Hello, and welcome back.
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And once again,
Happy Thanksgiving,
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if you're just joining us.
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Man, we've had a
powerful first hour,
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and to see what has
happened there in Paradise
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and it's a day of Thanksgiving.
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And people may be saying,
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"Why are you
showing all this disaster
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and all of these things,
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you know the
life in which we live,
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I'd like to talk
for just a moment."
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People say, "Well,
what's so great about it?"
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You know, people
lost their lives.
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But here's the thing,
we live in a sinful world.
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Yes.
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The blame is sin,
death, disease and sickness
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goes on Satan not on God.
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That's right.
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"The thief," John
10:10, says, "Come forth,
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but to steal,
kill and to destroy,"
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but Jesus says,
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"I'm come to give you life
and give it more abundantly."
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That's why we need a savior.
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That's why we need to get
out of this sin sick world.
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That's why 3ABN
is committed to take
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the three angels'
messages to the world.
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But on the other side of it,
life on this earth is not about
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how long we live,
but it's who we know,
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and are we prepared
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and accept the
free gift of salvation,
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to make it to eternity?
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While some
terrible things happen,
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where are Christians
when these things happen?
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And I'm very thankful
to say, thank you, Greg,
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and thank you for your vision
for going out to Paradise.
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Now 3ABN went very quickly.
We heard about the disaster.
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There's a hospital there, right?
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That's correct.
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Adventist hospital, the
church, and we heard so.
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We went out there right away
and Greg came back and said,
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"We got to do
something to help."
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And we said,
"Whatever, Greg, it's yours,
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you and the folks raise...
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How much do we
raise and how quickly?
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Over $100,000.
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Through you,
through our viewers?
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Oh, it's incredible.
Over $100,000 you sent in.
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Now, how long did that take,
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did that take
months to get it to them?
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No, no, we cut the
first check really quick,
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several weeks after
we started raising funds
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and this is just
what's incredible.
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And I wanna extend
a great big thank you
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from the Paradise Seventh-Day
Adventist Church and community.
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When we came back a
year later, just so grateful,
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and that's what
we're gonna hear about
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in the second hour is
how your money was used.
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The Pastor Steve Hamilton
is so excited, so blessed.
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He said, "It's
amazing, how God's people,
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when they come
together what they can do
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and encourage them
just in enormous ways."
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It's just very
positive, you know,
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talking about
tragedy, Thanksgiving time,
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what is there
to be grateful for.
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And that's what we're hoping
these roles are doing for you
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because these
people are trying to find
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something in the
ashes of their life.
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And what impresses me is that
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many of these
people are still there.
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They're going back
because when your community
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everything around
you is just charred.
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Like, why do I want to go back?
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My neighborhood,
there's nothing there,
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but charred trees
and burned out buildings
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and, yeah, nothing left,
but they're still going back.
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And the community,
this is what's exciting,
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has been impacted
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because of the
Adventist Church there.
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You have the Adventist
Feather River Hospital.
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You have the
local elementary school.
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You have the academy
and, of course, the church,
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and all of that
burned, but the community
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is still
standing around the church
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and the church is
reaching out to the community.
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And they're just so
positive, so excited to see it.
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So the beauty of
it is to me, Greg,
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is that the money the
church that we sent to help,
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the church didn't
just go immediately
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build a new big church.
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Oh, they didn't.
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And, you know what
the General Conference
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or wherever
other Adventist sent.
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What are some of the things
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they did with
that first $100,000?
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So this is what's awesome.
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So they had no power
up there on the ridge,
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they call it the ridge.
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The whole
community, not just...?
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That's right. No power.
Yeah, the whole community.
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So they used some of the
money to buy a big generator
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to run the pump house.
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Because on the church property,
there's a fresh water well,
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and there are not
many on the ridge.
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But one of the things you
need is water to clean, to drink
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because people are trying
to get back into community.
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That's a necessity. Oh,
it's a necessity of life.
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So they used some of
the money to buy generator
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to start pumping fresh water,
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but then they realized
the need, so they built a...
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I'm calling it a
water wall. All right.
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So right next to the pump house,
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and you'll see
this is a large wall
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with five spickets
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and the community
even when we were there,
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they're still community members.
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A year later come
into that water wall,
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filling up their buckets,
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their containers
with fresh water.
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So that's how the church
used some of the first money
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that came in was
to provide a need.
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You know, what's
amazing is that 3ABN presents
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the message of the gospel,
but it's the living water.
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And yet here we can provide
physical and spiritual water
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to people who need it.
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So that just came to
me as you were talking
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but praise the Lord.
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They have a little sign
that's actually right there
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on their pump house
because the community
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is just coming and going.
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And it actually says,
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we're providing
this fresh water for you,
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but if you're interested
in the "Living water,"
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and they give the
church number for them to call.
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So the community can reach out.
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Yeah, it's fantastic.
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So they're in the
process of building back?
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They are. And, yeah.
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Yes, they are.
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I'm blessed by
the whole thing to see
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because that's really
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what we're Christians all about.
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Sometimes we just wanna preach.
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We just wanna, you know,
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instead of given
hungry John an apple,
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we wanna tell
him, Jesus loves him,
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on that point let show
him, let's give him the apple.
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And then maybe
he'll listen to us,
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on this case for all of
you that are willing to give in
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to support give to the community
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through the Adventist
church, and now they're sharing
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the donations that's
coming in with the community
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for the up
building of the community.
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And that's a big
statement, we care.
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We love you, we care.
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Because they could take
this money for themselves
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and do whatever, but
we knew they wouldn't.
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And they wanna
support the community.
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So thank you, Paradise
for the leadership there
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and church there.
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Oh, yeah, that's probably,
incredible leadership there,
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their community
center burned as well.
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So you know, those containers,
the metal, big containers,
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they have one of those set
up in the church parking lot
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though there's no building
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and there's a sign that
says Adventist Community Center.
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You come to just a
metal little container,
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but that's what they're
serving the community out of.
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That's
incredible. Oh, that's great.
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You know, to me, that's
what Thanksgiving is all about.
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It's about not just
sitting and resting on.
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Okay, this is all the blessings
that God has given to me,
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it's about giving back.
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Because we have been given,
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we want to share
with someone else.
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Yeah.
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And absolutely seeing that time
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is short on this
earth for all of us,
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no matter if it was
some lost their lives
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in the fire,
many have lost since
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that we don't have tomorrow
too that we can count on.
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So just what are we
gonna do today, but Christ,
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He will last as the song says.
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And so it's my hope and
prayer that each of us today,
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we're thankful for
what God has given us.
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And whether it's physical
life, the spiritual, you know,
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the opportunity being alive
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in closing moments
of earth's history.
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Today God has called
you to do something special
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to reach out and touch somebody.
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It takes people
touching people as they say,
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to make the world go around.
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That's right.
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So thank you for
joining with 3ABN.
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And, Greg, for your
vision to go out there
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and to put tremendous
amounts of hours and hours...
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I mean, weeks actually...
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I have to say, thank
you to the production team.
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You know, they're out
there shooting all that.
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Yes, and editing
it also a lot of work
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but they do a great job.
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Okay.
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We're going back and
what are we gonna see
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quickly intro.
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So we're gonna be
talking with the community
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and then we're gonna
be talking to the pastor
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and his wife and then seeing
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what Maranatha is also
doing on the church property
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and then seeing the
water well and all of that.
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Great. Let's watch it.
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I'm standing at the entrance
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to the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
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here in Paradise, California.
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And I remember one
year ago when 3ABN's crew,
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there was Jorge
Jaque, Brad Walker,
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Tyler Walker, Dalton
Swan and myself came here
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to Paradise to
follow the tragedy
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that had taken place.
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Hard to believe it's
already been one year
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that fateful day
as that fire roared up
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this canyon over this ridge.
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I remembered, we
landed in Sacramento,
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and we're flying in.
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And Sacramento is south
of Paradise, California.
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It was so smoky.
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And as we traveled
north in our vehicle,
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it was unbelievable.
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The air quality was so terrible.
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We all had to have
masks on inside the vehicle.
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And as we arrived at
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the Chico
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
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as they were
having a meeting there
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just with all the
people that has survived.
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It was incredible.
The emotions were so high.
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A day later, were
able to travel up here,
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we're able to
pass the checkpoint
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and get here to Paradise.
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It was so quiet.
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There was
nothing, we saw a deer.
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We saw just a
little bit of activity,
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a hum of a few generators.
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The smoke was
heavy on the ridge.
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There were smoldering
trees, burned out cars
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were all over the place, houses,
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all kinds of
buildings were just left
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smoldering and in ruins.
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We're here in the Paradise
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Seventh-Day
Adventist Church parking lot.
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It was quiet that
day as we arrived here,
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and here we are a year later.
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I don't know if you can hear it,
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but I can hear some hammering.
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I can hear a
generator. I can hear some saws.
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That means things
are happening here.
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We wanna give you a
special report here today
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because we know many of you
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supported this
incredible disaster.
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You donated your funds
that we send directly here
00:09:01.14\00:09:04.71
to the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
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And what we wanna do is
just, we want to give a report
00:09:06.91\00:09:09.81
as to what's taking place here
at the school, at the church,
00:09:09.84\00:09:12.98
but also what
happened to the funds
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that you so
generously donated to 3ABN
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that we then passed
along to the Paradise
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Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
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Being with the
3ABN team this year,
00:09:26.63\00:09:30.23
I'm reminded sort of
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the glossy eyed version of me
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that the team encountered.
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And I realized
that God has brought us
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through those pieces.
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And that there
are pieces of loss
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that God has guided us through,
00:09:46.82\00:09:48.78
but being with the team
this week has reminded me
00:09:48.82\00:09:51.75
of where I was a year ago,
00:09:51.79\00:09:54.06
when we were in the
middle of the valley.
00:09:54.09\00:09:56.19
We were in the...
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literally, in the
thick of the smoke.
00:09:57.59\00:10:00.20
But we were in the
dark place of the journey,
00:10:00.23\00:10:04.23
and God
carrying us through that.
00:10:04.27\00:10:07.30
I was thinking the same thing.
00:10:07.34\00:10:09.44
Last time we were interviewing,
00:10:09.47\00:10:11.97
I was wearing the pair of pants
00:10:12.01\00:10:13.61
that I was
wearing out of the fire
00:10:13.64\00:10:15.21
and someone given me a
shirt in the parking lot.
00:10:15.24\00:10:18.18
And I think this year, I
have several pairs of pants
00:10:18.21\00:10:21.52
and I have several shirts now
00:10:21.55\00:10:23.55
and God has blessed
us so much in a year.
00:10:23.59\00:10:27.06
But I wanna just
say to those of you
00:10:27.09\00:10:29.32
who may be in the dark
times right now, don't give up.
00:10:29.36\00:10:34.16
I know it's hard.
It's really, really hard.
00:10:34.20\00:10:38.60
I remember times where
I couldn't get out of bed
00:10:38.63\00:10:42.04
because we just
cried and cried and cried.
00:10:42.07\00:10:45.64
So much was lost.
00:10:45.67\00:10:49.14
But I wanna tell you,
that you can make it through.
00:10:49.18\00:10:53.58
Don't, don't ever give up.
00:10:53.62\00:10:56.32
There are times
where we wish so badly
00:10:56.35\00:10:58.79
that we could just snap
and it would all go away,
00:10:58.82\00:11:01.62
it would all be good,
00:11:01.66\00:11:02.99
it would all
change back to normal,
00:11:03.02\00:11:06.16
but we can't do that.
00:11:06.19\00:11:07.86
But God will give
you the strength moment
00:11:07.90\00:11:11.90
by moment by moment.
00:11:11.93\00:11:13.97
And sometimes you don't think
00:11:14.00\00:11:16.04
you can even get
through the week or the day,
00:11:16.07\00:11:18.74
but God will
give you the strength,
00:11:18.77\00:11:20.51
He will send
people into your life.
00:11:20.54\00:11:23.38
He will help you in
ways that you won't expect,
00:11:23.41\00:11:27.25
but He will be there for you.
00:11:27.28\00:11:29.42
Please don't give up.
00:11:29.45\00:11:30.82
Keep trusting in
God, keep believing,
00:11:30.85\00:11:33.32
keep praying to Him,
00:11:33.36\00:11:35.39
keep seeking after Him
because He is faithful,
00:11:35.42\00:11:38.76
I promise you, He
will take care of you.
00:11:38.79\00:11:41.90
Our message is to hold on.
00:11:41.93\00:11:44.37
And I'm so
grateful that as Christians,
00:11:44.40\00:11:48.17
when we say, "Hold
on, hang in there,"
00:11:48.20\00:11:51.91
that it's not just a raw grit
that we summon from ourselves,
00:11:51.94\00:11:56.71
but it's truly placing our hand
in the hand of a God Almighty,
00:11:56.75\00:12:02.35
and letting Him hold
on to us in that peace.
00:12:02.38\00:12:06.92
Sometimes we want
God to calm our storms,
00:12:06.96\00:12:10.79
we want Him to just say,
00:12:10.83\00:12:12.23
"Peace be still
and it's all calm."
00:12:12.26\00:12:14.53
But instead He
gives us the strength to
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.13
go through those storms.
00:12:17.17\00:12:19.77
He helps us get
through the hard times
00:12:19.80\00:12:21.87
rather than instantly
changing our hard times
00:12:21.90\00:12:24.67
into good times.
00:12:24.71\00:12:26.04
You know, hold on,
00:12:26.07\00:12:27.41
and the other
thing that we say is,
00:12:27.44\00:12:29.18
"Hang in there,"
and hang in there
00:12:29.21\00:12:31.85
has this dynamic
of hanging in there
00:12:31.88\00:12:34.98
with your community.
00:12:35.02\00:12:36.35
And I'm so grateful
00:12:36.38\00:12:37.72
that God didn't place
us on this planet alone,
00:12:37.75\00:12:39.19
but He created a
church to be a community
00:12:39.22\00:12:42.86
that can hang on
and hang in there
00:12:42.89\00:12:45.23
with each other.
00:12:45.26\00:12:46.80
And so I would say, find
a fellowship of believers
00:12:46.83\00:12:50.67
that you can hang in and hold on
00:12:50.70\00:12:54.07
with as you go
through your journey.
00:12:54.10\00:12:56.40
I'm greater for the
broader collective church
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.51
3ABN's community of
listeners and viewers
00:12:59.54\00:13:02.44
and there's a faith
community that is tied together
00:13:02.48\00:13:05.88
through media that
allows us to know that
00:13:05.91\00:13:08.62
we are not
alone in those moments
00:13:08.65\00:13:10.15
where we feel
alone, we are not alone.
00:13:10.19\00:13:12.75
That God has placed us in
a community to be together
00:13:12.79\00:13:16.59
on this journey.
00:13:16.62\00:13:17.96
And we're grateful
and during this time
00:13:17.99\00:13:19.79
of Thanksgiving, you know,
00:13:19.83\00:13:21.36
I think that rises in
that peace for me to say,
00:13:21.40\00:13:26.94
I am so thankful.
00:13:26.97\00:13:28.67
God didn't place us
on this planet alone.
00:13:28.70\00:13:31.51
But He's given us
family and friends,
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.04
and a community with
our church and school
00:13:34.08\00:13:37.25
and our greater
collective body of Christ,
00:13:37.28\00:13:40.55
that we feel the
embrace and the support.
00:13:40.58\00:13:42.78
We're grateful that
holding on is not just grit that
00:13:42.82\00:13:47.86
we summon from
ourselves, but holding on
00:13:47.89\00:13:50.76
is placing our hand
in the hand of Jesus
00:13:50.79\00:13:53.70
and letting Him hold on to us.
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.80
I'm grateful for
the comfort that brings.
00:13:56.83\00:13:58.67
I'm standing here
with Joelle Chinnock.
00:14:03.51\00:14:06.17
And we were coming
up the parking lot,
00:14:06.21\00:14:08.01
just a few minutes
ago, we heard all this noise
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.11
in the background,
the hammering and the saws
00:14:10.15\00:14:12.21
and the generators.
00:14:12.25\00:14:13.58
And you can see
some of the activity
00:14:13.62\00:14:14.95
right behind us.
00:14:14.98\00:14:16.32
Joelle, what is taking
place here at this Paradise
00:14:16.35\00:14:18.55
Seventh-Day
Adventist Church parking lot?
00:14:18.59\00:14:20.52
We're in the
process of building 200,
00:14:20.56\00:14:22.89
10 foot by 12
foot sheds to give out
00:14:22.92\00:14:25.53
to camp fire survivors.
00:14:25.56\00:14:27.36
Two hundred? Two hundred.
00:14:27.40\00:14:29.63
So these are all church members
00:14:29.66\00:14:31.00
that are back
here that I can see?
00:14:31.03\00:14:32.57
We have been so blessed that
00:14:32.60\00:14:33.94
Maranatha
Volunteers International
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.40
has partnered
with us on this project
00:14:35.44\00:14:37.34
to come in and provide the labor
00:14:37.37\00:14:39.07
to make this
project, this dream project
00:14:39.11\00:14:41.58
become a reality for us.
00:14:41.61\00:14:43.35
Wow, that's
absolutely incredible.
00:14:43.38\00:14:44.71
And you and your
family lived here
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.25
or live here in Paradise,
00:14:46.28\00:14:47.75
one year ago that
fire roared through here?
00:14:47.78\00:14:50.19
Tell us about your home?
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.42
So, on November
8th, we evacuated like
00:14:52.45\00:14:56.26
the rest of Paradise did.
00:14:56.29\00:14:57.99
And for whatever reason
God chose to spare our home.
00:14:58.03\00:15:02.66
We stood outside as a family
00:15:02.70\00:15:04.17
and prayed
together before we left.
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.57
And lo and behold,
three or four days later,
00:15:06.60\00:15:09.84
we got the word that
our house had made it.
00:15:09.87\00:15:12.47
It's been a difficult journey.
00:15:12.51\00:15:14.24
We've not been
back in our house,
00:15:14.28\00:15:15.78
except the last...
00:15:15.81\00:15:17.15
We've only been in
the last seven weeks,
00:15:17.18\00:15:18.88
as we've had just
significant challenges
00:15:18.91\00:15:21.35
with the damage
that we did receive,
00:15:21.38\00:15:23.45
and then working
through insurance,
00:15:23.49\00:15:25.22
the challenges there.
00:15:25.25\00:15:26.65
We're happy to be back now.
00:15:26.69\00:15:28.49
And we feel that we
have a responsibility
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.49
to our community
to help it rebuild
00:15:31.53\00:15:33.60
and help how we can
because so many have helped us.
00:15:33.63\00:15:36.40
Amen.
00:15:36.43\00:15:37.77
So then right behind us
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.13
is where the Paradise
00:15:39.17\00:15:40.50
Seventh-Day
Adventist Church stood,
00:15:40.54\00:15:42.30
and it's just...
00:15:42.34\00:15:44.27
There's nothing there yet.
00:15:44.31\00:15:46.24
You're a member
of the church? Yes.
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.24
And you are in
charge of what now here?
00:15:48.28\00:15:51.58
So this summer I became
a humanitarian aid worker
00:15:51.61\00:15:54.42
with the
Paradise Adventist Church
00:15:54.45\00:15:56.15
and just looking for
ways that we can be relevant
00:15:56.18\00:15:58.89
and impact
people in our community,
00:15:58.92\00:16:00.56
how can we help
meet their needs.
00:16:00.59\00:16:02.46
We've done a
variety of projects,
00:16:02.49\00:16:04.33
we've given out home kits,
00:16:04.36\00:16:05.86
which are a small
collection of household goods
00:16:05.89\00:16:08.76
like plates and
towels and spatulas.
00:16:08.80\00:16:12.83
Anything you need to
kind of set up a new home,
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.57
when you first get into a place.
00:16:15.60\00:16:17.47
We've given out
over 150 of those.
00:16:17.51\00:16:19.97
We do various other
projects around town,
00:16:20.01\00:16:22.11
we help clean up yards
00:16:22.14\00:16:24.35
and we helped the
Paradise Hope Center,
00:16:24.38\00:16:26.48
we help restock shelves,
their distribution center.
00:16:26.51\00:16:29.62
And then now our focus has been
00:16:29.65\00:16:31.15
this for the last
several months of trying
00:16:31.19\00:16:33.69
to get this project going.
00:16:33.72\00:16:35.12
You know, I think is incredible
because the building's gone,
00:16:35.16\00:16:37.26
the church is gone.
00:16:37.29\00:16:38.76
The people are here.
00:16:38.79\00:16:40.23
And you're still making
an impact in this community,
00:16:40.26\00:16:42.20
which is absolutely powerful.
00:16:42.23\00:16:44.00
Now I know because our
crew was here a year ago.
00:16:44.03\00:16:46.84
And right down this
front called the parking lot.
00:16:46.87\00:16:48.97
There was a
community center there,
00:16:49.00\00:16:50.94
and it was burned
when we were here,
00:16:50.97\00:16:52.67
it was still
smoldering actually.
00:16:52.71\00:16:54.64
But we've got a
couple of containers here.
00:16:54.68\00:16:56.64
And I see a sign on
the front of this one.
00:16:56.68\00:16:58.61
Yeah.
00:16:58.65\00:17:00.38
These two, 40 foot
shipping containers
00:17:00.42\00:17:02.22
on what we've been operating
00:17:02.25\00:17:03.59
out of as our Adventist
Community Services Buildings.
00:17:03.62\00:17:06.59
Obviously, you can tell
they're somewhat inadequate,
00:17:06.62\00:17:08.99
but we're doing
the best we can to meet
00:17:09.02\00:17:10.53
the needs of our community.
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.63
That's obviously incredible.
So in these little...
00:17:12.66\00:17:14.76
Well, they're not so little,
00:17:14.80\00:17:16.13
but in the store
sheds you have what?
00:17:16.16\00:17:18.40
In the right hand storage
shed, we have mostly clothes,
00:17:18.43\00:17:23.67
different sizes of clothes,
different genders all laid out,
00:17:23.71\00:17:26.44
as well as the home
kits that we give out.
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.01
And then the left hand
one, we've kind of reserved
00:17:29.04\00:17:30.75
that for larger pieces
of equipment, furniture,
00:17:30.78\00:17:35.35
and right now we're
being able to use that
00:17:35.38\00:17:37.05
as a place to store materials
for the job for the project,
00:17:37.09\00:17:40.76
nails, guns, you know,
like nail guns and nails
00:17:40.79\00:17:44.79
and saw blades and
all that kind of stuff
00:17:44.83\00:17:46.39
we need to build these sheds.
00:17:46.43\00:17:48.16
Yeah.
00:17:48.20\00:17:49.53
I think it's a
powerful testament
00:17:49.56\00:17:50.90
to the church here.
00:17:50.93\00:17:52.27
You know, the resiliency
of everyone to come together.
00:17:52.30\00:17:55.47
And what's incredible to me
00:17:55.50\00:17:56.84
is that there's
been so much loss,
00:17:56.87\00:17:58.97
but yet to see
everyone coming together,
00:17:59.01\00:18:00.61
it's just powerful
and it's impacted us.
00:18:00.64\00:18:02.61
We didn't live
here, but to come here
00:18:02.64\00:18:04.95
and to see
everyone come together
00:18:04.98\00:18:06.31
is so encouraging.
00:18:06.35\00:18:07.75
Tell me, how does one
even process this type of loss,
00:18:07.78\00:18:13.69
and if you want to say move on?
00:18:13.72\00:18:17.89
You know, I think the
thing that I have found for me,
00:18:17.93\00:18:23.70
there has been an absolute need
00:18:23.73\00:18:29.40
to get involved and give back.
00:18:29.44\00:18:32.41
And I have found in
my journey from a year,
00:18:32.44\00:18:36.71
if I can put
the focus on others,
00:18:36.75\00:18:39.55
then my own pain gets
healed in the process.
00:18:39.58\00:18:43.18
And so that's just I think
00:18:43.22\00:18:44.69
what we're called
to do as Christians,
00:18:44.72\00:18:46.49
is we're called to
help and serve others.
00:18:46.52\00:18:49.02
Christ set that example for us.
00:18:49.06\00:18:51.33
And we're just trying to set
that example in our community.
00:18:51.36\00:18:54.53
This community
is hurting so bad.
00:18:54.56\00:18:57.93
We still have people
living in cars, in tents.
00:18:57.97\00:19:02.24
It's been a year.
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.47
We wanna help them,
00:19:04.51\00:19:05.84
we want to share
the gospel with them
00:19:05.87\00:19:08.08
by loving on them.
00:19:08.11\00:19:09.74
If we can meet their
needs like Christ did,
00:19:09.78\00:19:12.88
then they're
receptive to the gospel.
00:19:12.91\00:19:15.45
So that is our
passion right now.
00:19:15.48\00:19:17.52
Amen.
00:19:17.55\00:19:18.89
Here we are the
Thanksgiving season.
00:19:18.92\00:19:21.02
What do you find to be thankful
for what comes to mind for you?
00:19:21.06\00:19:26.96
I am thankful not
for what the fire did,
00:19:27.00\00:19:31.57
but what the fire
has helped us with.
00:19:31.60\00:19:33.87
It has helped build community,
not only in our church,
00:19:33.90\00:19:38.54
but we're now working
with the outside of the church,
00:19:38.57\00:19:43.24
we're able to work and
collaborate in a way that
00:19:43.28\00:19:45.91
we never would be
able to be relevant before.
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.38
But our church is becoming
relevant in that platform.
00:19:48.42\00:19:52.29
And that is really exciting
00:19:52.32\00:19:54.46
to make a good
name for our church.
00:19:54.49\00:19:56.26
The people are excited
about wanting to be with us
00:19:56.29\00:19:59.13
is incredible.
00:19:59.16\00:20:00.50
Amen.
00:20:00.53\00:20:01.86
And just standing here
is a good friend of yours.
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.77
I wanna invite, Melinda,
00:20:03.80\00:20:05.67
why don't you stand
here next to Joelle?
00:20:05.70\00:20:07.10
Okay.
00:20:07.14\00:20:09.94
And you've been a
member of the Paradise Church
00:20:09.97\00:20:11.47
for how many years?
00:20:11.51\00:20:12.84
About 25 years, older than I am.
00:20:12.87\00:20:17.71
That's excellent. I love it.
00:20:17.75\00:20:20.22
So you're a survivor
of the Paradise fire.
00:20:20.25\00:20:23.72
Did it burn your home?
00:20:23.75\00:20:25.65
We thought it had.
00:20:25.69\00:20:28.12
But it actually
burned all around
00:20:28.16\00:20:30.13
our house, burned all the trees,
00:20:30.16\00:20:31.63
all the land around us.
00:20:31.66\00:20:32.99
And I think it happened
the next day Friday probably
00:20:33.03\00:20:35.93
because somebody was there
putting water on the tractor
00:20:35.96\00:20:39.67
and the tractor
didn't burn either.
00:20:39.70\00:20:41.44
So we are grateful and
it's such a funny feeling
00:20:41.47\00:20:45.14
to have your house survive
when everybody that you love
00:20:45.17\00:20:47.91
is lost everything, pictures,
mementos, things from grandma.
00:20:47.94\00:20:53.55
It's just so heartbreaking.
00:20:53.58\00:20:55.48
So we filled our
house with as many people
00:20:55.52\00:20:57.45
as we could
00:20:57.49\00:20:58.82
and people are still in
trailers on our property
00:20:58.85\00:21:00.72
who haven't found
a place to live yet.
00:21:00.76\00:21:03.16
So how are you involved
with this project right now
00:21:03.19\00:21:05.09
that's going on
00:21:05.13\00:21:06.46
with the
Adventist Community Center,
00:21:06.49\00:21:07.83
with Maranatha being here
00:21:07.86\00:21:09.20
and you all two
work together closely.
00:21:09.23\00:21:10.97
Now, I've loved
Joelle since she was little.
00:21:11.00\00:21:15.27
And today I was just
up at the church school,
00:21:15.30\00:21:17.67
the high school kids came
back to the church school today
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.41
for the first time
on the anniversary,
00:21:20.44\00:21:23.24
and so some of us
made lunch for them.
00:21:23.28\00:21:26.11
And so I was
just across the street
00:21:26.15\00:21:28.08
cleaning that up.
00:21:28.12\00:21:29.45
And I thought to myself, God,
00:21:29.48\00:21:31.45
I don't really have a place
where I'm doing anything yet.
00:21:31.49\00:21:34.56
Is there anything
else you want me to do?
00:21:34.59\00:21:36.42
And the strong thought came,
00:21:36.46\00:21:38.43
I should go across
the street and see Joelle.
00:21:38.46\00:21:42.26
She's always
optimistic, Godmistive
00:21:42.30\00:21:45.83
and so I came across the street,
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.40
I said, "Joelle,
what can I do to help?"
00:21:47.44\00:21:49.30
And she said, "Oh,
this and this and this,"
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.37
and now I've got a job.
00:21:51.41\00:21:53.64
So she's your
assistant. She is now.
00:21:53.68\00:21:56.91
As of a few hours ago. Yes.
00:21:56.95\00:21:58.58
That's great. That's great.
00:21:58.61\00:21:59.95
You know, I love it.
00:21:59.98\00:22:01.32
I think the incredible
thing about this project
00:22:01.35\00:22:03.85
is time and time
again, God has sent
00:22:03.89\00:22:06.35
just the right people
exactly when we needed them,
00:22:06.39\00:22:09.22
because He knows
that this project
00:22:09.26\00:22:11.96
is bigger than any of us.
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.40
And we all need each
other working together
00:22:13.43\00:22:15.50
on this project.
00:22:15.53\00:22:16.87
And I can tell
you stories for hours
00:22:16.90\00:22:21.07
of how He has
over and over again
00:22:21.10\00:22:23.81
shown His hand in this project
00:22:23.84\00:22:26.68
that this was His
from the beginning.
00:22:26.71\00:22:29.08
And it gives you
goosebumps. Amen.
00:22:29.11\00:22:33.75
You know, you mentioned
something to me earlier,
00:22:33.78\00:22:35.58
Melinda, you said you
shed more tears for kindness,
00:22:35.62\00:22:39.92
describe that?
00:22:39.95\00:22:42.42
One of my dear friends,
the youth pastor's wife,
00:22:42.46\00:22:45.19
they lost everything and
their kids lost everything
00:22:45.23\00:22:48.03
and they've been staying with us
00:22:48.06\00:22:49.76
part time and she's...
00:22:49.80\00:22:51.70
Marilyn looked at me
and she said, You know,
00:22:51.73\00:22:53.13
I think, I've shed more tears
over the kindness of strangers
00:22:53.17\00:22:58.77
than over any of the
losses that we've suffered.
00:22:58.81\00:23:01.38
And now you have is God,
00:23:01.41\00:23:06.01
He's more than enough.
00:23:06.05\00:23:07.68
He's more than enough,
00:23:07.72\00:23:09.05
I think we're more
in love with Him now
00:23:09.08\00:23:10.42
than we were before.
00:23:10.45\00:23:11.79
Satan is not
going to get us down.
00:23:11.82\00:23:13.19
In fact, if
we're irritating Satan
00:23:13.22\00:23:16.02
and things are going
wrong on the project that means
00:23:16.06\00:23:18.03
we're on the right track.
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.39
Amen. Yeah.
00:23:19.43\00:23:20.76
Thank you to
both of you, ladies.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.13
Thank you for what you're doing,
00:23:22.16\00:23:23.73
for God and for representing Him
00:23:23.77\00:23:26.43
and for taking care of
the community that's here
00:23:26.47\00:23:28.70
when you
yourselves are also suffering
00:23:28.74\00:23:30.64
because as you mentioned,
00:23:30.67\00:23:32.27
maybe you didn't lose your home,
00:23:32.31\00:23:33.98
but you've lost your community,
00:23:34.01\00:23:35.51
the church building's
gone, many of the things.
00:23:35.54\00:23:38.05
We all lost
work at the hospital.
00:23:38.08\00:23:40.42
So many things via God
is carrying you through,
00:23:40.45\00:23:42.85
so thank you for
being willing to share.
00:23:42.88\00:23:44.99
And we need to talk I think
is it to David, is that right?
00:23:45.02\00:23:47.49
He's the one that's in
charge of the Maranatha,
00:23:47.52\00:23:49.09
and see what's going
on with all this hammering
00:23:49.12\00:23:50.63
and banging and saws
and all the great activities
00:23:50.66\00:23:53.13
going on behind us.
00:23:53.16\00:23:56.20
This is a huge
project that's taking place.
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.53
You just came back
from Africa last week.
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.74
Last Thursday, yeah.
00:24:00.77\00:24:02.44
I've returned on Thursday
night and then Sunday morning
00:24:02.47\00:24:04.54
we came up here to
start getting the logistics,
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.31
building jigs and fixtures
and stuff ready for volunteers
00:24:07.34\00:24:09.84
to arrive on the fifth.
00:24:09.88\00:24:11.21
So what does the
manager director mean?
00:24:11.25\00:24:13.42
What do you do?
00:24:13.45\00:24:14.78
I mean it sounds huge,
you oversee all of this?
00:24:14.82\00:24:18.29
Normally, I don't run projects
I run like two or three a year.
00:24:18.32\00:24:22.22
This one because
we wanted to scale
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.89
and do so much at one
time, I wanted to lead it
00:24:24.93\00:24:27.80
and had a bit of idea in
mind how we could get this done.
00:24:27.83\00:24:32.30
But yeah, just
it's all logistics
00:24:32.33\00:24:34.44
and toward
sending the right people
00:24:34.47\00:24:36.50
and so far
we've got a good crowd
00:24:36.54\00:24:37.91
of motivated volunteers
00:24:37.94\00:24:39.91
and sheds are
coming out the backside.
00:24:39.94\00:24:41.81
So that's the
goal. Amen. That's great.
00:24:41.84\00:24:44.55
Share with us some fun facts,
00:24:44.58\00:24:46.38
because there's a
lot of people here,
00:24:46.41\00:24:48.52
there's a lot of lumber here,
tell us some fun facts about
00:24:48.55\00:24:50.62
what's going on?
00:24:50.65\00:24:51.99
Well, we're in a
disaster zone, as you know.
00:24:52.02\00:24:54.06
And so power has
been a big issue,
00:24:54.09\00:24:55.92
we've had to run on generators.
00:24:55.96\00:24:57.29
We've had two
smaller generators,
00:24:57.33\00:24:59.03
overloading circuit systems,
00:24:59.06\00:25:01.06
we had 10 or 12 chop saws
set up here on our first day.
00:25:01.10\00:25:06.03
There's 13 semi loads of
wood to be processed here.
00:25:06.07\00:25:09.64
And we cut a lot of
it on that first day,
00:25:09.67\00:25:12.74
but there's much more to cut,
00:25:12.77\00:25:14.94
in prepositioning
materials around the tents
00:25:14.98\00:25:17.18
and along the flow of production
00:25:17.21\00:25:18.91
so that we can just
draw into the jigs material
00:25:18.95\00:25:22.38
as needed for each phase.
00:25:22.42\00:25:24.52
And so we have
lots of volunteers.
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.45
I think we had 70 the first day,
00:25:26.49\00:25:28.72
we've got 50 here
today, and, you know,
00:25:28.76\00:25:31.66
so it's a flow of
people in and out.
00:25:31.69\00:25:34.43
But yeah, there's lots of noise,
00:25:34.46\00:25:35.80
we're good at making noise here.
00:25:35.83\00:25:37.57
And people have found
their groove, you know,
00:25:37.60\00:25:40.27
they're getting into their teams
00:25:40.30\00:25:41.64
and learning the flow of things.
00:25:41.67\00:25:43.00
So from yesterday's
first day of assembling sheds,
00:25:43.04\00:25:45.61
today is going much faster.
00:25:45.64\00:25:47.54
And we've got sheds
being painted, roofs going on,
00:25:47.58\00:25:50.75
we have it set up
so that there's cards
00:25:50.78\00:25:53.38
that we build the floor
system into and all the layout
00:25:53.42\00:25:56.52
as it for any
carpenters listening,
00:25:56.55\00:25:58.19
I mean it's, you know,
instead of pulling layout,
00:25:58.22\00:26:00.46
we have slots in
plywood that we just drop
00:26:00.49\00:26:03.56
joist into in rim
joist, everything is,
00:26:03.59\00:26:05.76
you don't have to
understand building
00:26:05.79\00:26:07.40
just this part fits in that zone
00:26:07.43\00:26:09.63
and then nail the
thing the flooring down,
00:26:09.66\00:26:11.60
then that card rolls outside
00:26:11.63\00:26:13.30
and goes alongside the big tent.
00:26:13.34\00:26:15.20
And the walls come out of
there and we stand the walls up.
00:26:15.24\00:26:17.87
And those walls were
all created in jigs also.
00:26:17.91\00:26:20.58
So it's repeatable,
consistent, and you can install
00:26:20.61\00:26:23.78
different people
in different segments
00:26:23.81\00:26:25.28
to make teams up
00:26:25.31\00:26:26.65
and they don't
have to be skilled.
00:26:26.68\00:26:28.72
Anybody with a
pulse is qualified
00:26:28.75\00:26:30.29
and the heart of service.
00:26:30.32\00:26:32.49
So yeah, it's fun to see that
and we've got the roof systems
00:26:32.52\00:26:35.82
set up in a jig.
00:26:35.86\00:26:37.19
And then after we frame
that system with a facial
00:26:37.23\00:26:39.56
and the siding on the
ends, we pull that out
00:26:39.59\00:26:41.66
with a strap in the
middle of the forklift,
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.77
set it on the ground and
then we roof it down low,
00:26:43.80\00:26:46.84
and then we put like a
hat up on top of the shed,
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.77
and that we paint
the gable end first
00:26:49.80\00:26:51.37
then we shingle it,
with skylights in it.
00:26:51.41\00:26:53.58
Then we lift it
up and set it down
00:26:53.61\00:26:54.94
on top of the shed.
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.71
And it's a finished
deal with corners trim on
00:26:57.75\00:27:00.65
and then install a door.
00:27:00.68\00:27:02.02
So...
00:27:02.05\00:27:03.39
It's quite the
assembly line, that's for sure.
00:27:03.42\00:27:04.85
So you're the one
that's responsible for making
00:27:04.89\00:27:06.79
that assembly
line come together?
00:27:06.82\00:27:08.92
Yeah, I had the idea for it.
00:27:08.96\00:27:11.39
But I had a couple
of talented guys show up
00:27:11.43\00:27:13.76
with me on Sunday,
and Monday, and Tuesday
00:27:13.80\00:27:16.80
to make it happen, you know.
00:27:16.83\00:27:18.37
So it was fun to put
an idea into plan and play
00:27:18.40\00:27:22.74
and see how it worked.
00:27:22.77\00:27:24.11
And also, yeah, God's blessing
and we're cranking sheds out.
00:27:24.14\00:27:27.14
And I guess the
community is pretty excited
00:27:27.18\00:27:28.68
about what's going on here.
00:27:28.71\00:27:30.38
Yeah.
00:27:30.41\00:27:31.75
So I'm hearing you've
been involved with Maranatha
00:27:31.78\00:27:33.11
for how many years?
00:27:33.15\00:27:34.48
Thirteen years this month.
00:27:34.52\00:27:35.85
I started in
Mozambique in Africa.
00:27:35.88\00:27:38.15
And eight and a
half years in Africa,
00:27:38.19\00:27:39.89
now I'm back in the States
00:27:39.92\00:27:41.32
for a little
over four years, so...
00:27:41.36\00:27:43.22
So what does it do for you,
David, to help other people?
00:27:43.26\00:27:46.70
Because
obviously doing it 13 years
00:27:46.73\00:27:48.43
you've been on who knows
00:27:48.46\00:27:49.80
how many projects
in those 13 years,
00:27:49.83\00:27:51.33
but what does it
do for you personally,
00:27:51.37\00:27:53.30
to help others?
00:27:53.34\00:27:55.77
I think God
hardwired us to serve
00:27:55.80\00:27:58.07
and so we find our greatest joy,
00:27:58.11\00:28:00.51
I believe in service.
00:28:00.54\00:28:01.88
And so being a part
of service full time,
00:28:01.91\00:28:04.05
it brings a lot
of joy, you know.
00:28:04.08\00:28:05.61
And so in
Africa, building schools
00:28:05.65\00:28:07.12
and seeing these
little kids get to, you know,
00:28:07.15\00:28:09.25
go to school have an
opportunity of education,
00:28:09.28\00:28:11.55
we do water wells in Africa.
00:28:11.59\00:28:13.29
And seeing people
who walked for hours
00:28:13.32\00:28:15.56
get water in 10
minutes from their house,
00:28:15.59\00:28:18.23
brings great joy
to my heart, you know.
00:28:18.26\00:28:19.86
And so knowing the
disaster and the pain
00:28:19.89\00:28:22.30
that people have
gone through here,
00:28:22.33\00:28:24.77
this is just really exciting
00:28:24.80\00:28:26.30
to be a part of
bringing some hope and some joy
00:28:26.33\00:28:29.50
into a very dark
situation for them, you know.
00:28:29.54\00:28:32.04
So, and these are
rodent proof sheds,
00:28:32.07\00:28:34.24
we're putting proper
external doors sealed up
00:28:34.28\00:28:37.11
so rats aren't gonna move
in with their stuff, you know,
00:28:37.15\00:28:39.48
so yeah, pressure treated,
they can sit on the ground,
00:28:39.51\00:28:42.85
they're upon skids,
so that they won't rot.
00:28:42.88\00:28:46.25
So we've got good
quality going on here as well.
00:28:46.29\00:28:47.76
Good quality.
We're building for Jesus.
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.89
So we wanna do a good job. Yeah.
00:28:49.92\00:28:52.09
And you know the miracle,
when I came here six weeks ago,
00:28:52.13\00:28:55.00
seven weeks ago,
when they asked us
00:28:55.03\00:28:56.36
to first start doing this.
00:28:56.40\00:28:58.97
They were talking a few
sheds, and then they didn't know
00:28:59.00\00:29:00.97
how much they could do.
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.34
And I said, well,
what's the real need?
00:29:02.37\00:29:03.71
You know, let's
not think the based on
00:29:03.74\00:29:06.17
how many beans are in the pot,
00:29:06.21\00:29:07.54
but, you know,
what the big need is?
00:29:07.58\00:29:09.54
And so they said, Well,
I think we could probably
00:29:09.58\00:29:11.08
come up with 200
sheds that were needed.
00:29:11.11\00:29:13.62
I said, God owns all
the cows on all the hills.
00:29:13.65\00:29:17.42
Let's just pray
that He sell some cows.
00:29:17.45\00:29:19.79
I was in Africa, and
I sent a message here
00:29:19.82\00:29:21.49
from Kenya.
00:29:21.52\00:29:22.86
I said, "Well, so
how's the funding?"
00:29:22.89\00:29:24.23
He said, "We're fully funded."
He said, "God sold the cows."
00:29:24.26\00:29:27.30
I said, "Praise
the Lord, you know."
00:29:27.33\00:29:28.96
So it's pretty exciting.
00:29:29.00\00:29:30.47
Thank you, David,
for organizing this event
00:29:30.50\00:29:33.10
here at Paradise
for what you're doing,
00:29:33.13\00:29:34.64
you and your team,
00:29:34.67\00:29:36.00
and may the Lord
bless you abundantly
00:29:36.04\00:29:37.74
and keep you safe.
00:29:37.77\00:29:39.11
Praise the Lord.
Thank you very much.
00:29:39.14\00:29:44.25
On the property of the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church
00:29:44.28\00:29:46.45
is a fresh water well.
00:29:46.48\00:29:48.58
This is the pump house.
00:29:48.62\00:29:49.95
And according to
Pastor Steve Hamilton,
00:29:49.98\00:29:52.35
this is one of the
only freshwater wells
00:29:52.39\00:29:54.42
that's open to the community.
00:29:54.46\00:29:56.36
And this is thanks to
your donations to 3ABN
00:29:56.39\00:29:59.19
that we forwarded on
00:29:59.23\00:30:00.56
to the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
00:30:00.60\00:30:02.06
They actually sent
a generator up here
00:30:02.10\00:30:03.73
toward the very beginning
00:30:03.77\00:30:05.10
when there was no
power in this area,
00:30:05.13\00:30:06.84
and they used a
generator to run the pump
00:30:06.87\00:30:10.24
to provide fresh
water for the community.
00:30:10.27\00:30:12.14
I like what this sign says here.
00:30:12.17\00:30:13.51
It says, welcome to our well.
00:30:13.54\00:30:15.81
We are glad to
share this water with you.
00:30:15.84\00:30:18.05
And then at the bottom,
00:30:18.08\00:30:19.41
it says if you are
seeking the living water,
00:30:19.45\00:30:21.35
and it gives the
church's phone number.
00:30:21.38\00:30:23.05
I think that's just powerful,
00:30:23.08\00:30:24.42
I mean that's a
powerful outreach
00:30:24.45\00:30:26.12
for this community
that was going under
00:30:26.15\00:30:27.72
such tremendous
loss and tragedy.
00:30:27.76\00:30:32.73
Also with the funds
that you donated through 3ABN
00:30:32.76\00:30:36.13
for the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
00:30:36.16\00:30:38.03
they built this,
00:30:38.07\00:30:39.40
I'm going to call
it the water wall.
00:30:39.43\00:30:41.64
They have spickets for water,
little drinking fountains here,
00:30:41.67\00:30:45.74
they have five of these.
00:30:45.77\00:30:47.11
And the community is welcome
during specific hours to come
00:30:47.14\00:30:50.81
and fill up their buckets.
00:30:50.85\00:30:52.45
As you can see,
there's someone here behind me
00:30:52.48\00:30:54.52
are filling up,
getting some water
00:30:54.55\00:30:56.02
which is a real
blessing for the people
00:30:56.05\00:30:57.69
here in this community.
00:30:57.72\00:30:59.05
Because again, a lot of people
00:30:59.09\00:31:00.42
don't have fresh water or power,
00:31:00.46\00:31:02.19
so this is used a lot.
00:31:02.22\00:31:03.96
We've seen a
number of people come here
00:31:03.99\00:31:06.26
and use this
wonderful wall of water.
00:31:06.29\00:31:09.20
We appreciate
Pastor Steve Hamilton
00:31:09.23\00:31:11.10
and his entire leadership team
00:31:11.13\00:31:12.67
here at the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
00:31:12.70\00:31:15.20
There's a lot that
has to be done yet,
00:31:15.24\00:31:17.51
but God is blessing and
things are going forward.
00:31:17.54\00:31:21.24
It's humbling.
00:31:21.28\00:31:22.91
It's humbling to know that
00:31:22.94\00:31:25.08
you could meet
the community's need
00:31:25.11\00:31:27.78
at such a practical level.
00:31:27.82\00:31:31.52
We take water for granted.
00:31:31.55\00:31:33.69
It's something we do every day,
we drink water, we take baths.
00:31:33.72\00:31:38.36
So to be able to give water
to people is truly a blessing.
00:31:38.39\00:31:43.93
It's humbling to be
able to realize that
00:31:43.97\00:31:46.23
we're helping at
such a basic level.
00:31:46.27\00:31:49.80
It's so good to
bring our kids there
00:31:49.84\00:31:52.07
because their
hearts are uplifted by
00:31:52.11\00:31:55.54
being able to help
other people receive water.
00:31:55.58\00:31:58.85
And there's a lot of
cars that come through
00:31:58.88\00:32:00.35
that are still
melted from a year ago,
00:32:00.38\00:32:02.58
they're driving the melted
cars that went through the fire
00:32:02.62\00:32:06.22
and they're collecting water.
00:32:06.25\00:32:07.59
And they're so grateful,
they're so thankful for water.
00:32:07.62\00:32:12.03
They give it to their neighbors,
00:32:12.06\00:32:13.40
they give it to
people who need it
00:32:13.43\00:32:14.76
that can't even physically
00:32:14.80\00:32:16.13
get to the
location of the water.
00:32:16.16\00:32:18.43
And so being able to help people
00:32:18.47\00:32:21.57
really helps us
in many ways too.
00:32:21.60\00:32:23.77
That water
station to me is graphic
00:32:23.81\00:32:26.57
of what it must
have been like for Jesus
00:32:26.61\00:32:28.64
in His time of
ministry in Galilee.
00:32:28.68\00:32:31.41
You know, we hear the
stories of arid dry land
00:32:31.45\00:32:34.98
and sources of
water, drinking water,
00:32:35.02\00:32:38.09
clear, cool,
crystal, refreshing water
00:32:38.12\00:32:42.59
being something
difficult to find.
00:32:42.62\00:32:45.76
And so that graphic illustration
00:32:45.79\00:32:49.50
of water being life,
00:32:49.53\00:32:52.33
and Jesus being able to sit
00:32:52.37\00:32:54.17
by one of those few locations
in a territory and say,
00:32:54.20\00:32:59.04
"That's what I'm here to
offer you is living water."
00:32:59.07\00:33:02.74
We see that in
graphic living color
00:33:02.78\00:33:05.85
at that water
station because it has been,
00:33:05.88\00:33:09.72
at times the only
source of safe drinking water,
00:33:09.75\00:33:13.96
and then still is
one of just a few.
00:33:13.99\00:33:16.62
We're talking two to three
00:33:16.66\00:33:18.53
other sources of
drinking water in town.
00:33:18.56\00:33:21.56
And so it's graphic to sit there
00:33:21.60\00:33:24.47
and see people come
00:33:24.50\00:33:26.07
and get water and
be grateful for it.
00:33:26.10\00:33:28.64
And to know that
00:33:28.67\00:33:30.01
that's the
representation of Christ
00:33:30.04\00:33:31.37
in our lives to
flow out into others,
00:33:31.41\00:33:34.01
and it seems like
such a simple thing
00:33:34.04\00:33:38.11
to look at that
water distribution station.
00:33:38.15\00:33:40.48
But as the 3ABN team
has sat in the parking lot
00:33:40.52\00:33:45.45
as we have, you're able to
see the community cycle through
00:33:45.49\00:33:49.12
and receive water from that
00:33:49.16\00:33:50.86
and to be able to
interact with them
00:33:50.89\00:33:52.66
and say, "What's your story?
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.46
Where are you living?
What's your condition?"
00:33:54.50\00:33:56.46
And what has
happened is that has been,
00:33:56.50\00:33:58.50
as it was in Jesus' time,
00:33:58.53\00:34:00.07
the opening
wedge of conversation,
00:34:00.10\00:34:02.74
"How are you?
00:34:02.77\00:34:04.11
How can we assist you?"
00:34:04.14\00:34:05.51
It's been the open
door to assist more
00:34:05.54\00:34:08.61
in the other ways that
the church and community
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.61
has been able to provide help.
00:34:10.65\00:34:12.61
The other piece of gratitude
00:34:12.65\00:34:15.42
that is
distinct in my experience
00:34:15.45\00:34:17.92
as a pastor for 20 years,
00:34:17.95\00:34:19.95
is that because of this
ordeal that we have watched
00:34:19.99\00:34:23.06
our community go
through that we've been through
00:34:23.09\00:34:25.23
with our community,
00:34:25.26\00:34:27.26
is that there are
passages of Scripture
00:34:27.30\00:34:29.96
that I read differently
now than I did before,
00:34:30.00\00:34:34.64
pieces that are pointing it
to my experience in journey,
00:34:34.67\00:34:38.27
that I think if I had
not gone through those,
00:34:38.31\00:34:40.71
I would not understand
Scripture in those ways.
00:34:40.74\00:34:43.75
You know, I love the
story of the woman at the well,
00:34:43.78\00:34:46.85
and the offering of fresh water
and Jesus responding by saying,
00:34:46.88\00:34:50.72
"I have even better water,
living water to offer you."
00:34:50.75\00:34:54.49
And I intellectually in classes
00:34:54.52\00:34:58.09
and in my study settled
00:34:58.13\00:35:00.96
and rooted into that story
as it being a beautiful story.
00:35:01.00\00:35:04.77
Then living through months
where we had a water station
00:35:04.80\00:35:07.17
at our church that was
00:35:07.20\00:35:08.54
the only safe
drinking water in town,
00:35:08.57\00:35:10.91
and powered by generator
00:35:10.94\00:35:12.27
because electricity wasn't
available in the town yet,
00:35:12.31\00:35:15.81
and seeing people
come to that place,
00:35:15.84\00:35:18.51
seeking water,
00:35:18.55\00:35:20.88
and thinking of the implications
00:35:20.92\00:35:22.25
of what Christ offers to me
00:35:22.28\00:35:24.49
as the only
source of living water.
00:35:24.52\00:35:26.25
I'll never read the
story of the woman at the well
00:35:26.29\00:35:28.49
the same after having
been through this year.
00:35:28.52\00:35:31.09
And there are many passages
00:35:31.13\00:35:32.49
of Scripture that
I read differently
00:35:32.53\00:35:34.30
because of the experience
that we've gone through.
00:35:34.33\00:35:38.20
I'm so grateful for
what God is able to do.
00:35:38.23\00:35:42.57
And bring beauty
out of times of trial.
00:35:42.60\00:35:45.64
I'll never forget the
graphic living color picture
00:35:45.67\00:35:50.91
of what I
anticipate it must have been
00:35:50.95\00:35:52.41
like for Jesus
to sit at that well,
00:35:52.45\00:35:54.52
and see people
come through and say,
00:35:54.55\00:35:57.19
"You like that water?
00:35:57.22\00:35:59.15
I have living water to offer."
00:35:59.19\00:36:00.96
And that's been such a blessing
00:36:00.99\00:36:03.49
for the church to be able to,
00:36:03.53\00:36:04.86
in reality, say
exactly the same thing.
00:36:04.89\00:36:07.16
You like that water.
God offers living water.
00:36:07.20\00:36:10.90
Can we be there for
you in this time of need?
00:36:10.93\00:36:16.57
A very emotional day
here for the community,
00:36:16.60\00:36:18.97
some of the people here
00:36:19.01\00:36:20.34
that were residents
here in Paradise, California
00:36:20.38\00:36:22.94
first time, and
then to come back
00:36:22.98\00:36:24.91
up here on the ridge.
00:36:24.95\00:36:27.05
You can see a lot of
emotion, a lot of tears.
00:36:27.08\00:36:30.79
The community
here we're outside.
00:36:30.82\00:36:32.55
There's a lot of
officials from the firefighter,
00:36:32.59\00:36:35.76
from law enforcement,
from the government leaders
00:36:35.79\00:36:39.16
here, even
Congressmen were here.
00:36:39.19\00:36:41.73
And really it's
just a lot of faith.
00:36:41.76\00:36:44.13
You can see here
with this community,
00:36:44.17\00:36:46.03
standing together to
rebuild coming together,
00:36:46.07\00:36:49.84
and I think it's good.
00:36:49.87\00:36:51.27
A lot of times we tend to
wanna shove our emotions aside
00:36:51.31\00:36:54.41
and not deal with them,
00:36:54.44\00:36:55.78
but here you can
see people being people,
00:36:55.81\00:36:58.38
we all have feelings,
we all hurt, we have pain.
00:36:58.41\00:37:02.12
And it's a blessing
here because we've mentioned
00:37:02.15\00:37:03.62
we're from the Seventh-Day
Adventist Church here
00:37:03.65\00:37:05.75
and a lot of people course
00:37:05.79\00:37:07.12
because of the
Feather River Hospital,
00:37:07.16\00:37:09.79
the church, the
academy that was here,
00:37:09.82\00:37:13.40
the Adventist
Church is very strong here
00:37:13.43\00:37:14.76
in this community.
00:37:14.80\00:37:16.13
So it's neat to see
everyone coming together here
00:37:16.16\00:37:18.13
and a very, very
special time here.
00:37:18.17\00:37:20.94
And you're absolutely
right about the Lord blessing,
00:37:20.97\00:37:23.61
not only me and my community.
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.54
We've been through
00:37:25.57\00:37:26.91
some
extraordinarily difficult times
00:37:26.94\00:37:28.41
here in Butte County.
00:37:28.44\00:37:29.78
The campfire and then
00:37:29.81\00:37:31.15
if you're
familiar with our region,
00:37:31.18\00:37:32.51
before that we had an incident
with our Orville Dam spillway.
00:37:32.55\00:37:36.45
So there's been a lot of trauma
visited upon this community.
00:37:36.48\00:37:41.52
But I'm really gratified
to be here today, as you know,
00:37:41.56\00:37:46.86
you were here
last year at this time,
00:37:46.90\00:37:48.56
it was dark with smoke embers
00:37:48.60\00:37:50.10
were falling down,
everything is burning.
00:37:50.13\00:37:52.10
And now you can see
tremendous progress,
00:37:52.13\00:37:54.24
things are getting cleaned up.
00:37:54.27\00:37:55.70
We've got a
long, long road ahead,
00:37:55.74\00:37:57.27
but we're headed in
the right direction.
00:37:57.31\00:38:00.24
You know, this is a
tight knit community.
00:38:00.28\00:38:02.04
And as you can see,
00:38:02.08\00:38:03.41
when you talk to
other people here,
00:38:03.45\00:38:05.65
they are
resilient, they're committed.
00:38:05.68\00:38:08.62
They have a long
path to go, as we all do,
00:38:08.65\00:38:11.25
that path will be filled
with ups and downs, certainly.
00:38:11.29\00:38:15.12
But I think what
makes this region
00:38:15.16\00:38:17.93
and this community special
00:38:17.96\00:38:19.46
is the quality of character
of the people who live here.
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.56
You may feel that
the storms in life
00:38:33.04\00:38:34.84
may totally swallow you
up, that the light at the end
00:38:34.88\00:38:38.51
of the tunnel may never appear,
00:38:38.55\00:38:40.98
but there's always hope.
00:38:41.02\00:38:43.65
I'm here across the street
00:38:43.69\00:38:45.02
from the Paradise
Seventh-Day Adventist Church,
00:38:45.05\00:38:47.19
on the school
grounds, the elementary school,
00:38:47.22\00:38:49.12
which you saw last
year burned to the ground,
00:38:49.16\00:38:52.13
the academy and
the rest of the school
00:38:52.16\00:38:53.93
suffered major damage,
00:38:53.96\00:38:56.77
but there's hope because
they're rebuilding the school.
00:38:56.80\00:38:59.30
This elementary
school's gonna be rebuild,
00:38:59.33\00:39:00.90
they're
remodeling and taking out
00:39:00.94\00:39:02.27
all of the smoke
damage parts of the school.
00:39:02.30\00:39:05.91
This playground right now
that you don't see any kids on,
00:39:05.94\00:39:08.94
there'll be kids
spinning on this merry go round,
00:39:08.98\00:39:10.71
sliding down the slide,
swinging in the swing sets.
00:39:10.75\00:39:14.22
You know, it's interesting
here you can see a lot of death,
00:39:14.25\00:39:16.12
you can see a
lot of charred trees.
00:39:16.15\00:39:18.32
But there's
still a lot of green.
00:39:18.35\00:39:19.85
I saw some
green blades of grass,
00:39:19.89\00:39:21.82
some little bushes,
trying to grow over here.
00:39:21.86\00:39:25.23
You know, the Creator God,
00:39:25.26\00:39:26.73
the one that's
bringing this new life
00:39:26.76\00:39:28.70
out of this just
destruction that took place
00:39:28.73\00:39:31.33
here a year ago in nature,
00:39:31.37\00:39:33.34
the same God that's doing that
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.10
can do the same
thing in your life today.
00:39:35.14\00:39:37.57
No matter what
storm you're dealing with,
00:39:37.61\00:39:40.08
God is right there.
00:39:40.11\00:39:41.98
You know, He has
you in His hands.
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.78
I think that's a powerful thing.
00:39:43.81\00:39:45.15
You think about the
God of the universe.
00:39:45.18\00:39:46.58
I'm looking at
these little stones here.
00:39:46.61\00:39:49.08
This earth you and
I could be just like
00:39:49.12\00:39:51.59
a little pebble
here, but God sees you,
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.36
He's got you in
the palm of His hand.
00:39:53.39\00:39:55.89
And He's there to care for you,
00:39:55.92\00:39:57.63
no matter what
you're going through today.
00:39:57.66\00:39:59.19
I think that one of...
00:40:29.19\00:40:30.53
If I were to sort of tactile
00:40:30.56\00:40:34.20
describe one of the
most practical things
00:40:34.23\00:40:37.33
that has carried us this
year is being intentional
00:40:37.37\00:40:42.80
about identifying the
things we're thankful for.
00:40:42.84\00:40:47.08
Those things, the list of things
00:40:47.11\00:40:49.38
that we're grateful for
and leaning into gratitude,
00:40:49.41\00:40:52.61
not necessarily
because you feel it at times,
00:40:52.65\00:40:55.78
but because in doing so
brings the feeling of gratitude.
00:40:55.82\00:40:59.12
Absolutely.
00:40:59.15\00:41:00.49
I've been working on
that a lot in my life,
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.36
just having this
attitude of gratitude.
00:41:03.39\00:41:06.29
So naturally, we
want to think about
00:41:06.33\00:41:10.27
the hard things and we
focus on the hard things
00:41:10.30\00:41:12.67
and because they're hard,
but I've been intentionally
00:41:12.70\00:41:17.11
trying to be thankful
for even the small things,
00:41:17.14\00:41:20.14
things like
thank you for the gas
00:41:20.18\00:41:22.24
in my car this week,
00:41:22.28\00:41:24.08
thank you that
we have a house now,
00:41:24.11\00:41:26.41
that's huge for us.
00:41:26.45\00:41:28.05
It feels like a mansion.
00:41:28.08\00:41:29.98
This time last year,
we didn't have a house
00:41:30.02\00:41:32.62
and so having a house
is a really big deal now.
00:41:32.65\00:41:35.76
And a year ago, I don't think
00:41:35.79\00:41:37.13
I would have been so
grateful for a house.
00:41:37.16\00:41:39.43
I'm thankful for food.
00:41:39.46\00:41:41.50
People have fed us
over and over and over again
00:41:41.53\00:41:45.63
when we didn't even
have the presence of mind
00:41:45.67\00:41:48.14
to figure out how to cook.
00:41:48.17\00:41:50.24
I mean, all my
recipes were destroyed.
00:41:50.27\00:41:52.81
I felt lost in the
kitchen all over again,
00:41:52.84\00:41:55.14
but being able to cook
this year, having food,
00:41:55.18\00:42:00.15
having my kids smile,
it's so good for my heart
00:42:00.18\00:42:05.82
for our hearts to
start counting the things
00:42:05.85\00:42:08.26
that we're grateful
for and even being grateful
00:42:08.29\00:42:10.59
for the hard times.
00:42:10.63\00:42:12.03
Because it's been
through the hard times
00:42:12.06\00:42:14.50
that we've seen
so much kindness,
00:42:14.53\00:42:16.90
so much goodness, so much care,
00:42:16.93\00:42:19.30
so much love come our
way, and through many of you.
00:42:19.33\00:42:23.10
Thank you so much
for your kindness,
00:42:23.14\00:42:25.94
your generosity,
your love, your support.
00:42:25.97\00:42:29.04
We have felt it over
and over and over again.
00:42:29.08\00:42:32.41
We thank you.
00:42:32.45\00:42:33.78
So I'm a
Northern California kid.
00:42:33.82\00:42:36.28
I grew up in
Northern California,
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.69
wildfires have been
part of my experience
00:42:38.72\00:42:42.02
as I've grown up,
and then out of college,
00:42:42.06\00:42:44.69
I worked on a
volunteer fire department
00:42:44.73\00:42:46.80
and with strike
teams on wildfires.
00:42:46.83\00:42:49.53
And so that's something
00:42:49.56\00:42:52.00
that has been
part of my experience,
00:42:52.03\00:42:54.17
I have to say
that the Paradise fire
00:42:54.20\00:42:56.54
is beyond that in many ways.
00:42:56.57\00:43:00.71
As an example, I have
watched over and over again
00:43:00.74\00:43:03.31
as people have approached
members of our community,
00:43:03.35\00:43:05.55
us because our home burned down
00:43:05.58\00:43:08.22
over on the other side of town,
00:43:08.25\00:43:10.05
and they will
say something like,
00:43:10.09\00:43:14.32
"Oh, I'm so sorry.
00:43:14.36\00:43:16.06
Our home burned down in 1991.
00:43:16.09\00:43:18.89
We know how you
feel." That's heart.
00:43:18.93\00:43:23.63
And that's a gracious offering
00:43:23.67\00:43:25.77
and an empathetic
moment that happens,
00:43:25.80\00:43:29.84
but I watch over
and over and over again
00:43:29.87\00:43:31.57
as members of our
community sort of react to that
00:43:31.61\00:43:34.91
without a better
way of saying this
00:43:39.11\00:43:41.05
as actually you don't
know what we're going through.
00:43:41.08\00:43:44.72
Because in Paradise,
our home burned down,
00:43:44.75\00:43:48.32
but so did our job, and
our place of employment.
00:43:48.36\00:43:52.96
Also, where we
grocery shopped burn down,
00:43:52.99\00:43:56.30
where we took our pets to
the veterinary burned down,
00:43:56.33\00:43:59.70
where we went to
the doctor burned down,
00:43:59.73\00:44:01.80
where we went to
the dentist burned down,
00:44:01.84\00:44:04.47
the emergency
department and hospital
00:44:04.51\00:44:07.38
where we always went
in time of need burned,
00:44:07.41\00:44:12.48
where our children
went to school burned,
00:44:12.51\00:44:15.38
where we
worshiped for church burned.
00:44:15.42\00:44:17.49
And then almost as if
the fire continues to burn,
00:44:17.52\00:44:20.39
members of our community
and close friends and family
00:44:20.42\00:44:23.29
have had to transition
outside of the community.
00:44:23.32\00:44:26.39
I think the thing
that is important for me
00:44:26.43\00:44:29.50
as a leader is to
realize that potentially we have
00:44:29.53\00:44:32.57
a learning experience here that
00:44:32.60\00:44:37.04
because of the broad magnitude
00:44:37.07\00:44:39.31
and broad scale
piece of what burned,
00:44:39.34\00:44:42.38
much of our story can be
used as a learning experience
00:44:42.41\00:44:46.38
and how for
God's people to respond
00:44:46.41\00:44:48.42
and help and assist in
other areas that happen
00:44:48.45\00:44:52.65
to this can be helpful
for us and God's people.
00:44:52.69\00:44:56.79
Also in the broad
scale face of what happened
00:44:56.83\00:45:00.20
to the church
community in Paradise
00:45:00.23\00:45:03.03
where the school
was devastated by fire,
00:45:03.06\00:45:05.33
the church campus, in
fact, completely burned down
00:45:05.37\00:45:09.50
with the
community services campus,
00:45:09.54\00:45:11.24
the children's
ministry, piece of the complex,
00:45:11.27\00:45:13.91
the church sanctuary,
00:45:13.94\00:45:15.74
all of the maintenance
00:45:15.78\00:45:17.45
and other subsidiary
buildings of the campus.
00:45:17.48\00:45:19.71
In fact, the only thing standing
00:45:19.75\00:45:22.32
on the church
campus is that pump house
00:45:22.35\00:45:24.89
that we were able to tap
into and get back up with water.
00:45:24.92\00:45:27.82
The fact that
the physical church
00:45:27.86\00:45:31.09
completely burned to the ground,
00:45:31.13\00:45:34.30
teaches us to be mindful
00:45:34.33\00:45:36.73
that the church is the people
00:45:36.77\00:45:38.57
that, in fact, the
church didn't burn down.
00:45:38.60\00:45:40.74
The people are still here.
00:45:40.77\00:45:42.30
The church is still
standing in the way that
00:45:42.34\00:45:45.74
God designed it to be,
00:45:45.77\00:45:47.11
to be the personhood of
Jesus, helping and assisting
00:45:47.14\00:45:50.98
as the hands of
Him in a time of need
00:45:51.01\00:45:54.58
is really an
interesting piece to look at.
00:45:54.62\00:45:57.82
And I think maybe it
wouldn't be so starkly clear
00:45:57.85\00:46:01.56
that God wants the
church to be His people,
00:46:01.59\00:46:05.03
as it is for us
in this community,
00:46:05.06\00:46:06.96
where the church
physically burnt down,
00:46:07.00\00:46:10.03
but God's people
are still standing
00:46:10.07\00:46:11.80
and serving the community.
00:46:11.83\00:46:14.27
Friends, thank you
for being there with us,
00:46:14.30\00:46:18.57
it's our family with us
as the community in Paradise.
00:46:18.61\00:46:22.24
Thank you for
being there with us.
00:46:22.28\00:46:24.98
We would just ask that
00:46:25.01\00:46:26.35
you keep hanging
in there with us.
00:46:26.38\00:46:29.68
We feel your
support, we feel your prayers.
00:46:29.72\00:46:32.35
And we ask that you continue
to hang in there with us
00:46:32.39\00:46:34.99
because the church is
still standing in Paradise.
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.79
We're still hanging on.
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.19
We're still
holding fast together
00:46:39.23\00:46:42.40
with our community and Jesus.
00:46:42.43\00:46:44.20
And so continue
to hold on with us
00:46:44.23\00:46:46.57
and pray with us.
00:46:46.60\00:46:48.24
And pray with us
now as we pray for you
00:46:48.27\00:46:50.94
as you continue to pray
for us because ultimately,
00:46:50.97\00:46:53.68
prayer is the key
in the hand of faith
00:46:53.71\00:46:56.28
that unlocks heaven storehouse.
00:46:56.31\00:46:59.15
And so Heavenly Father,
00:46:59.18\00:47:01.45
during this
time of Thanksgiving,
00:47:01.48\00:47:03.28
we thank You.
00:47:03.32\00:47:05.65
We thank You that You are there.
00:47:05.69\00:47:08.22
We thank You that
we can place our hand,
00:47:08.26\00:47:11.03
our weak, feeble,
struggling at times hand
00:47:11.06\00:47:14.43
in Your hand of
strength and know that not only
00:47:14.46\00:47:17.47
are we holding on to You,
00:47:17.50\00:47:19.27
but You are holding on to us.
00:47:19.30\00:47:22.00
And so I just pray
that You would be with us,
00:47:22.04\00:47:24.31
each of us wherever we
are on this Thanksgiving Day,
00:47:24.34\00:47:27.31
that You would be
the one we turn to,
00:47:27.34\00:47:30.28
that You would be the one
00:47:30.31\00:47:31.65
who we know is the
giver of all good gifts.
00:47:31.68\00:47:35.52
And so in times of
trial help us remember that
00:47:35.55\00:47:37.85
they are not of You,
00:47:37.89\00:47:39.32
but You can
guide us and carry us
00:47:39.35\00:47:40.89
through the valley
and into the other side.
00:47:40.92\00:47:43.89
We lift up the
community of Paradise,
00:47:43.93\00:47:46.09
and the
communities that we represent,
00:47:46.13\00:47:49.86
that You would be
with us in a time of need,
00:47:49.90\00:47:52.00
in a time of Thanksgiving,
00:47:52.03\00:47:54.00
and be with us
in the bright future
00:47:54.04\00:47:56.87
that we look forward
to with You and eternity.
00:47:56.91\00:47:59.04
We thank You in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:47:59.07\00:48:02.51
Dear Jesus, thank You
for being willing to be a God
00:48:02.54\00:48:07.52
who loves us and cares about us,
00:48:07.55\00:48:10.95
and looks after us.
00:48:10.99\00:48:13.72
And, Lord, there are times
00:48:13.76\00:48:16.39
in our lives that
are very difficult,
00:48:16.42\00:48:19.19
and we have
questions that we may be still
00:48:19.23\00:48:22.90
don't have answers to.
00:48:22.93\00:48:25.23
And there are
things in our lives
00:48:25.27\00:48:26.87
that don't really make sense,
00:48:26.90\00:48:30.31
but right here and
right now, in this moment,
00:48:30.34\00:48:33.78
we just wanna give
You ourselves and say,
00:48:33.81\00:48:37.08
even though it doesn't
all make sense, I trust You.
00:48:37.11\00:48:42.52
And I give myself to You and ask
00:48:42.55\00:48:46.12
that my life
would be used by You.
00:48:46.15\00:48:50.13
I pray for each
one who is listening,
00:48:50.16\00:48:53.50
I pray that You
would be with them
00:48:53.53\00:48:55.46
that You would guide
them, give them strength,
00:48:55.50\00:48:57.83
comfort them.
00:48:57.87\00:48:59.63
I pray for Paradise,
You would rebuild us.
00:48:59.67\00:49:03.87
You would build us
up in Your strength
00:49:03.91\00:49:06.17
and not ours
because we are so weak
00:49:06.21\00:49:08.68
and we are so feeble.
00:49:08.71\00:49:10.81
We need You.
00:49:10.85\00:49:12.25
Thank You that You
are willing to hold us up
00:49:12.28\00:49:15.22
and strengthen us moment by
moment in Jesus' name, amen.
00:49:15.25\00:49:20.82
We hope that
you've been inspired
00:49:25.09\00:49:26.53
as much as we have
here by getting the stories
00:49:26.56\00:49:28.73
out of Paradise, California.
00:49:28.76\00:49:30.60
What's inspired us?
00:49:30.63\00:49:32.47
It's been the
spirit of giving here
00:49:32.50\00:49:34.14
in this community,
00:49:34.17\00:49:35.50
from people that
have lost so much,
00:49:35.54\00:49:37.47
they themselves
are giving so much.
00:49:37.51\00:49:40.91
They may have a
house that wasn't burned,
00:49:40.94\00:49:42.91
they're opening it up for people
00:49:42.94\00:49:44.28
to come in and stay.
00:49:44.31\00:49:45.68
They may have an empty lot
now because their house burned,
00:49:45.71\00:49:48.95
but it has
water and it has sewer
00:49:48.98\00:49:50.92
so they're letting people
come and park their RV trailers
00:49:50.95\00:49:54.06
or motor homes on their lots,
00:49:54.09\00:49:56.12
or they're
helping their neighbor
00:49:56.16\00:49:57.69
clean up their lot, cut
down trees, move debris.
00:49:57.73\00:50:01.06
It's an incredible
show of thankfulness,
00:50:01.10\00:50:05.37
not only to God, but
also appreciation to God
00:50:05.40\00:50:08.60
and their local fellow
human being, their neighbors.
00:50:08.64\00:50:11.87
I hope that inspires
you in your own life,
00:50:11.91\00:50:13.54
no matter who's around you,
00:50:13.58\00:50:15.58
your sphere of influence,
00:50:15.61\00:50:17.45
that you will help other people.
00:50:17.48\00:50:19.21
So during this
Thanksgiving season,
00:50:19.25\00:50:20.95
I encourage you to go
out and help somebody else
00:50:20.98\00:50:23.99
and thank the Lord Jesus
for what He has done for you.
00:50:24.02\00:50:26.62
I'm in His
hands I'm in His hands
00:50:46.57\00:50:52.35
He will take care of me
00:50:52.38\00:50:55.22
According to His plans
00:50:55.25\00:50:58.49
His love for me
00:50:58.52\00:51:01.12
I can't understand
00:51:01.16\00:51:04.49
But it's so good to know
00:51:04.53\00:51:07.60
I'm in His hands
00:51:07.63\00:51:09.90
One thing I know for sure
00:51:39.53\00:51:42.83
I'm in His hands
00:51:42.86\00:51:46.13
One thing I know for sure
00:51:46.17\00:51:50.17
I'm in His hands
00:51:50.21\00:51:52.77
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:52:01.82\00:52:03.28
Well, Pastor
Hamilton that it looked like
00:52:03.32\00:52:06.22
God has sent him there
just for the right time.
00:52:06.25\00:52:09.66
With love for the people,
for the community and for God,
00:52:09.69\00:52:12.46
and outreach with
people like Maranatha
00:52:12.49\00:52:15.73
and others coming in.
00:52:15.76\00:52:17.10
I mean, what an incredible,
isn't it to be able to work
00:52:17.13\00:52:19.70
with fellow Christians
00:52:19.73\00:52:21.30
and many Seventh-day Adventist
Christians to work together
00:52:21.34\00:52:24.41
to go out and to rebuild.
00:52:24.44\00:52:26.47
So that should be
our responsibility
00:52:26.51\00:52:28.84
and our privilege,
00:52:28.88\00:52:30.21
not only rebuilding by the power
00:52:30.25\00:52:31.61
and anointing of
the Holy Spirit, lives,
00:52:31.65\00:52:34.18
you know, spiritually,
but physically when we can.
00:52:34.22\00:52:36.32
Yes.
00:52:36.35\00:52:37.69
That's why we build churches
and schools and hospital,
00:52:37.72\00:52:39.72
work with groups
and do around the world.
00:52:39.75\00:52:41.96
And so, Greg,
00:52:41.99\00:52:44.49
in your
summation of all of this,
00:52:44.53\00:52:47.30
you've spent a lot of
time and a lot of energy.
00:52:47.33\00:52:50.30
And what do you
want to say to the folks?
00:52:50.33\00:52:52.77
What's inspiring to me
far as Pastor Steve Hamilton,
00:52:52.80\00:52:55.50
you know, because
he's there as the pastor
00:52:55.54\00:52:57.04
and of course
everyone's coming to him,
00:52:57.07\00:52:58.74
you know, for help.
00:52:58.77\00:53:00.11
I mean, it's very emotional
00:53:00.14\00:53:01.48
for the people
in that community.
00:53:01.51\00:53:02.84
They've lost everything.
00:53:02.88\00:53:04.21
As he mentioned,
and his wife mentioned,
00:53:04.25\00:53:05.58
you didn't just lose your house,
00:53:05.61\00:53:06.95
you've lost your
entire community,
00:53:06.98\00:53:08.32
your bank, your grocery store,
00:53:08.35\00:53:09.68
everything
that's familiar to you,
00:53:09.72\00:53:11.69
your friends and neighbors.
00:53:11.72\00:53:13.05
Yeah, your
employment, your employer,
00:53:13.09\00:53:15.09
your friends and
neighbors, some of them had
00:53:15.12\00:53:16.46
to move away because
there was no place to work.
00:53:16.49\00:53:18.39
So they're moving out of state.
00:53:18.43\00:53:19.76
So everything
is just in turmoil.
00:53:19.79\00:53:21.46
But yet, you know, their
faith is in Jesus Christ.
00:53:21.50\00:53:24.30
And that's what,
hopefully you have seen through
00:53:24.33\00:53:25.97
all of these
different interviews
00:53:26.00\00:53:27.34
and roles is that
people are looking to God
00:53:27.37\00:53:29.57
for their source of strength,
00:53:29.60\00:53:30.94
no matter what storm
they're going through.
00:53:30.97\00:53:32.84
And what's
incredible to me too, is that...
00:53:32.87\00:53:37.71
It's amazing to me because
they're in such devastation,
00:53:37.75\00:53:42.22
be out there
helping other people.
00:53:42.25\00:53:44.25
Time and time again,
that just was in my mind
00:53:44.29\00:53:46.96
just impressive to
me that these people,
00:53:46.99\00:53:49.42
I wanna say these
people, the people there
00:53:49.46\00:53:51.33
that lost everything
are trying to reach out
00:53:51.36\00:53:53.50
and help others.
00:53:53.53\00:53:54.86
It's just incredible.
Yeah, really is. Jill?
00:53:54.90\00:53:58.30
I think going off of
what you just said, Greg,
00:53:58.33\00:54:00.27
that convicts my heart.
00:54:00.30\00:54:03.54
You know, it puts
me to shame as it were
00:54:03.57\00:54:05.67
because so many
times you get focused on
00:54:05.71\00:54:07.54
your own needs
and your own things,
00:54:07.58\00:54:09.41
but to think when
you're going through
00:54:09.44\00:54:11.11
such loss and such
pain and such devastation
00:54:11.15\00:54:15.32
to still be
thinking of other people,
00:54:15.35\00:54:18.29
that is the Spirit of Jesus.
00:54:18.32\00:54:20.06
So I'm so blessed by that.
00:54:20.09\00:54:21.82
Going back to the first
hour, you know, Dr. McClarty,
00:54:21.86\00:54:24.03
she was there in her
car, and there were people
00:54:24.06\00:54:27.40
that their car was on fire.
00:54:27.43\00:54:29.80
And she, you know,
00:54:29.83\00:54:31.17
she's inviting
them into her car,
00:54:31.20\00:54:32.53
you know,
everyone's there to try
00:54:32.57\00:54:33.90
and help each
other, you know, these,
00:54:33.94\00:54:35.27
they have experienced
is just is traumatic.
00:54:35.30\00:54:37.71
Yeah.
00:54:37.74\00:54:39.07
Very traumatic, be
it for them to see,
00:54:39.11\00:54:40.44
to be grateful.
00:54:40.48\00:54:41.81
I liked what the
pastor's wife, Delinda said,
00:54:41.84\00:54:43.85
is making a gratitude list.
00:54:43.88\00:54:46.72
There's always something
that you can be thankful for.
00:54:46.75\00:54:49.28
And that's a great
start because sometimes
00:54:49.32\00:54:50.69
it's like I don't have
anything to be thankful for.
00:54:50.72\00:54:53.22
Well, yeah, you
do. You're alive.
00:54:53.25\00:54:54.59
That's right.
Absolutely. That's life.
00:54:54.62\00:54:55.96
What a precious gift
from God. Yes, that's right.
00:54:55.99\00:54:58.16
And aren't we thankful
that we have a risen Savior?
00:54:58.19\00:55:00.63
Yes. Absolutely.
00:55:00.66\00:55:02.00
As in the world
today, I know that
00:55:02.03\00:55:03.37
He's living
whatever man may say,
00:55:03.40\00:55:04.87
all right, you
see His hand of mercy,
00:55:04.90\00:55:06.84
hear His voice cheer
just the time I need Him.
00:55:06.87\00:55:09.64
He's always near.
00:55:09.67\00:55:11.24
So today, we have
much to be thankful for.
00:55:11.27\00:55:14.51
And so remember that
00:55:14.54\00:55:15.88
when Jesus was
hanging on the cross,
00:55:15.91\00:55:17.28
you were on His mind.
00:55:17.31\00:55:18.68
He could look down that stream
of time and see each of us,
00:55:18.71\00:55:21.72
see if people they'd be
willing to give their lives
00:55:21.75\00:55:23.89
unto death if
necessary for the cause of God.
00:55:23.92\00:55:26.52
So you're not here by
accident. You're not alone.
00:55:26.55\00:55:29.42
You have 3ABN family,
but you have the Holy Spirit,
00:55:29.46\00:55:32.49
you have the Lord, and He
has something special for you.
00:55:32.53\00:55:35.46
And I want to encourage
each and every one of you today,
00:55:35.50\00:55:38.00
start out, making your
list, what am I thankful for,
00:55:38.03\00:55:40.87
instead of
saying, "No, always me,
00:55:40.90\00:55:42.80
if I didn't have any
luck, I wouldn't have,
00:55:42.84\00:55:44.54
you know, bad luck.
00:55:44.57\00:55:45.91
I didn't have any luck at all,"
that old song that they sing.
00:55:45.94\00:55:48.71
No, you know, what?
00:55:48.74\00:55:50.08
Don't let the
devil get to you today.
00:55:50.11\00:55:51.45
This is a high day.
00:55:51.48\00:55:52.81
It's a Thanksgiving
time, but not just for today.
00:55:52.85\00:55:55.92
Great peace have
they which love thy law
00:55:55.95\00:55:57.85
and nothing shall offend them.
00:55:57.89\00:55:59.65
So today Happy Thanksgiving
to each and every one of you.
00:55:59.69\00:56:03.79
And we thank you for joining us
00:56:03.83\00:56:05.46
here at 3ABN,
the year's not over.
00:56:05.49\00:56:07.70
And if the Holy
Spirit's impressing,
00:56:07.73\00:56:09.73
and you wanna send
a love gift to 3ABN
00:56:09.76\00:56:11.83
to continue to take
this gospel to the world,
00:56:11.87\00:56:14.37
we sure would appreciate it.
00:56:14.40\00:56:15.80
And join, continue
to join hands with you
00:56:15.84\00:56:17.91
to get the gospel to the world.
00:56:17.94\00:56:19.27
I wonder if it'd be
appropriate, Yvonne,
00:56:19.31\00:56:21.44
if we could go
out today in a prayer,
00:56:21.48\00:56:23.91
a Thanksgiving prayer,
00:56:23.95\00:56:25.28
maybe we could ask you
would just join hands together.
00:56:25.31\00:56:27.72
And for those of you
at home, pray with us
00:56:27.75\00:56:29.85
if you want to join with us.
00:56:29.88\00:56:32.19
And until we see you next time,
may the Lord richly bless you
00:56:32.22\00:56:35.26
abundantly more than
you could ever ask or think.
00:56:35.29\00:56:37.56
Let's pray.
00:56:37.59\00:56:39.69
Father, we just
thank You so very much.
00:56:39.73\00:56:42.10
We are so grateful for You,
00:56:42.13\00:56:43.70
and we have so
much to be thankful for.
00:56:43.73\00:56:46.40
For one of Your names Lord Jesus
00:56:46.43\00:56:48.50
is Emmanuel, God with us.
00:56:48.54\00:56:50.84
And so we know
that You're with us.
00:56:50.87\00:56:52.97
You're with us
through every storm,
00:56:53.01\00:56:54.64
through every fire,
00:56:54.68\00:56:56.04
through every
catastrophe, You are with us.
00:56:56.08\00:56:58.65
So we thank You
and we praise You.
00:56:58.68\00:57:00.68
And we ask that
00:57:00.72\00:57:02.05
You will continue to be with us,
00:57:02.08\00:57:03.42
guide us, direct us, Lord.
00:57:03.45\00:57:05.42
Thank You for
all that You've done
00:57:05.45\00:57:06.99
and all that You did.
00:57:07.02\00:57:08.36
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:08.39\00:57:09.72
Amen.
00:57:09.76\00:57:11.09