirit, they're looking for that
It's so more genuine than I've
00:25:48.34\00:25:53.85
experienced a lot here and
it may not be...but yet you find
00:25:53.88\00:25:59.12
these stories of thousands
coming to Christ in a day and
00:25:59.15\00:26:02.52
all that kind of stuff, but
you also might come into an area
00:26:02.56\00:26:04.63
where you're there and it's just
one. But that one person, their
00:26:04.66\00:26:09.46
focus is so much on receiving
all of this stuff but that one
00:26:09.50\00:26:15.30
person is going to be the one
to instigate that same spread in
00:26:15.34\00:26:19.51
their community.
00:26:19.54\00:26:21.24
That's amazing, praise the Lord.
00:26:21.28\00:26:22.61
And I don't think we understand
in a western context how much
00:26:22.64\00:26:24.75
Christianity has influenced how
we interact with each other. And
00:26:24.78\00:26:28.42
when you go into another
environment where Christianity
00:26:28.45\00:26:30.62
does not have that influence, to
have a Christian come and just
00:26:30.65\00:26:35.62
live is such a contrast to what
they see on a daily basis that
00:26:35.66\00:26:40.43
it's an automatic draw and they
want to understand, why are you
00:26:40.46\00:26:44.87
so kind even when things are not
working the way that you think
00:26:44.90\00:26:48.47
that they should. They see
the difference much more than we
00:26:48.50\00:26:52.31
would tend to see over here
because there's just that much
00:26:52.34\00:26:54.81
more of a contrast.
00:26:54.84\00:26:57.01
Wow, wow. Praise the Lord.
(Yeah) So God has led you guys
00:26:57.05\00:27:00.02
in so many different ways,
to different countries and just
00:27:00.05\00:27:03.49
hearing some of your stories
it's powerful. But I want to get
00:27:03.52\00:27:05.72
into this powerful story that we
were chatting about and I know
00:27:05.75\00:27:09.92
you're going to go in more
detail about, and that is how
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.43
God led you guys to go to north
Africa. And I think this is
00:27:12.46\00:27:16.63
where your connection with
Adventist Frontier Missions
00:27:16.67\00:27:19.33
comes in. So, talk a little bit
about how this whole northern
00:27:19.37\00:27:23.07
Africa thing came in to be and
tell us a little bit about your
00:27:23.10\00:27:25.67
experiences and
your stories there.
00:27:25.71\00:27:27.04
Yeah, yeah. So we had
heard about Adventist Frontier
00:27:27.08\00:27:32.65
Missions and we had
started supporting one of their
00:27:32.68\00:27:35.78
their missionaries and so we
started getting the magazine. I
00:27:35.82\00:27:38.79
think we actually have a picture
of the award-winning magazine
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.99
that AFM puts out. So this comes
out every month and we started
00:27:42.02\00:27:47.56
receiving it and in
reading all of the stories and
00:27:47.60\00:27:49.50
everything, there was just such
a pull and a realization that
00:27:49.53\00:27:52.30
this work has to be done and
there's such a need and so we
00:27:52.33\00:27:57.61
talked and prayed and the end
result was we ended up asking,
00:27:57.64\00:28:03.78
applying with AFM and going
through quite a journey along
00:28:03.81\00:28:08.15
the way. But we ultimately ended
up accepting a call to north
00:28:08.18\00:28:12.15
Africa with AFM. Yeah.
00:28:12.19\00:28:14.72
So the call comes. Hey you guys
are going. We're going to send
00:28:14.76\00:28:17.79
north Africa so then now what's
your thought process? How do you
00:28:17.83\00:28:23.97
prepare yourself to go into
a situation like this, I mean
00:28:24.00\00:28:26.60
because you're going into a
completely different country and
00:28:26.63\00:28:29.40
you guys I think had originally
thought you were, it like you
00:28:29.44\00:28:32.24
thought you were only going to
be going there for a few months
00:28:32.27\00:28:33.98
maybe a year. You originally
thought you were going to be
00:28:34.01\00:28:36.75
there for eight to ten years!
Oh my goodness. So tell us a
00:28:36.78\00:28:41.15
little bit about that.
00:28:41.18\00:28:43.18
Yeah. So, with figuring out that
process you line all of this
00:28:43.22\00:28:49.62
stuff up, what do I need, what
do I need? We're fundraising and
00:28:49.66\00:28:52.99
all of this kind of stuff.
During that mental evaluation
00:28:53.03\00:28:57.43
like I said earlier, kind of
counting the cost before you go.
00:28:57.47\00:29:03.00
Um, there was a lot of that.
And then launching. You know, we
00:29:03.04\00:29:13.72
were excited but we didn't
know what truly we were getting
00:29:13.75\00:29:18.42
into. And landing in a country
that you land and nothing looks
00:29:18.45\00:29:25.16
familiar. You start hearing
people speaking and nothing
00:29:25.19\00:29:28.50
sounds familiar and just
wondering okay what do I do?
00:29:28.53\00:29:33.87
Where do I go? What do I say?
How do I say it? It was just all
00:29:33.90\00:29:39.07
of a sudden just reality
was so overwhelming. Yeah.
00:29:39.11\00:29:44.28
And how do you process the fact
that you originally had thought
00:29:44.31\00:29:47.18
it was going to be eight to ten
years. And I know you guys are
00:29:47.22\00:29:50.95
missionaries but this would have
been from your perspective the
00:29:50.99\00:29:53.42
longest time you would have ever
How do you process this, I mean
00:29:53.46\00:29:56.76
how do you prepare for that
because I could imagine. You
00:29:56.79\00:29:59.09
know obviously, we know that the
Lord leads to do things that we
00:29:59.13\00:30:02.43
never would imagine that
we would do. I know Paul spent
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.53
three years in Ephesus as a
missionary of course and he was
00:30:04.57\00:30:07.80
all over the place in other
countries as well. But in this
00:30:07.84\00:30:10.07
you know you guys had thought
you were going to be for eight
00:30:10.11\00:30:12.67
to ten years. What feelings?
I'm sure there's some emotional
00:30:12.71\00:30:16.38
You're not going to see your
family for a long time, you know
00:30:16.41\00:30:19.01
at least for a few years.
How do you process that, Erin?
00:30:19.05\00:30:23.02
I think there was so much going
on honestly that it was really
00:30:23.05\00:30:27.72
hard to process it. Reality
really sunk in when we saw the
00:30:27.76\00:30:32.66
last of our belongings disappear
You know we sold off our car,
00:30:32.69\00:30:36.33
we sold off our belongings, we
didn't have furniture. Like all
00:30:36.36\00:30:39.50
of these things suddenly we were
we kind of joked that we were
00:30:39.53\00:30:42.97
semi-homeless, because we were
not living in our home anymore
00:30:43.00\00:30:47.41
All of these different things.
We cried a lot. We spent as much
00:30:47.44\00:30:54.72
time with our families as
we could and just did a lot of
00:30:54.75\00:30:59.05
praying. But there was such an
excitement because we had gone
00:30:59.09\00:31:02.19
through this three month
intensive training to prepare us
00:31:02.22\00:31:05.59
to go and we're just excited
about where we are going.
00:31:05.63\00:31:09.53
And I think that really put into
perspective the length of time.
00:31:09.56\00:31:13.94
Our focus was much more on this
is so exciting. We're going to
00:31:13.97\00:31:18.57
this country and we're going to
do great things. So I think in
00:31:18.61\00:31:22.61
some ways that kind of overrode
the reality of how long it was
00:31:22.64\00:31:29.85
going to be.
00:31:29.88\00:31:31.22
Sure absolutely. And for our
viewers at home you guys might
00:31:31.25\00:31:35.02
can explain this better than
I do but we can't obviously say
00:31:35.06\00:31:37.63
the specific location that
you guys were in to protect
00:31:37.66\00:31:40.46
yourselves as well as others
that they were working with them
00:31:40.50\00:31:43.43
when they were there. But talk
a little bit about that because
00:31:43.47\00:31:46.50
some people may not understand
that. Like, why can't you tell
00:31:46.53\00:31:49.14
us and why do you have to use
oftentimes in the past as you
00:31:49.17\00:31:52.27
did different names and whatnot
because that's interesting. So,
00:31:52.31\00:31:55.61
explain a little bit about that.
Why can't...you know in this
00:31:55.64\00:31:57.75
case you were not able to say
the specific location. Help us
00:31:57.78\00:32:01.22
to get into the mind there of
a missionary as to why you know
00:32:01.25\00:32:05.09
they have to be protective of
where they're at, their identity
00:32:05.12\00:32:08.39
and things like that.
00:32:08.42\00:32:09.76
Sure. So we have what's
considered creative access and
00:32:09.79\00:32:16.77
the environment that most of the
unreached people groups in the
00:32:16.80\00:32:19.20
world live in are the hardest
to reach areas. I think we have
00:32:19.23\00:32:22.97
the picture of
that 10/40 window idea.
00:32:23.00\00:32:25.24
Yeah. Let's that up, the map of
the 10/40 window, the U.S. or is
00:32:25.27\00:32:31.21
it a global map.
00:32:31.25\00:32:32.78
That's the global map and
basically, it just shows where
00:32:32.81\00:32:34.95
all of these unreached people
groups tend to stay, to live, to
00:32:34.98\00:32:38.65
reside. And there are areas that
have Hinduism and Buddhism, and
00:32:38.69\00:32:44.43
Islam and Animism and tribal
religions. All of these are
00:32:44.46\00:32:49.86
extremely difficult to connect
with the gospel. The enemy has
00:32:49.90\00:32:53.30
worked really hard to keep
them from being receptive to the
00:32:53.34\00:32:58.07
truth. Islam for example, they
believe the Bible was corrupted.
00:32:58.11\00:33:01.44
And so anything you shared
of the word of God, they already
00:33:01.48\00:33:05.28
have a significant wall
up against that. So there are
00:33:05.31\00:33:13.39
certain countries where it's
illegal to proselytize and so to
00:33:13.42\00:33:17.43
be able to go into those
countries you're going in as
00:33:17.46\00:33:20.46
somebody who's interested
in learning their culture and
00:33:20.50\00:33:23.06
learning their language and
wanting to connect with them.
00:33:23.10\00:33:24.90
You don't go in and say, I want
to tell you about Jesus. That's
00:33:24.93\00:33:29.04
not a great way to develop a
relationship right off the bat.
00:33:29.07\00:33:31.87
And so in order to provide
a layer of protection for the
00:33:31.91\00:33:37.41
workers but primarily
for anybody that they come in
00:33:37.45\00:33:39.68
contact with in the area that
they go into we try and keep a
00:33:39.71\00:33:48.02
penname in place that protects
so that if anybody happens to go
00:33:48.06\00:33:50.99
a web search online they're
not going to see this missionary
00:33:51.03\00:33:55.30
with their legal name pulling up
as a missionary going to north
00:33:55.33\00:33:59.50
Africa.
00:33:59.53\00:34:00.87
Mmm, yeah. So it's to protect
you, it's to protect those
00:34:00.90\00:34:02.24
around you, that's working with
you in this mission to try to
00:34:02.27\00:34:05.44
reach people for the gospel. So
you have to use special tactics
00:34:05.47\00:34:08.71
and methods to be safe. And I
completely understand. So if you
00:34:08.74\00:34:11.85
hear us say north Africa
obviously, we're not able to say
00:34:11.88\00:34:15.88
the specific area. But talk a
little bit more about this north
00:34:15.92\00:34:19.92
African experience. Because you
guys were there for how long?
00:34:19.95\00:34:21.49
Just under two years.
00:34:21.52\00:34:23.39
Under two years. So let's
talk about your experiences when
00:34:23.43\00:34:25.76
you were there and then we'll
get into why you're no longer
00:34:25.79\00:34:28.93
there. Yeah let's
talk about that, yeah.
00:34:28.96\00:34:31.63
Okay, yeah, you know one of the
first experiences that we had
00:34:31.67\00:34:35.87
was...you're in an area that you
don't know and we didn't know
00:34:35.90\00:34:41.01
how to hail a taxi, ride
the bus anything like that and I
00:34:41.04\00:34:45.81
remember one day there was a
store, like oh well, GPS says by
00:34:45.85\00:34:49.15
car is 10 minutes. How do we get
there. We're like we don't know
00:34:49.18\00:34:54.29
we can't speak their language
let's walk and so you walk 45
00:34:54.32\00:34:58.63
minutes one way and then you get
a little buggy or something, a
00:34:58.66\00:35:02.60
little bag with wheels and
you load all your stuff and then
00:35:02.63\00:35:06.87
walk 45 minutes back across the
city dragging all of your food
00:35:06.90\00:35:11.57
and everything that you just
picked up from the store all
00:35:11.61\00:35:17.05
because you can't read, you
can't speak. That was one of our
00:35:17.08\00:35:22.78
first experiences. And just like
oh man we need to figure this
00:35:22.82\00:35:27.19
out.
00:35:27.22\00:35:28.56
So you learn the language right?
00:35:28.59\00:35:31.99
Absolutely. I think that's
one of the things that I had
00:35:32.03\00:35:34.50
to adjust to in my
00:35:34.53\00:35:35.86
own mind, because like I said
I had had this kind of idea of
00:35:35.90\00:35:39.13
what a missionary looked like
and also what it was supposed to
00:35:39.17\00:35:43.81
be like once you get into
the field. And so everything is
00:35:43.84\00:35:46.57
clean and everything is great
and everything goes perfect and
00:35:46.61\00:35:50.61
reality is it's filthy. Nothing
is the way that you think it
00:35:50.65\00:35:55.48
should be. Nothing is easy. Just
living every day, basic daily
00:35:55.52\00:36:00.72
necessities sort of thing,
everything gets more complicated
00:36:00.76\00:36:04.09
And it's not necessarily because
you don't have a washing machine
00:36:04.13\00:36:08.86
for example. It's because
there's all of these other
00:36:08.90\00:36:11.83
pieces that play into life in
another culture. And you know we
00:36:11.87\00:36:17.64
walk around the city and we
don't understand the language
00:36:17.67\00:36:20.28
when we first get there and
so how do you communicate to
00:36:20.31\00:36:22.94
somebody, I just want a head of
lettuce. (Oh wow). It can take
00:36:22.98\00:36:27.38
10 minutes to figure out from
the process of picking up the
00:36:27.42\00:36:31.22
head of lettuce to figuring out
how much it costs because he's
00:36:31.25\00:36:34.89
saying something and I
don't understand it and so we're
00:36:34.92\00:36:37.26
having to look at every piece of
money in our hand and you know
00:36:37.29\00:36:40.60
just all of these different
things. Nothing goes the way
00:36:40.63\00:36:45.03
that you think it should go.
00:36:45.07\00:36:47.54
Right I can imagine (yeah) yeah.
00:36:47.57\00:36:51.34
So we realized that at a very,
very early stage we need to
00:36:51.37\00:36:54.38
learn the language. And so
we got involved with a language
00:36:54.41\00:36:59.68
school, with a language tutor,
this kind of thing. And that
00:36:59.71\00:37:02.45
was one of the
00:37:02.48\00:37:03.82
best experiences because
connecting with a language tutor
00:37:03.85\00:37:07.72
we weren't just connecting
with her but over time as we're
00:37:07.76\00:37:12.96
sharing and she's sharing
and we're understanding and
00:37:12.99\00:37:16.03
everything we actually started
to build a relationship with her
00:37:16.06\00:37:19.27
and her family. That's
what Christ did. Christ went and
00:37:19.30\00:37:25.97
everywhere He went He built
relationships. And to be able to
00:37:26.01\00:37:30.41
build relationships learning the
language was probably yeah one
00:37:30.45\00:37:35.75
of the most key ways of
being able to build those
00:37:35.78\00:37:39.65
relationships. So, I have
an experience with our language
00:37:39.69\00:37:44.93
tutor's son. Even though his
mom was our tutor, we would get
00:37:44.96\00:37:50.97
together and in his broken
English he would say Oh it's
00:37:51.00\00:37:54.54
okay, I will train you, I will
teach you, I will teach you the
00:37:54.57\00:37:58.81
language. And we gave him a ride
on our scooter and just all of a
00:37:58.84\00:38:03.91
sudden like he just became like
my little brother and just being
00:38:03.95\00:38:09.02
really accepted all because we
put ourselves out there to learn
00:38:09.05\00:38:14.32
about them. (Right) Yeah.
00:38:14.36\00:38:18.06
That's amazing. Creating
relationships, Christ's method
00:38:18.09\00:38:20.73
alone, right? Jesus didn't show
up just blasting people with the
00:38:20.76\00:38:23.87
word or blasting people with
scripture. I mean, He mingled
00:38:23.90\00:38:27.34
with them, He met their needs,
He ministered to them, He became
00:38:27.37\00:38:31.77
friends to them, right?
And that's essentially what
00:38:31.81\00:38:33.38
missionary work is all about.
You got to learn these people
00:38:33.41\00:38:36.64
you got to create relationships
with them before you begin to
00:38:36.68\00:38:39.78
share the gospel. So...
00:38:39.81\00:38:41.95
Yeah absolutely and
again I think developing
00:38:41.98\00:38:46.49
relationships we read
00:38:46.52\00:38:48.22
that quote and it sounds so
beautiful but it's not. It's
00:38:48.26\00:38:54.03
ugly, it's dirty. You know, you
walk down the street and we're
00:38:54.06\00:38:58.70
surrounded by needs. Every
corner has little kids coming up
00:38:58.73\00:39:02.10
to you and saying, just give me
a little bit of money I'm hungry
00:39:02.14\00:39:05.37
I'm hungry. And then there's
people that are severely maimed
00:39:05.41\00:39:09.84
who don't have an arm.
They've got open sores and just
00:39:09.88\00:39:14.02
constantly surrounded by needs
that were just so overwhelming
00:39:14.05\00:39:18.82
for us and I remember early on
we really just...we had to pray
00:39:18.85\00:39:22.12
before we would just walk out
our door. Because the minute we
00:39:22.16\00:39:24.76
walked out the door everything
that we saw was needs, needs,
00:39:24.79\00:39:29.16
needs and we were disparate like
God how do we do this because
00:39:29.20\00:39:33.67
in our minds somehow we're
supposed to be able to meet
00:39:33.70\00:39:36.40
every single one of these needs.
But just recognizing that there
00:39:36.44\00:39:41.44
is no way that we could do that.
And that was the Lord's way of
00:39:41.48\00:39:46.75
teaching us that this is your
work. This is My work. And I'll
00:39:46.78\00:39:53.25
lead you into the way that I
want you to help. And so with
00:39:53.29\00:39:57.96
our tutor she shared with us as
we got to know her...My language
00:39:57.99\00:40:03.00
skills improved to the
point that we were able to have
00:40:03.03\00:40:05.37
dialogue and interaction and
she shared her story of this man
00:40:05.40\00:40:10.21
that she was in a traditional
marriage where her parents had
00:40:10.24\00:40:13.78
agreed for this man to marry
their daughter. They didn't know
00:40:13.81\00:40:17.61
him. He ended up being severely
abusive and the last time he put
00:40:17.65\00:40:21.55
her in the hospital she almost
died. And by this point she had
00:40:21.58\00:40:25.95
three children and the oldest of
them has been pretty traumatized
00:40:25.99\00:40:29.66
by that experience because she
was eight when everything was
00:40:29.69\00:40:32.73
said and done. But through this
process her parents who were
00:40:32.76\00:40:39.67
not...even though they were
Muslim they had deviated away
00:40:39.70\00:40:44.44
from the traditional views in
some ways. Her dad came to the
00:40:44.47\00:40:48.81
hospital and begged her please,
I will do...I will take care of
00:40:48.84\00:40:52.95
you, I will do everything that
you need to do. Please leave
00:40:52.98\00:40:55.98
this man. And that is so
countercultural. But because her
00:40:56.02\00:41:00.82
father gave her the courage
to do that he brought her out of
00:41:00.86\00:41:05.13
that and rescued her from
this abusive marriage. And that
00:41:05.16\00:41:10.27
experience actually made
her so tender and so open to a
00:41:10.30\00:41:16.40
different way of looking at life
There were times when she would
00:41:16.44\00:41:20.01
come into our apartment and she
would just weep because she was
00:41:20.04\00:41:23.11
so stressed about raising these
three kids by herself. And she
00:41:23.14\00:41:25.85
would let me hold her and she
would just cry and cry and cry
00:41:25.88\00:41:30.29
And the first time she let
me pray in the name of Jesus for
00:41:30.32\00:41:33.46
her was just
powerful beyond words.
00:41:33.49\00:41:37.19
You know that's a
question I have because in those
00:41:37.23\00:41:39.33
moments you want to
00:41:39.36\00:41:40.70
pray for them. I'm sure you
asked permission: Can I pray for
00:41:40.73\00:41:44.17
you. So in this particular
region of north Africa what type
00:41:44.20\00:41:48.87
of religion...is there a
particular religion within the
00:41:48.90\00:41:52.37
culture. Is Christianity...I'm
guessing it's not as present in
00:41:52.41\00:41:57.31
this particular region you were
in. So how does that work now
00:41:57.35\00:42:00.38
I mean you're in an area
where there may be a different
00:42:00.42\00:42:04.02
religion other than Christianity
So you just kind of look for
00:42:04.05\00:42:07.32
windows of opportunities
to share so, talk a little bit
00:42:07.36\00:42:09.92
about that.
00:42:09.96\00:42:11.73
So we were in an area where,
yeah, you couldn't do this
00:42:11.76\00:42:17.13
without a relationship
(it's Islamic) Yeah it's Islamic
00:42:17.17\00:42:22.77
(Okay, all right) And so they
believe that Jesus was a prophet
00:42:22.80\00:42:25.34
but as Erin said earlier they
believe the Bible was corrupted.
00:42:25.37\00:42:29.81
They do not believe that he was
part God, like He, was God. And
00:42:29.84\00:42:34.88
so to be able to have that kind
of an experience with her and
00:42:34.92\00:42:40.42
her family that we had, that was
the Lord working well before we
00:42:40.46\00:42:46.39
ever got there. I mean He had
been working in such a way when
00:42:46.43\00:42:50.33
she told about her father. In
my mind though he's passed away
00:42:50.37\00:42:56.10
now, in my mind, there's no
doubt I believe I will see that
00:42:56.14\00:43:00.08
man in heaven, because the life
that he lived was a very, very
00:43:00.11\00:43:08.05
Christ centered life even though
he did not understand that. And
00:43:08.08\00:43:13.66
she reflected that. And she was
giving that to her children. And
00:43:13.69\00:43:17.63
so because of what the Holy
Spirit had already been doing
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.96
all of these years leading up
to us meeting her gave that open
00:43:21.00\00:43:27.27
opportunity when she was hurt,
she was broken, that Erin was
00:43:27.30\00:43:32.87
able to say hey please can I
pray for you and she said yes.
00:43:32.91\00:43:39.35
And I remember just
sitting there just watching this
00:43:39.38\00:43:43.22
experience and just thinking
Jesus Christ is being glorified
00:43:43.25\00:43:48.32
This woman is being lifted up
to the throne of heaven and when
00:43:48.36\00:43:55.00
it was all said and done she was
thankful. She didn't have any
00:43:55.03\00:43:59.17
reserve. There was nothing...
you're not supposed to say that
00:43:59.20\00:44:02.84
name, anything like that. It was
just full heart felt you care
00:44:02.87\00:44:08.31
for me, thank you very much.
00:44:08.34\00:44:12.38
Wow! Praise the Lord!
And within this culture,
00:44:12.41\00:44:14.62
this Islamic culture we
00:44:14.65\00:44:16.45
you know we were talking briefly
when we were preparing for this
00:44:16.48\00:44:20.96
interview and you were telling
me some stories about the
00:44:20.99\00:44:23.93
culture and in regards to
you know women are not able to
00:44:23.96\00:44:26.70
you know in certain Islamic
cultures they're not able to
00:44:26.73\00:44:30.20
read or write or anything like
that. There's certain things
00:44:30.23\00:44:32.83
that the women are allowed to do
that the men are allowed to do
00:44:32.87\00:44:35.30
and you were telling me a story,
maybe you can briefly mention
00:44:35.34\00:44:37.94
the story about the woman who
wanted to learn to read or write
00:44:37.97\00:44:41.44
or something in regards to...She
was reading the Bible and then
00:44:41.48\00:44:44.31
I don't know if it was her
husband or father or something
00:44:44.35\00:44:47.55
Tell us, tell us the
story, brother, powerful story.
00:44:47.58\00:44:49.32
Yeah, so this woman had started
working in one of our worker's
00:44:49.35\00:44:54.32
homes, cooking, cleaning, do
this kind of thing, getting the
00:44:54.36\00:44:57.69
opportunity to bring in a little
income. And so through this
00:44:57.73\00:45:01.76
she's learning about Jesus.
She's learning to read and she's
00:45:01.80\00:45:05.57
reading the Bible. And she took
this Bible home with her and she
00:45:05.60\00:45:10.34
was in the house and the houses
were up off of the ground and
00:45:10.37\00:45:14.04
her father was out working the
fields and he came in and heard
00:45:14.08\00:45:17.81
her reading. And so to get
out of the sun he lay down under
00:45:17.85\00:45:23.79
the slats of the floor and was
listening to her read God's word
00:45:23.82\00:45:28.12
And through this experience he
realized how he had hindered his
00:45:28.16\00:45:35.36
daughter and so he came to her
and actually apologized and saw
00:45:35.40\00:45:41.80
what was going on and was so
happy that she was learning to
00:45:41.84\00:45:46.04
read and he said he wanted to do
what he could to even help her
00:45:46.07\00:45:49.68
her to progress in learning how
to write. And in a culture where
00:45:49.71\00:45:54.52
women aren't supposed to learn
to read or write or anything
00:45:54.55\00:45:58.39
because that will give them a
voice for somebody to admit that
00:45:58.42\00:46:03.83
and to help her along the way.
He may not accept the truth yet
00:46:03.86\00:46:12.27
but you can see
the wheels turning.
00:46:12.30\00:46:15.50
Yeah, He knows
were to lead, right?
00:46:15.54\00:46:16.91
Exactly the Holy
Spirit is working.
00:46:16.94\00:46:19.34
That is powerful. You know
when you think of...and I know
00:46:19.37\00:46:21.94
and I just want to
00:46:21.98\00:46:23.31
say for the record not all
Islamic people are...you know
00:46:23.35\00:46:26.11
often times we think of Islam we
have this negative connotation
00:46:26.15\00:46:28.18
of it...all the people are the
same...you know because of some
00:46:28.22\00:46:31.95
of the you know terroristic
activities that we've heard tied
00:46:31.99\00:46:34.42
to that particular religion in
the past. But I just want to ask
00:46:34.46\00:46:37.59
this for the record. You know
you being in this particular
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.70
region and this culture of
Islamic...this Islamic culture
00:46:40.73\00:46:43.37
I'm sure were there
moments or I'm sure you observed
00:46:43.40\00:46:46.67
things where maybe you
00:46:46.70\00:46:49.20
probably saw some violence and
some of those...it tends to be
00:46:49.24\00:46:53.61
sometimes a violent culture from
some perspective especially from
00:46:53.64\00:46:57.85
the men's point of view you know
and on the women and children
00:46:57.88\00:47:01.38
and what not. So you guys
probably saw some of that stuff
00:47:01.42\00:47:05.29
(oh yeah, absolutely) Wow
that's amazing, that's amazing.
00:47:05.32\00:47:09.16
We had a neighbor in
our apartment that would get
00:47:09.19\00:47:13.29
extremely violent and it was
very scary for us because he was
00:47:13.33\00:47:16.06
literally right next door and
we would hear all kinds of noise
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.60
and we feared for those women's'
safety so many times. But we
00:47:19.63\00:47:23.87
would start praying and just
pray over it until everything
00:47:23.91\00:47:27.24
calmed down and then it would
happen again the next day and we
00:47:27.28\00:47:30.31
would pray over it until
everything stopped. The more we
00:47:30.35\00:47:32.81
prayed the longer the period of
time between each of the violent
00:47:32.85\00:47:36.48
episodes got until we were going
months without it. So God hears
00:47:36.52\00:47:40.82
prayer on behalf of other people
00:47:40.86\00:47:42.19
Absolutely, absolutely, man!
I'm looking at our time. Time is
00:47:42.22\00:47:47.30
dwindling. I could literally
hear that talk for another two
00:47:47.33\00:47:49.10
hours. So you were there
for almost three years. But you
00:47:49.13\00:47:52.83
thought that you were going
to be there for longer but then
00:47:52.87\00:47:55.54
what happened? Something
changed because you're here with
00:47:55.57\00:47:57.61
us today. Living back in
America So what happened?
00:47:57.64\00:48:01.78
Yeah we'll give you the cliff
note version. We received a call
00:48:01.81\00:48:07.02
and that call was, we've
got some ideas, we need to talk.
00:48:07.05\00:48:12.65
and that call was from AFM
and they said that we have this
00:48:12.69\00:48:17.66
transition. We want you to think
about this. And we said well let
00:48:17.69\00:48:21.43
us pray and fast about this. And
we fasted and prayed for a month
00:48:21.46\00:48:24.83
and then had a meeting and
then decided that though we had
00:48:24.87\00:48:31.11
dedicated our lives to over
there, God made it so clear that
00:48:31.14\00:48:35.84
he was calling us to
transition Erin into director of
00:48:35.88\00:48:40.72
development and me
becoming a field director that
00:48:40.75\00:48:43.92
unfortunately, even though we
had to say goodbye there we knew
00:48:43.95\00:48:46.65
that God was leading us to these
positions. And you know in that
00:48:46.69\00:48:52.06
transition God worked a miracle.
As we were leaving the country
00:48:52.09\00:48:59.63
We had to go into the airport.
00:48:59.67\00:49:01.00
We were bringing our cats back
and I'll let Erin share about
00:49:01.80\00:49:04.97
getting into the
building. (Oh wow yeah)
00:49:05.01\00:49:07.78
Well basically what ended up
happening is one of our cats got
00:49:07.81\00:49:11.08
so scared that she attacked my
hand and she was biting down so
00:49:11.11\00:49:14.98
deep she bit into the
muscle. And I was bloody, it was
00:49:15.02\00:49:20.06
terrible but the Lord used that
experience right there at the
00:49:20.09\00:49:24.56
airport to get us into the
airport where we were having
00:49:24.59\00:49:29.20
trouble getting everybody
in to help us navigate all this
00:49:29.23\00:49:32.10
process. It was a huge day at
the airport. It was the last day
00:49:32.13\00:49:36.47
They were closing down the
country because of COVID and we
00:49:36.50\00:49:40.48
learned later ours was the
last flight out and because they
00:49:40.51\00:49:46.15
shuffled us into business
class instead of the normal area
00:49:46.18\00:49:47.78
because of my hand, they
expedited the whole process
00:49:47.82\00:49:50.92
because of my hand, we were
able to get through all of this
00:49:50.95\00:49:55.66
process. It took three hours
but we were able to get to our
00:49:55.69\00:49:59.06
gate in time to get on the plane
and all because of my hand.
00:49:59.09\00:50:01.20
So at that moment praise God
for that cat bite. (Absolutely)
00:50:01.23\00:50:05.60
Everything works out, right?
00:50:05.63\00:50:07.54
Yes, her hand swelled. We
could see the infection and just
00:50:07.57\00:50:12.31
before landing back in the
states we had prayed several
00:50:12.34\00:50:15.84
times. The swelling was gone,
infection was gone God literally
00:50:15.88\00:50:20.55
worked a miracle in
healing her hand in a flight.
00:50:20.58\00:50:23.49
Wow! That's amazing. Praise the
Lord. You guys have an amazing
00:50:23.52\00:50:28.36
story and I have a hunch that
this isn't going to be the last
00:50:28.39\00:50:30.79
time you are here. I can imagine
the Lord's going to bring you
00:50:30.83\00:50:34.50
back here at 3ABN to tell even
more of your story. But I have
00:50:34.53\00:50:37.63
to ask in the minute or so
we have left before we go to a
00:50:37.67\00:50:40.94
break, there may be someone
watching right now that says man
00:50:40.97\00:50:43.24
I'm inspired by these
missionaries and what they're
00:50:43.27\00:50:45.51
doing through Adventist Frontier
Missions. How can someone get
00:50:45.54\00:50:49.58
involved or you know contact you
guys as to maybe even support
00:50:49.61\00:50:53.42
Adventist Frontier Missions and
missionaries like yourselves?
00:50:53.45\00:50:57.35
Sure, yes. Well there's
three main things that we ask of
00:50:57.39\00:50:59.92
people, but first and foremost
is that you pray. Be purposeful
00:50:59.95\00:51:03.22
in praying for us because there
is so much going on. There are
00:51:03.26\00:51:07.10
so many different things.
We need prayer backup. And the
00:51:07.13\00:51:11.57
second thing is get involved
financially. Like I was saying
00:51:11.60\00:51:15.30
before; everyone has a part to
play in reaching the lost and so
00:51:15.34\00:51:18.37
you can reach out to AFM support
a project, support a missionary
00:51:18.41\00:51:22.08
support the structure that's
going on behind in the scenes.
00:51:22.11\00:51:25.61
And the third thing is we
are praying every day for more
00:51:25.65\00:51:31.02
workers and so if you feel the
Lord putting a burden on your
00:51:31.05\00:51:34.52
heart, please, reach out to us.
We have places for you to go.
00:51:34.56\00:51:38.29
Amen, amen. Well my friends
listen. You may have been
00:51:38.33\00:51:41.40
inspired by what you've
heard today. You want to support
00:51:41.43\00:51:43.67
Adventist Frontier Missions or
you want to get into missionary
00:51:43.70\00:51:47.90
work yourself, well
this is how you do it:
00:51:47.94\00:51:50.21
If you would like to contact
or know more about Adventist
00:51:50.24\00:51:54.68
Frontier Missions you can do so
in the following ways: You can
00:51:54.71\00:51:58.08
write to them at P.O. Box
286 Berrien Springs, MI 49103
00:51:58.11\00:52:05.59
You can call
them at (800) 937-4236
00:52:05.62\00:52:17.20
You can send them an
email at EWhite@AFMOnline.org
00:52:17.23\00:52:28.94
Or visit their
website AFMOnline.org
00:52:28.98\00:52:33.31