¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today.
I'm Jason Bradley. I'm so glad
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that you've decided to join us.
We have a wonderful power-packed
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hour in store for you and
this is going to be so exciting
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because there's a lot
that's taking place in the North
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America Division and you are
going to find out all about it.
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So make sure you stick with
us through this whole hour. You
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don't want to miss a second
of this. My guest is Derrick Lea
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He is the executive director
of the North American Division
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Adventist Community
Services. Welcome to 3ABN Today.
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Pleasure to be
here. Thank you so much.
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Yes you know we have so much to
talk about. You know as we were
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conversing prior to sitting down
here today I found out a lot
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about your background and all
of that stuff and I'm excited
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for our viewers and listeners
to find out all about that. And
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we're going to dive into that,
we're going to go into all the
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Adventist Community Service
stuff and what's taking place.
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But before we do Derrick, we're
going to be blessed in song
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and Gene McDonald will
be singing The Love of God.
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¤ ¤
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¤ The love of
God is greater far ¤
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¤ Than tongue or
pen could ever tell ¤
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¤ It goes beyond
the highest star ¤
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¤ and reaches to
the lowest hell ¤
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¤ The guilty pair
bowed down with care ¤
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¤ God gave his Son to win ¤
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¤ His erring
child he reconciled ¤
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¤ and pardoned from their sin ¤
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¤ Oh love of God
how rich and pure ¤
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¤ How measureless and strong ¤
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¤ It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels song ¤
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¤ ¤
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¤ Could we with
ink the oceans fill ¤
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¤ And were the
skies of parchment made ¤
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¤ Were every
stalk on earth a quill ¤
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¤ And every man
a scribe by trade ¤
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¤ To write the
love of God above ¤
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¤ would drain the ocean dry ¤
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¤ Nor could the
scroll contain the whole ¤
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¤ Though
stretched from sky to sky ¤
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¤ Oh love of God
how rich and pure ¤
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¤ how measureless and strong ¤
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¤ It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels song ¤
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¤ Oh love of God
how rich and pure ¤
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¤ How measureless and strong ¤
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¤ It shall forevermore endure
the saints and angels song ¤
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¤ The saints and angels song ¤
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Amen, amen. Thank you so
much for that wonderful song
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Brother Gene. You know it's
right on time talking about the
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love of God. We're going to see
God's love through his people.
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Derrick tell us a little bit
about your background. What were
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you doing before you got to
Adventist Community Services?
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Sure. Well I worked in the fire
service for many years, about 20
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years as a matter of fact in
a place called Prince George's
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County just outside of
Washington, D.C., north of
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Washington, D.C. I worked in a
very active department. I think
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my last year we ran right over
150,000 calls. So it was a very
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busy active time there in Prince
George's County and we enjoyed
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it. Did some good things.
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Yes. I know that
you've seen a lot. What was it
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like being a firefighter?
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Hectic, I guess I could say
putting it mildly. There were
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some days we would go in and we
would run over 40 calls, that's
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a 24-hour time frame. If
you can think about that; fires,
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emergency medical calls actually
medical was probably 75 percent
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of the calls that we ran. And so
it was a very active department
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A lot of things going on there
in Prince George's County and we
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got an opportunity to be
a part of that for 20 years.
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So that was a good time.
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And you climbed up pretty
high in the ranks. What was the
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highest rank that you had?
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Well when I left or retired I
was deputy chief over operations
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And if you can imagine a
department that busy. It was an
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extremely daunting time for me.
I know when I would go to bed at
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night, and my wife will probably
speak to this, I would go to bed
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with the walkie-talkie right
next to my head because things
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were always going on and I
wanted to make sure that we
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could hear what was going on in
the county so that if something
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happened we were abreast of that
So it was a very involved time
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for me during those 20 years.
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So what were some lessons that
you learned in your position
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maybe as it pertains to ACS?
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Sure. Well it's interesting
how God prepares you. Prince
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George's County is what
we call a combination system,
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combination meaning made up of
volunteers, probably 50 percent
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of the department there and
also what we call career people.
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People that are paid to do
the job. And we have to work
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together in that environment.
If you can imagine the
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individuals that are paid to
do the job, well then you got
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volunteers who are doing it
for the love of doing it. And so
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trying to figure out how those
two entities work together was
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part of the responsibility of
the leadership which I became a
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part of at a certain period of
time and working with volunteers
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was an integral part of that
particular job. I did not know
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that all of those years I
was being prepared for what
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ultimately I was going to be
asked to do that was work with
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Adventist Community Services.
We are made up primarily, 90
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percent of our participants
are volunteers. And so there's a
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certain skill set that you need
to have if you're going to be in
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a position of leadership over
those types of situations. And
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so certainly my time at Prince
George's County prepared me for
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what was to come and that was
working with Adventist Community
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Services, so...
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Now in your time with Princes
George's County did you have any
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encounters where your faith and
working as a firefighter, did
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they kind of clash for a
second or what took place?
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There were some challenges. The
fire department is a 24-hour day
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seven-day-a-week operation
and so there are some times when
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some of the things that the
fire department gets involved in
00:10:08.17\00:10:11.24
could be considered conflicting
with, for instance, the keeping
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of the Sabbath. Now I had no
problem helping people on the
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Sabbath and so when, for
instance, since my shift would
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fall on a Sabbath I did not have
a problem going to work tending
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to some of the needs of
individuals and the community.
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And I did that for many years.
But there were some things that
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I would not do in the fire
service and one of those was
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taking a test for promotion.
In order to be promoted in the
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fire service you have to take
a competitive test and that test
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happened to be given on the
Sabbath. I didn't know it during
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my preparation time to take the
test but when they came out with
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the notice that they were going
to have a test for the rank of
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sergeant there in the fire
service they sent it to me and
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it said Saturday at noon. And
I thought to myself wow you've
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been preparing for the last
couple of years, studying for
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this thing and now here it
is and it happens to be on the
00:11:18.84\00:11:21.84
Sabbath. And I did not, I'll
be honest with you, I wasn't
00:11:21.88\00:11:26.21
exactly sure how I was going
to respond to that. After some
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prayer, some discussion with my
wife and my family I came to the
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conclusion that come what may I
was not going to take that test
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on the Sabbath.
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And you had been preparing
for the test for the last couple
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years.
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Let me tell you. I had
been preparing month after month
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after month with the idea that
when that test came I wanted to
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be ready. And so, yes, I
had been preparing for that test
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When I saw that it was on a
Saturday, I wrote up a letter
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and sent it to the chief's
office. We used to call it the
00:12:02.68\00:12:06.05
palace. So I sent it to
the palace. And I sent them the
00:12:06.09\00:12:09.92
letter and basically explained
to them, I was a practicing
00:12:09.96\00:12:12.56
Seventh-day Adventist and
as such did not have a comfort
00:12:12.59\00:12:16.06
level taking a test for myself
for my own personal benefit. I
00:12:16.10\00:12:21.40
did not have a comfort level
with doing that on the Sabbath,
00:12:21.44\00:12:24.97
during the Sabbath hours. So I
sent that letter to the chief's
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office not knowing how they
would respond to that. As it
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turns out about a week,
week- and half later the chief
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actually showed up at my station
He wanted to know what was going
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on here in the fire service.
We have been charged with always
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trying to get away with certain
things and so I'm certain that
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in the chief's mind his thinking
was what is this firefighter
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trying to get away with? And so
he showed up at my station. And
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I remember we went into the
office there, just me and him,
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and he said what's going on here
And I said well to put it quite
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bluntly when you all are giving
the test creates a problem for
00:13:10.72\00:13:14.92
me. And I explained to him why
it created a problem. Because he
00:13:14.96\00:13:20.23
didn't really understand because
he said, well I looked at your
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schedule and he actually went
back and looked at my schedule
00:13:23.73\00:13:25.13
and when he saw that I had
worked on the Sabbath before
00:13:25.17\00:13:30.14
and I explained to him, yes but
I view that as direct help to
00:13:30.17\00:13:35.98
individuals and I said if you
checked into it a little further
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you would find most of the
Sabbath hours that I had been
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assigned I would generally get
off and do something called a
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swap and someone would generally
work for me. But there were
00:13:48.19\00:13:52.26
times when I did work on the
Sabbath. So he was correct on
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that front. And so I explained
to him that I view that
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different than the taking of
a test which was really just for
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my own personal benefit
and therefore I did not feel
00:14:03.34\00:14:07.91
comfortable doing that and would
not take the test on Sabbath.
00:14:07.94\00:14:12.81
So that created a wonderful
witnessing opportunity to the
00:14:12.85\00:14:17.05
chief. So what ended
up happening after that?
00:14:17.09\00:14:19.02
What ended up happening and I'll
be honest with you I don't know
00:14:19.05\00:14:22.86
that I did it to witness, to be
perfectly honest with you (okay)
00:14:22.89\00:14:26.06
From my standpoint, I was doing
it because I did not feel it was
00:14:26.09\00:14:31.57
appropriate for me to take a
test on the Sabbath. What ended
00:14:31.60\00:14:35.44
up happening, I got a letter in
the mail about a week-and-a-half
00:14:35.47\00:14:40.34
later and it laid out that the
department had decided that they
00:14:40.38\00:14:46.28
were going to change the date
of the test and the test was
00:14:46.31\00:14:48.85
going to be on a Sunday as it
turned out. They didn't explain
00:14:48.88\00:14:53.36
why. And within the department
we have this thing called the
00:14:53.39\00:14:55.92
grapevine. People just started
to talking. How could they
00:14:55.96\00:15:00.06
change the test. You know this
thing had been set, now they
00:15:00.10\00:15:02.10
changing it. They don't do that.
Well the word went out that the
00:15:02.13\00:15:06.50
test was being changed because
this firefighter Lea from down
00:15:06.53\00:15:10.41
at station 32 had requested that
they changed the test which was
00:15:10.44\00:15:14.98
not true. I had not requested
that they change the test. I
00:15:15.01\00:15:17.91
simply stated that I was
not going to be able to take the
00:15:17.95\00:15:20.95
test on that particular day. And
they ended up changing the test
00:15:20.98\00:15:26.45
and that was the first
opportunity I had to take a test
00:15:26.49\00:15:30.13
to promote within the Prince
George's County Fire Department.
00:15:30.16\00:15:33.96
See that's huge because you know
again as we were conversing off
00:15:34.00\00:15:37.87
set before you told me that
you were content with staying in
00:15:37.90\00:15:43.07
that same position as long as
you remained loyal to God. That
00:15:43.10\00:15:48.64
was your number one thing you
wanted to be, remain faithful to
00:15:48.68\00:15:51.38
God and you didn't feel
comfortable taking that test
00:15:51.41\00:15:53.52
That's powerful.
00:15:53.55\00:15:54.95
That's right. And I had come to
the conclusion that whatever the
00:15:54.98\00:15:59.15
decision was that the chief
was going to make, of Prince
00:15:59.19\00:16:01.52
George's County was going to
make I would be comfortable with
00:16:01.56\00:16:04.36
that. If they decided well
firefighter Lea this is when the
00:16:04.39\00:16:09.00
test is and we'll see you there
or you won't take the test, if
00:16:09.03\00:16:13.60
that was the response that they
had given me, yes I would have
00:16:13.64\00:16:17.31
been disappointed, I'll be
completely honest with you.
00:16:17.34\00:16:19.74
I would have been disappointed
but I would have been okay with
00:16:19.77\00:16:23.81
that response. So that's the way
I kind of looked at it. The fact
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.95
that they ended up changing the
test was not even something that
00:16:27.98\00:16:32.09
I asked, you know. And so I was
overjoyed when I heard what they
00:16:32.12\00:16:36.93
had decided to do. And from that
point, I'll be honest with you,
00:16:36.96\00:16:41.43
when I showed up to take the
test it was incumbent upon me to
00:16:41.46\00:16:43.80
pass that test because they had
made some real adjustments here.
00:16:43.83\00:16:47.04
And so I had a little bit of
pressure for me to perform after
00:16:47.07\00:16:51.74
making a change like that...
00:16:51.77\00:16:55.04
Yeah. The beautiful thing that
I see in that story is that you
00:16:55.08\00:16:58.65
know when you take a stand for
God he stands for you. I mean
00:16:58.68\00:17:02.32
you look at Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego. When they said you
00:17:02.35\00:17:05.59
know we have no need, they were
speaking to King Nebuchadnezzar
00:17:05.62\00:17:09.06
we have no need to answer you
on this matter. Whether or not
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.33
out God delivers us from your
hand, okay, you know, we're not
00:17:12.36\00:17:17.47
going to bow down and worship
your statue. We're going to
00:17:17.50\00:17:20.24
serve our God. And they were
in the fiery furnace; Jesus came
00:17:20.27\00:17:24.97
down and stood with them
in the midst of their trial.
00:17:25.01\00:17:27.48
No question and what's
interesting about that and
00:17:27.51\00:17:32.18
even you situation you bringing
they're obviously a different
00:17:32.21\00:17:35.15
level of standing up which they
did but I think I do understand
00:17:35.18\00:17:38.92
their confidence. When you make
a decision like that and you're
00:17:38.95\00:17:44.26
in connection with God, it
gives you a certain amount of
00:17:44.29\00:17:48.36
confidence. I'll be honest with
you. When the chief came in and
00:17:48.40\00:17:50.40
the chief had never spoken to me
before. He's the chief, I'm the
00:17:50.43\00:17:53.34
firefighter, (stutters) a young
firefighter at the time and had
00:17:53.37\00:17:58.54
never spoken to the chief before
but I was speaking to him with a
00:17:58.57\00:18:03.28
certain amount of confidence
which I think he saw, not
00:18:03.31\00:18:06.11
arrogance but a certain amount
of confidence that basically
00:18:06.15\00:18:10.75
said whatever you decide I'm
going to be okay. And I have a
00:18:10.79\00:18:15.59
feeling that's the same
confidence that the three Hebrew
00:18:15.62\00:18:20.30
boys had. You know the king has
a decision to make and they're
00:18:20.33\00:18:22.80
basically telling him you can
decide whatever you want to do.
00:18:22.83\00:18:27.74
And having that connection
with God gives you that type of
00:18:27.77\00:18:32.51
confidence that allows you
to go forward come what may and
00:18:32.54\00:18:38.88
that's the feeling that
I think I had (inaudible).
00:18:38.91\00:18:42.68
So Adventist Community
Services. What do they do?
00:18:42.72\00:18:48.46
That's an interesting question.
It varies. And what I mean by
00:18:48.49\00:18:53.90
that is what Adventist Community
Services is doing in New York
00:18:53.93\00:18:57.73
City is going to be a little
different than they're doing in
00:18:57.77\00:19:02.07
Bozeman, Montana, and rightly
so. There are different needs in
00:19:02.10\00:19:06.91
Bozeman, Montana. And it
would be foolhardy for Adventist
00:19:06.94\00:19:10.65
Community Services to be the
same in New York City as it is
00:19:10.68\00:19:13.48
in Bozeman, Montana. That would
not make sense. And so Adventist
00:19:13.52\00:19:17.39
Community Services is what the
community needs wherever it is.
00:19:17.42\00:19:21.99
And so part of the challenge
that we have in Adventist
00:19:22.02\00:19:25.29
Community Services is
identifying what are the needs
00:19:25.33\00:19:30.53
in the community where we are.
And so what that means is we've
00:19:30.57\00:19:35.54
got to be a part of the
community. You've got to be out
00:19:35.57\00:19:36.97
in the community. We've got to
be talking to the community. We
00:19:37.01\00:19:40.81
can't keep ourselves holed
up within the four walls of our
00:19:40.84\00:19:45.55
churches. No, we got to
be out there in the community
00:19:45.58\00:19:50.39
connecting with them, engaging
with them so that we have an
00:19:50.42\00:19:54.29
understanding for what are the
needs, what are the strengths
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.62
in the community. And
once we figure those things out
00:19:56.66\00:20:00.00
determining how can we now
be a resource for that community
00:20:00.03\00:20:04.43
where we are.
00:20:04.47\00:20:06.10
And so as you're out in the
community are people connecting
00:20:07.20\00:20:12.24
with the locals, are they
networking, are they...you know
00:20:12.27\00:20:15.84
it's like Christ's method
of evangelism and that's what's
00:20:15.88\00:20:19.15
taking place. What are some
relief efforts that have taken
00:20:19.18\00:20:22.45
place?
00:20:22.48\00:20:23.82
Oh goodness. All different kinds
of relief efforts. They're all
00:20:23.85\00:20:29.12
over the place. We do everything
from disaster response which we
00:20:29.16\00:20:34.03
did most recently in Mississippi
Mississippi. We were able to
00:20:34.06\00:20:41.84
respond to a tornado that
had devastated a couple of small
00:20:41.87\00:20:46.27
cities there in Mississippi.
We've got a South Central
00:20:46.31\00:20:51.78
Adventist Community Services
conference there that is very
00:20:51.81\00:20:57.15
responsive to the needs of the
community there. That particular
00:20:57.19\00:21:02.79
situation, the one that I'm
telling you about, that storm
00:21:02.82\00:21:05.09
took place around two o'clock
in the morning, two o'clock
00:21:05.13\00:21:08.73
Sabbath morning of all things.
Sabbath morning that thing took
00:21:08.76\00:21:12.30
place and within a couple of
hours our Adventist Community
00:21:12.33\00:21:18.11
Services Disaster Response
Team was able to be on-site with
00:21:18.14\00:21:24.68
product that they were
delivering to individuals within
00:21:24.71\00:21:28.88
the community that had just
gotten devastated by a tornado
00:21:28.92\00:21:32.62
that came through, including
ourselves, let me be clear.
00:21:32.65\00:21:35.72
Our local Seventh-day Adventist
Church is actually no longer
00:21:35.76\00:21:39.56
standing Amory, Mississippi. The
church itself was actually blown
00:21:39.59\00:21:43.90
away during that tornado
activity that took place there
00:21:43.93\00:21:48.14
in Amory. But even as we were
struggling and going through
00:21:48.17\00:21:51.97
we were still able to be
of support to that community.
00:21:52.01\00:21:57.51
That's beautiful. Well you know
we actually have a video that
00:21:57.55\00:21:59.91
shows a little bit of the relief
efforts taking place. Let's take
00:21:59.95\00:22:02.52
a look at that right now.
00:22:02.55\00:22:03.89
All right we're here in Amory,
Mississippi. I need to see
00:22:03.92\00:22:10.03
people here coming through for
help. These are people that live
00:22:10.06\00:22:13.50
in the affected community that
was struck by the recent tornado
00:22:13.53\00:22:19.43
And you can see we got various
supplies, things from water to
00:22:19.47\00:22:25.44
clean-up kits to hygiene
items to Pampers of some of the
00:22:25.47\00:22:35.05
children (inaudible). So that's
the type of help that we are
00:22:35.08\00:22:39.82
able to give as individuals try
to recover from this most recent
00:22:39.85\00:22:45.73
series of tornadoes that came
through a little over a week ago
00:22:45.76\00:22:50.17
(inaudible)
00:22:50.20\00:22:55.24
Wow, praise God. How were
you able to mobilize so quickly
00:22:55.27\00:23:00.98
especially with the devastation
that just took place to the
00:23:01.01\00:23:04.38
church and all that? How was
the team ready to move so fast?
00:23:04.41\00:23:08.42
Well, thank you for that
question. The only way you can
00:23:08.45\00:23:13.25
respond in that way is that you
be ready before the event. We
00:23:13.29\00:23:20.23
have a saying with Adventist
Community Services, You need to
00:23:20.26\00:23:23.10
get ready during the blue skies
when nothing's going on because
00:23:23.13\00:23:26.97
if you wait until a tornado or
hurricane takes place it's too
00:23:27.00\00:23:30.57
late. You need to get ready.
And so in that case you saw some
00:23:30.61\00:23:35.61
of the distribution that
was taking place there. At two
00:23:35.64\00:23:42.55
o'clock in the morning the team
members got calls, they have a
00:23:42.58\00:23:48.72
call tree set up. They started
getting calls, Hey we've got
00:23:48.76\00:23:51.66
something that going on here we
think we may have to mobilize.
00:23:51.69\00:23:55.00
So they already started putting
in place a disaster response
00:23:55.03\00:24:00.37
plan within an hour of that
situation taking place there in
00:24:00.40\00:24:05.67
Amory. And so based on that they
were able to go and visit one of
00:24:05.71\00:24:09.88
their local warehouses
where they were able to pick up
00:24:09.91\00:24:12.81
product that had already been
stockpiled, put that product in
00:24:12.85\00:24:16.58
pickup trucks and vehicles and
headed towards Amory. I say to
00:24:16.62\00:24:22.59
folk all the time about that
situation, they got that call
00:24:22.62\00:24:27.20
around three o'clock in
the morning. By 11 o'clock hour
00:24:27.23\00:24:29.93
11 o'clock hour, think
about that Sabbath morning. What
00:24:29.96\00:24:32.53
generally happens at 11 o'clock
hour? Most of our people were in
00:24:32.57\00:24:35.74
service. They're at service, but
they're in service right there
00:24:35.77\00:24:39.97
in Amory. Three o'clock in the
morning. By 11 o'clock they were
00:24:40.01\00:24:43.78
distributing to that same
community that was affected by
00:24:43.81\00:24:46.21
that tornado.
00:24:46.25\00:24:47.58
That's beautiful. That is huge.
You know they had all kinds of
00:24:47.62\00:24:52.42
tangible items, things that they
were going to need. Even took
00:24:52.45\00:24:55.62
care of the kids. So what came
about after that, you know? How
00:24:55.66\00:25:01.50
did the community, how receptive
was the community to the
00:25:01.53\00:25:05.13
Adventist church as a result
of the response in their time of
00:25:05.17\00:25:08.74
crisis?
00:25:08.77\00:25:10.24
Well I'll say this and I
was talking with some of the
00:25:10.27\00:25:13.38
citizens from that affected
community. I had an opportunity
00:25:13.41\00:25:16.51
to wake up early one morning
and I went out and just walked
00:25:16.54\00:25:20.02
around the community there that
was still trying to figure out,
00:25:20.05\00:25:24.02
you know, what they were going
to do and I talked with them and
00:25:24.05\00:25:27.39
they said an interesting thing.
They said, These people care
00:25:27.42\00:25:32.49
about us even though they're
going through something. And I
00:25:32.53\00:25:35.70
thought to myself, isn't that
something. You know what kind
00:25:35.73\00:25:38.63
of seed is that that we
are planting in the minds of
00:25:38.67\00:25:44.77
individuals in this community
that are experiencing this
00:25:44.81\00:25:47.94
devastating time. The fact that
they know that that local church
00:25:47.98\00:25:52.21
down the street is really
concerned about us. You know,
00:25:52.25\00:25:58.05
in my mind, that's a ministry
that we are involved in. What
00:25:58.09\00:26:04.66
type of benefit is that going
to pay? I don't know. But I know
00:26:04.69\00:26:08.73
that it's in their minds that
that church cares for them and
00:26:08.76\00:26:12.80
our hope is that when they
come to us, they see the love of
00:26:12.83\00:26:17.94
Jesus in us that compels us
to do the type of work that they
00:26:17.97\00:26:22.81
see us involved in.
00:26:22.84\00:26:25.15
Amen. Absolutely. What are some
other response efforts that have
00:26:25.18\00:26:28.38
taken place?
00:26:28.42\00:26:29.75
Well we do more than just
disaster response and that's
00:26:29.78\00:26:34.12
what I'll share with you.
And that's one of the challenges
00:26:34.16\00:26:37.69
that we have within Adventist
Community Services is getting
00:26:37.73\00:26:40.96
the word out there as to what
is Adventist Community Services
00:26:41.00\00:26:44.40
doing. We do, yes, emergency
response, yes, but we also do
00:26:44.43\00:26:51.47
community development. We also
do emotional and spiritual care.
00:26:51.51\00:26:55.61
There are so many other things
that we get ourselves involved
00:26:55.64\00:26:59.31
in based on what does the
community need, what are the
00:26:59.35\00:27:03.99
strengths in the community.
One that comes to mind, one of
00:27:04.02\00:27:07.46
the challenges that we have seen
and been dealing with out west
00:27:07.49\00:27:13.36
primarily, no solely but they're
dealing with it at a level is
00:27:13.40\00:27:18.03
homelessness. We have found that
the homeless community has risen
00:27:18.07\00:27:24.34
the numbers have risen
especially out west in places
00:27:24.37\00:27:27.91
like California, Oregon
and Washington state. They are
00:27:27.94\00:27:32.38
struggling with trying to figure
out what can we do about that?
00:27:32.41\00:27:36.72
And so Adventist Community
Services have been struggling
00:27:36.75\00:27:41.59
with that as well. One place
in particular, a place called
00:27:41.62\00:27:45.96
Tillamook, Oregon. They have
been sitting back thinking to
00:27:45.99\00:27:50.17
themselves Wow, we've got
an awful lot of homeless in our
00:27:50.20\00:27:53.00
community. What can we do? And
one of our directors, a young
00:27:53.03\00:27:57.94
lady by the name of Donna, Donna
Parks, she was thinking one day
00:27:57.97\00:28:02.58
and she was looking around their
property there at the church and
00:28:02.61\00:28:08.22
she said you know we don't do
anything all of the parking lot
00:28:08.25\00:28:12.15
that we have. Maybe we could
take a portion of the parking
00:28:12.19\00:28:16.29
lot and do something for
the homeless. And so she got to
00:28:16.32\00:28:19.59
talking with people in the
community and they ended up
00:28:19.63\00:28:25.57
coming up with something called
little homes and they went about
00:28:25.60\00:28:32.21
building little structures,
little homes that they actually
00:28:32.24\00:28:38.15
put in a section of their
parking lot. And they did that
00:28:38.18\00:28:41.22
about two years ago. And I was
able to visit with them and take
00:28:41.25\00:28:45.39
a look at these little homes.
They house two people in these
00:28:45.42\00:28:49.82
little homes. They're able to
stay there for a period of time
00:28:49.86\00:28:53.26
Now the goal is to transition
them out and so we have case
00:28:53.29\00:28:57.47
workers that work with them.
They do job training, they're
00:28:57.50\00:29:02.24
able to take advantage of the
little thrift store that we have
00:29:02.27\00:29:04.47
on-site there. So if they
need to go for a job interview
00:29:04.51\00:29:08.64
they're able to get some
clothing there. We got a food
00:29:08.68\00:29:12.21
pantry there that they're
able to take advantage of. Again
00:29:12.25\00:29:17.19
looking at the needs within
that community they said that's
00:29:17.22\00:29:20.02
something we can do and it's
a fabulous opportunity that we
00:29:20.06\00:29:27.33
have to serve the community
right there in Tillamook.
00:29:27.36\00:29:30.97
Absolutely. And you know what?
We have a video of that and so
00:29:31.00\00:29:33.47
let's take a look at how they
stepped up to the plate and the
00:29:33.50\00:29:37.61
difference they're
making. Let's look at that now.
00:29:37.64\00:29:39.47
So this is our micro shelter
project in the backyard of
00:29:39.51\00:29:43.98
Adventist Community Services
here in Tillamook and it has
00:29:44.01\00:29:47.32
been having...it's been occupied
for about two-and-a-half years
00:29:47.35\00:29:52.49
now. It is managed by Cares.
Case managers take care of the
00:29:52.52\00:29:57.73
individuals that stay in
each one of the shelters. The
00:29:57.76\00:30:00.43
shelters can take two people.
There's two bunks, a heater and
00:30:00.46\00:30:04.37
a light, refrigerator, microwave
They use our bath house 24/7.
00:30:04.40\00:30:10.01
There's not really any room to
expand with the number of people
00:30:10.04\00:30:15.01
that we have using our small
bath house. So we have dreams
00:30:15.04\00:30:19.35
of expanding with a dedicated
bath house for the micro shelter
00:30:19.38\00:30:25.39
project and use this piece
of property along the K line to
00:30:25.42\00:30:30.03
to have at least a few family
size micro shelters that can
00:30:30.06\00:30:37.13
house more people. There's lots
of things, we could innovate. We
00:30:37.17\00:30:40.27
could have RVs in there a huge
lead in Tillamook County and a
00:30:40.30\00:30:44.97
lot of other placed I'm sure
where the RVs don't quite meet
00:30:45.01\00:30:51.01
the criteria of the parks that
people are trying to get into.
00:30:51.05\00:30:54.48
But the micro shelters have been
such a positive program. There
00:30:54.52\00:31:03.43
have been approximately 34
people move through this shelter
00:31:03.46\00:31:09.40
project in two-and-a-half years.
And it's just amazing, amazing
00:31:09.43\00:31:16.14
to be a part of it.
00:31:16.17\00:31:19.51
Wow, that's incredible. I mean
imagine going from off of the
00:31:19.54\00:31:23.48
street and then having a roof
over your head and having case
00:31:23.51\00:31:29.98
workers working with them. I
mean that is amazing because now
00:31:30.02\00:31:33.46
they're being put into a
position where they become
00:31:33.49\00:31:36.93
employable and all of that stuff
How do they get their mail?
00:31:36.96\00:31:40.30
Wow, thank you for asking that.
Let me be clear, no one person
00:31:40.33\00:31:48.64
can do all of this. Our
Adventist Community Services is
00:31:48.67\00:31:51.81
actually working with our local
church there. And so in addition
00:31:51.84\00:31:57.48
to the local church, we have
other partnerships within the
00:31:57.51\00:32:01.78
self-same community. And so
if those individuals need to get
00:32:01.82\00:32:07.16
mail they can actually...they
have a system worked out where
00:32:07.19\00:32:10.76
they can receive it right there
at the thrift store. And so mail
00:32:10.79\00:32:14.16
can come so they get an address
which is a real help to many of
00:32:14.20\00:32:18.77
these people. Because if you're
living on the street that can be
00:32:18.80\00:32:22.27
challenge. Where are you ever
going to get mail. Well in this
00:32:22.30\00:32:25.44
case they have an address.
And so they're able to take
00:32:25.47\00:32:28.74
advantage of the actual physical
address right there at the
00:32:28.78\00:32:31.11
church.
00:32:31.15\00:32:32.61
Yes. How did Adventist
Community Services get started?
00:32:32.65\00:32:36.72
Well we started way back in the
late 1800s. Some members of our
00:32:36.75\00:32:42.32
church, some ladies, got
together after a fire had taken
00:32:42.36\00:32:48.50
place. So they said wow, the
community had some needs. And so
00:32:48.53\00:32:53.37
based on those needs
they started serving there and
00:32:53.40\00:32:56.10
Adventist Community Services has
been running ever since. We just
00:32:56.14\00:33:01.84
had an anniversary celebration
last year in Texas, in Dallas,
00:33:01.88\00:33:11.09
Texas where all of us got
together and came from all over
00:33:11.12\00:33:15.42
the North American Division.
You know COVID was still a thing
00:33:15.46\00:33:20.20
and many of our people were
thinking about that but were
00:33:20.23\00:33:26.07
able to come together. We were
masked up and you know took all
00:33:26.10\00:33:28.17
the precautions that we could
but, yeah, we've been involved
00:33:28.20\00:33:33.44
in this work since the
1800s and continue to do that in
00:33:33.48\00:33:37.21
communities all over
the North American Division.
00:33:37.25\00:33:39.28
That's wonderful. You know we
said the North American Division
00:33:39.31\00:33:41.58
but who's all represented
in the North American Division?
00:33:41.62\00:33:45.65
Ah, North American Division.
North American Division and this
00:33:45.69\00:33:49.89
is a challenge for us because
many of our members don't
00:33:49.92\00:33:52.79
understand what the North
American Division is. The North
00:33:52.83\00:33:56.13
American Division geographically
includes the United States,
00:33:56.16\00:34:00.10
Canada, Bermuda, Guam, and the
Micronesian Islands. That is the
00:34:00.14\00:34:07.91
North American Division.
00:34:07.94\00:34:09.28
So do you ever have
to travel to Bermuda?
00:34:09.31\00:34:12.51
Well, we do. They pulled my arm
a little bit. Yes we do get over
00:34:12.55\00:34:17.72
to Bermuda and I can tell you
our teams over in Bermuda are
00:34:17.75\00:34:23.02
doing fabulous work. Dora Baker
who's our ACS director there
00:34:23.06\00:34:26.93
is really leading an effort
there. You can't go to Bermuda
00:34:26.96\00:34:32.40
and not hear about Seventh-day
Adventist Church because
00:34:32.43\00:34:36.84
Adventist Community Services
is so engaged in Bermuda.
00:34:36.87\00:34:39.47
ACS, do they
only help Adventists?
00:34:39.51\00:34:44.85
(Chuckles) Some people think
that believe it or not. We help
00:34:44.88\00:34:50.49
communities, that's what we
do. Now there are times when
00:34:50.52\00:34:53.92
Adventists are part of
the community and so we help
00:34:53.96\00:34:58.19
Adventists then. But no, we help
everyone that is affected by
00:34:58.23\00:35:03.67
either crisis events or have
some challenges. We help the
00:35:03.70\00:35:06.70
community as a whole, yes.
00:35:06.74\00:35:08.07
Now this is...it has to
be expensive, going in and
00:35:08.10\00:35:13.74
mobilizing the troops last
minute like this and supplying
00:35:13.78\00:35:16.41
all of these needs, meeting
all of these needs. Has to be
00:35:16.44\00:35:21.25
expensive so does ACS, do you
guys charge for these services?
00:35:21.28\00:35:25.32
Actually, we do not. We do not.
We are a ministry of the Seventh
00:35:25.35\00:35:31.03
day Adventist church and as such
we are supported by our members.
00:35:31.06\00:35:37.07
We have two offerings that take
place every year, in May and in
00:35:37.10\00:35:42.94
December and that enables us
to do some of the real positive
00:35:42.97\00:35:48.14
things that we're able to do and
so we do take donations. And so
00:35:48.18\00:35:53.98
we would love to get donations
some of your viewers as they are
00:35:54.02\00:36:01.22
able to. But it is our
membership, our members of the
00:36:01.26\00:36:05.19
Seventh-day Adventist Church
that enable us to do all the
00:36:05.23\00:36:08.13
positive things that we're
able to do out in the community.
00:36:08.16\00:36:11.07
Absolutely. How has being in
your role and being a part of
00:36:11.10\00:36:15.64
Adventist Community Services,
how has that strengthened your
00:36:15.67\00:36:18.81
faith?
00:36:18.84\00:36:20.48
Oh my goodness. It has
reinforced my thought that if
00:36:20.51\00:36:30.69
you are connected this way
everything else will take care
00:36:30.72\00:36:37.56
of itself. And I have always
believed that, but in this role
00:36:37.59\00:36:44.13
I'm actually able to see it in
action. You know. I've seen some
00:36:44.17\00:36:48.60
really horrific things that have
taken place down through the
00:36:48.64\00:36:52.94
years and the fact that
ACS is able to come in and be a
00:36:52.97\00:37:00.88
resource to individuals that are
struggling, all individuals that
00:37:00.92\00:37:05.02
are struggling really does
reinforce my thought that God is
00:37:05.05\00:37:10.53
ultimately in control even when
things seem out of control. He
00:37:10.56\00:37:16.23
is able to be that steadying
force regardless of what you're
00:37:16.26\00:37:20.37
going through.
00:37:20.40\00:37:21.74
And it's beautiful because I
look at ACS and I see a light
00:37:21.77\00:37:25.11
in a dark room, you know.
There's a light in a time of
00:37:25.14\00:37:28.74
darkness. So many people are
going through this despair and
00:37:28.78\00:37:32.35
you know after a disaster like
a tornado, or a hurricane or
00:37:32.38\00:37:35.45
something like that where you
don't even know how you're going
00:37:35.48\00:37:39.49
to rebuild, to see a group
of people out there that are
00:37:39.52\00:37:44.69
suffering alongside of
the other people providing and
00:37:44.73\00:37:49.33
meeting those needs. I mean
that's powerful as you mentioned
00:37:49.36\00:37:52.20
earlier.
00:37:52.23\00:37:53.57
It really is powerful, it really
is. And you know being involved
00:37:53.60\00:37:58.27
in this work there are times
when people will approach me and
00:37:58.31\00:38:02.98
say you know does that ever
get you down? You know seeing so
00:38:03.01\00:38:07.85
much devastation, seeing so
many people struggle through
00:38:07.88\00:38:12.89
various challenges in the
community. And I say to them
00:38:12.92\00:38:15.96
No, it doesn't get me down
because I know there's an answer
00:38:15.99\00:38:20.40
to all of that. You know and if
we look at him he's going to see
00:38:20.43\00:38:25.07
to it that we get through. And
don't get me wrong. I don't want
00:38:25.10\00:38:28.94
it to appear as if I don't
ever have questions, you know,
00:38:28.97\00:38:34.94
because there are times when
I have questions but ultimately
00:38:34.98\00:38:37.01
I know where to look for the
answers. He's always got them
00:38:37.05\00:38:39.75
for me.
00:38:39.78\00:38:41.12
Amen. What would you say are
some of the greatest challenges
00:38:41.15\00:38:45.19
that ACS faces?
00:38:45.22\00:38:47.66
Chuckles. This may strike
you as strange but one of the
00:38:47.69\00:38:53.16
challenges we have is getting
the word out there that we, the
00:38:53.19\00:39:02.84
Seventh-day Adventist churches
are involved in the community.
00:39:02.87\00:39:07.28
And the reason I say that may
strike you as strange, we've got
00:39:07.31\00:39:11.95
people that are out there doing
the work but we have a problem
00:39:11.98\00:39:18.49
telling that story sometimes.
I struggle with my folk, my ACS
00:39:18.52\00:39:25.33
folks, sometimes and I tell them
Hey make sure that you post that
00:39:25.36\00:39:31.50
you did such and such. And they
say, they look at me as if I
00:39:31.53\00:39:35.40
don't have time for that. You
know, we're spending time on the
00:39:35.44\00:39:38.97
real work. And I say well I get
that but we've got to spend a
00:39:39.01\00:39:45.88
period of time on getting the
word out there because it might
00:39:45.91\00:39:49.88
encourage someone else to get
involved, the fact that we're
00:39:49.92\00:39:53.59
doing some of these incredible
things that we're doing. We've
00:39:53.62\00:39:56.36
got to share that story. And
many times I get comments like
00:39:56.39\00:40:03.03
how come the Seventh-day
Adventist church isn't out there
00:40:03.06\00:40:05.43
like the Red Cross or some
of the other help organizations
00:40:05.47\00:40:08.90
that you generally hear about.
Well we don't spend a lot of
00:40:08.94\00:40:12.84
money publicizing what we are
doing and I'm not knocking some
00:40:12.87\00:40:18.88
of the others who may spend you
know a great deal in getting the
00:40:18.91\00:40:24.49
word out there. We don't do
that and that's something we've
00:40:24.52\00:40:27.96
got to do a better job of. I'm
not saying we have to pay to get
00:40:27.99\00:40:31.59
it out there but we've got
to do a better job of being more
00:40:31.63\00:40:35.83
intentional on letting people
know some of the good that we
00:40:35.86\00:40:38.90
are doing out there (inaudible).
00:40:38.93\00:40:41.00
Absolutely. Well I can say that
I'm happy you're here on Three
00:40:41.04\00:40:44.57
Angels Broadcasting Network
getting the word out. We're
00:40:44.61\00:40:47.54
going to get the word out by
God's grace. And it's exciting
00:40:47.58\00:40:51.38
to see the things that are
taking place with ACS. What is a
00:40:51.41\00:40:57.19
typical day...now this is a
crazy question because I'm sure
00:40:57.22\00:41:01.19
that you don't have a typical
day but what does a typical day
00:41:01.22\00:41:05.03
in your life and in
your role look like?
00:41:05.06\00:41:06.39
You know you say typical. That's
an interesting question. It
00:41:06.43\00:41:14.90
really does adjust based on
what's taking place. What I mean
00:41:14.94\00:41:19.94
by that is first of all I
laid out for you what the North
00:41:19.97\00:41:22.48
American Division is, the sheer
expanse of the North American
00:41:22.51\00:41:27.18
Division which means there is
always something going on. Just
00:41:27.22\00:41:34.06
this morning as an example I
got a call from our friends with
00:41:34.09\00:41:40.26
FEMA, Federal Emergency
Management Agency and they
00:41:40.30\00:41:43.33
reached out to me because they
are interested in us sending
00:41:43.37\00:41:48.57
some teams over to Guam because
they know we have forces over in
00:41:48.60\00:41:53.88
Guam, we have some resources
over in Guam and we have
00:41:53.91\00:41:57.81
supported them previously over
in Micronesia and so they wanted
00:41:57.85\00:42:02.55
to know if we could again send
some teams over there to help in
00:42:02.58\00:42:09.82
a rebuild program that's going
to be taking place over in Guam.
00:42:09.86\00:42:12.93
And so before that, I had not
planned on doing some work on
00:42:12.96\00:42:19.73
that particular thing but based
on the call, I reached out to
00:42:19.77\00:42:25.17
some of our team members who
have assisted us previously at
00:42:25.21\00:42:28.38
a rebuild and they are now
standing up a team that's going
00:42:28.41\00:42:32.51
be ready to go probably within
the next month and will be
00:42:32.55\00:42:35.92
headed back over to Guam to
support the good people that are
00:42:35.95\00:42:40.02
over there. That may not be
typical but that's what took
00:42:40.06\00:42:44.86
place you know within the last
24 hours which kind of adjusted
00:42:44.89\00:42:50.27
what we were doing. And so each
day things come up and you try
00:42:50.30\00:42:56.50
to deal with them, you try
to prioritize what's going to be
00:42:56.54\00:43:01.01
going to need to be dealt with.
And that's what I find myself
00:43:01.04\00:43:06.38
doing each and every day is
trying to support the entirety
00:43:06.41\00:43:12.05
of the North American
Division which sometimes can be
00:43:12.09\00:43:16.52
challenges. Then you of course
got the basic meetings that
00:43:16.56\00:43:18.99
go on each and every day that
you try to deal with as well.
00:43:19.03\00:43:22.56
And so we every day try to start
the day by starting with the
00:43:22.60\00:43:30.04
most important thing as we view
it and you go down that list
00:43:30.07\00:43:34.94
You never come to the end of the
list because it keeps getting
00:43:34.98\00:43:39.15
added to, but we do the best
we can try to address some of
00:43:39.18\00:43:47.79
the needs that are in
various communities all over the
00:43:47.82\00:43:50.43
Division.
00:43:50.46\00:43:52.16
Absolutely. What about, you know
as we talk about communities,
00:43:52.19\00:43:55.66
what about the prison community,
incarcerated community?
00:43:55.70\00:43:59.83
Hmm. Well I can tell you
that is you know the Seventh-day
00:43:59.87\00:44:05.34
Adventist church has a ministry
a prison ministry that is a part
00:44:05.37\00:44:10.75
of the church. And we were
thinking, amongst ourselves, the
00:44:10.78\00:44:16.02
Adventist Community Services
that that had been an area that
00:44:16.05\00:44:19.69
we had not done a lot about. We
hadn't done a lot about. And the
00:44:19.72\00:44:24.59
reason it makes sense for us
to get involved with a prison
00:44:24.63\00:44:27.83
ministry is because once those
people finish doing their time
00:44:27.86\00:44:33.17
in prison, they're going to
be coming out to the community.
00:44:33.20\00:44:36.54
Which means there is a role that
we should be playing with them
00:44:36.57\00:44:42.54
while they are in there. And so
we have over the last month or
00:44:42.58\00:44:48.85
so been meeting with our Prison
Ministry Department and we're
00:44:48.88\00:44:55.62
going to try to figure out how
can we collaborate together with
00:44:55.66\00:45:00.66
our prison ministry. As a matter
of fact just this morning I had
00:45:00.70\00:45:04.83
a meeting with our prison
ministry department and we
00:45:04.87\00:45:09.30
talked with them about
collaborating together and so
00:45:09.34\00:45:14.41
we're going to be doing that
over the next little bit and
00:45:14.44\00:45:17.58
connecting up my Adventist
Community Services team with
00:45:17.61\00:45:20.45
our prison ministry leadership
and figuring out how can we be
00:45:20.48\00:45:26.12
a better resource, because we
have not done a good job as it
00:45:26.15\00:45:30.56
relates to that heretofore. But
that is going to change. I had a
00:45:30.59\00:45:35.86
conversation with my vice
President, Calvin Watkins, just
00:45:35.90\00:45:39.17
recently and he said we are
going to make these changes and
00:45:39.20\00:45:44.91
so it's in place, discussions
are in place and my hope is a
00:45:44.94\00:45:49.54
month maybe two from now we will
have some real live programs
00:45:49.58\00:45:54.85
that we are working
on with prison ministry.
00:45:54.88\00:45:57.02
Absolutely. They either come
out and have crime or Christ.
00:45:57.05\00:46:00.42
That's beautiful. (We prefer
the latter) Exactly. We want to
00:46:00.46\00:46:05.73
mirror Christ and we want that
transition to be as smooth as
00:46:05.76\00:46:09.26
possible. If someone wants
to get involved. I know they can
00:46:09.30\00:46:14.14
do it in their local communities
but how do they get involved
00:46:14.17\00:46:17.57
locally and then how do they get
involved outside of their local
00:46:17.61\00:46:21.91
community?
00:46:21.94\00:46:23.28
Well let me tell you how you
do it because the answer is the
00:46:23.31\00:46:26.65
same. The way you get involved
is do so locally and once you
00:46:26.68\00:46:31.85
get involved locally, that
connects you with the system,
00:46:31.89\00:46:36.02
the Adventist Community Services
system. Every local church is in
00:46:36.06\00:46:40.96
some conference every conference
is in some union, every union is
00:46:41.00\00:46:46.63
in the North American Division.
And so based on that I met with
00:46:46.67\00:46:50.87
my conferences every single
month, every single month and
00:46:50.91\00:46:55.44
so if you're a local church
there is an ACS director that
00:46:55.48\00:47:01.15
you can work with directly.
That gets you engaged in and
00:47:01.18\00:47:04.45
involved with overall Adventist
Community Services so it comes
00:47:04.49\00:47:09.32
through the local church. So
that's the challenge that I give
00:47:09.36\00:47:11.19
to anyone that says they want
to get involved. Do so from your
00:47:11.23\00:47:15.06
local church. This is an
official ministry of the Seventh
00:47:15.10\00:47:18.40
day Adventist church and as such
you're a part of that. So get
00:47:18.43\00:47:23.14
engaged and involved with your
local church that connects you
00:47:23.17\00:47:25.74
with the system and now you're
a part of us which means you
00:47:25.77\00:47:30.75
have access to resources.
Take a look at our website
00:47:30.78\00:47:36.32
AdventistCommunityServices.org
That will connect you with us
00:47:36.35\00:47:40.92
and enable you to be involved in
the activity that takes place.
00:47:40.96\00:47:43.53
Give us that
website one more time.
00:47:43.56\00:47:44.89
AdventistCommunityServices.org
(repeats)
00:47:44.93\00:47:50.37
Okay absolutely. So they can get
involved that way. Now explain
00:47:50.40\00:47:55.17
to me the difference
between ADRA and ACS.
00:47:55.20\00:47:58.61
All right, yes! I'm glad you
went there because I can't tell
00:47:58.64\00:48:03.85
you how many times people come
up to me and say oh you're with
00:48:03.88\00:48:07.65
ADRA. And let me be clear.
We love our brothers and sisters
00:48:07.68\00:48:12.22
with ADRA. They're a fabulous
organization but understand this
00:48:12.25\00:48:15.19
about the Seventh-day Adventist
church. The Seventh-day
00:48:15.22\00:48:17.29
Adventist church has two
humanitarian organizations. One
00:48:17.33\00:48:23.13
of them is ADRA the other is
Adventist Community Services.
00:48:23.16\00:48:28.14
Now within the North American
Division is the responsibility
00:48:28.17\00:48:33.34
of Adventist Community Services
to serve the community. ADRA
00:48:33.38\00:48:39.98
works outside of the North
American Divisions so when there
00:48:40.02\00:48:46.52
are events that take place in a
place like Haiti that's going to
00:48:46.55\00:48:50.16
be at the responsibility of our
friends at ADRA. If something
00:48:50.19\00:48:54.86
happens within the North
American Division that going to
00:48:54.90\00:48:59.20
fall on Adventist Community
Services. Now let me be clear.
00:48:59.23\00:49:01.87
If our resources are maxed
out like let's say for instance
00:49:01.90\00:49:05.44
something like a hurricane
Katrina takes place. That's
00:49:05.47\00:49:10.71
going to take all of the
resources that we have and so
00:49:10.75\00:49:12.78
when that happens we reach out
to our friends with ADRA and say
00:49:12.81\00:49:17.05
Hey, can you assist us here?
Conversely, if something takes
00:49:17.09\00:49:21.16
place that overwhelms their
resources they're able to reach
00:49:21.19\00:49:24.99
out to us to assist them. And so
we're in constant communication
00:49:25.03\00:49:29.36
I generally meet with them three
or four times a year just to
00:49:29.40\00:49:34.87
make sure we're on the same page
I sit on their board. I sit on
00:49:34.90\00:49:38.44
the board of ADRA. Their
president sits on the Adventist
00:49:38.47\00:49:43.48
Community Services Board and
so he's able to listen to what's
00:49:43.51\00:49:48.38
going on within Adventist
Community Services. Conversely
00:49:48.42\00:49:50.62
we're able to keep up with
what's happening with ADRA at
00:49:50.65\00:49:54.62
their board meetings. And
so we're in close communication
00:49:54.66\00:49:58.06
but geographically we
serve different areas.
00:49:58.09\00:50:02.90
Yes that's a beautiful thing
to be able to work together like
00:50:02.93\00:50:05.63
that and to stay in the know and
know what's going on with the
00:50:05.67\00:50:11.34
different organizations like
that. What type of training does
00:50:11.37\00:50:15.91
one need to get
involved with ACS?
00:50:15.94\00:50:17.31
Well we do have a training
program. We don't just send
00:50:17.35\00:50:21.28
people out there. Generally
speaking we have people
00:50:21.32\00:50:27.22
get training and we
offer training all over the
00:50:27.26\00:50:30.33
North American Division.
00:50:30.39\00:50:31.73
Every conference
has a training program
00:50:31.76\00:50:35.70
that they offer to individuals
that want to get involved
00:50:35.73\00:50:39.70
in this work. I just
got back from Michigan
00:50:39.73\00:50:44.27
Conference where we were
able to give a five-day training
00:50:44.31\00:50:49.21
program to volunteers. We
had about 40 volunteers that
00:50:49.24\00:50:54.08
came together and were with us
every day for five straight days
00:50:54.12\00:50:58.15
getting training on how
can they be of support to their
00:50:58.19\00:51:01.92
community so we offer
that training all over.
00:51:01.96\00:51:05.46
If you are interested, reach
out to your conference director
00:51:05.49\00:51:08.96
let them know you want to
get some training and we'll
00:51:09.00\00:51:12.40
let you know where the
closest training is that you can
00:51:12.43\00:51:14.77
take advantage of.
00:51:14.80\00:51:16.14
That's wonderful, what's
the length of the training?
00:51:16.17\00:51:18.01
It varies, we do it based on
what will the community bear?
00:51:18.04\00:51:22.98
Okay...We don't want to offer
something that is going to be
00:51:23.01\00:51:26.95
too onerous on people so we
base it on, what do they tell us
00:51:26.98\00:51:31.92
works for them. The
training that I mentioned to you
00:51:31.95\00:51:34.92
in Michigan, they suggested
they wanted the training for
00:51:34.96\00:51:38.63
five straight days and
so that's how we did it.
00:51:38.66\00:51:41.33
I know that we got some
people that want to get involved
00:51:41.36\00:51:43.57
and we're going to show
you how you can get involved
00:51:43.60\00:51:45.83
and how you can reach out
to Adventist Community Services
00:51:45.87\00:51:48.80
and then we'll be right
back. Don't go anywhere.
00:51:48.84\00:51:52.44
If you would like more
information about Adventist
00:51:52.47\00:51:56.04
Community Services
you can write to them at:
00:51:56.08\00:52:14.20
you can call them at:
00:52:14.23\00:52:19.37
You'll find them online at:
00:52:19.40\00:52:24.87
or you can email them at:
00:52:24.91\00:52:30.95